Letter Number 2 - Unexpected, but very welcome!

Hi everyone. We received an unexpected letter from Matt yesterday! YAY!

His MTC companion is Elder Aisake, from Fiji. He says he just loves him and they are having a great time together and that they teach well together. There are four in the MTC going to the mission... the two of them plus an Elder Tutu and a sister missionary (he couldn't remember her name). There are also 2 Elders there from Kiribus, so they are helping him learn a few words and phrases to get him started... I guess you all know, he doesn't get taught the language... just given a handbook and told to learn it out in the field! Very... "Other Side of Heaven". :-)

He is putting a lot of time into his studying because he wants to be as prepared as possible for when he gets out there. He had been there 8 days when he wrote the letter and he said he is learning so much, so quickly... but that he is tired, and still trying to get used to the routine of the MTC days.

They play sport every day, mostly rugby and he loves it. They had a game the other day... Australia vs NZ and apparently "Australia kicked can!"

He went tracting the other day and they didn't have much success, but managed to give one Book of Mormon to someone. They don't get to follow up with anyone.. so he is just hoping he reads the intro and calls the number inside the book.

He wants everyone to know he is thinking of them... but that he is doing all he can to stay focussed on why he is there and to let you know he will write once he gets into the mission field. He is missing everyone a great deal ... I know Matt pretty well... and as his Mum I can't help but think the underlying thing is that he is probably worried that if he takes the time to sit and write it will make his heart hurt too much.

He finishes up with

"I love you guys and so does Heavenly Father! :-)
I love learning about the gospel! :-) ...
and the temple was amazing Ma! :-)
I love and miss everyone!
Be good... and pray and read your scriptures. :-) I mean it, it works!"

So, it's all good news!

If you want to leave comments on here... please do. I will pass everything on to Matt... and it will make a really nice "journal" for when he comes home... so please participate and make this blog a memory for him as well.

Til next time...

Matt's Mum

Our first letter!

So... the first letter arrived today... which is probably a good thing because I think the neighbours thought I had a secret crush on the mail man, the way I was stalking our post box!

It was shortish...but that's okay, who needs volumes when you know your children are focussed on learning all they can for their missions?

He starts out with "The MTC is awesome Ma, it's so amazing!" So... he is loving the MTC and says they are all learning 'heaps' together. He says there isn't much time to sit while in the MTC, let alone take time to write... and said to let everyone know he will make sure he writes when he gets into the mission field and has more time for it.

He has been to the temple and he said it was a great feeling to sit in there and see all of the other missionaries in the room with him. (I can only imagine it would make me feel like singing "Behold A Royal Army) It made him wonder about how things will be in the last days, surrounded by people you respect and love.

He finished his letter with some guidelines we can probably all use...

Pray and read your scriptures,
Feel the Spirit,
& Go to church!

That's about it for anything newsy!

I am just glad to get a letter... so for all of you preparing to go on your missions... remember your mothers will be as bad as me, so be nice and write to them all the time! :-)

Matt's Mum.

Well, Matt is in the MTC and we are anxiously awaiting his first letter. His farewell was amazing... thanx to all of his wonderful friends.

He gave his last talk on Sunday January 10th and that weekend we had about 20 people for dinner on Saturday night... 26 for breakfast on Sunday morning... and 42 for lunch! We have never seen so many YSA's attend our Ward before... it was very special and brought home to me just how loved our baby boy really is.

There were many tears at the airport and I guess even more after we left.

I know he is going to be a great missionary and I am excited to hear from him with all of his adventures.