Bonjour!
Surprise surprise! I get to email today! Shhh..don't tell anybody, I'm not supposed to be on the computer! Haha, okay, I'm totally kidding. They are giving us this time, (after dinner) to email, do laundry, and pack. It's basically a mini p-day. So as I write this email to you, my laundry is spinning away in the machine behind me. Well I guess that I'll tell you about the past couple of days here at the MTC, because I'm sure that the next couple of days will be so packed full of exciting things that I'm sure my next email will be pretty exciting as well. So I might as well tell you all the events from the past couple of days so I don't forget them in my next email. Let's see..I'll start with the devotional from Tuesday night. It was good. Wow, after that sentence, I can just see Kira saying, "It's like I was there!"
Anyway, the devotional was basically a call to repentance. I'm pretty sure that the speaker was just trying to get as many Elders and Sisters as he could to talk to one of their leaders. It was pretty intense. Then on Wednesday, we had a very exciting day! Our zone decided to do an English fast. An English fast is exactly what it sounds like. A fast from English. Meaning the whole day we were supposed to only speak French. It was an amazing experience! Our district started out really strong. I'll admit that I accidentally said, "What?" as the first thing in the morning. But that's because Elder Blackham said, "Elder Hamilton" to wake me up, and through the night I had forgotten, but as soon as he started speaking French, I remembered, and then started speaking French. So our district was doing super good. We were speaking a ton of French, but as the day went on, everyone in the entire zone just kinda started to slip back into English, and by the end of the day, we were all speaking English again. But it was a great experience with the time that we did have the English fast, and I think I learned a lot.
On to Thursday! Thursday we had our in-field orientation. That was the first thing that made everything seem real. And when I say everything, I mean that we're leaving on Monday. In-field orientation was a day full of different classes. We talked a lot about working with members, finding people to teach, baptism, goals, and planning. It was a very successful day! I learned a lot, and they even had a short play for us to watch. It was pretty hilarious if you ask me! Then on to Friday! Friday was a day of lasts. Our last Friday, our last service time, our last lesson with Lupe, and our last GYM time. It was overall a great day. Plus I got to play basketball for the last time here in the United States for at least two years. It's weird to think about. Then that brings us to today. Today we had our last lessons with both our teachers, Frere Rellaford and Seour McKay. They have been absolutely fantastic teachers! I've loved them being my teachers, and my investigators! (Frere Rellaford = Sebastien and Jean-Pierre, Seour McKay = Lupe)
Today we taught the very last lesson we are going to teach in the MTC. And now we're off to France. Let me just say this, I am so excited! I am truly amazed at how fast my time here at the MTC has passed. I may not be fluent in French yet, but I am very excited to get out there to learn and try my best. I'm not perfect, but nobody is. I know that if I put all my might, all my strength, and all my heart into the work, I know that the spirit will direct my path. I know that I have been called to serve in France for a specific reason. I'm excited to go out and learn. Now I'm pretty nervous as well, but through the Lord, weak things may become strong. I'm excited to go and serve! Remember that you are amazing! I love you all so much! I am so very grateful for the lessons, guidance, and examples you have been to me! Thank you so much! The next time I'll get to email, I'll be in France! :)
Beaucoup d'amour,
Elder Hamilton
Surprise surprise! I get to email today! Shhh..don't tell anybody, I'm not supposed to be on the computer! Haha, okay, I'm totally kidding. They are giving us this time, (after dinner) to email, do laundry, and pack. It's basically a mini p-day. So as I write this email to you, my laundry is spinning away in the machine behind me. Well I guess that I'll tell you about the past couple of days here at the MTC, because I'm sure that the next couple of days will be so packed full of exciting things that I'm sure my next email will be pretty exciting as well. So I might as well tell you all the events from the past couple of days so I don't forget them in my next email. Let's see..I'll start with the devotional from Tuesday night. It was good. Wow, after that sentence, I can just see Kira saying, "It's like I was there!"
Anyway, the devotional was basically a call to repentance. I'm pretty sure that the speaker was just trying to get as many Elders and Sisters as he could to talk to one of their leaders. It was pretty intense. Then on Wednesday, we had a very exciting day! Our zone decided to do an English fast. An English fast is exactly what it sounds like. A fast from English. Meaning the whole day we were supposed to only speak French. It was an amazing experience! Our district started out really strong. I'll admit that I accidentally said, "What?" as the first thing in the morning. But that's because Elder Blackham said, "Elder Hamilton" to wake me up, and through the night I had forgotten, but as soon as he started speaking French, I remembered, and then started speaking French. So our district was doing super good. We were speaking a ton of French, but as the day went on, everyone in the entire zone just kinda started to slip back into English, and by the end of the day, we were all speaking English again. But it was a great experience with the time that we did have the English fast, and I think I learned a lot.
On to Thursday! Thursday we had our in-field orientation. That was the first thing that made everything seem real. And when I say everything, I mean that we're leaving on Monday. In-field orientation was a day full of different classes. We talked a lot about working with members, finding people to teach, baptism, goals, and planning. It was a very successful day! I learned a lot, and they even had a short play for us to watch. It was pretty hilarious if you ask me! Then on to Friday! Friday was a day of lasts. Our last Friday, our last service time, our last lesson with Lupe, and our last GYM time. It was overall a great day. Plus I got to play basketball for the last time here in the United States for at least two years. It's weird to think about. Then that brings us to today. Today we had our last lessons with both our teachers, Frere Rellaford and Seour McKay. They have been absolutely fantastic teachers! I've loved them being my teachers, and my investigators! (Frere Rellaford = Sebastien and Jean-Pierre, Seour McKay = Lupe)
Today we taught the very last lesson we are going to teach in the MTC. And now we're off to France. Let me just say this, I am so excited! I am truly amazed at how fast my time here at the MTC has passed. I may not be fluent in French yet, but I am very excited to get out there to learn and try my best. I'm not perfect, but nobody is. I know that if I put all my might, all my strength, and all my heart into the work, I know that the spirit will direct my path. I know that I have been called to serve in France for a specific reason. I'm excited to go out and learn. Now I'm pretty nervous as well, but through the Lord, weak things may become strong. I'm excited to go and serve! Remember that you are amazing! I love you all so much! I am so very grateful for the lessons, guidance, and examples you have been to me! Thank you so much! The next time I'll get to email, I'll be in France! :)
Beaucoup d'amour,
Elder Hamilton