Hi Mom!
Thanks for the letter yesterday and email. This week was really spectacular! Our musical number went great and a lot of friends I knew from SVU were there and it was so refreshing to talk to them at dinner after the orientation meeting. I am so glad I went to SVU and I am planning on returning, because it enables me to live the way I want and need to, while I learn and seek a career. Even though my schooling is on hold right now, I know that this mission is preparing me to learn better and it is more than worth the time I am 'losing' in my academic endeavors. sorry if that is random, I just feel like someone needs to hear that.
Alright, everything is good I think, I have a couple "skinny slacks" as my companions call them, but the seams are holding up. I have popped off 2 bottons and a belt loop so far, but that is very easily mendable. No worries there. The food is getting repetative, and my rate of increase has decelerated, but the derivative of the actual wieght gain has not crossed the x axis. (meaning I have slowed down the pounds I am putting on, but I am still approaching my goal) I hope 200 pounds is not the asymptote of my function. I cannot think of anything I need to finish up my MTC tenure. I understand I should be thinking long-term, but I really just don't know what I will need in Mongolia, I wish I did though!
Teaching went great for the new missionaries; we taught Lawanna and Arnold, one was a black woman who knew she could not be perfect in this life and therefore refused to try, and Arnold was a mountain man who felt close to God through nature. It was really interesting that even though these were just role-plays my companions and I were able to teach to thier needs through the Spirit.
One more interesting happening of the week was a suprise visit from BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) We found out about them wanting to meet with us Mongolians on Saturday and they were there Monday morning. our interveiwer was Owen and very British. I don't know why they only wanted us Mongolians, but it was fun for him to come in, observe and ask us questions. I will send you the link once my chap, Owen, finishes his article. He was in terrific reporter form: pink shirt unbuttoned to his scraggly chest hair, disheveled white hair, cuff-link sleeves open out of his too small coat and when he talked to me he put his puffy microphone halfway down my gullet and peered down at me through his half-moon glasses. It was classic. I hope his accent comes through in the article! We were told it was going to be a video segment, but I am sure glad it was not, because I do not want the 100 million viewer audience seeing me in this awkward stage of my body sculpting master plan. I digress.
Hopefully we will get our travel plans on Friday, but that is looking doubtful to our teachers, however, the overall status of the visas are optimistic. I do not know all the logistics, but the goal is still to head to Mongolia on July 25, as far as I know. This is the final strech of the MTC for Elder Chandler! I am extremely grateful to be in this dedicated facility to wholly devote myself to the Lord's work; to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I am ecstatic that this Gospel is my life and I mourn that I did not spend more time understanding it more completely. I do feel that I can be adequate, yea even excellent as the Lord strengthens and qualifies me. I will need divine support to communicate in this language. Our teachers have been so faithful in teaching us and really motivational and inspirational in explaining the Gospel and the language of parseltongue. We are the last group for all but one of our four teachers. We have been so blessed by thier experiences with the Spirit and with the culture of Mongolia.
I need to get going, but I do know that this church is God's restored church on the earth today. Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet and I will follow him. Tell everyone you can that you have the restored Gospel in your life! It will affect them for eternity.
Until next week -Elder Chandler
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