Aloha Eric!
What's up man? So I was sitting, waiting for your punk A to call me as I just got out of class. Well, I didn't hear anything and I called mom to see what time you were reporting and all that. She said you were going to be reporting like 20 minutes from the time I called her and I was on my way to class. I went to class (you still hadn't called) and I sat there forever looking at my phone. I finally pulled out my computer to take some notes in class and before I knew it I missed your call! I get texts of the voicemails that are left, and it said that you were reporting in 10 minutes and that I missed your call like 20 minutes before. So basically I couldn't hear your last words expressing your hearts desires.......
So, I thought it was gay when I was in the MTC-how Elders would get things from dearelder.com hahaha Anyways, I was just browsing and it's actually FREE while you're there at the MTC and it's probably alot faster than me hand writing one and sending it, etc. You're going to love getting mail...I think I was DL in the MTC and all the stupid annoying elders in my district came up to me like 30 times a day asking me to unlock the box for them, it was so annoying. But anyways...I hope this is your first letter that you get while out there!
I guess once dad got home yesterday he starting crying like a little school girl. He said that mom had been crying most of the day too and Gina did too once you left. I guess Red baby didn't care at all, just like when me & Kevin left too, haha!
So, are you ready to put on some girth nippies? I better be able to do jiggle-cup-rest times 30 when I see your banus in 2 years. Just kidding man. I know there's a part of you that's already starting to convert to speaking with a very feminine voice; it happens to the best of us. Just don't let it get too extreme or you'll have a rough time fitting in there in the hood.
I watched that video again, the one of the hoods in "the A-T-L". It was so gangster.
Anyways man, I need to start getting to the serious part of each letter I send, haha. I remember I entered February 8th of 2006, almost 5 years ago man. It was crazy. I felt a total shock upon arriving, I felt surrounded by kids who had never faced any setbacks in life and were always from really well-to-do families with zero problems ever. I remember that awkwardness of the first few days (it might not seem so now, but looking back you'll realize they were awkward times). My companion thought he ruled the world and tried correcting everything I did. I would quote a scripture and he'd say I didn't use it right...it was a ton of frustration for me. I had one room mate who got so depressed he tried killing himself and then went home because he missed his mom (no joke)...she had passed away a few years earlier. Another kid in my district had had sex with a girl just days before entering the MTC, and there were tons of other issues with my district.
I had always remembered dad's old MTC stories but they seemed too outdated for me and I never really knew what to expect from the MTC. I was the poor kid with a suit and a big hole in my crotch, haha (seriously). I remember my insomnia started to kick in that first night and I only slept a couple hours at best. Two days later my 20th birthday came around and I didn't really feel anybody cared about me. I still hadn't received any letters at that point, nothing. I remember just going to work on my journal and reading that night when I felt no one really cared. As I sat there at my desk, I kept glancing towards a little family picture that I put on my desk throughout my mission, and I realized that there were plenty of people that cared and I realized that Jesus made it possible for me to even have a family, i.e. the creation, agency, ordinances, etc. I realized that there has to be something, something inside you that can't be shaken in order to make it through the MTC. I never felt homesick or depressed there or anything like that...I just needed to have a type of confirmation again because that's how I work.
I think shortly thereafter the MTC became incredibly easy and fun. We had sweet speakers every week, awesome grubb! haha I did get pretty jealous of the language learning missionaries while I was there, I'm not sure why...maybe it was just me. But yeah man I guess what I'm trying to say is just have some faith that good things are in store. In your mission you learn to take things day by day...only focus on the day like the D&C says. When you live like that, life becomes quite a blur and just flashes by. Just work hard and forget about being a people pleaser, be a God pleaser. Do what He wants and he'll do what You want.
Anyways man, I gotta do some chemistry and microbiology. The life of a pre-med student...
Do you need anything man? Like money, cars, girls, etc? haha just kidding! I'm still searching for a grill. The day will come. Just keep your head in that book, you'll start dreaming of lessons soon man and those guys who have been in there 1-2 weeks more than you who think they know it all, well...they really don't know shiz. Teach with your heart man, use a life story for the major points of each lesson and you'll be like 20 times more effective. Seriously, there have been countless studies that state that you need ethos: "how well the speaker convinces the audience that he or she is qualified to speak on the particular subject." pathos: "an appeal to the audience’s emotions. It can be in the form of metaphor, simile, a passionate delivery". and logos: "is logical appeal or the simulation of it, and the term logic is derived from it. It is normally used to describe facts and figures that support the speaker's topic." So ethos + pathos + logos = the art of becoming an effective persuader or teacher, etc. Remember that ethos (what those elders think they have) is only 1/3 of the equation. So get some studies in man, you're going to do an awesome job!
Keep working hard. Everything's alright back home!
I love you like a fat kid loves cake, and how Uncle Fred loves donuts.
Love you man,
Shaun (& Kelly)
PS: let me know if this method of letters works out, I'm sending it on Thursday the 3rd, let me know when you get it...I wanna see how long it takes!
Alright bro, peace! Oh yeah, I know you're freezing yourself right now so I just wanted to let you know that I've been wearing PE shorts and a t shirt all day outside! hahaha :)
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