July 19, 2011

Hey, thanks for the emails. I think I will respond to yours and dads in one go. Sounds like you guys had fun at the reunion. I'm glad dad isn't dead. I wish I could have seen all my cousins and done some white water rafting and chased down those kids on bikes in fish creek park. But I'm doing other cool stuff I guess. The other Elders arrived. They are a pretty good group of guys. We have people from Switzerland, Finland, Brazil, Germany, Australia, New Zeland, France, the States obviously, one other guy from Canada and only one Elder from England. And he is my companion. He is from Manchester, and his name is Elder Banks but I call him Banksy.

I'm always really tired so he is always asking me if I'm okay and I'm always like "I just told you I'm fine like ten mintues ago." He takes the be with your companion at all times thing to a whole new level... he paces the in the bathroom behind me whenever I have to go. But he is a good match for me. Among other things, he is teaching me patience. He was a convert to the church two years ago. He is much more spiritual then I am, he always has us praying and asking for the spirit and has a very strong testimony. He works hard all the time and so do I.

So far my most overwhelming feeling here has been exhaustion. I'm tired. The MTC this first week has been draining both spiritually and physically. I have visited the temple twice, taught two first lessons to fake investigators, and have read more scriptures and preach my gospel than the rest of my life combined. The jet lag was brutal. I was waking up and one in the morning and falling asleep in the middle of my day classes. I think I'm just about over the jet lag but this whole wake up at 630 thing is still killing me. I'm so glad it's p-day today. I'm going to take a nap after this.

So far all we do is wake up and study the scriptures/preach my gospel from like 8am until 9pm. We have had a couple chances to go play basketball in a nearby stake center or do a few other activities but most of the time we are dedicated solely to preparing to enter the field.

I'm out of time. I shouldn't have responded to Alyssa first. She told me Tanner Brooks got his call but hasn't opened it... I want to know where he is going. Tell him to send me an email.

I love you guys and miss you already. I've already had to iron two shirts, and I want mom's cooking instead of this guy Luka who makes all the meals. And I miss my bed. I'll write back next Tuesday. Have a good week.

Cheers,

Elder Steed