First Email!

Pamilya!!!!

Ah wow it's finally P-day!! I've been dying to write you guys and now i finally can! I've experienced so much in the past 7 days. It's been one crazy rollercoaster from learning the language, studying the gospel, missing you guys, and tons of stuff in between. I'm not very good at writing so Im sorry and ill try not to think about it and get it all out. First, so you all know I can only write on Pdays but I can send letters throughout the week so Ill use this email time to update everyone on what ive experienced and then I'll write letters to you individually throughout today and then send them throughout the week so you can get more than just one a week. Sound good? I hope so! Thanks for all of your letters and packages! You have no idea how much they helped and how comforting and strengthing it is to get them. It's made this transition and overwhelming experience a lot easier and a lot better so keep them coming please!!! So wednesday was crazy. I was rushed around getting all of my materials and then I was plopped in a classroom (which i was told is my home here at the mtc and I have found that so true. I'll explain in a second). Then our teacher came in and spoke only cebuano to us and it was hilarious. We all had the same confused face as she talked and we were all laughing. The people in my class are the people in my district. Oh I was made district leader by the way! That basically means I go to a bunch of meetings on Sunday, I pick up the mail for my district, I conduct district meeting stuff and I watch over the district. I didn't really want to be one becasue of all that but the Lord called me to be one so I'm trying to do my best. Oh and getting the nametag was so cool!! A lady pulled it out of a little pouch and showed it to me and she was like how does that look? And I was like looks great. It really is so cool. I'll send a picture of it. The first night, well every night is the hardest part of the day. It's where we arent doing anything so my mind just starts to go and think of all of you and I start missing you. It usually takes me about a half hour to fall asleep every night but it's getting better. The first few days here were tough. They were really overwhelming and I missed you all a lot. I've had worse days before but still tough so thats why I loved getting your packages and letters. Anyway I'll just give you some highlights so far. We went to a people and purpose workshop and there was a quote by Elder Holland and it said, "When the Spirit is with you and you teach by it, that is when the lesson ceases to be your lesson and becomes His. That is when the lightning strikes..." Wow I just got chills while writing that. Look up the rest of the quote becasuse its really cool and powerful. During the workshop I was getting homesick and then a thought came to my mind and it said "I have a great work for you to do. Do not worry, do not be afraid, I will be with you." I have had my prayers and concerns answered so many times while Ive been here. The Lord is watching over me and strengthening me and He lets me know that He is watching over you all too. Final quote from that workshop is "He called you to succeed in missionary work." Sunday was better but hard in it's own way. It was a nice break from everything. Even though I was still busy all day, it was Sabbath day worth busy and it felt so good. I am so grateful for the Sabbath day. I challenge all of you to keep it holy because you will be blessed and you will feel the power that it can have in your life. You will be reenergized. I know it's easier to keep it holy in the mtc but I challenge all of you to try. Sacrament mtg was cool but it was hard becasue I miss having sacrament with you all so much. I missed sitting with you. That we had mission conference and that means the whole mtc gathers and we have speakers. A couple highlights were we sang Go Forward with Faith and that was powerful. Hearing the power and strenght from thousands of missionaries singing our purpose as missionaries was something I wont ever forget. Same with Called to Serve which was so powerful too. We sang that at tueday devotional. Then one elder sang O Divine Redeemer and he was incredible. It was amazing. A quote from Neal A Maxwell, "The submission of one's will is the only thing we can truly place upon the altar of God... it is the only thing that He really asks of us." This put everything into perspective and another answer to my prayers. Another quote from mission conference is from Elder Bednar, "these are days to never be forgotten... the best is even yet to come." We need to focus on this whenever times get tough. Another answer to my prayers came in district meeting and it's Mark 5:36- it says Jesus heard...he saith...be not afraid, only believe" Dad, you also sent this to me and I love it. He heard my prayer and answered. Here's another thought that came into my mind, "You aren't here for you. Thant's a great benefit but you really aren't her for you. YOu're here to serve, to labor in the vineyards of the Lord. YOu are here to build Zion. You are here to bring HIs children home to Him. YOu represent Jesus Christ, the SAvior of the world." Sunday night they play a bunch of videos and you pick which one you go to. I went to the "Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. It's the only video played each week because it is so good. I cant describe to you how good it is. You HAVE to find it! Whatever it takes find it. Even if you have to call the mtc do it. It's so powerful and so good. He gave it at a devotional here at the mtc about a year ago. Some notes I took from it are, " there would have been no atoning sacrifice without the Character of Christ." Neal Maxwell actually said that last one. "Christ always turned outward during hard times unlike us who would turn in." He was hilarious througout the whole talk. He said at one point, " WHO CARES WHAT YOU WANT?" It was really funny but so true. We arent here for us. Another quote, If you are converted unto the Lord, I prophesy, I promise, you will never fall way." Anway find that talk!! A side note but a quote from Elder Holland said, "YOu must be your first convert! What you want your investigators to do you mucst do it first!" All of this applies to member missionary work too. Tuesday devotional was alright. Elder DAvid F. Evans came and spoke. He talked to us about how we are the chosen generation and how amazing it was to see all of us answer the call of a prophet. He then said that he was in a meeting with Elder Eyring and that Elder Eyring talked aobut Jacob 5 and how in there it talks about the prophets calling for more time but finally towards the end of the time in the vineyard a prophet finally asked for more servants. And then he said, we have a prophet that is calling for more servants. How amazing is that!? I jsut got chills again. I think that's all i have for spiritual stuff so now for the other "fun" stuff. The language is pretty hard but it's ocming along. I can say a simple prayer and testimony and cebuano and I am strarting to undrstand what my teachers are saying in class so that's really nindot (cool). My district is awesome. We all get along and have fun, maybe too much fun sometimes. My companion is a good guy though and a smart guy too. He works hard. We actually committed our investigator, Cixto, to baptism yesterday!! He's fake but it was awesome because not everyone commits there invest. to baptism. We had to teach fully in Cebuano! It was hard but cool. Sometimes I wish I was english speaking but the good thing about learning a language is it forces us to teach simple doctrine and not get complicated. There was one time I bore my testimony and the Spirit was there. I was speaking from my heart instead of just tryng to remember how to say stuff. Ive seen all of my friends and more!! I see Elder Driggs, Durham (until they both left), Golds before he left, TIngey, Pinnocks, Lunt, Caine, Wilson and other Olympus kids all the time! It's so nice to talk to them and get an outlet. I haven't seen murph yet though. I'm sure I will soon. I love the elders in my room. They are hilarious especially elder manley. We laugh at everything in here! and I mean EVERYTHING. It's hilarious. Anyway I'm running out of time so I gotta go! Sorry if I forgot anything you wanted to know! Ask and questions oyu have and I'll try hard to answer them! And sorry for all of the errors. I was trying to type really fast. I love you all so much!! I miss you and pray for you individually every prayer that I say! Literally every one! Thanks for all of the prayers and Keep praying for me becasue i need all the strength I can get! And keep writing! I love you all!! Oh I almost forgot. I have a challenge for you Nate and everyone else. It was from Elder Bednar in Character of Christ and it is take a plain paperback copy of the Book of Mormon and think of something you want to learn more about and then mark it up! Make sense? I'm doing it with obedience. He suggested the character of Christ and I'm going to do that later. But thats the challenge! I love you and I'll leave you with this thought. D&C 128:22 says, "Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward, not backward! Courage brethren, and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad!" I love you all!
-Elder Fox