The 7th week

Hello Friends and Family!!

I can't believe it's almost been 7 weeks. It's crazy. In 3 weeks and 6 days, I will be in the Motherland of Russia.

 

Well, last Wednesday we got new missionaries in both of our zones, so there are now plenty of elders struggling with the Russian language their first week just as I was. It's nice to help them out, that's for sure, and quite honestly, a nice boost of confidence for myself... (Ha). But yes, new missionaries, so now our hallways are not so empty and queit anymore, which is quite fun now. They are all such great elders too, every single one of them. I thought it would be funny to act insanely awkward and weird around them their first day and the next day be completely normal and disregard the previous night of weird and strange conversation and awkward approachings. After 30 minutes, I gave up. It was quite the comical but difficult task. Guess what? Guess who is in the MTC right now... Sean Rooney. Yup. Good ol' buddy from highschool, old ASB president, is in the neighboring zone speaking Russian along side me. He is going to Danyesk Ukraine, Russia speaking, and it's so nice to have a good friend from before the mission be in the MTC with you. I try to hang out with him every night, but his zone is a little stingent and stickler-ish in terms of the "Be-In-Your-Room" time, which is supposed to be 10:15, but they go at 10:00. Anywho, with that aside, It's awesome to see Elder Rooney everyday and helping him out with the language. He is definitely enjoying it here, which is greawt to see.

 

Yesterday, we started our "English Fast" where we speak only Russian to each other for the rest of the stay in the MTC. One of the single most difficult things ever. Surprisingly reading and writing Russian is the easiest part. Speaking and understanding others speak is so hard, but I know I can do it. In your head, you have to conjugate adjectives, pronouns, nouns, and possessive pronouns based on 6 different cases, and 4 different genders of words: Masculine, Feminine, Neuter, and Plural. With each case, within each gender, and within each grammatical unit they have their own unique ending and conjugation. The verbs alone have a variety of different ways of conjugation. Normally, depending on the ending of the verb, it will either be 1st conjugation or 2nd conjugation, which are two completely different types, and then there are verbs that are an exception to these rules, called OBAT verbs, which require another ending. Then there are reflexive verbs, mutated verbs, yada yada yada, etc... But, with all the insanity aside, I think it's really picking up. So don't worry. yeah, I am leaning the 3rd hardest language in the world for English speakers... No big.. Ha. But really though, although it may seem insane, I feel as though I couldn't be doing as well as I am outside of the MTC in any other class (well obviously in the country). The Spirit really is helping me guide my studies. During our Missionary Directed Time, my companion and I are really working our behinds off. He is the master of vocabulary words, and he has been a help to me.

 

I realized, I haven't really talked much about Elder Clark. He is a great companion. He is from St. George, Utah and he knows everything about sports teams in all variety of sports. It's crazy how much he knows. He will meet some Elder in some obscure city and he will be able to name off the team and their players. Maybe it's because I don't know anything about Sports that causes such wonder and amazement. I think he might think the same way with me and music and some films and stuff. Anywho, great little guy. He is hilarious as well. The other day, we were practicing teaching the 1st Lesson of the Restoration in Russian to anothe companionship. He was talking about Baptism and was trying to explain that it was very important and was a big step toward our salvation. The word for big and ice cream is somewhat similar, and he accidentally said, "Baptism is a lot of ice cream" in Russian. One of the funniest Freudian slip-ups. (Maybe he really wanted some ice cream when he said it? who knows). I am glad he is my companion. We really go hand in hand in our work habits, diligence, and quite honestly our humor.

 

On sunday, during our MTC Fireside, BYU Men's Choir came and performed for us. I forgot how amazing choirs are. They sang some very awesome hymns, and some other very interesting songs. They performed this one Mandarin song whose translation reads, "I like to play my gong". Don't ask me how that relates to anything we are learning here in the MTC, but it was awesome to hear. They had this Chinese flute player, and a few gong players. They also performed this Hungarian folk song with an ACCORDIAN!! I really want to learn how to play that beast of an instrument when I get home. Well obviously after I master the Beleleika, of course. After, they performed a Scottish folk song and performed with a bagpipe. Yup. They are a Men's Choir.

 

Anywho, Things are going great here at the MTC. The language is slowly but surely picking up. I know by speaking 100% Russian until the day I leave the MTC, (well obviously in Russia too), that it will greatly help me when I get there. We are starting the 100% Russian thing 2 weeks before everyone else, so let's see how I do. I teach the 2nd lesson (Plan of Salvation) tomorrow. I think I will be fine. Oh speaking of which, last week we taught the first lesson again in Russian, and it went amazingly. It wasn't the Ice Cream slip up, but with a fake investigator. I felt as though we dominated it!

 

Anywho, I love you all, and I pray about you every day. Stay awesome family, and stay awesome friends.

 

Love

 

Elder Tekulve

 

P.S.: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I hope you got your card last week. I sent an SD card with some hilarious videos and stuff. :)