Hail from the West

It snowed again. Twice or three times. I stopped counting. I have decided that I am not going to live in this place if I can avoid it.

Mum asked me questions she wanted me to answer so here it goes!

What are your Sabbaths like? Do you have the traditional 3 hr block?

No, there is very little that is traditional about schedules here at the MTC. On Sundays we still wake up at 6:15, but we have breakfast at 7. Because I am currently district leader, I have a meeting at 7:30; the rest of the district has personal study in a class room. I join them until 9ish when we elders go to Priesthood meeting. There we receive instruction that you might expect in any normal priesthood meeting. Then we go back to our class rooms for an hour and a half until Lunch and then we have Sacrament meeting. After that, we go to District Meeting, which is essentially Sunday school, but the lessons are on the rotation of the Christ like Attributes. After that we are able to go back to our dorms at 2:30. We are able to change into comfier cloths if we desire. At 4:15 Elder Fisher and Elder Smedley go to Choir practice, while I become Elder Allen’s companion. At 4:30 we go to dinner without them. At 7 is the fireside, which has yet to disappoint me. Then after the fireside we have the option to go see various church films or talks. There are always four choices a week and they change regularly, but they always show either the Testaments or the Prophet of the Restoration, which is good because I deeply enjoy both of those movies. Then we go back to our dorms, plan, and go to bed.

What do you do on your typical Pday?

We wake up at 6:15, and go to psuedoclass at 7. I call it psuedoclass because it exists only to make sure we get up at the normal time. We are allowed to relax more than we usually are in the class room. Then we have breakfast at 8:15, and then back to classroom, and then we leave for the Temple as a Branch at 9:55. It’s a nice pleasant walk and I am always dressed up in heavy winter battle gear, ready to resist the fiery snow and wind darts of the evil winter demons that inhabit this valley. The Temple is always wonderful. Today especially was outstanding. Then at about 12:30 we get out and go print emails, check mail, and grab a bag lunch rather than waste precious time in the cafeteria. The day is then ours until 4, when we start laundry, but it still is ours at that time. They have computers in the laundry room, so that is when I write email, like I am doing right now. That is why Mum and dad are always at the temple when I write. Then we go to dinner at 6, and we have normal class at 6:45. Pday is then over.

Have you been able to go to the Temple yet?

Yes. I greatly enjoy it. This week was the best yet while I have been here. I miss our little Temple.

What is your typical day at the MTC?

There is no typical day, each day have a different schedule. This is the average structure, but there are plenty of exceptions. We wake up at 6:15, shower, shave, and dress. 7 class begins, we open with a song in Albanian and a prayer in Albanian. We sing and pray over 8 times a day. At 8:15 we go to breakfast. At 8:45 class begins again. That goes until 1, when we have lunch. At 1:45, we have class again, until 6. At 6:45 we go back to class, until 9. Then we plan and get ready for bed. On Mondays we have a service assignment at 630, a large group meeting after breakfast where they train us on stuff and gym after dinner. On Tues. we have gym after breakfast, and a devotional after dinner (those devotionals are outstanding, much better than the firesides). Wednesdays are unique. Thursday... hmm I don't remember when we have gym on Thursday, we go to the RC at 1130 and after dinner we have something called the TRC where volunteers come in to be our fake investigators, it is pretty real. Fridays we have gym sometime, Fridays are our longest days it seems. There’s something special about Saturdays, but I can't remember, maybe its just because its before Sundays, which are wonderful days. That is my typical day. Our teachers come in at different time and teach us things. At other times we direct our own teaching. Thank you for asking me to talk about some times, let me know what you want me to talk about next week.

The Lord is helping me out a lot, he is lifting me up when I get down and he strengthens me beyond my own arm. I am very blessed here!! Everyone take care, God be with you!!!

With Love
Elder Scadden

P.S. I am sorley jealous of your beautiful weather. I miss the weather of NC.