Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Monday, February 14, 2011

WEEK 3 AT THE MTC....WHAT A WEEK!

Kumusta Nanay at Tatay!

My week was pretty good. I will start off by saying though, I am really sorry for not saying Happy Birthday in my last email! Also, I am sending a letter with a few developed pictures.

So, last Monday we had the Zone teaching appointment and Elder Comish, Elder Morris and I did a pretty good job. We taught Lesson 2, the Plan of Salvation, then the other district taught us and they did well too.

On Tuesday, we had Elder Eduardo Gavarett from the Quorum of the Seventy come and talk to us about the Plan of Salvation and what we believe about this life and after. I learned a few things, but it was more like a lesson as opposed to a talk. We had a really good discussion with our 2nd counsellor in the branch presidency afterwards about the Plan of Salvation.

Wednesday, we practiced what we had to do for the TRC (the fake investigator) the next day, which is where our teachers tell us a task and we have to do it in Tagalog, then teach the Plan of Salvation in English to the persons needs. We pretty much practiced that all day both in class and during our study time.

We did the same thing Thursday, then the TRC came and we had to pick an "investigator" up and bring him to church and make small talk on the way there. We asked how he was doing, what he did that week and how he was doing with committments that we taught him in lesson one, the Restoration. We did alright with both things. It's a little hard to remember sometimes what to say in Tagalog though.

Friday was definitely the most crazy day that I have had in the MTC so far. We were in class talking about the Word of Wisdom, then President Taylor, our branch president, pulls Elder Comish, Elder Morris and myself out of class for an interview. So he was asking us how things were going with us, and small things like that, then he says, "You're having someone new in your district". So I'm thinking that's cool and stuff, then he says this guy is going to need a new companion, then he looked at me and said "Elder Gagnon, will you be his new companion?" And of course I said yes! He said he wanted me to be his new companion because I seemed patient, humble and sociable. He also said that he didn't think I would be a "Missionary Nazi", so I'm not really sure what that means....but I will take it as a compliment! So my new companion is Elder Johnson, he is from Arizona, he's huge, kinda quiet and he's been here for 7 weeks!!! He had 2 weeks left!!! He was close to leaving and then his old branch president (there's another branch/zone of Tagalog speaking missionaries that I didn't know of) gave him the opportunity to switch branches (for reasons I do not know) and he took it. So I don't really know what happened, but I have a new companion. So far, he has told me that he pretty much slept the whole time he was here.....Sooooooo yea......

Anyways, another big thing that happened on Friday was that Elder Tomasi found out his sister died. She was hit by a car, it was a hit and run. So he hasn't been doing too well. He said that the week was going great because he had gotten letters from Elder Leishman's (his companion) friends and family all week and the one letter that his parents sent him was the one telling him that his sister died. I was talking about it with him and it is really sad. I actually cried alot...
Anyways, so if you guys and anyone else who reads this, please send Elder Tomasi a little letter or something and keep him in your prayers. He is a great guy, the nicest person I've met out here.

AND please thank the Blakemores, Tyler Paxman, David Jones, The Glowas and Anson for their "Dear Elders"! I love them all so much!

Also, please let Theresa know that I love her so much and I love all the "Dear Elders" she sends me AND I read her note in the frog today AND tell her I said Happy Valentine's Day! I will be sending her something today for V-day.

Anyway, my time is up, sorry I didn't get to talk about Saturday or Sunday. I spent Saturday writing my talk and it didn't end up getting used. The branch Pres. picks one of us, right before the speaker speaks, so we never know who it is going to be until he says, so we all have to write talks :P Oh....and it has to be in Tagalog! Elder Tuitama and Sister Young from the other district in our zone were chosen.

Please let me know how everyone is doing, I miss everyone a ton! And please send a little letter to Elder Tomasi, he needs support more than anyone right now.

Anyways, I love you guys! Mahal kita!

And thanks for the "Dear Elder" and the package! Everyone loved the Ringalos! I will also be sending pictures this week...

Salamat po!

Mahal kita Nanay at Tatay!

Elder Gagnon

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