MTC Week 6

So a fair amount of stuff happened this week, today being the end of my 6th week at the MTC. Last sunday I got assigned as District leader over the 7 Elders in my District. I will hold that position until we leave to Mexico. This puts a lot of responsibility on me as I hold weekly interviews with each Elder in my District, conduct all the meetings, and lead them in every other way as a District as we strive to learn the Spanish language and learn how to share the Gospel effectively.

 

My P-Day got switched to Thursday, as our entire daily schedule got completely rearranged in preparation for welcoming the massive flood of missionaries who are going to be coming in after the end of the school semester.

 

I'm starting to get pretty fluent with the Spanish language. I am close to mastering all of the grammatical aspects, now I just have to learn more words. I know enough to be able to teach effectively, as our teachers act as role-playing investigators that we have to teach entirely in Spanish.

 

I won't really have a lot of good stuff to say until I finally get into the field and start having experiences. I can't wait for that. 3 more weeks! Everybody, pray for Mexico Visas, because I don't think I could stand staying at the MTC longer than I have to as a visa-waiter.

 

How is everything back home and in the outside world? Politics? Sports?

 

So, I forgot to mention in my other e-mails that we have had quite a few general authorities come and visit us. We have had 3 of the 12 apostles come in the last 3 weeks. It's pretty rare for something like that to happen. I figure they must have heard I was here. So the first apostle that came was Elder Packer, who came on Easter Sunday. Elder Ballard came on what I think was last Tuesday, but I'm not sure. This last Tuesday, Elder Nelson came and spoke. All were really powerful devotionals and firesides.

 

One of my favorite speakers that came was on a Tuesday devotional a few weeks back, Vai Sikahema - sportscaster and football player. He talked about his mission and how when he got hired as a sportscaster in Philly, he always snuck in little Mormon Messages and even did a story on the MTC.

 

Our District is doing good. Our Zone has had quite a few districts leave to go to the field, and for a time there were only 2 district in our Zone. Yesterday we brought in a new District, 4 Elders and 4 Hermanas (Sisters). 5 of them are going to the Salt Lake City spanish-speaking mission, and I'm not sure where the others are going.

 

I have been able to avoid the problem other elders have with putting a ton of weight on in the MTC. So far I have been pretty much the same. A few days ago I weighed in at 223 lbs., but I still look slimmer than when I came in. I'm glad me and Elder Wensel lift everyday, it helps a lot. If not for our lifting, I would probably have to get my pants resized.

 

Sorry I haven't sent many pictures home. I'll send a memory card back at the end of my 8th week, when I have more pictures on it. I'll get a district and zone picture too, if possible. Otherwise I'll just get those on our last night when we have our traditional zone fairwell gathering.

 

So I don't know what else to put in these letters. I've pretty much told you guys everything. If anybody has questions or requests, or just wants to write (which would be awesome, as you can never have enough letters here) send them to me by mail or DearElder.com

 

 

 

Elder Tyler Riggs

MTC Box 292 (Departure Date 05-21)

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604