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MTC Week 2

Hey everyone!

The MTC has been such a blast! Shortly after my arrival I was united with my companion Elder Reed who might be the most knowledgeable person I have ever met. I mean seriously our district has yet to ask a question he can't answer. He has already explained to me his theories about the fundamental particles of the universe and different dimensions and it all made plausible sense to my cowboy brain. The first night here we had a devotional with Elder Bednar, but unfortunately it was a prerecorded devotional rather than an in person discussion. He still did amazing though!! He talked about the character of Christ and told us a story about a woman who had a similar character. Every opportunity she was given to turn in and be selfish she turned out to minister and serve. Her life wasn't easy either.  She was not that rich women that sat around then one time donated some time and money that she could do without. No this woman was on the phone with Elder Bednar when he was a stake president explaining that three girls from her stake had gotten in a car crash and they needed his help... oh by the way one of them was her daughter!! She knew on of the girls was dead but she had no clue which one. While she was on the phone with Elder Bednar she found out it was her daughter that had passed and her first reaction was we need to let the other mothers know where there daughters are being taken. This women was incredible! She has just found out her only child was killed by a drunk and her first thought is about others! The story doesn't end there though cause she later calls Elder Bednar and says she wants him to come see her daughter all ready for burial cause she's worried that he will have a tainted image of her after seeing her body at the hospital. Her daughter's funeral is around the corner but she just wants to make sure the stake president wasn't too disturbed at the hospital. Don't go anywhere though! Sam sit down! Ammon pay attention! Abby silence the puppy! Caden wake up! Cause this story is about to climax! On the morning of her daughter's funeral this women is getting ready when she gets a call from a sister in the ward who has a cold. The sick sister chews her out cause she's the Relief Society president but no one has brought her family food while she's been sick. To be fair the sick sister didn't know about the accident or funeral but at this point.  If I was the woman who's daughter had passed, I'd probably be thinking of making it a double funeral. This valiant daughter of God doesn't react that way though. In her lowest time of despair and anguish she makes a meal and delivers it to the sick sisters family on the way to the funeral of her only child. I know I'm not the one who gets to judge people, but if that woman doesn't make the cut I'm not sure who will. Stories like that have highlighted my time in the MTC this far along with super intense games of no diving basketball and volleyball, silly Utah rules for square, and slightly grey area ultimate frisbee that the DL approved.  All in all, I'm loving my mission even though I miss y'alls. Don't tell the MTC president I said that probably he will kick me off my mission cause we aren't supposed to use any slang or wear blue shirts while in the MTC. We aren't sure what will happen if we do, but most Elders speculate in the range of excommunication to execution by Enoch level mountain moving. If you don't get that reference go study Enoch he is quite literally "the man".  I'm not sure how this email compares to what is considered the "proper length" for a missionary but I'm about to get ready and head to the temple for P day so I hope this works. I love all of you and I can't wait to tell you all my stories!

With tons of love, but not like romantic love, like Christlike love cause missionaries are basically Jedi so we don't feel the romantic kind.

Elder Smith

Elder Park, Elder Smith, Elder Reeves, Elder Barney, Sister Welling
Sister Sweat, Sister Patterson, Elder Stevens, Elder Reed
Sister Harward, Sister Moffat, Sister Jensen

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