Hey everybody!
This last week was pretty great as they seem to always be. It's only been four weeks but at the same time it has already been four weeks. Make sense? It's funny how confusing pioneer day is to anyone outside of Utah (and Snowflake). We didn't really have a program in honor of it but there was a great talk given in sacrament about the many ways we can be and are pioneers. I was constantly thinking back to the incredible message Grandpa Taylor gave (one year ago?) in the Snowflake chapel. I would love a copy of that if possible.
That night we were lucky to hear from Stephen B. Allen. He has been at the head of homefront productions for the Church since they began. The homefronts are the cheesy commercials that say things like "isn't it about time?" Anyways he is a hilarious man and very bold. His message was how to adapt to a new culture. Not necessarily the various cultures we will be serving in but the culture of missionary life and especially the MTC. It can be very hard for kids to adapt and so he'd show a homefront and apply the punchline or moral to us missionaries. It was perfect and I think it helped many missionaries to hear that. Some of those commercials are very humorous too and I'd bet that they're on the YouTube thesedays...
Everyone here knows about Marcellus. I have a few pictures up by my desk, one of them being Marcellus and me hangin' out because we did that a lot. We were pretty good friends. Everyone sees that and thinks I'm pretty weird but I'm sure he'll be happy to know he's well-known here.
After the firesides on Sundays we can either go study or go watch one of the several films playing around the MTC. On the twenty fourth I stayed in the gym and watched Legacy with Elder Swarts and Elder Eve and my companion. It's somewhat choppy but it really shows how much the pioneers went through and was a great movie for me to watch again. I think it should be remade. I wish you could have seen the gym though. There were a thousand or so elders and anytime there was even the slightest hint of romance the elders would "ooooooooooooooooooooo" and if there was a kiss they'd cheer and we just looked like shawshank redemption inmates. ( I saw that edited by the way)
There are four people here from my italian class. Three are going to Italy. Two of those are companions. The fourth is a girl that was in my class and every monday we teach a lesson to a volunteer that speaks Romanian and they act as an investigator and I saw her at one and turns out she served in Romania! Crazy stuff. Anyways. We had a fireside last night as well from an Elder Simmons who gave an incredible message about sanctification and how that applies to a mission. The one thing I would share with everybody from that is do not be afraid to embrace the Refiner's fire. It is with resistance that we grow. Without resistance things become "easy" and our progression comes to a halt. One Elder gave me an analogy that I loved and it comes from one of the brethren in a talk but the story goes that a girl was out in the back yard and had set up the necessary fixtures to practice the high jump. She had set the bar at the minimum requirement for state and was satisfied that she was able to perform such. Her father came out, noticed what she was doing, and asked something like "well how will you ever know how high you can jump if you don't try." They proceeded to raise the bar and it goes on but the point is don't settle for minimum. Try to do the hard thing and the reward is so much more.
Gym continues to be a necessary avenue for stress. I've lost something like five pounds but don't worry I'm eating ridiculous amounts of food. I always think I'm going to eat better and then I get a package of cookies or something and I promise you those packages don't go to waste. They make a lot of Elders very happy:)
The only address I still need is Garrett Robison's by the way...
Everybody, I can't thank you enough for the mail and for the packages. It really brightens our day.
The language continues to come. It's strange how almost no americans actually know english grammar, myself included. I know Romanian grammar far better already. Our teachers are awesome, I couldn't ask for better and we have a blast.
We watched the opening song of the pioneer memorial day concert commemoration extravaganza and then had class so I didn't get to see much but that arrangement of Come, Come ye saints is so beautiful... Why didn't the church archive that broadcast. I'm so bitter. Audrey, ask Brother Wilberg for the video. Thanks.
That's one thing I really can't wait for is to listen to music again. Especially Mack Wilberg's arrangements. And sometime I would love a recording of the Prayer of the Children. It's always in my head for some reason. I'm really enjoying my time out here. I can't wait to get to Romania and interact with a new culture. There's nothing more interesting to me than other cultures. They are all so beautiful and we can learn so much from them. If you haven't looked up that 6 billion others project yet, go do so.
I do sport a combover several times a week. I also got glasses due to my horrible eyesight. I look pretty sophisticated you might say. Thanks again for the support, it's a great blessing!
I love being a district leader. The biggest blessing from that is getting to work with the Branch Presidency more. They are all very charismatic men and they'll come hang out with us in the residence halls at night and just chat with us. They have so much to tell. I love to speak with people who have lived a life already. Or those who just have different perspectives. It's refreshing. Anyways, I love you all!
Love,
Elder Taylor
Elder Dan
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Letter 3 "I am really begining to miss music."
Buna ziua everybody!
So quite a bit has happened this last week. The Romanian district ahead of us departed on Monday and they're all now officially laboring in Romania. It's crazy, I'm not that far away although it can often seem that way. Romanian is still coming along although I have stopped studying the language so hard and started studying scripture more to familiarize myself better with the Bible and Book of Mormon. Along with Fratele Jepsen and Irion, we have a teacher that just kind of fills in when needed and his name is Fratele Miles. He is incredibly full of energy. I've never heard anyone speak english that fast. He has incredible insights about the gospel and is a great friend to our district.
The district is doing well although I've had some interesting problems to confront this week. Luckily for me I am under the direction of a phenomenal branch presidency and two great zone leaders.
I'm taking a lot of pictures and ordered prints for several this morning so in the next letter home I'll throw those in and it'll be up to my family to scan them and let everybody see! Our teachers teach in 100% Romanian and I'm doing great at understanding, it's just speaking it that is going to take years and years. I've been learning a little here and there about Romania and the People. There are little villages (if even that is appropriate) on outskirts of towns where shepherds in fur coats guide their sheep with crooks with castles and horse-drawn carts in the background. And in the larger cities like Constanță and București they're pretty much up to date. Their government is still suffering from corruption and it will take a long time for Romania to rebuild.
As a district leader I'm learning a lot about including everyone and loving everyone. In most settings we can pick and choose who we want to associate with and how so but in my position I need to be including everyone, paying attention to each individual, and meeting their needs. It takes effort but it is incredibly rewarding.
Fun fact: I shook President Brown's hand the other day. He's always running around the most random places and even though he appears to be in a rush, he'll stop, shake your hand, ask you about your mission and district and just be incredibly sweet. He's the MTC presdient by the way. Last night we had a devotional from a couple -- elder and sister sonne. They both gave wonderful messages but the best was Elder sonne is a musical guy and his wife made him sing for us. He has that beautiful old man voice. Some of you will understand what I'm talking about. And then he requested we sing called to serve MTC style which is hard to explain other than it's incredible. Maybe It's on youtube somewhere. But I can't remember what YouTube is really...
How's Marcellus?? He was a good friend to me. Even though he was a horrible example in regards to healthy living.
The other day I was in line to get a salad... I'm not ashamed. And two people ahead of me stood Brother Grossen! He told me he'd be here on the 18th and so I wasn't surprised but rather elated. If anyone knows the Grossens they know they are always smiling and Brother Grossen has always made me feel great about myself. He's a wonderful guy. I run into friends all the time. Elder Matthews, Swarts, DeVisser, and I live in the same building as Elder Eve (Birch) and Elder Eggbert. I am very lucky!
Would somebody please get me the addresses of Garret Robison (Togo), Geoffrey Davis (Chile), David Price (Germany), and Bryson Winebrenner (Probably in Utah). That'd be greatly appreciated. Sorry I have no incentives for you
I am beginning to miss music. Everybody here whistles and sings and bangs on things and we're all going a little crazy. I can't wait to get into a church or even a cathedral or even a home in Romania and just play some piano. Hopefully I'll be able to build a drumset while I'm there. Just Kidding.
I've learned how to sign about ten things thanks to Elder Nelsen. One thing that is awesome is if a deaf elder ever baptized someone of gave them a blessing, they would sign it.
The MTC can get rough, you can get worried about the most insignificant things and it'll put you in a bad mood. But once you figure it out, it's usually something simple and you get over it. So far this week has been fantastic, although I miss the other district already.
Yes the gym is reopened I know you were all curious. They refinished the floor and we've been playing basketball everyday. All though my shot was horrible I probably had twenty rebounds yesterday with about fifteen of those going back up for points. I do not boast in my own strength though... just in my height.
Having a companion can be difficult but my companion's great because if i'm doing something unnecessary he'll remind me where I need to be and I return the favor. We get along pretty well, but to do so we have to forget a lot of our differences. It's necessary. Sacrifice is necessary.
Teaching is going pretty well in that we are learning a lot. Even if we get dropped by our investigators we'll look back on this as the greatest learning experience here at the MTC. It requires a lot of preparation, a lot of patience, and a lot of spirit. I am learning that many of the thoughts, words, and scriptures that come to mind are not my own. And I love it.
We clean buildings every friday and we have a BYU student who oversees our work. He keeps us posted on the outside world. I hear Harry Potter was fantastic although I figured it would be. He doesn't know anything about politics or sports though so neither do we. Which is great.
Crystal I hope EFY is fantastic, stay away from the boys, they are not fantastic.
Mom and Dad, yes I love the dear Elders, please keep those up.
These craver's cookies are amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.
I love mail, I love questions, I love this work and that I can be a part of it and I love you all.
Love,
Elder Taylor
So quite a bit has happened this last week. The Romanian district ahead of us departed on Monday and they're all now officially laboring in Romania. It's crazy, I'm not that far away although it can often seem that way. Romanian is still coming along although I have stopped studying the language so hard and started studying scripture more to familiarize myself better with the Bible and Book of Mormon. Along with Fratele Jepsen and Irion, we have a teacher that just kind of fills in when needed and his name is Fratele Miles. He is incredibly full of energy. I've never heard anyone speak english that fast. He has incredible insights about the gospel and is a great friend to our district.
The district is doing well although I've had some interesting problems to confront this week. Luckily for me I am under the direction of a phenomenal branch presidency and two great zone leaders.
I'm taking a lot of pictures and ordered prints for several this morning so in the next letter home I'll throw those in and it'll be up to my family to scan them and let everybody see! Our teachers teach in 100% Romanian and I'm doing great at understanding, it's just speaking it that is going to take years and years. I've been learning a little here and there about Romania and the People. There are little villages (if even that is appropriate) on outskirts of towns where shepherds in fur coats guide their sheep with crooks with castles and horse-drawn carts in the background. And in the larger cities like Constanță and București they're pretty much up to date. Their government is still suffering from corruption and it will take a long time for Romania to rebuild.
As a district leader I'm learning a lot about including everyone and loving everyone. In most settings we can pick and choose who we want to associate with and how so but in my position I need to be including everyone, paying attention to each individual, and meeting their needs. It takes effort but it is incredibly rewarding.
Fun fact: I shook President Brown's hand the other day. He's always running around the most random places and even though he appears to be in a rush, he'll stop, shake your hand, ask you about your mission and district and just be incredibly sweet. He's the MTC presdient by the way. Last night we had a devotional from a couple -- elder and sister sonne. They both gave wonderful messages but the best was Elder sonne is a musical guy and his wife made him sing for us. He has that beautiful old man voice. Some of you will understand what I'm talking about. And then he requested we sing called to serve MTC style which is hard to explain other than it's incredible. Maybe It's on youtube somewhere. But I can't remember what YouTube is really...
How's Marcellus?? He was a good friend to me. Even though he was a horrible example in regards to healthy living.
The other day I was in line to get a salad... I'm not ashamed. And two people ahead of me stood Brother Grossen! He told me he'd be here on the 18th and so I wasn't surprised but rather elated. If anyone knows the Grossens they know they are always smiling and Brother Grossen has always made me feel great about myself. He's a wonderful guy. I run into friends all the time. Elder Matthews, Swarts, DeVisser, and I live in the same building as Elder Eve (Birch) and Elder Eggbert. I am very lucky!
Would somebody please get me the addresses of Garret Robison (Togo), Geoffrey Davis (Chile), David Price (Germany), and Bryson Winebrenner (Probably in Utah). That'd be greatly appreciated. Sorry I have no incentives for you
I am beginning to miss music. Everybody here whistles and sings and bangs on things and we're all going a little crazy. I can't wait to get into a church or even a cathedral or even a home in Romania and just play some piano. Hopefully I'll be able to build a drumset while I'm there. Just Kidding.
I've learned how to sign about ten things thanks to Elder Nelsen. One thing that is awesome is if a deaf elder ever baptized someone of gave them a blessing, they would sign it.
The MTC can get rough, you can get worried about the most insignificant things and it'll put you in a bad mood. But once you figure it out, it's usually something simple and you get over it. So far this week has been fantastic, although I miss the other district already.
Yes the gym is reopened I know you were all curious. They refinished the floor and we've been playing basketball everyday. All though my shot was horrible I probably had twenty rebounds yesterday with about fifteen of those going back up for points. I do not boast in my own strength though... just in my height.
Having a companion can be difficult but my companion's great because if i'm doing something unnecessary he'll remind me where I need to be and I return the favor. We get along pretty well, but to do so we have to forget a lot of our differences. It's necessary. Sacrifice is necessary.
Teaching is going pretty well in that we are learning a lot. Even if we get dropped by our investigators we'll look back on this as the greatest learning experience here at the MTC. It requires a lot of preparation, a lot of patience, and a lot of spirit. I am learning that many of the thoughts, words, and scriptures that come to mind are not my own. And I love it.
We clean buildings every friday and we have a BYU student who oversees our work. He keeps us posted on the outside world. I hear Harry Potter was fantastic although I figured it would be. He doesn't know anything about politics or sports though so neither do we. Which is great.
Crystal I hope EFY is fantastic, stay away from the boys, they are not fantastic.
Mom and Dad, yes I love the dear Elders, please keep those up.
These craver's cookies are amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.
I love mail, I love questions, I love this work and that I can be a part of it and I love you all.
Love,
Elder Taylor
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Letter 2. The Softball King
Hey everybody!
So it's week two in the MTC and things have started to move a little faster. The days are long but this week went by ridiculously fast.
We are now teaching in 100% percent Romanian everyday and still learning all sorts of new grammar principles. I have two teachers, Fratele Jepsen and Fratele Irion and anybody who works with them will tell you they love them. They're great guys. We've learned a bit about the history of Romania -- mainly the communist era and the countries digression under the rule of Ceausescu. It's sad because Romania was once a wonderful place. It was called "little Paris" and was the place to go in Eastern Europe. Hopefully it can start making a move towards rebuilding.
One thing I forgot to mention last week was the many countries that are represented here just by those who entered the same day. There were missionaries from South Korea, Japan, Kenya, Chile, Brazil, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, England, Austria, Australia, Samoa, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and more. Also, they now have proselyting missionaries going to India. Which is pretty cool. It used to just be service missionaries.
My favorite missionaries here are the signing missionaries. There are four and two are deaf and the other two are not. They are incredibly friendly and watching them speak and sing and express themselves is more beautiful than any other language I have heard. They live just two doors down from me in the residence and I'm able to pick up new words in sign language every night.
Not much is different... oh except the gym is closed because they're refinishing the floor so we've been outside everyday playing softball. Don't laugh. The soccer field is too packed and we're pretty good. I dominate in the outfield and even caught one parallel with the ground the other day (i was horizontal and airborne). The first night we played we all got bit like twenty times by mosquitos... only on our legs though.
I am now the District leader which in the MTC doesn't require much other than a few lessons and meetings during the week but I get to pick up the mail. Thanks again for all the letters and packages. I try to eat well in the cafeteria but then I get these packages full of candy and delicious baked goods and i'm not gonna let them go to waste. That's selfish. So thanks.
Our teachers act as progressive investigators for us. They play roles of people they know from Romania and include questions and characteristics of themselves as well. It sounds strange and maybe even fake. That's what we all thought at first but it is incredibly real and helpful. I have stopped trying so hard to memorize sentences and paragraphs and instead have been studying words and conjugations. When I teach I am able to string together sentence after sentence and although it's broken and the grammar is probably horrendous the investigator understands. We also teach every monday to volunteers who come to the MTC. There are like fifteen in provo who speak Romanian, three of which are natives.
The district before us is getting ready to leave on Monday which will be awesome but sad because we're all friends now and it's going to get awfully quiet and focused... And we're going to lose Elder Friel for sports. Then we'll spend three weeks alone and then have three weeks with a new district.
I don't know what people want to know so this is difficult. It's also getting more difficult to think in correct english so bear with me. If you want to know something please ask! Me and my companion are still getting along, he's got great insights and he keeps us awake and smiling. My district consists of three surori (sisters) and eight elders. We all come from idaho, utah, california, and canada.
I get up at 5:45 every morning to run which was awful at first but It's getting better.
We learned what gestures romanians use including what they will do to let you know you are being pickpocketed. The Romanian people are very funny, due to communist culture, if they see a line they will simply stand in it until they reach the front and find out what its for. Even for hours. Many of them who live in the communist blocks do not even know their neighbour who lives ten feet away. They are very mistrusting due to the secret police and dishonesty that raged during ceausescu's rule. But, Fratele Irion said that once you show them you care and aren't there for money or food or whatever, they let you into their whole life and are very endearing.
Well please send me questions!
Love you all,
Elder Taylor
So it's week two in the MTC and things have started to move a little faster. The days are long but this week went by ridiculously fast.
We are now teaching in 100% percent Romanian everyday and still learning all sorts of new grammar principles. I have two teachers, Fratele Jepsen and Fratele Irion and anybody who works with them will tell you they love them. They're great guys. We've learned a bit about the history of Romania -- mainly the communist era and the countries digression under the rule of Ceausescu. It's sad because Romania was once a wonderful place. It was called "little Paris" and was the place to go in Eastern Europe. Hopefully it can start making a move towards rebuilding.
One thing I forgot to mention last week was the many countries that are represented here just by those who entered the same day. There were missionaries from South Korea, Japan, Kenya, Chile, Brazil, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, England, Austria, Australia, Samoa, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and more. Also, they now have proselyting missionaries going to India. Which is pretty cool. It used to just be service missionaries.
My favorite missionaries here are the signing missionaries. There are four and two are deaf and the other two are not. They are incredibly friendly and watching them speak and sing and express themselves is more beautiful than any other language I have heard. They live just two doors down from me in the residence and I'm able to pick up new words in sign language every night.
Not much is different... oh except the gym is closed because they're refinishing the floor so we've been outside everyday playing softball. Don't laugh. The soccer field is too packed and we're pretty good. I dominate in the outfield and even caught one parallel with the ground the other day (i was horizontal and airborne). The first night we played we all got bit like twenty times by mosquitos... only on our legs though.
I am now the District leader which in the MTC doesn't require much other than a few lessons and meetings during the week but I get to pick up the mail. Thanks again for all the letters and packages. I try to eat well in the cafeteria but then I get these packages full of candy and delicious baked goods and i'm not gonna let them go to waste. That's selfish. So thanks.
Our teachers act as progressive investigators for us. They play roles of people they know from Romania and include questions and characteristics of themselves as well. It sounds strange and maybe even fake. That's what we all thought at first but it is incredibly real and helpful. I have stopped trying so hard to memorize sentences and paragraphs and instead have been studying words and conjugations. When I teach I am able to string together sentence after sentence and although it's broken and the grammar is probably horrendous the investigator understands. We also teach every monday to volunteers who come to the MTC. There are like fifteen in provo who speak Romanian, three of which are natives.
The district before us is getting ready to leave on Monday which will be awesome but sad because we're all friends now and it's going to get awfully quiet and focused... And we're going to lose Elder Friel for sports. Then we'll spend three weeks alone and then have three weeks with a new district.
I don't know what people want to know so this is difficult. It's also getting more difficult to think in correct english so bear with me. If you want to know something please ask! Me and my companion are still getting along, he's got great insights and he keeps us awake and smiling. My district consists of three surori (sisters) and eight elders. We all come from idaho, utah, california, and canada.
I get up at 5:45 every morning to run which was awful at first but It's getting better.
We learned what gestures romanians use including what they will do to let you know you are being pickpocketed. The Romanian people are very funny, due to communist culture, if they see a line they will simply stand in it until they reach the front and find out what its for. Even for hours. Many of them who live in the communist blocks do not even know their neighbour who lives ten feet away. They are very mistrusting due to the secret police and dishonesty that raged during ceausescu's rule. But, Fratele Irion said that once you show them you care and aren't there for money or food or whatever, they let you into their whole life and are very endearing.
Well please send me questions!
Love you all,
Elder Taylor
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Letter 1 Bucureşti pretty much means Joy Town
Subject: Ce Faceti!
So they hardly give us any time to read all our fan mail and then reply so I will be hustling and will make many a mistake.
The MTC has been great! I don't know why everyone was saying it's so hard from day one and just make it through the MTC because I've had a great as has my companion and my district and my friends. Speaking of which I have seen so many people here and it's been a blessing for me. I've seen Elders DeVisser, Swarts, Matthews, Tanner, Bruneel, Davis, about fifteen of my college friends, I ran into some of Jenni Schmidt's relatives, I ran into a lady from the fifth ward, I ran into a friends Grandma and was elated to hear he was serving, and one of my teachers is my brother's good friend. It's made the experience very enjoyable.
Thanks for those who have already written me, missionaries love getting And the encouragement helps. If anyone could get me Geoffrey Davis's address and David Price's i would be very appreciative! If you want to write me, just use dear elder and they'll send it same day to the MTC for free. Once I'm in Romania you don't have to write me... But i'd love it.
So we came in the first day and I was just full of excitement. Five hundred and seven of us were herded into a room where we were greeted by the presidency and we sang several hymns. Already I had been overwhelmed by the spirit. My companion, Elder Peterson, is from Bluffdale Utah and we get along great. My district is awesome, we all get along well as long as we leave out politics. There is another Romanian District that has been here for six weeks and they have been fantastic as examples and friends. I feel so blessed to have been welcomed in such a way. There are other companionships and districts I see where there is competition and unnecessary tensions. I am very grateful for what I've got. I feel this is where I'm supposed to be.
The language is beautiful! Not as dramatic as Italian and therefore not as fun to speak but we all love learning it. I can already pray, bear testimony, have five minute greeting conversations, invite people to be baptize, and for the most part sing and read in Romanian. Italian has really helped with understanding the grammar and conjugation but at the end of the day, Romanian is a whole new language.
We have focused a lot this first week on getting to know people and ultimately investigators. There are two websites that I would highly recommend to anyone, they are not church-owned and are fantastic projects. The first is 6 billion others. This project was undertaken by some French people I believe and they went to many of the world's countries (most I think) and interviewed hundreds of people on their history, their faith, their happiness, their families, their youth, their trials, etc. It is incredible what we can learn from others. Being in a district with kids from all walks of life, I have seen just how diverse everyone is and how everyone has something unique and useful to bring to the table. The other is a NY Times project I think and it's called 1 in 8 million. I prefer the first but this one is still very interesting.
Saturday night we had a fireside to celebrate the birth of the nation and we had excellent music and speakers but the best part was after the conclusion we went outside and had surreal amounts of haagen-daazzzz Ice cream ( i don't know how to spell that) and watched the Stadium of Fire fireworks display. I've never seen boys look up at a fireworks show like that, we all were like five-year olds. Then Sunday night we were so lucky to have Jenny Oaks Baker come play and speak to us. I had no idea how incredibly talented she was. Her husband spoke for a little as well and she also had her kids (one age 6 and two age 8) play. All girls. one played cello, the other violin, and the last piano. They were incredible.... and they got a standing ovation which was pretty awesome because we didn't clap for Jenny Oaks Baker just due to the setting. Anyways, it's a blast being here.
My companion's best friend is in the district ahead of us, Elder Friel. He played Basketball at SUU and dunks it in my face. But he's the nicest guy. Our Zone Leaders Elder Groberg and Elder Cox are awesome kids too. Everyone gets along so far. Yes Elder Groberg is related to the General authority, it's like his dad's cousin.
We spend about eight hours a day in the classroom if not more studying doctrine and the language. It's pretty easy until we have to practice by teaching others. That's intense... It hasn't made me too stressed out yet, in fact i'm fine and loving it. I love my teachers, Fratele Irion şi Fratele Jepsen, they are great examples and know how to prepare us.
One of the best times is GYM TIME. it's a big deal. Sitting in a classroom for eight hours will make you work out harder than you ever dreamed.... The food is great, you just have to know what to eat and what to run from.
Mother, do you have any scripture cases you could send me? they're like thirty bucks here.... If you don't I'll just buy one. Thanks for the package the other day! Also you may want to call the bank and tell them I'll be in Romania for two years so they don't hold my card
Thanks for the letters, i really appreciate them! This week I will be teaching lessons for thirty five minutes in 100% Romanian! is crazy...
Anyways I don't know what you all want to know. I love you all, miss you a little too, thanks for the support and everything. I love what I am doing and it's where I'm supposed to be.
în Romaneşte, te iubesc şi voi vedez noalte ziua! La revedere, etc, etc. Da suntem mult ferice cu colegii noastre şi a dormi buştian.
Love,
Elder Daniel James Taylor
p.s. bucureşti pretty much means joy town
So they hardly give us any time to read all our fan mail and then reply so I will be hustling and will make many a mistake.
The MTC has been great! I don't know why everyone was saying it's so hard from day one and just make it through the MTC because I've had a great as has my companion and my district and my friends. Speaking of which I have seen so many people here and it's been a blessing for me. I've seen Elders DeVisser, Swarts, Matthews, Tanner, Bruneel, Davis, about fifteen of my college friends, I ran into some of Jenni Schmidt's relatives, I ran into a lady from the fifth ward, I ran into a friends Grandma and was elated to hear he was serving, and one of my teachers is my brother's good friend. It's made the experience very enjoyable.
Thanks for those who have already written me, missionaries love getting And the encouragement helps. If anyone could get me Geoffrey Davis's address and David Price's i would be very appreciative! If you want to write me, just use dear elder and they'll send it same day to the MTC for free. Once I'm in Romania you don't have to write me... But i'd love it.
So we came in the first day and I was just full of excitement. Five hundred and seven of us were herded into a room where we were greeted by the presidency and we sang several hymns. Already I had been overwhelmed by the spirit. My companion, Elder Peterson, is from Bluffdale Utah and we get along great. My district is awesome, we all get along well as long as we leave out politics. There is another Romanian District that has been here for six weeks and they have been fantastic as examples and friends. I feel so blessed to have been welcomed in such a way. There are other companionships and districts I see where there is competition and unnecessary tensions. I am very grateful for what I've got. I feel this is where I'm supposed to be.
The language is beautiful! Not as dramatic as Italian and therefore not as fun to speak but we all love learning it. I can already pray, bear testimony, have five minute greeting conversations, invite people to be baptize, and for the most part sing and read in Romanian. Italian has really helped with understanding the grammar and conjugation but at the end of the day, Romanian is a whole new language.
We have focused a lot this first week on getting to know people and ultimately investigators. There are two websites that I would highly recommend to anyone, they are not church-owned and are fantastic projects. The first is 6 billion others. This project was undertaken by some French people I believe and they went to many of the world's countries (most I think) and interviewed hundreds of people on their history, their faith, their happiness, their families, their youth, their trials, etc. It is incredible what we can learn from others. Being in a district with kids from all walks of life, I have seen just how diverse everyone is and how everyone has something unique and useful to bring to the table. The other is a NY Times project I think and it's called 1 in 8 million. I prefer the first but this one is still very interesting.
Saturday night we had a fireside to celebrate the birth of the nation and we had excellent music and speakers but the best part was after the conclusion we went outside and had surreal amounts of haagen-daazzzz Ice cream ( i don't know how to spell that) and watched the Stadium of Fire fireworks display. I've never seen boys look up at a fireworks show like that, we all were like five-year olds. Then Sunday night we were so lucky to have Jenny Oaks Baker come play and speak to us. I had no idea how incredibly talented she was. Her husband spoke for a little as well and she also had her kids (one age 6 and two age 8) play. All girls. one played cello, the other violin, and the last piano. They were incredible.... and they got a standing ovation which was pretty awesome because we didn't clap for Jenny Oaks Baker just due to the setting. Anyways, it's a blast being here.
My companion's best friend is in the district ahead of us, Elder Friel. He played Basketball at SUU and dunks it in my face. But he's the nicest guy. Our Zone Leaders Elder Groberg and Elder Cox are awesome kids too. Everyone gets along so far. Yes Elder Groberg is related to the General authority, it's like his dad's cousin.
We spend about eight hours a day in the classroom if not more studying doctrine and the language. It's pretty easy until we have to practice by teaching others. That's intense... It hasn't made me too stressed out yet, in fact i'm fine and loving it. I love my teachers, Fratele Irion şi Fratele Jepsen, they are great examples and know how to prepare us.
One of the best times is GYM TIME. it's a big deal. Sitting in a classroom for eight hours will make you work out harder than you ever dreamed.... The food is great, you just have to know what to eat and what to run from.
Mother, do you have any scripture cases you could send me? they're like thirty bucks here.... If you don't I'll just buy one. Thanks for the package the other day! Also you may want to call the bank and tell them I'll be in Romania for two years so they don't hold my card
Thanks for the letters, i really appreciate them! This week I will be teaching lessons for thirty five minutes in 100% Romanian! is crazy...
Anyways I don't know what you all want to know. I love you all, miss you a little too, thanks for the support and everything. I love what I am doing and it's where I'm supposed to be.
în Romaneşte, te iubesc şi voi vedez noalte ziua! La revedere, etc, etc. Da suntem mult ferice cu colegii noastre şi a dormi buştian.
Love,
Elder Daniel James Taylor
p.s. bucureşti pretty much means joy town
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