Yeah! Another Email!

Hola Familia!!!

Wow it feels like I was emailing you not even a day ago. We do so much and we study so hard here. We don't let one moment pass us by to read the Book of Mormon or to share our testimonies with someone. Before we know it, the day is over and we feel like we got alot accomplished in that day. The spanish continues to come easily, but I know that it will be a totally different thing when we get into the field. We have a new "teacher-in-training" who is from, guess where? MEXICO CITY!!!! How cool is that!!! We asked him soooo many questions at first, and he is still learning english, so it is kinda fun to teach him english while he teaches us spanish!

So it turns out that I actually had the stomach flu all last week (even though the food still makes me sick haha) and that was part of the reason that I was throwing up all last week. Also this entire week I have been suffering from a sinus infection, which they gave me antibiotics for, and are slowly helping me to get better. I ran into Mike Jones his first day! Turns out he has the same meal times as I do, so I have the opportunity to say hi to him three times a day, plus whenever I see him around the MTC. Also we are scheduled to do service at the same time and place, so I get to see him when we are doing service. He seems to be doing great here, and I'm glad to see he is so comfortable in this environment. I haven't had the opportunity to write Bubba. They only give us 30 minutes on the computer for email and there is literally a timer that counts down and kicks us off after our 30 minutes are up, so I am only able to get this one email written, but we will see what I can do...

We had a "district unity acitvity" yesterday at breakfast. Our district made it a goal to eat an entire tower of Fruit Loops for breakfast (approx 60 bowls of cereal, which makes it about 7-8 bowls a piece). One of the kitchen workers didn't seem to happy but all the other workers were cheering us on, including alot of the other Elders around us. I don't think it is something we will do again, because we didn't feel like eating for the entire rest of the day. Last night we had the opportunity to have a devotional where David F. Evans of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke. It was an amazing talk!! I don't think I'd ever taken that many notes in a devotional or talk before! The spirit was so strong while he taught, and he answered so many of my prayers in just that single talk. He talked about receiving revelation from the Book of Mormon, and how many principles of our gospel are taught within just the first Chapter of Nephi! I could not believe this is something I had not recognized, or just took for granted before.

I am so grateful to be here. Even though I came into the MTC knowing alot about the gospel, I continue to grow and learn more, and my testimony continues to grow. Our teachers continue to be wonderful. Our zone leaders came and asked us the other day how our district is so close with one another. They couldn't figure out how we had bonded so quickly, because all of us are so different from one another. I think we just explained that it didn't matter who we were, but that are purpose was the same, and we loved each other for the decision we made to bring others unto Christ.

Me and my companions had the opportunity to meet with an investigator. He is our progressive investigator here at the MTC, and we will have the opportunity and are planning to teach him the first lesson. We continuously pray to have the spirit with us, and that we will be able to plan to meet his needs, and to know what we need to share with him. I am so nervous, but so comforted at the same time by the fact that I know that in the time of my teaching, the spirit will manifest unto me what it is that needs to be said.

Mom, our district would DEFINATELY love to receive donuts from you! If you could send them on a Saturday, that is when we need the biggest pick-me-up :)

Also I forgot to mention that I did not bring my patriarchal blessing with me, and was wondering if you could send the shrunk down version of it.

If I think of anything else, I will mention it in the letter I write home.

I love you all, and will continue to pray for you!

Love,
Elder Scott Donner