Saturday, June 22, 2013

The Drop Off

Here are some pictures when we dropped Connor off at the MTC in Provo.






First Letter

We received a letter from Connor on Friday, June 21st, just two days after entering the Missionary Training Center or as Kenah calls it, the Missionary Training Camp. Here is his letter.

It really is weird to be called Elder Breinholt! They try to drill it in to us to call each other Elder instead of guys or dude. It's hard but it'll come. The first thing we did was go to class where the teacher, Brother Wade, talked to us in straight Korean the entire time. It was crazy! I had no idea what he was saying at first, but you learn that when he says certain things, you do certain things! I am actually in a threesome with Elder Champion (cool huh?) and Elder Landry! Then the other two guys in our room are Elder Miller and Elder Williamson. Elder Williamson is our district leader. The food isn't good...it is the Cannon Center with less choices. But it's okay because they always have fruit and cereal which are great! I've seen soo many people I know! I saw BJ and Megan from the ward! Then I've seen Wesley around and also a ton of people from high school and college! It is so awesome! haha the other Elders think I know everyone here because of how many people I've seen! Yeah it was really good to talk to Elder Christensen! I love him to death! He is awesome.
So yesterday we went to class and I didn't really know any Korean. But as Brother Wade or, Wade Hyong Jae Nim, taught us I could feel the spirit so strongly. I knew that I would learn it with hard work. Yeah it is hard, but it will come. It helped me to know that the Lord is with me and is teaching and it is His work that I am doing, I am just the person acting it out. I seriously learned so much in just one class yesterday! I can pray now! Granted all I can say is I am thankful for family, and bless us with the spirit, and even those I have to read, but we teach our first investigator today, so I am going to try and know how to pray by then! I seriously love it here. I don't know why people don't like it. They always say that they hate it, and it doesn't make sense. What is to hate? You live the missionary life, you learn your language, you teach, and best of all, you're surrounded by thousands of missionaries that are all so happy and full of love. It's amazing. The elders that have been here for a while seem like they know so much, and they've only been here for like three weeks. How much we can hold on to is amazing. Elder is Chong No Nim! But when you talk about yourself you leave off nim because it is like...honorific, so you use it when you're talking about someone else. Kind of confusing, but not really. Also, dad you'll be pleased to know that I ran into one of the two people you told me I had to keep an eye out for! I ran into Elder Eves right by the vending machines last night! It was pretty cool to talk to him for a minute and see how he is doing.
Seriously this place is amazing. I don't think that I've ever felt the spirit this strongly and this long. It is so strong from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. We started to pray as a district in Korean and we have to prepare a talk every week in as much korean as we know on a certain topic. We don't have to this week but we will next week! It sounds so intense, but it really isn't that bad. They throw a lot at you, but how else are you going to learn a language, especially Korean, in two months. You can't do it unless they speak it the whole time and you are surrounded by it. Ah I love it. One of the biggest things that I have learned is that you have to have the spirit when you teach. And that you shouldn't memorize things to say, you should know them and say it from your heart. Because when you have the spirit, it will guide you to say the things that you need to. And even if all you can say is I know that Jesus Christ lives, but you say it from your heart, your testimony will be so powerful, and that is what converts. They always say that the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days, which is so true. I haven't even been here for a week, and only for one whole day, but that whole day was the longest day of my life. But it was great! I loved it! I love learning Korean. It seriously is such an awesome language. Also, I saw Elder Lee! He is my Korean friend from BYU and that made my whole day because he is so awesome. The one line that I know from my testimony I had him convert is 자는 에수 그리스도 자희의 구새주라는 가설 일굴 심니다. Which says, I know that Jesus Christ is our savior. It seriously is so important for each of us to have the spirit because as we do, we can uplift those around us and spread the light of Christ. I love the gospel and can't wait to serve more over the next two years. Also, we do service every P-Day, which today is! So we wake up and get there by 6 to do service. Our Branch President is President Yost, and the members of the presidency are Brother Snow, Brother Patmillon (I think) and Brother Lee (Korean). They have all been mission presidents so it will amazing to learn from them! I can't wait! We also have that amazing fireside this weekend where the prophet and all the apostles will speak and all the missionaries are going! Keep an eye out! I love you all, and letters are the best thing ever in here, so please write. I only have an hour every p-day to email, so I will probably do the rest by regular letters. Remember how much our Heavenly Father does for us. I love you!
Love,
Elder Breinholt or Breinholt 장로