MTC P-day letter

Hey everyone!

First week has been super crazy. I feel like I've been away from home for so very long even though it's only been a week. I can't even believe it. Yet it feels like it's only been a day.

I've learned so much in my short time here and I can't even believe that I'm really here. My companion is Elder Vaughan from Farmington and he's really super fun. I love my district and I'm able to see the Lord's hand in me being here. I just miss you all so much. But the MTC has helped me to see that I'm doing what's right. I've had multiple occasions of reading the scriptures where I've found Heavenly Father telling me "be still and know that I am God" or if you keep the Lord's commandments, you will be blessed. It's unbelievable to see that things are so perfectly cared for by the Lord.

My district is super hilarious and I love them all so much. It's so much fun all of the little jokes we have and

the things we learn together. In the residence halls we have been able to be write a lot in journals and letters home. I actually bought a couple notebooks to write smaller letters with.

While I'm here we have the opportunity to do "trc" investigators, which are real investigators who we get to talk to and practice teaching lessons. I have Melissa and Michael. Melissa is super interested and fun to talk to, and Michael isn't that interested, but he is over Skype so that's really interesting. He just wants to learn because his mom joined -- he isn't actually learning in the heart. It's kinda sad.

We had to wait until today to write letters and do laundry so I ended up having to use the same garments a couple days in a row. It was pretty smelly and interesting. But we're doing laundry now for the first and last time in the MTC, as well as emailing.

I am not sure about the MTC food, some of it's really good and some isn't so great. I've had a pretty bad stomach ache for a lot of my time here and I'm not sure if it's the food or if it's homesickness and stress. I honestly am struggling with a lot of getting used to the mission, but things are mostly good. I've definitely had some spiritual highs while I've been here, as well as some emotional lows.

I really love this work and I'm hopeful that things will be good.

My branch president, President Taylor, has been really good with helping me with my homesickness.He talked to me and encouraged me so that things will hopefully be okay. He said I need to get it under control before I go, but he also said if I need to, I can call him anytime for help. So that's really encouraging. 

I'm good most of the time, but sometimes just out of nowhere it just hits me really hard. My district has really helped encourage me and they're really taking good care of me to make sure I don't get discouraged, but it's not always easy. I'm doing my best to be focused on the work and stay busy.

The devotional Sunday was so spiritual. It was amazing being amongst 1000+ missionaries and singing hymns of praise to God. Just amazing. I wish we'd been allowed to take pictures because it really was powerful to see.

I've really loved getting letters everyday. It helps me so much. It literally makes my day every time I get one, so please do your best to make sure I get them often. Also can you give Stace Hall my email or dear elder or post address so I can hear from him. I have a letter for him and I think it could really help to hear from him.

I got made zone leader on my second day, which meant that I helped welcome all our replacement Elders and Sisters who showed up this Wednesday. It's funny to see how much younger they look just because coming into the MTC is like getting put in your first year of high school again in the sense that you're freaked out and don't know where anything is. It was a really good experience and I had the chance to talk to an Elder (Rasmussen) about his homesickness because I could tell that he was struggling a lot, just like I was the first day. It was really good for us both because I was able to give him the advice and love and help that he needed to be okay. It really was a blessing to be able to talk to him about it. I think it helped me resolve some feelings I've been having as well.

I have a letter I'm sending to Marlee via postage probably tomorrow or Saturday, and it has a bunch of letters to distribute to family and friends and such. It would be great if you could pass them out for me.

I think that's about all I have to say.

Elder Johnson, my DL,  is super awesome. I love him as well as the other elders and sisters in my district. The district has Elder Vaughan (my companion), Elder Pendell and Elder Williams, my roommates, Elder Johnson and Elder Birbage, our DL and his compainion and then Sister Malone and Sister Branham. I love them so much, I seriously believe that they are in my district for a reason. I don't know if I'd be able to survive without their support.

 I don't think I'll send any pictures today, I'm not completely sure how, so I'll make sure to send them as soon as I can when I get to Washington.

Special request -- No food packages until I'm actually in the field. We have so much junk food from other people's parents that we'll probably have to throw a bunch away when we leave. This includes Marlee. Please hold any packages of junk food for a little while longer.

Thanks for all your love and prayers. I miss you all so much and I really wish I could bring you with me. That would make everything better.

Love you all so much! 

Elder Bryce Griffin