Hello There!!
What an adventure it has already been!! Home MTC was so much more amazing then I thought it would be! I go into the Provo MTC tomorrow!! Only 722 more days to go. That's nothing ._.
I have learned so much this past week its pretty crazy. My testimony has grown more than I ever thought it could and I'm having so much fun. I got to meet my companion and my district. Elder Williams is from Everett, Washington and loves to do sports. He loves to play golf and basketball, amongst many other sports. It has been great getting to know him and learn who he is and see his relationship with God. My district is probably one of the best. It would be impossible for anyone to have a cooler group of people in a zoom call for 6 hours a day. Elder Saline and I were the goofy ones of the group. If someone would use the chat we would react to the message with a funny emoji like an alien, or some other random emoji.
I had 4 online meetings with all the missionaries that started on the same day and who are going to the Provo MTC. It was a big group of 454!! Absolutely insane! That's more than 1! (incase you didn't know)
I found Elder Butler in those meetings! It was good for some comic relief.
My P-Day is on Tuesday for my time at the MTC, so it was very strange having one day of class on Monday then immediately having a break the next day. It was hard not doing anything other than study and trying to fight the urge to watch youtube. I watched the Ice Age movies throughout the week on my dinner breaks. I forgot how silly goofy those movies are. It was also cool to watch how animation has advanced over the course of a couple of decades.
Had my first birthday as a Missionary! Turned 19. Elder Williams found out and told the district:
Beautiful :_) Music to my ears
(Idk if that video successfully uploaded right) If not message me on Facebook and I can send you the video.
How classes time works, if you are curious, we have two, 3 hour classes. Morning with Sister Golding and afternoon with Sister Mott. (My MTC teachers) Sister Golding's class starts at 8:30 and goes till 11:30. Sister Mott's class starts at 1:30 and goes till 4:30. And we get 10 minute breaks each hour. I would spend these time slots doing one or more of the following:
Run around the house
Get a snack
Use the facilities
Playing the Ukulele
Staring out a window
Crying
Spin in my chair
Talking to my District
As you can see, I am pretty dang productive in my time away from class.
One day Sister Golding had a meeting to attend during the last hour of class, so she had to make someone host of the meeting/put someone in charge so we could keep order and finish up class with what she asked us to do. >:)
Guess who got the power presented to them and gladly accepted.
ME!
I know what you might be thinking, "well that was a mistake." or "oh no." but you can ask anyone in my district and they will tell you that it wasn't as bad as you might have thought it went. We read a chapter in the Book of Mormon in small groups and discused. Then came back together talked for a bit and then ended the meeting. So it went very well in my opinion. Way better than Sister Mott's class. She had to leave for the second hour and she didn't know who to put in charge of the class. Other people were saying that I was in control in Sister Golding's class and that I did a good job. Which I did. Elder Saline is put in command to rule 2nd hour. We had two different tasks that Sister Mott left us with. Then she leaves.
Now I wont go into detail on what happened but by the time Sister Mott came back the supreme power was passed around to three different people. Me being one of them. It was wild. Friendly yelling, confusion, and laughter were all present during this hour, BUT we got the tasks done. And that's what matters.
I got to go to Elder Tobler's farewell on Sunday! I am really going to miss him. He will do amazing. I was crying during his entire talk and then during the ward choir. I am such a cry baby. I blame my dad for that.
It was really good to see all of my friends one final time before I go into the Provo MTC. We took pictures together and said goodbye. Many tears. It's ok though! Two years will go by so fast. Faster than we realize.
Yesterday, Monday, was my last day of online class!! WoOhOOo
Elder Williams and I did our first teaching appointments. Just to get practice of what it will be like out in the field. I really didn't think they went that well but the survey and info from the people we taught say other wise. I really don't feel confident at all, but my teachers and district say that Elder Williams and I do great so that tells you about the power that God has.
Moses 6:32 really coming true.
"...Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good."
Sierra is letting me bring her ukulele with me, which will be awesome! She doesn't really use it a lot and it will be great to have around. Something I can do so I wont get to board in Texas :) My district will sometimes see my playing it on the 10 minute breaks and they would ask me to unmute so that they could listen to me play which was fun.
I've been packing the majority of today and been writing this email. Elder Williams and I were able to MEET TODAY!! It was really good to see him and talk about life and just talk. I was able to meet some of his family which was super cool. I will be able to meet all of my district tomorrow in person! They wont be little pixels on a screen anymore. Packing is tough! I don't know if I have enough but I'm afraid I have not enough. It's wild here at the Payne House tonight.
Duncan got his mission call today!! I was able to go and see him open it!! HE IS GOING TO MCALLEN TEXAS!! IS THAT NOT CRAZY!! We will be in the same state only about 4-7 hours apart from each other for about a year and a half! I am so shocked and so proud. He starts March 13th! What an adventure that will be!!
Lucky for you, I have a lot of pictures from this past week. From saying goodbye, Zoom things, and birthday, pictures add up and I thought I'd share some of the good ones.
Love You All. Stay Silly Goofy. 🤪
-Elder Payne
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