Oct 29, 2010 - MTC Week 7 - Mission Week 7

From: Phillip Larsen phillip.larsen@myldsmail.net
Date: Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Subject: Week 7

Boa Tarde!

It has been another week already in the MTC! The time certainly sneaks up on us, every week we are surprised it is already time for our TRC and for our other stuff.

This week has been quite eventful too! We got to hear from another Apostle! That is two in 2 weeks! That usually doesn't happen, we heard from Elder Richard G. Scott. I sang in choir again this week, it was very good.

This past Tuesday an Elder in our district, Elder Bitner had surgery and so that has been tough for him but its good that he got that. He is also one of my roommates in the residence hall.

Weather here in Utah is very strange! We got snow this past week, and then the next morning it was all gone. Today when we were walking to the temple, on some of the mountains there is a lot of snow. It is very cool looking (no pun intended)

We have been teaching in all Portuguese now a lot, and we're getting better each day. Still no news on visa situations. Funny story, Elder Smith, my companion got a memo from the Travel Desk here at the MTC that said "Come to the Travel Desk ASAP"

Our whole district was freaking out! Someone got something from the Travel Desk and that means visas. Well we went to the Travel Office and when Elder Smith gave them the paper they told him to wait at one of the seats then a lady came up with a pan of cinnamon rolls. Someone was friends with the lady and she knew Elder Smtih so she had the present delivered that way, quite a cruel joke if you ask me but it is all good.

Not much else has been happening really. The dress code for winter got instituted and now we need to wear our suit coats everywhere we go except in our Residence Halls, and while we are in classes. It is all for the better though I guess because it got pretty cold this past week although today is a pretty warm day.

That is great that Ricky got his Visa finally! (Note: Ricky is Phillip's cousin who served in Alabama for 2 months before his visa to Brazil finally arrived - John L.) I don't know what all is happening but I heard that the Brazilian Government has received so many visa applications that they told the Church to stop sending more until they finished getting the ones they have right now sorted out. That is the rumor at least...

I've been losing more weight, I was 150 when I got here and now I am 145.8. Yikes! I need to eat more and stop working out or something if I am planning on gaining more weight. We play volleyball a lot in the Gym during our Gym time and that is good.

I don't really know what else to say, the week has been pretty much the same. We aren't able to do temple walks on Sundays because some Elders were meeting with friends and family there when they weren't supposed to and they ruined it for everybody else. Its a bit annoying but the past few Sundays haven't been the best of weather anyways so we just do an MTC walk and walk around.

They really have decorated the area at the MTC but they won't turn on the lights until after Thanksgiving! It is frustrating! I want to see what it all looks like. It'll be really awesome! Maybe Mike will be able to see it, although he is only in the Provo MTC for a few weeks though so I am not sure.

Love you all lots, and miss you all, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Love,

Elder Phillip Larsen