MTC - Week 3

Ciao everyone!

Week three is officially over and I am at my half way mark through the MTC.  Only three weeks until Italy!!!!

Anziano W. left for Rome this morning so I am back in my trio with Anziano Y. and Anziano S. It will be a little difficult without W. because we taught investigators together, but I bet I’ll have just as much success with Y. and S.

There was a good devotional last night by James Martino of the Second Quorum of the 70. He talked about goals and how we can always do a little bit more. It was really imperative for us all to hear that. No matter how much we do there is always something else we can do to add to it, whether it be sharing an extra scripture, studying for 5 more minutes or knocking on one more door. It was pretty great.

The language is getting more intense as we start learning future tense and irregular past tense. There are so many different tenses, my brain is starting to hurt, but the language is coming.

If anyone has a picture they like that they want to mail me, I would love it. We all love sharing pictures at the MTC and it helps me to remember good times.

I know that Italy is going to be such a great adventure and all the struggles I have are just going to help me grow.

Miss everyone, and look for ways to serve others.

Oh, I also saw Emilee Anderson and Shelby Neeley enter the MTC.  All of ya'll near mission age, GO on a mission.  It is the best choice you will ever make.

I’ll send more pics later

Arreverdice

Anziano Chase

MTC - Week 2

Hey Everyone,

Week two in the MTC has been rather quick. The first few days felt like an eternity, but now each day feels shorter and shorter. We teach multiple lessons every day and it just makes the time fly.  Studying what to teach, practicing la lingua, and insegnare il simpatizante.

We had a devotional Sunday by President Oak's daughter, who is a  Juilliard Violinist, and she played a lot of music for us. Tuesday we heard Elder Bednar was in town, but he did not come speak. Instead we had The General Young Women's President speak. She had some good stories. Initially I was upset because, Bednar, but she still gave a good devotional.

MTC food is still killing me, but overall I'm still alive. I never thought I would rather get real food than candy in a package so much, hint hint. (he’s asking us for “healthy food and dinner food, but then asks us for cup o noodles or crackers – not healthy ;) ) 

My 4 companionship is doing well. Anziano W. still hasn't left yet, but it is nice teaching with him. We both have the language pretty down so we can get some really good discussions in. Anziano W. was with the district before we came in.  He had the hernia surgery and got delayed like 3 weeks.  That’s why I have 3 companions.  When he leaves it’s back to me, Anziano Y. and Anziano S.

Our teachers, Fratello Guest and Sorella Nielson, keep the spirit always present in class.

Feel free to send me some letters. I like them............. I really like them................. 

Anziano Chase

P.S if you want something written in Italian you're gonna have to send me a letter. It is compensation for writing me :) and don’t worry I'll translate it too.

A Bonus Letter!

Bryant sent a letter home to tell us about how they are learning to teach the Gospel.

"Here is an experience that happens in the MTC.  The first week each companionship receives an investigator every day except for P-day and Sunday.  We have appointments with them to try and bring them to Christ.  We were given 5 lessons to try and have her commit to baptism.  We didn’t know we had 5 days.  

We got thrown in right away in full Italian.  Our first lesson was a disaster.  The investigator was Catholic and had lost faith in God  because of the death of her brother.  We tried teaching her about prayer and how it would get her closer to God.  She probably couldn’t understand much of what we were saying,  but we still had to do it.  We left that lesson with no progress made.  

We decided to then switch to a more simple approach, that Heavenly Father loves her and won’t abandon her.  It worked well that time.  My Italian was much better and she ended up taking my Book of Mormon to read some scriptures.  My Italian has been really good since that day.  My companions, Anziano Y. and S., are struggling, but I’m trying to help them.  Anziano W. is pretty good with his language, he just didn’t help teach for a few lessons due to surgery.  

The third lesson was on Joseph Smith and when we went to teach her that was the first thing she asked us about!  It was pretty great.  We committed her to pray about Joseph Smith and the Gospel.  

The fourth lesson Anziano Y. and S. had to go to Salt Lake for their visas so I taught just with Anziano W.  We did the Plan of Salvation and talked with her for about 40 minutes, double what we were suppose to plan for.  The best part was I only brought my scriptures in Italian and no notes to help me.  It was pretty cool.  We committed her to read more of the Book of Mormon and to pray of it’s truth and she accepted.   

The last discussion was on the Gospel of Christ, Article of Faith #4.  We committed her to baptism after we explained why she had to be baptized by proper authority, not just by a priest as a baby.  So ya…..that’s how we practice our teaching on investigators.  We will have more investigators as we continue here at the MTC."

MTC - Week 1

 Ciao Anziani and Sorelle!

My first week at the MTC was legit. I came into the MTC and had two companions, but another Anziani had to have a surgery so while he is recovering I actually have 3 companions. Anziano Y. is from Provo, Utah and is a choir boy. He also is a good testifier of the gospel. Anziano S. is from Idaho. He is a crazy runner. Every day at the gym he runs around 5 miles. I am too lazy to do that. Anziano W. is doing much better from his surgery. He is from Idaho as well and likes agriculture and farming. Anziano Y. and S. are both fresh out of high school and Anziano W. is 20.

Everything is good and I enjoy the brutal schedule surprisingly. Got scriptures right away, wanted a new pair of cheap English ones because I am going to be focusing on Italian scriptures. Some more pictures would be nice, like a lot of friends and maybe a band photo or something. Gracie. Packages are nice. All three of my companions and I share all our goodies and stuff. 

Also saw Sorella Willis at the MTC so that was kinda cool.

MTC food sucks. It is really messing with my stomach but I guess it is ok because I am going to Italy. Mi Italiano e bene. I have taught an investigator and am about to commit him to baptism this week. The dorm rooms are ok, a little tight, but not bad. Our district is all going to Milan with the exception of Anziano W., who is going to Rome. As much as a miss home, it is great to be out here and I am still so excited to serve. Italy is calling my name and I can’t wait to invitare el persone al venire a Cristo. 

Please write to me or send me your address because I only get one hour a week to email so letters I will get to you faster.

Here is a brief testimony in Italian (the keyboards don’t do accents so I apologize in advance)

Io so che Gesu Cristo e il un figlio di Dio. Io so che il vangela es vero perche io leggere il Libro Di Mormon. Io so che Joseph smith e un vero profetti. Io grato oppurtunita serve un missione. Nel nome de Gesu Cristo, Amen.

Anziano Chase

PLEASE WRITE ME AND I PROMISE I'LL SEND A LETTER BACK

We got a letter!

Bryant sent a short letter home letting us know that he's doing well.  Here is an excerpt:

I have two companions, Anziano Y. and Anziano S.  They're cool guys and all.  Y. is from Provo and S. is from Idaho.  Both are 18 and my height.  Days go fast and it's easier than I thought.  Lots of work though. My Italian is coming along well.  As senior companion, I have to make sure my companions also keep up on the language.  MTC is good.  It will be fun and I'm still excited.  Appreciate the letters. Maybe later I'll write in Italian but English is quicker.

The day has arrived

As hard as this day was for us, it was so exciting to deliver Bryant to the MTC.  First, he had to say his goodbyes. 

Grandma Sue and Grandpa Jerry took us to breakfast in the morning.  Bryant said his goodbyes to them there.

After breakfast, we headed to BYU to pick up Parker from EFY so that he could go with us to drop Bryant off.  Once we had Parker, we went to the same place as hundreds of other missionaries and their families, to the Provo temple grounds where we took the last family pictures for the next 2 years.

We watched the time closely (you are supposed to arrive exactly at a certain time) and finally had to make the trek across the street.  The MTC is a finely tuned place! They get the missionaries in and sent on their way before you can blink.

 A nice host Elder helped get Bryant's luggage out, took one last picture for us, and then let us have the quickest hugs imaginable.  It was even faster than I had anticipated.

And just like that, they are off to the races....the Italy Milan Mission is getting another great missionary, Anziano Chase!