1st real letter while in the MTC

Hey guys, 

How are things down there?? Has everybody already taken my room, clothes, and watches yet? They better get on that!

You guys sound like you're having such a blast! I keep forgetting it's actually Summer back there! All the Elders are complaining about how hot is here, and I just laugh and make fun of them!

I'm absolutely loving the MTC. Everyone is so friendly, the guys in my district are as close as family at this point to me! I've even started calling the Residence my Home...! The Elders I'm around are different than what I'm used to. They are all either singers, or dancers, or actors. My companion's name is Elder Scott Wilcox. We are very different but I love him! He's from Syracuse, Utah. He sang in high school and college. His favorite movies are plays, and in his free time he loves to read scrips from plays and talk about anything Disney.  I love how sociable he is. He talks to absolutely everyone... and I thought I talked to a good number of people, but I guess not! Elder Wilcox and I share a room with 2 other Elders from our District. Elder Wright is an actor and writer and filmmaker. He's a lot like me and we work well together. Elder Coutu is the other Elder. I actually met him at Tucano's before I even entered the MTC! He's an dancer at BYU. Both Elders are super spiritual and fun to be around! We have lots of fun! They start singing random loud bursts of songs from plays and movies that I would never imagine singing myself... but I've learned to just run with them! I'll jump in when I know the song. None of them sing bass, so I usually sing that in our little quartet! hahaha

The language is definitely coming! I can already say prayers, bear my testimony, navigate lessons, and say so much in Polish! It's coming a bit slower than I would have hoped, but I'm having faith, and it's all working out!

Elder Wilcox and I have been teaching Marcin, a Polish "Investigator" in the MTC. We've had like 4 lessons with him. The first 3 lessons we read off our Polish scripts that we made, but on the 4th lesson, Marcin threw us a curveball that trashed our lesson plan. So, Elder Wilcox and I looked at each other, and I went off in Polish! I started teaching and describing faith to Marcin all on my own(with a few helpful verbs from a dictionary from Elder Wilcox) and I bore my testimony to him. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had! the gift of tongues is real! 

I've had the opportunity to bless two missionaries with my priesthood so far. A sister was having a really rough time being here, and an Elder from my District really needed some help, too! It was so cool to be able to already use my priesthood so readily!

It still amazes me how strong the Spirit is here... Everywhere I go, I feel so protected and so peaceful, I wonder how I ever dealt with not being here only a week ago!

I haven't been able to play the piano yet(But the Elders and Sisters in my district are going to do a musical number with me on the piano in the next few weeks!), But I have been able to sing in the MTC choir! We sang in the Tuesday night devotional for all the outgoing mission presidents as well as D. Todd Christofferson, Russel M Nelson, and David A Bednar. We sang Praise to the Man and I absolutely died to be able to sing like that with so many other missionaries!

Gym time is definitely one of my favorite times of the day(Besides mail time to see if I got any letters). We play soccer, kickball, volleyball, you name it! i'm loving hustling the missionaries in Kickball. They didn't know I played soccer, and I stepped up to bat a few times and hit it over the outfielders like every time! It was so funny!!

My nickname around here is 007... I guess they think I look like a secret agent in my suits or something...?

There is one thing that hasn't changed however... Just like always, I'm constantly hungry. I eat a salad, a fruit bowl, and between one and THREE entrees at like every meal, and every day I'm starving. (I guess the MTC doesn't believe in 2nd breakfast, 2nd lunch, and 2nd dinner...) So pretty much I'm starving here, and might even end up losing weight.

It's been awesome to be able to hang out with Derek Hatch and Max Hann up here in the MTC. I love those guys and am so glad we got to go through part of the MTC together!

I've learned that mail is like gold this week. Thank you to everyone who sent me letters and packages, I absolutely loved them!(Mom, you're the best, your package made my week, it was so needed!!) 

It's so cool that the Dalton's ran into me during my gym time... I was wondering who was yelling at me during gym!! They were absolutely right, I am loving every second here!

Nights are definitely one of the hardest parts at the MTC. I was having a little trouble falling asleep as I try not to think about all the people I love and miss back home, but it's all good!! I'm getting used to it and sleeping a lot better!!

Guys, I definitely know this church is true... If it wasn't I would have come home 8 days ago. stay strong and do the things you need to do, and everything is going to work out! I miss you guys a ton, and hope everything's going well! I love you guys all so much, and can't wait to hear from you!!

Do widzenia!

Milosc,

Starszy Quackenbush