Monday, August 8, 2011

OFF to the Big ID!

Well this is my last day here,
Not a whole lot has gone on in our last week - just preparations for the field. And we had in-field training here where they talked alot about working with ward missionaries and ward mission leaders which I already knew somewhat about since I had been a ward missionary before the MTC. I got pictures with my friends from the dorms at BYU-Idaho, its really cool there was probably like 6 of us. 2 are going to the philippines, another to Russia, one to El Salvador and the other to Panama. Im the only state-side in the group but I will still be able to talk to the ones going to South America, spanish is sweet. It was really cool to get letters from Paul and Amy and the kids! I understood almost all of Paul's letter in spanish too. Haha its funny who you meet here - I met an Elder, Elder Robinson, who lived in Singapore after we left...so he knew the Bywaters and Nelsons and such. He was also a friend of the McCarvel kid I knew, which I think i already told you about. But a while ago I also met an Elder from one of my EFY groups in San Antonio. Then this week I met an Elder that plays football at University of Utah. Oh ya a few weeks ago, I was in the bookstore and met an Elder from spokane who said he knew an Elder Davies, which was probably Mitch haha. Mitch, do you ever remember anyone with the last name Ward? His name was Elder Ward he said he was from like Spokane Valley. Oh and Kayla sent me amazing Cinnamon Rolls that i shared with the Elders in my room, they were so awesome - thanks so much Kayla.

Oh ya Mom that news article you sent me with the football player - sadly, I knew him pretty well. When i took summer school, he was in my speech class. So on the football team I would say hey if I ever saw him, and he played on the JV team with me. He was really good at football and a really nice / cool kid so its sad he has ruined his life. Thats 2 kids from football / high school I knew that are going to be in prison for a long time and have probably ruined their lives. It means alot to me to hear that, because I definetly know I am in the best place I can be right now and I am not messing my life but setting it off right by serving the Lord for 2 years. I just wish everyone had this same gospel giving them direction in their lives because they wouldnt end up in these messes. Oh i also dont know if you heard but they announced the first temple in France! Pretty cool to hear, the gospel is still spreading in the world. Paul and Amy, hopefully I can write back today if not you'll get a letter next week from the field. I'll send you guys my address when I get there too..
my new address will be:
Elder Joshua Lee Davies
Idaho Pocatello Mission
1246 Yellowstone Ave Ste F3
Pocatello, ID 83201-4374
United States

Adios Familia!
Elder Davies

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Week 8 (Aug 1)

Mi Familia,

Well...almost done with the MTC - Only a week left. I can really feel the anticipation of teaching real people and the responsibility that comes with that. I'm not too worried about the spanish but of saying what I need to say and letting the Lord take care of the rest. Lately we've been focusing on teaching with the spirit instead of just saying words. Hopefully I can do that in the field better. I was able to sing in the MTC choir at the last devotional it was a pretty cool experience, it was after pioneer day so we sung "Come, Come Ye Saints". And I helped Host new missionaries so I showed them where their class/residence were and got them their books. The coolest part was one of my good friends, Elder Myers, was in the very first group so just by luck I was able to host him. And then this sunday at the choir practice, i saw Elder Thomas Oettli so that was cool - I dont think he remembers me very well but I definetly remember him from Katy and seeing him at BYU-Idaho. So, I got my travel plans and i'm just getting myself mentally prepared for the mission field. I probably will end up sending some stuff home since baggage charges are so high and I really feel I need less than I have, plus I picked up probably 8 pounds in books with my espanol scriptures and preach my gospel. So sweet to see pictures of the pool and car, they both look sweet - cant wait to see them and enjoy them in 2 years, or 22 months. It was kinda funny I met an Elder in the laundry room who was going to Pocatello, ID and hes a native spanish speaker so hes only here for 3 weeks. Oh and I got a haircut at the MTC barbershop today, apparently a #4 with the buzzer is the highest they go haha, at least on the sides. Got the cards you sent Mom, thanks. Oh and hopefully you guys get the letter I sent soon, with the picture of me and Elder Johnson. I hope everythings going good at home, I pray for you guys often. I think i'll be calling home in the airport, depending on if we have time or not - the MTC doesnt have a policy on it, whatever that means. Well..be sure to keep me updated! And I want to hear how Mitch's job search goes...Thanks for the news Grandma.

Con Amor,
(With love)
Elder Davies


Week 7 (July 25)


Hola Everyone,

So on wednesday I will have officially been here 7 weeks!! Isnt that crazy? It sure hasnt felt that long but sometimes it does feel like it goes on for a while. Lately my scripture studying has been so intense that the time for studying isnt long enough...But we are in a classroom for 8-9 hours a day so ya, you can get pretty uncomfortable. Our zone leaders and the oldest district left today so we are the oldest district, but none of us were made zone leaders. So our zone leaders have only been here for like 3-4 weeks. Things are sweet here though, I am just so excited to teach actual people instead of just our teachers as "invesigators". Even though, it is a good feeling to commit someone to baptism. So the other day I was giving a lesson and I realized I wasnt thinking about spanish at all, just about giving the lesson - which gets me really excited for when I am fluent. I've gotten to know an Elder in our zone a little better and his name is Elder Sampson, he plays football at BYU. He told me about his scholarship and how hard their practices were..he said every day he wanted to quit and give up his full ride scholarship. Thats so sweet that you guys got a new car, i'm just excited to see the pictures of it - too bad it got rearended by that guy...and also I wish I could have been able to speak with him, even if it is a little. Oh havent gotten the pants yet, I dont know whats taking them so long. Apparently July 24th is a holiday here in Utah haha I had no idea, but our mail service/haircutting place closed for the holiday, even though today is the 25th. My shoes are holding up good, dont do much walking, I also put the insert things in them but ya we really dont walk much. I think its hilarious our car is only worth $200-400. So how many cars are in our driveway now, 5? sheesh haha. Foods not really getting all that better but you just get used to it, or stick with cereal. So I was thinking the other day how everything I've done in my life has prepared me for my mission and its really cool to think about. Even something as small as morning classes in school so its not so crazy to be up at 6:30, or having morning seminary at 6. Ive gotten two or three letters from some friends but not really, its always good to get letters so yeah it would be sweet if more of my friends wrote me. Oh cool story, I told my companion how to say a simple mandarin phrase in the bathroom and an Elder corrected the phrase and when I mentioned I used to live in Singapore turns out he lived there too, he moved in after we left so he knew the Brinleys and stuff but I remember seeing his name on facebook once or twice, he was also friends with the McCarvels I knew in singapore. One of the companionships in our district has been sick continually for about 4 weeks now, one gets better and the other picks up what they had and then returns the favor. And first one of them threw up in class, and then the other Elder threw up on Sunday. Funny thing is how our Branch Presidency chews them out for staying in their room to keep the rest of the district from getting sick and to get better. Another Elder was playing a game with the older district and in the game they smack the tops of glass bottles with water in them and the bottom bursts out (dont try this at home). So ya the bottle crushed in his hand and cut his finger up, so he needed surgery and just had it done this week. So hes recovering from that. Anyway things are good here. Send the wellness vitamins and multi-vitamins

Thanks so much, Love you all
ELder Davies



Mitch - Thanks so much for the letter

Kayla- The word for potato is "papa" haha thanks so much for the blog

Week 6 (July 18)

Hola!

How is everything? How are Mitch and Kayla in the house? How is the car problem? Its funny - days go by fast here, and they blend together. I cant say a whole lot of crazy new things happen, its mostly class after class and studying the scriptures. I have learned a lot and continue to learn so much. Earlier in the week, we were teaching in the TRC (Training Resource Center) and me and my companion asked the "investigator" where they were from. As soon as the word "Washington" came out, i asked where in washington "Donde en Washington?" She said Spokane so I got pretty excited and said my brother lives near there and my other brother served his mission there. Then i asked where in Spokane and it was crazy! She's from Royal City! So I dont know if Paul knows maybe he does but shes from the Piercey family, i never got her first name though. But it was really cool to teach someone from there - heck, thats probably why she speaks spanish is because shes from there. So yeah the 2 new missionaries in our room are really cool, theyre going to Argentina. Its funny because one is from down the street here in Provo and his dad is a branch president here so he sees him sometimes. I've seen Elder Zach Johnson twice now, once when i was at church...Gonna try and get a picture with him so you guys can see - we'll see. So its crazy to think that i've already been here for 6 weeks on wednesday! Already 2/3 of the way done - and next week I get travel plans. If we fly, then i will definetly be sending stuff home. Sent Mitch a letter today. Well just be sure to let me know how the pools going and really everything else. Enjoy the real world, real food, and taco bell haha...Oh boy, first day on the mission i will go eat some fast food. Well I hope everything is good at home

Con Amor,
(with love)
Elder Davies

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Week 2 (June 20)


Hola Mi Familia,

Happy Fathers Day / Pauls birthday! MTC has been awesome, I sent a letter yesterday it probably will get there soon. So Mitch going back to Texas tomorrow- crazy! Good luck with that. Thats lame that vancouver lost the NHL finals...How is everything at home? Letters help get missionaries from day to day so to get them is sweet. I've gotten all the letters you guys have sent, but a few got mixed up with the other Elder Josh Davies - but ya he left for Oklahoma recently so it wont be a problem but im really excited for him in Oklahoma, in my case I have a bit of time left - 7 weeks! haha its gonna be pretty long but ill be speaking like fluent espanol. Dad going to Paris is crazy! My district gets along really well but half of them, district leader included are leaving for Guatemala in like a week so itll be way quiet without them. Plus we'll need a new district leader. Oh this weekend we have a new mission president meeting at the MTC and the prophet, some apostles and those mission presidents will be here. Its gonna be crazy because one whole building we wont be allowed to go in. But we may be like walking down the hall and see an apostle haha. We havent had anyone crazy for a devotional yet, our last devotional was the primary president. I kind of expect better things out of missionaries so it was dissapointing when an Elder two rooms down from ours had $140 stolen from his room, so were careful to lock up alot-just hope we dont get locked out being too careful haha. Im not sure about my missionary plaque Mom, i think you may want to talk to the Ward secretary about it. They wont need a picture taken and I couldnt send one anyway haha. So i kind of wish there was an Elder MTC and a Sister MTC because some Elders are really distracted by some of the sisters. And some Sisters are just ridiculous when they are flirting with Elders. Good to hear about the car grandma! hope it works out well, it served me really well. And we had it fixed up so it should be really good for a while. So they give us gym time 5 times a week and its really fun but some Elders get hurt in basketball because it gets so rough. So i try to just stay on the upstairs part where the track is and run and do some working out. Ive seen probably 8 or 9 Elders i knew at BYU-Idaho and it almost feels more at home here when it comes to friends because at home they were all at college. That being said I miss you guys so much!! Sometimes its even hard to think about because it distracts me a bit...Well times almost up sending emails, Good luck in the real world and know that I am always missing you guys, Stay in touch. Oh ya if you send emails to dearelder.com its free and it comes to me as mail so i can read them any day of the week, but letters are still awesome!

Adios!
Elder Davies

Week 1 (June 13)


Hola Everyone!

Well the first week here is almost over and today is our pday- so our first thought is "ya! emails and laundry!" Then me and my companion got 0 emails haha...Oh and the laundry room is CRAZY! probably like 500 missionaries, Elders and Sisters all doing their wash haha. The MTC food = no bueno, i think i might just stick with cereal the rest of my 9 weeks here haha..kidding. But learning español has been tough, but our whole district has definetly learned lots! On the first day we didnt understand a thing and now sometimes our teacher will teach the whole class in spanish. We have been able to bear our testimony, prepare a talk (thankfully didnt have to give it), and now we can say prayers in spanish. My companion situation was crazy before when i had 2 companions but after having a struggling situation in which a missionary in our district was so homesick he ran off campus, climbed the fence and called home...Basically after all that he decided he needed to go home so now his old companion is paired with one of the 2 that used to be mine. So now its just me and Elder Dickinson, hes from Boise Idaho. Hes going to the Iowa, Des Moine mission. So i´ve seen 6-8 friends of mine from BYU-Idaho, its way cool they are all here in the MTC now. And its really cool running into another Elder Josh Davies on a daily basis, ive seen him a lot. And i got one of his Dearelder letters haha-so i gave it to him. We have our gym time which is really one of the very few times you get to yourself because once your in the building you dont have to be next to your companion so thats cool. I was able to play basketball and lift weights a little which really helped me de-stress from the normal 6 hours of class time a day. So its been really busy up here-so busy that its hard to find time to write letters, write in my journal or even tie all my ties haha. Well, much love everyone-stay safe and thanks Lyndsey for writing! Hopefully building the pool goes good with no more problems

Mitch- thanks for the letter bro! I wish i had time to write more but theyre really strict on the 30 minutes i get to email..Was your mission president on your mission President Heaton? because he spoke to us for our fireside and they said he used to be a mission president for the Spokane, WA mission. Is teddy still hiding in cupboards now that im gone? How is the series between Vancouver and Boston? and is Dallas going to win the NBA championship?

Elder Joshua Davies