Hello family and friends!
Where to start for this week's update on the Elder Tekulve.. Well to start off on a humorous note, I had another sleep walking incident, but this one being more insane and hilarious, in my opinion. So there I was slumbering away and dreaming of tender dreams until I came to the delirious realization that I thought I was at my desk. So sitting there, I start noticing the walls falling in on me. I immediately clasp onto the wall to prop it up so it won't fall on me, but prevailing I realized there must have been multiple walls because I couldn't push it back. I was in pure horror of being crushed to death. So I yelled for my fellow comrades, "HELP! HELP! GUYS I NEED HELP!! THERE IS LIKE 9 OF THEM FALLING ON ME!" My roommates immediately wake up and shine their flashlight on me only to see me sitting up on the top bunk pressed up against the wall screaming for help. Elder Johnson asks, "9 what? 9 bricks!?". That's when I finally came to and I realized that I wasn't on my desk, and that the wall's were not falling on me, nor were there 9 of them. I then replied, "Am I going crazy?" It was one of the most bizarre and hilarious things that has happened to me in my sleep. I am not sure what they are feeding me so that my sleep every night is as unto the sleep of someone halfway off his rocker. My other roommate was really upset that I woke up him for the most useless thing ever. He thought I was dying, and so did I. Fortunately for me, my companion and I, Elder Clark, switched beds, so now I am on the bottom bunk. There hasn't been any incidences... so far.
Well with comedy aside, I really strengthened my testimony this week. I loved General Conference, and I hope everyone had the oppurtunity to watch all 5 sessions. I actually miss going to the conference center. It's just awesome to think, as my friend pointed out, that there are thousands of people that go and watch at the Center alone, all of whom have a testimony of some sort. To add, there are millions that are tuning in at their homes. At any rate, I loved it, and I hope you all did too. One thing that I thought was awesome was President Monson's talk about temples. Not only are they built by beautiful and precious stone, they are built by faith and testimony. Through the testimonies of others are there oppurtunities for temples to be built. I was crossing my fingers that they would announce a temple in Russia, but they would need a stake first in order to so, but I still hope and pray for the day that comes to pass. There are 22,000 members in the whole country, which really isn't much, but that is 20,000 members who do not have a temple in their own country. For southwestern Russian, the closest one is Keiv, Ukraine. For St. Petersburg area, the closest one is in Helsinki, Finland. For Novosibirsk and Ykanterinburg area, the closest temple is the Hong Kong temple, and for Vlodivistok, it's the Seoul South Korea temple. That is going to change. The hand of the Lord is in Europe, and the missionary work there is growing. Keep praying, like myself, that a temple will be erected in the beautiful country of Russia. One day, they will announce a temple there, and the Russian people will be eternally grateful.
One other talk I thought was amazing, was Walter F. Gonzalez' of the Seventy on the Saturday morning session. He said that as missionaries we are to add on to what the people already know to be true and good. I am not there to teach them something completely new, I am going to Russia to add on to their beliefs. They majority are Russian Orthodox, and their faith is absolutely beautiful and good. I am not going there to dismiss their faith as false, because it is not. It just doesn't have the full truth, the fullness of this Gospel, which is so unique and awesome for us.
On Sunday, after our sessions, we had a MTC Fireside where Vai Sakaheima spoke to us. He used to play for BYU Football and then for the Eagles in the NFL. He is now a sports announcer and commentator for NBC news in Philedelphia. That was an awesome fireside to end our night with. He shared with us a bunch of clips of how he would encorporate the Church with his news. He would do all that he could to somehow intermix them. One example in which he did, is that he organized Mormon Baseball Night at the Phillies Baseball Stadium. The Eagles head coach (also Mormon) through the first pitch, and the Missionaries of the Philedelphia Mission sang the national anthem.. I don't think that was obvious enough... He had a bunch of examples, like "Forever Families" when he tried to support this adoption program in which people would help them find their "forever families". He brought of stories from his mission in South Dakota and brought one of his best friends, a person he baptized, to bear his testimony. I got to usher this Fireside so i got to wear one of them fancy white nametags that bear the name in bold black letters, "USHER". It was most choice.
After the fireside, we watched "The Army of Faith" video they played after conference. Yup. That's the MTC for you. Couldn't have said it better, without the... myself. But really though. That is the MTC in a nutshell. I am not in it, I don't think, but a lot of the older districts were in it! I got to see a lot of my old friends who left last week to Russia. My teacher, Brother Toone, was in it too! He was teaching the older older district that left right before I came in. It was so bizarre to hear him speak in English. He never speaks in English. It's always straight Russian, and it so far has been an amazing approach for both my language learning, and my spiritual growth. I got to see a few of my St. Petersburg friends from the older districts leave at the airport on the video as well. They all left really in the morning. The hallway has been quite empty and quiet ever since. In the other hallway and zone of Russian speakers, one of their plane flights got cancelled so they had to stay an extra day, which kind of stunk for them. I think it was all the Moscow West mission, which by the way, is huge. Covers lot's of Russian and all of Kazakhstan. Anyway...
So this week, we also had a bad mice problem in our hallway. Luckily, one of the elders in my zone, Elder Smith (who ironically enough I met at the SLC temple with you guys) brought a RAT trap for an object lesson. He never thought he would use it, but he has so far killed 4. His room has it the worse because tehy have so much food accumlated and uncovered. Whoopsies for them. But yes. Still hilarious and gross at the same time.
Last wednesday I taught my first lesson in Russian. It went quite actually. I was really surprise with myself of how much I knew. I just have to work harder, and I shall. Had 5 weeks left yesterday. Almost there!
Well, That's about it. i love you all, and I hope you all had a great week as well.
love,
Elder Tekulve
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