Elder Jared Jensen's Missionary Blog: FIRST WEEK COMPLETE 103 to go

Hello world of St. George! first week of MTC has been quite an adventure. I feel like such a nerd writing these home because Jase did it and he's a nerd, but ya know gotta write home on the mission. The first day I got here and the feelings of nervousness left pretty quickly. I was here. everything is ok. except on the first and second day I got occasional jolts of homesickness and I was struggling to adjust to my new life. However It's gotten waaayy easier as time has gone on. I'm starting to love this place. There is a spirit here like nowhere else.

In fact the only thing that calmed me on the first day was the fact that we had a class, and the spirit in the class calmed me. All the missionaries see you wearing the new guy sticker and all of them say "Welcome to the MTC" until you have the desire to Detroit smash all of them. For all my friends who think I don't cry, I totally lost it on the night of my setting apart when Jake Brown gave me a picture of the coolest anime dude ever all might. I lost it. but then I got here and I haven't cried since because it's ok now and it's fun.

I got made district leader. They interviewed all of us and they said "We are now going to announce the new district leaders" I put my head down but I already knew it was me. It basically makes me a glorified mailman, but I'm awful at opening the weird locks they have here so elder moosman (mose-man) my companion always helps me. One time he even ran into the back room, grabbed our mail and got out. that was terrifying. But also it means a little more work on sundays that I have to do. but it's fun! My district already thinks that if I drink caffiene then I will explode and they're probably right so that means I must be being myself. They're way fun.

Ok let me tell you about my companion! this dude is somethin funky. I got here the first day and saw his name on my slip and it read "MOOSMAN JIE MING" and I was like "woooaaaahh my companion is going to be a gnarly Asian dude! and that's exactly what he is. ( it's pronounced Mose-man but everybody still calls him mooseman sometimes cause it bugs him ) The dude is brilliant. Got a 35 composite ACT score. I would get lost every day without him. He's like my new brevin navigating me through the MTC. He has been raised with his mom pretty much not letting him do anything - including wearing shorts in public. So far the MTC has been really fun for him because he might just have more freedom then he did at home. He has ADHD and so he loves doing puzzles and stuff to calm him. The elder is actually a buff one. Nobody in our zone has been able to beat him in an arm wrestle yet because he was a dairy farmer and quite the hard worker.

Our district is pretty cool, I like them a lot. There are three dallas elders in it and three chicago elders. since it's an odd number I'm companions with one of the dallas elders. however the chicago elders in my district are both awesome. I hope I get to be companions with both of them! they're names are elder bell and elder howe. they are awesome. I'll be sending pictures of them and my companion.

The classes here are awesome. They were like the only things that kept me going on the first couple of days. They really calm you and bring the spirit. The teachers here are RMs who are legit like 20 year old BYU students (you could even be one Jase) and they are honestly brilliant. I learn a ton from them although I think they might think I'm an annoying student. One of them doesn't laugh at like anything funny we say, except one time I said "Um is the sound in Dumb" and he lost it. I was like who is this dude that wasn't even funny. but he's a legendary teacher.

The MTC is kinda like EFY but on steroids and less dances. sometimes we joke around that there is no happiness allowed. That is not true, but we just aren't allowed to do anything lol. Everytime the sisters get mad at us for telling a joke all the elders joke around and say, "There is no happiness allowed in front of the sisters. It says so in the white handbook" and then that one teacher tells us to shut up. So yeah it's the greatest thing, of course I already miss music and my hero academia but I'll get over it.

The food is decent, but I eat it because it's nourishment. like there are some things that are pretty good. It's not as bad as people make it out to be.

They have excercise time here so I've been running right before we get ready for bed! we have the perfect time. I run with some of the elders in my zone. one of them is an elite distance runner whose fastest mile is 4:38. so we just try to keep up with him until we can't and then thats when we stop and go play frisbee or volleyball. I'd assume were running about 1.5 miles or 2 miles but this elder could go for like 10 miles. He's going at a "slow" pace but he destroys all of us. However all the running elders are leaving to the field this week :/ but some of the elders in my district offered to switch off running with me. I feel like it's the only way to truly excercise! all the sports take like no effort because there is so many people playing. so I do a little bit of both.

On sunday they showed us this video of a devotional by David A. Bednar that was given here at the MTC 6 years ago. it was amazing! they only show it at the MTC so I had to see it before I leave! It's called the character of Christ and it talked about how in order to be like Christ we need to be totally outwards not inwards, even in time of our own great affliction. He had some amazing insights and stories, so I made sure to take some good notes! so that was probably the most spiritual thing of this whole week!

We're able to go to the temple today and I'm pumped. after working there I miss that place.

So anyways I can't really think of a lot more to write about but if you have questions please ask! I'm only able to reply on tuesdays whenever because I have a phone, but not any other day because it's not allowed.

Elder Bell asleep