MTC - Week 1

Oi Familia!! Como Vai?

Woooo!! The MTC is absolutely great and I love the people here. There is a sweet spirit that resides here at all times and it makes it extremely easy for every Elder and Sister to be guided by the spirit when trying to be the best missionary they can be. Anyways don't worry Mom, I wrote you a letter today on my P-Day which is a Tuesday which has all the deets especially for you:) So that will come in the mail in the next 3-5 business days. Honestly it could be sooner I have no idea how mail works. But expect it sometime around then.

It feels extremely strange when I have only been her for 6 days and my companion (Elder Baird: He is as great as I hoped he would be. Seriously the man will be a general authority. He knows his stuff and someday I strive to be just like him) and I were able to teach the first lesson...all in Portuguese. When the Lord has a will there is definitely a way. I am extremely humbled when words that have been stored in the back of my brain from 9 hour learning days suddenly start to come out of my mouth. We have a "faux" investigator named Antonio and the first time we taught him we were just getting by. It was so hard to understand his slurred, slang-like super cool Portuguese. We kinda just had to testify on the words we knew in Portuguese and let the spirit do the rest. It was was humbling to see how much work we had to do. Elder Baird and I are just working so hard everyday to let the spirit guide us on what we need to improve on and it is working great! We are able to have full on conversations with one another just in Portuguese and we decided that sometimes only speaking in Portuguese is the best way to learn. Also another great way is by teaching others in our district the lessons that we will teach Antonio. We are able to learn from each other and learn from the spirit at the same exact time. woo I am so pumped. In the mornings I am so tired from the mentally, physically and emotionally straining day before. But the spirit works wonders as I pray every morning for energy and for a fire to be constantly be burning in me as I go out and learn how to be the best missionary possible.

I am so grateful for everyone back home. It takes a village to raise a child and I completely agree with that. Everyone has played such an important role in my life and without you guys I wouldn't be the man I am today.

Soooo everyone told me not to play basketball due to the constant elder casualites that take place on the court. Yeah that is a true rumor. such a trumor. Elders are dropping left and right from sprained ankles and fingers to the eyes. It is kinda crazy. I have survived by avoiding extremely competetive basketball playing Elders and have joined the foursquare family. Elder Forsyth is now Elder Foursquare. Okay too cheezy I know but forgive me I am more tired than I have ever been. But also more aware of others too. Ed you were right. The MTC is one of the most emotionally straining things that have happened in m y life. But being set apart as a representative of Jesus Christ brings its pros. I have been able to love more than I have ever loved. I didn't know I was able to have all that love in me. You gain love for those you just glance at. I have tried with all my heart to see others as Christ sees them in every aspect. I know that through earnest and faithful prayers the Lord answers all of our prayers. I just feel different. It is the best different ever, though. I am happier than I have ever been :) Also reading the Book of Mormon and Bible as a missionary is a completely different experience. I am marking and noticing little things that have such a bigger impact on my life. Especially in 1st Nephi. Our district's Branch president asked us to restart The Book of Mormon from the beginning no matter where we were before and I am in 1st Nephi Chapter 17. There are red markings everywhere hahah. It is super cool :) It is really hard to decide what to write down since it feels like I have already been here for 4 weeks (there is so much learning that goes into one day. My brain is learning more in one day that it has in a while. It is very good exercise for my brain.)

The spirit works wonders in every missionary's life as soon as they enter the MTC if they stay obedient to the rules. Obedience is one of the major themes that I am discovering here at the MTC. Even the little rules that seem like they can be broken and nothing will change need to be followed. No matter what. Obedience brings blessings but Obedience with Exactness brings Miracles. I love everyone at home and only have a little time left so I just want you to know how grateful I am for all of your prayers and all of the love that is sent my way. I really can feel it all the way over here in Utah. Please send me as much mail as possible. It is a nice break through the harder days. But everything is great and I love all of the elders here. I wish I could write more but there is a 30 minute rule. There are just so many tender mercies I see throughout the day that I want to write down in this letter but I don't have time. More will come:) Pardon the typos......i really do stink at typing. There is love that is laced in the typos. lots of love.

Love

Yours truly

Elder Forsyth