Dear Family,
Sounds Like a fun time at church. I feel that the district is progressing really well. No one is struggling. So you don't need to keep saying throw your arm around a missionary. We are all helping each other out and supporting each other.
So the next big batch of missionaries comes in on June 26. I think about 56 missionaries come in. That would put our branch up close to 150 missionaries. But just this last Sunday they split the Mandarin branch. So now there are two Mandarin branches. Branc 39 and Branch 25. My district got put into Branch 25. So I have all new Branch President and Counselors now. President Baker (same from last year), Brother Frishnekt (same from last year), and Brother Teng (now the 2nd counselor, was 3rd last year and called in when I was in the MTC last year) are over the Branch 39. Brother Averett (had been 3rd counselor in Branch 39 when I came in this year is now 2nd counselor in Branch 25) is a really nice guy. President Runn and the first counselor are both new to serving in the Mandarin and actually don't know any Mandarin. Both had served in German branches here at the MTC.
I am so thankful for the packages. Thanks! :) Maybe send a few more letters or dear elders throughout the week though. I thought you hadn't read my email or forgot about me until I got your dear elder friday night (also I have an hour for email not 30 minutes, so its not a big issue). Also where was the fire on Thursday night. We got all the smoke blown down here to provo. So a few things that I would like: Send my Taiwan flag (we need some things to make our room more lively), also keep eyes out for good hotwheels cars (like actuall real world model cars) and maybe send me a few so I can put them up on my desk or have them around to just feel more comfortable (my little snowtrooper lego man now holds my dorm room key), of course send more Arizonas (they were so good, I have 5 left right now and I gave one to Sister Anderson because she loves them just as much as I do and had never tried the Cherry Lime Rickey), then also you will need to get me a new English Scriptures (black leather, mid size, gold sheets, with no button clasp. I haven't seen them since Wednesday morning from personal study. I had left my scriptures sitting with my PMG on top of my desk chair in our classroom. My desk sits right by the door and we usually leave our class door open. Our class is also right by where a decent amount of foot traffic passes for the hall. All of us leave basically all our study material in the class because it is no big deal since its the MTC. Later Wedneday night when I needed my scriptures I went to grab them under my desk and realized they weren't there. I have looked in the lost and found of each floor in my class building each day and still haven't found them. I have looked in the lost and found by the laundry room. I have looked in the lost and found by the mail room. These are all the lost and founds. If they were to show up at the mail room lost and found or the front desk they would notify me because my name is on them. But they still haven't been found. My teachers know about it. The zone leaders know about it and have spread the word. I have looked through all the chinese classrooms and about half of the korean classrooms in the adjacent hall. Still haven't found them. I have prayed everyday that the Lord would allow them to be found. Also in companionship prayer we have prayed about them. Sill haven't been found. So I don't know what else to do but to now say I need new scriptures. Which I really don't want to do since I have had those other sets from freshman year of HS and have marked a lot in them and have written a lot in them. All the teachers say this is really peculiar and weird. So I don't know).
Spiritual moment would have to be either being at the temple in the celestial room or when we did TRC teaching on Saturday teaching a member who is from Taiwan studying at BYU, studying in English.
The district loves me. They sometimes call me District Leader Dayley. We all get along really well.
Best thing ate is probably the wraps you can make. Worst thing is the chicken cordon bleu.
Different this time is the amount of missionaries there are. There are so many! :/
So many things in service that go both ways of receiving and giving to count.
Love you,
Elder Dayley
P.S. So I will try to answer quick your questions. Actually running out of time now. Ready dad's email first and forgot to wish happy Father's Day. So Dad, Happy Father's Day!
1) So how come the different name, Yi Zhanglao ---> Dai Zhanglao?
They are more trying to standardize last names I think. So with anyon from now on who has a similar name will get dai.
2) How’s the food at the MTC? What do you like best?
Food's ok. Don't like it a whole lot, but just push through it.
3) Have you been able to do any exercising yet and keep up those bulging biceps? ;-)
I have been trying to do at least one a week weight lifting. Since being here I have lost 3 pounds, but its all muscle weight that I have lost.
4) Some of the moms of elders/sisters in your district write on the MM site. They all express good comments. It’s been nice to hear others perspectives though and what their sons or daughters have been experiencing the last few weeks. I’ve come across Sis Peng’s blog and it’s been fun to read excerpts from her letters. So my question is… how is she sending photos from the MTC? If you have time, I’d love to see a photo of your companion and/or district.
Yeah next week I will send pictures. You have to have a sd card reader and Elder Jenkins has one. So I am going to borrow it next week.
5) Did the Zonas survive the transport to the MTC last Monday? How about the Pringles last Friday?
The Zonas survived and I would like more. Elder Turner and I now use the insulated bag as a freezer in one of our drawyers. We get ice when at gym and then put that in the insulated bag in a zip lock bag and then put our drinks in there.
6) How’s it going with learning the Chinese grammar during your language study time? About how much time do you spend each day studying the Chinese language – grammar, vocab, phrases, etc.?
I probably do around 6 to 8 hours of studying the language each day.
7) Are you teaching the lessons with your investigators in Chinese?
Since the first Friday when we taught the first time we teach in Chinese. We never teach investigators in English. Its always in Chinese.
8) How was your Sunday? Your devotional?
It was good. Keep your eyes open next Sunday.
9) Any new missionaries this past week to add to your branch? Or is it still forthcoming?
New missionaries are coming in next week.
10) Still a foursome in your room or did you get 2 new roommates?
And yep still a foursome in our room. But we are going to work out next Sunday night to have Elder Teerklink and Elder Oberg to sleep over in our room since it will be P-day the next day.
