Elder Madsen's 1st Mission Letter

July 3, 2012

Week #1

My first week in the MTC is coming to an end!! It seems like a month has already gone by.  It has been really up and down, but I enjoy it, and the spirit is so strong here.

 

First, my companion. Elder Kevin Bresee (pronounced Bruzee) is from Suprise, Arizona (a city 45 minutes north of Phoenix). He is twenty years old and has been working for a year and a half or so at his dads work to raise money for his mission. We have been doing well, and have taught a few times now. The first time kinda sucked (not gonna lie), but we have been getting better and better. Yesterday we taught Junichi, our TRC progressing investigator, for the first time. It was a little frustrating because his traditional japanese beliefs had few parallels with what we are trying to teach him. It was a good experience though.

 

I have the most awesome district in the MTC, no joke! There's Elder Bresee and I, Elder Nielson (Austin, Texas) and Elder Derr (Hyrum, Utah), Elder Forbes (St. George, Utah) and Elder Hales (Salt Lake Area), Elder Hamilton (Parowan Utah) and Elder Albertson (small town in eastern Idaho, name escapes me), and Elder Hunt (Idaho Falls) and Elder Hullinger (Pleasant Grove). No sisters :( . But these elders make up for it! I was assigned to be district leader on Thursday night. As if I wasn't stressed out enough! But the elders have been great, and I am humbled to have this opportunity to serve them.

 

Our classes, have been good, even if they are long. Brother Ferrin and Brother Faircluff, who are both around 23, are great teachers. Classes, at least for the first couple days, were a little stressful because they require us to get out of our comfort zone. But now I enjoy them so much.

 

Sunday at the MTC was an unforgetable experience. I was lucky cause I got to go to a number of leadership training seminars that have helped me so much. Our Branch Presidency: President Jackson, Brother Reynolds and Brother Willis are all amazing men who just have a great spirit. I was able to interview with President Jackson on Sunday and he gave great counsel. From 10 to 12 we had a mission conference, with great talks by the mission presidency and their wives. We had fast and testimony after that, where 7 of the 10 elders in our district bore testimonies. President Nelle of the mission presidency was there at our meeting. We had our first district meeting that day as well. Luckily I didnt have to teach.

 

The evening topped it all off. We had Ted Gibbons, brother of Elder Larry Gibbons, at the evening devotional talking about the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith from the perspective of Willard Richards. After that we watched a mash-up of the Joseph Smith and Emma movies, with some other scenes too. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

 

Its hard coming to the MTC at the beginning, its hard to be in situations both spiritual and stressfull. But the Lord is so close here. I, just a week into the MTC, am closer to my Heavenly Father than I have ever been before.

 

Theres so much to say, but not enough time. When I get into the field ill have twice as much time for weekly emails, so ill be able to go more in depth.

 

Use Dearelder.com to contact me! It is by far the easiest and fastest way for me to get it.

 

I love you all!

Elder Coleman Madsen