First P-Day report from the MTC

Editor's Note: Joe wrote this email last week but for some reason we didn't get it, so I had to ask for him to send it again and that's why it's being posted a week late.

September 14, 2018

Ello' one and all! Elder Powell reporting for the first time from the MTC up in Provo Utah. Just a starting warning for everyone, the computers apparently do not have an SD card slot here so pictures are going to have to wait a week. I have a lot to type and a lot of laundry to do so boop boop here we scoot. 

Lets start. 

Provo MTC (Missionary Training Center)

Arrival: It felt like entering Disneyland as I was getting associated to my resident hall, receiving my name tag, and going to my first class. That's right. less than an hour into arrival and I am already starting on my language training. My new companion is Elder Levine and he is SUPER AWESOME! He is from the Washington DC area (Rockerfield Maryland or something like that), is 24, did 4 years of college, and is beyond an amazing companion. He has faith like no other. He is a recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (2 years ago he joined or in a sense, found his way back) and has a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon than I do. It's hard catching up to him sometimes with the sense that he likes to take his time with things and I'm always in a rush to do everything as fast as possible. 

Provo LDS Temple

Temple Day: We were blessed today to be able to go to the Temple and do an Endowment session where he offered to let me take his great great grandfather's name through so that he may receive these blessings that we are so blessed to have these days. The hard thing for me, I had a headache and was needing some lunch but he spent over an hour in the celestial room. 

James 1:4 y'all

Day one was long. I love my district and Zone. they had to create 4 new ZONES because so many of us are going to the Philippines and not only that, they created ANOTHER FREAKING MISSION THERE. That's 22 missions Elders and Sisters can be assigned to! We got our classes taken care of, introduced ourselves to each other, and had personal interviews with our Branch President to talk about how it has felt so far. 

Met a Tongan missionary on my flight up (he grew up in Mesa) and is going to the Philippines on his mission. I was sitting there and we were talking about getting here and I was like "oh yeah my Grandpa Groberg picked me up and took me here" and he said "oh John Groberg? kakaka" and I was like "acutally... opo." and he LOST IT! He was so excited to know someone related to my grandpa and talked about how crazy his family love his stories and books and movies. Besides that we talked a lot together and now were like Best friends. Elder Wolfgramm, you're going to be an amazing missionary in Quezon City. Love ya. 

(Editors note: Fun fact, as Joe was going through security at the airport, we were chatting with the Wolfgram family who had just sent their son through security as well.)

Fantastic things about the MTC: 

1. The first 2 days you are welcomed by EVERYONE in their own native language or language they're learning. 

2. The artwork here is BEAUTIFUL. It takes up entire walls and are really amazing to look at. 

3. They give free haircuts, supplies, laundry  (well you have to pay for the detergent) and so on. 

4. Free mental health consultants and therapists for those who have a hard time adjusting to such a busy life of waking up at 6am, going to bed at 10pm, and literally going non-stop with classes, study, and exercise. 

5. Ice-cream offered at every meal

6. Friendly environment. 

7. The MTC is a dedicated place to learn languages FREAKY FAST. (I'll spare you my Tagolog right now but you'll probably see that next week I will have bad English) 

The not so fantastic sides about the MTC: 

1. It's HUGE and I have been late to almost every event because me and my companion don't know where were going and our schedules don't give us directions... 

2. As charming and blessed as we are to be living in brand new dorms, putting 500 18-24 year old Elders in one building does not usually end well. Kinda rowdy. My Kasama ako get along well with our other roomies and we keep things quiet once 10pm comes around. After all, I need my beauty sleep. 

3. It's a little too nice here. I'm used to some differences and attitude. Non-members and diversity in faith and religion and just living among them all in a relative sense of peace. Here it feels like everyone (although from literally every end of the world) has the same attitude and typical "Utah Mormon" vibe that you get so strongly sometimes. Like valley girls from LA but Mormon. 

4. the food is too processed. It's unhealthy. I'm eating though don't worry. 

5. these computers don't have auto correct and to go back to change an error, you have to delete everything you have written after that. 

6. No SD card slots in the computers. 

7. Actually not allowed to take photos in the MTC buildings. So once I do get things uploaded, they will be outdoors. 

7.5 It's like I never left BYU campus. which I didn't. I am technically on BYU campus. 

8. There is a wildfire in Spanish fork. you can see the fire from the MTC and the smoke caused an inversion. really bad one... Praying for the homes that were affected. 

Okay I've said a lot. Happy birthday or whatever. 

Write me back! You all have my email hopefully! I don't have all of yours so if you are reading this from my blog or on Facebook, email me at Powell.Joseph@myldsmail.net and I'll try to respond. 

The Lord loves you all. You're here on earth and that is solid proof that he loves you. I would say that I think about home and such often but if I did say that, I would be lying. I'm here to forget myself and learn to serve. You don't leave my mind, but I try my best to never focus on home or my past. The MTC is my home right now and soon it will be the Philippines. 

either way Salamat at Ingat!

-Ako si Elder Powell 

P.S. u can hear the BYU marching band from the MTC campus and they are doing a Disney and Pixar show and one of the movements is the Incredibles. oWo 

P.P.S. Wear your seat belt.