Friends and Family!
First I would like to preface this email by saying thank you to all of those who sent packages and letters to me. They really keep me going on some of my longer days here at the MTC. Mom, thanks for the package! That belt is way nice! I love it, and again thank you for the hair trimmers! They will be put to good use, that's for sure. Dad, those cookies look amazing. I haven't eaten them yet because I picked it up last night and I needed to get to bed, but i can assure you that they will be devored by the end of this day, so thank you for thems :). Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bill, those ties were AWESOME! I loved how you categorized them all, and especially the category of "Jewish". That tie really does look like it was passed down from father to son during his Bar Mitzvah. I am so priveledged to own it. So thank you for those. Thanks for all of the letters too! They really brighten up my day. Seriously.
Well this week... twas another week. Counting down the days until I get outta here, but at the same time I am nervous to be getting out of here. We got a few native Russian missionaries in the MTC for a few weeks and I tried talking to them. It is so difficult to understand what they are saying. They speak so fast! I know it will come. This time in the MTC is for me to grow spiritually and prepare the foundations for my mission language. I was talking to one of them, and he asked how old I was, and I accidentally said I am 12 in Russian. Dvenatzit (12)and dyevatnahtzit (19) are surprisingly really close sounding. Whoops. It was actually kind of funny though. Well, it's nice having them around because they really help with the language, and it's nice practice. I find speaking and hearing are the two hardest parts for me, but they will grow most definitely!
This week, I got ill. Yup. Illnesses exist in the MTC, and they exist in all of the varities and severities. I got a cold from one of my roommates who did a terrible job covering his coughs. Oh well. I am currently fighting off this cold as I type. I will get over it soon. I stocked up on some Dayquil, Nyquil, Cough Drops, and water, so I am pretty much set. I read that you got really ill, pops? that's twice in the past 3 months! a new record for you. well, i am glad you are better. I was a little bit worried. I also heard you gots yourself a new phone! It's gonna be weird coming back to technology and cell phones and such. Speaking of which, I am not sure if i told you, but I can't call you on Mother's Day, mom, but I can call you the day after when I am in the airport! Speaking of airports, I think I might be getting my travel plans next week! I really can't wait.
This week's TRC, which, again, I still don't know what it stands for, we taught the Plan of Salvation in Russian to a mock investigator. I was really worried because my vocabulary for that lesson is really terrible, but I thought we did a very awesome job. There weren't enough investigators, so my teacher, Brother Toone, played the role as the investigator and I felt that we taught phenomonally well. I know that my Russian grammar was atrocious, but I really felt the Spirit as we taught. The lesson really didn't go as we planned on it to be, but it was really guided by the Spirit. It's really interesting how the Spirit can communicate between companions. We didn't communicate with each other what we were going to say next, but we knew exactly what we needed to say. It was way awesome.
Nothing else going on lately. Just been learning more and more Russian, and studying more and more. It's actually really splendid. I have learned more here than I would with a semester of Russian 101. Honestly though. 100 percent Russian, is very difficult and it's more like 80 percent for me, but I am really trying to make it to 100 percent. My district was the first to do this, and it caused 3 other districts in both zones to start doing 100 percent now instead of next week. I guess we set an example, i suppose.
My district and I have been practicing this song to sing at our last Sunday. It's actually the EFY medley but in Russian, and let me tell you, it's so much better in Russian. Everything is better in Russian. Well.. For the most part, I suppose. we have another practice tonight, which I am actually looking forward to. It's kind of difficult to sing now that I am sick, but I can still manage. We have two elders in my district who have been cursed with tone deafness. Well.. It couldn't be a blessing as well, I suppose. One of them is actually my companion, and the funny thing is that he knows it all too well that he is, and it's hilarious. The other is the German Elder in my district. Ironically enough, they are sitting on both sides of me right now as I type this. And even more ironically enough, one of them is listening to church hymns. By the way, remember that song What Child is This? It's a christmas song set to the tune of Greensleeves? Well, it's actually in the Russian hymnbook, and again, it's so much better in Russian. I am not joking wihen I say that, either.
Well, stay awesome family and friends.The church is true and there is a prophet today who has been called to guide and lead us. I love you all and you are all in my prayers
Love,
Elder Tekulve
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