Third Week at the MTC

Week three!!

What the heck! Time is going by so fast nowadays! I love it!! I keep learning so much and it’s seriously so fun. I leave for Alabama July 5th! My flight is 7:05 am and I have to be ready at the front desk at four in the morning.... forget that ha-ha. Dang it...that’s awesome that Elder Horsfal is on his way home or actually home by now. He was an awesome missionary and I hope I can be just like he was.

I’ll be checking for that package today. Shoot I’ve been looking for it all week! Can’t wait :) Yeahhhhh I definitely threw those stamps away ha-ha. Didn’t see them!! I’m sorry but i was just excited to get my retainers and put them in. They didn’t even hurt after not wearing them for a week! So my teeth must finally be settling in. Dad is such a little copycat jacking my style and getting a G-shock! He wishes he could look as good as I do wearing it :) But that’s good that he loves it.

The special fireside was seriously amazing. Even though people showed up an hour before to get seats and I ended up having to sit in the overflow watching it on TV haha. David Bednar spoke! And behind him on the stand was Russell Nelson, Russell Ballard, Neil Anderson, Richard Scott, and Dallin Oaks. I think that’s their names?? haha it was crazy seeing 6 of the 12 Apostles!! And before that on my way home from playing volleyball, I was crossing the street and Pres. Uchtdorf was in the car right next to me pulling out of the MTC! I was saying hi to him and all the Elders were screaming and going crazy and he was just smiling and giving us the thumbs up! Ha-ha, so funny and his face was all red and his hair was so white. Looked like he had a fake tan for sure haha. So that day I saw a bunch of apostles. Most I’ve ever seen in person. That was Friday and it was awesome.

We had another devotional on Sunday and these four Elders made up a quartet and seriously sang the most beautiful version of "Did you think to pray". The tenor was singing all high and they harmonized so crazy everyone was getting hypnotized and just staring in awe. I would have bought that if it was available because seriously it was the best thing I’ve ever heard live. And about the choir, they never say when practice is so I dropped that. It would be cool to keep singing but I don’t know when it is, so whatever.

This is way random, but there are these baby sparrows above my class building and when I first got here they were super tiny and always chirping all cute. Today as I walked in to get on the computer one was on the ground learning to fly! I was like “are you serious? I’ve been here that long haha. Random, but its cool to see little baby birds grow just like I’m growing.

Earlier this week, I was getting annoyed with some of my district and my companion because they weren’t concentrating and just messing around when I was trying to be serious. So we talked about it and 2 of them thought I acted like I was "too cool" haha. Because they would try to tell a joke or talk in an accent and be all funny when I was studying and I wouldn’t laugh and they would feel dumb ha-ha. So I just told them how I’m trying to concentrate and really get the most I can get out of the MTC and they agreed and said they should probably focus more. And I said I’m not too cool, just not here to mess around and they understood. But we did get a chance to mess around Sunday night! Haha it was so fun! First off we had a tic-tac tossing challenge. So fun! I had this guy go all the way to the 4th floor and I was in the basement and he dropped a tic-tac through the 3-inch gap in the middle of the stairway. I caught it in my mouth ha-ha. Then Elder Clanton tried and it hit his tooth and broke all over the place! Soooo funny. After that I got hyper and Elder Clanton, Urry, and I started galloping down the hall like we were on horses and totally ran into each other and Elder Clanton went flying haha. So I did get to have some immature fun at the MTC. Felt good to just mess around for a while then get back to business.

After we "horsed" around, (haha, get it) we made a tape for Elder Clanton’s girlfriend. She sent him a tape recorder and some tapes so they could talk to each other and that was fun too. Gave a little bio of myself and told her how awesome her boyfriend is. Because he seriously is my favorite. So nice and relaxed. We sang a little hymn for her so she could feel the spirit haha. I’m getting really close with my district and I love it. It’s cool that all of us have different backgrounds but we all love the gospel and sacrificed 2 years to spread it and bless others through it. Even though we might not agree about all things like how cool I am and stuff. BTW I am too cool for them haha, just kidding. But yeah we don’t agree about everything but we agree about what counts. So I’m happy with being with them and having them go to the same mission as I am. Elder Clanton and I agree about almost everything though and I would be happy if he was my companion sometime near the end of my mission. Would be cool!

All right now about my lessons, my teacher, brother Lohmeier, had to go to California for a wedding or something so he won’t be teaching me anymore. So that means I won’t be teaching Gary anymore and I’m kind of bummed about that. But that Brother Junichi I’m teaching is doing way better. The first time I was there he was being a little butt and stubborn. But the 2nd and 3rd time we taught him we started with a hymn and he really loved that. He said he felt it brought us all closer together and it got him in a better mood to hear what I had to say. He accepted a lot even though it was his first time hearing most of it. He said he’d read the scriptures and pray. I have a lot more to say but I only have 2 minutes left so I'll write the rest in a letter. That’s good that Grandma is going to at least try and read the B of M. I hope she feels how it could bless her in her life and that it doesn’t contradict the Bible but compliments it. Teaching people about it everyday, I really see how it can bless EVERYONE not just members of the church. So keep at her and tell her to write me if she has any questions! I know its true and I wouldn’t be out here for 2 years if I didn’t.

Anyways I have to go! I love you guys and this time next week I’ll be in BAMA! So excited. Talk to you later and look for the letter.

Love, Elder Oppenlander