The MTC and the Big Party Afterwards

Thanks for all the comments on the last post.  They gave me a lot of ideas about how to improve these posts.  Good 'ol Mom sent me a Dropbox folder full of pictures that I sent home (good thing because my other ones are probably all packed right now) and suggested that I add pictures to the posts.  I thought that was a great idea, so you'll get a lot today.

My friend Seve Isaacs also made a comment and I began thinking that this blog will miss an important part of my mission: my experience in the Missionary Training Center (MTC).  With that said, I thought I'd write a quick overview of my experience there.

I was at the Provo MTC from September 28, 2005 to December 14, 2005. Initially there were six other Ukrainian-speaking elders with me. Elders McGary and Jackson were a companionship; Elders Isaac, Johnson, and Higbee were a three-some; and then there was me and my companion, Elder Pace. We had three amazing teachers to begin with - Брат (pronounced brat as in bratwurst and means brother) Carrier, Сестра (pronounced Sestra, means sister) Naumova, and Брат Barabash, who was from L'viv Ukraine. Sister Naumova and Brother Barabash left us while we were in the MTC, Brother DeGroot came in toward the end.  Their job was to teach us the gospel, how to teach, and how to speak Ukrainian.

My companion, Elder Pace

The crew minus Elder McGary.  He ended up leaving earlier than all the rest of us because he'd been in the MTC learning Russian before we all got there.

For twelve long weeks we worked to learn how to teach people that Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of mankind and that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored to the earth by a prophet named Joseph Smith (for more information about all of this, visit this website).  We also received instruction from modern-day prophets and apostles, sang in choirs, exercised, ate delicious food, served in the temple, did laundry, wrote letters home, attended church meetings, talked with people over the phone about the church, got haircuts, and had a lot of fun doing it all.  The MTC is like a little community and has just about everything a person could ever want or need.

And then we were shipped to the country.  Some of us (I speak only of myself really) felt inappropriately confident in our language abilities and preparedness.  Don't worry, we would all soon learn just how difficult life as a missionary could be and just how good we had had it back at the MTC, a sheltered environment to say the least.

The e-mail below is another juicy one.  So much could happen in one week.  Oh wait, that hasn't changed.  So much is still happening in each hectic week.

"From: Grant Stoddard <gstoddard86@yahoo.com>
Date: January 4, 2006 4:58:51 AM AKST
Subject: There was sunshine...blessed sunshine ;)

Hi all.I figure, everyone gets to read this so I'll say all.  First off thank you so very much for all of the emails.  I love them all...don't ever hesitate to write, or i might go crazy.  I have to tell you the coolest thing.  We had sunshine for the first time the other day...it was wonderful and glorious...halle-freakin'-lujah!  :) 

No seriously though, I was beginning to think it wasn't a real thing, so it's good to know the sun works here too. 

All the snow melted and then it's back today...the past few days had been really nice, now it's cold once again...bummer, oh well all is well. 

Couple of quick random things - Scriptures:D& C 29:39 - No bitter, no sweet.  Oh man, let me tell you this scripture just got me.  It was discovered and instantly one of my favorites cuz i desperately needed it.Next - this one's to make you know I'm still a normal Grant Stoddard guy - 1 Tim. 2:11-14...I still laughed :)D & C 38:7 - This one I found after I prayed and prayed accusing the Lord of not being there with me...whoops, I guess I got told.k...that's outta the way. 

Things are doing a ton better!  It's kinda weird though, I still have tough days, it's just getting less and less frequent.  This week i can say I didn't think about home as much...i kept my focus on what I needed to be doing and learning, and the time just cruised buy...i've been in this country for 21 days now, can you believe it? 

not a ton as far as progress in our work is concerned...Elder Hassell has an interesting role as both a trainer and a zone leader so he has a whole other companion that we have to go visit (i.e. yesterday we went to lutsk) and so it's not like i have the full trainer attention directed toward me so I'm learning a bit about who I am and what I'm doing.  I had a big heart to heart talk with myself in front of the mirror the other day, very helpful, in which I told myself that I loved me, and we were gonna get through this and that for the first time in my life I'm kind of learning who I really am...we're gonna define Wesley Grant Stoddard...shall we...here's what I know - I work hard, I have wonderful family and friends, I love the Lord and his son Jesus Christ, I'm not perfect nor do I strive to be...no one at home expects it (hopefully) but more importantly my Heavenly Father and dear Older Brother don't either...hence the reason we have the whole Christmas season (He came to this world for imperfect people like me)...but no worries...I'm still workin' on it, and should be by the time I get home ;) 

We have this cool lady named Vika right now who is looking at baptism right now...our awesome recent convert okcana is pushing her and helping a ton...feel free to pray for her if you'd like 

Me and my anal nature are working on organizing our area book and ways of doing things right now...I figure as organized as I can do this, the more efficient and effective I'll be able to work.  I have a feeling, the organization's really gonna pick things up especially as these holidays get over (remember in Ukraine they have holidays and stuff up until the 14th).  

New Years Eve - went over to Elder Bowen (our District Leader) and Elder MacArther's apartments and watched a bunch of slide shows of elder macarther's girlfriend...we didn't have nothing else to watch except a thing in russian on joseph smith (don't worry we watched that too) and that was it...we also made donuts and drank this fake champagne stuff like sparkling apple cider...mmm mmm...although, funny story, remember how everyone drinks here, well this stuff is for babies and so as we walk out of the store, all the people laugh :) oh well 

Our district enjoying the greatest drink on the earth: Zhivchik

Elder Bowen and our homemade donuts 

we were in at 6 pm both new years eve and new years day...all the crazy drunk weirdos and all...and this saturday it looks like we're doing the same (their Chrismas...heidi's Baptism hooray) but on new years I read quite a bit, and wrote in my journal...not a whole lot.  Then monday we had this really big ward party starting at 5 and going until 9 so we were in there...but it was a lot of fun...our members are all so cool and loving etc...

which brings us to yesterday...yesterday was amazing...I went to lutsk with elder hassell and met up with elder woodruff and elder isaacs (he was from the mtc) and we went on exchanges...I was with elder isaacs - it was awesome...we don't understand anything, but we were able to go and work our butts off...getting in at night and just crashing cuz we were tired.  We taught and taught and taught...and talked to each other about our problems and kinda worked on how we could overcome them...we're all normal and struggling as newbies...thanks for pointing that out those that did. 

A castle in Lutsk.  Unfortunately, this was the only picture I really took while there with Elder Isaacs.

so yesterday was good. 

oh another quick note...we had our Branch President come and live with us for 5 days...I may have mentioned this, not sure, but it was great...he's such an amazing man, we'd come home and he'd have dinner made for us and we'd just talk about life and the gospel and how great it all was.  he was a lot of fun (and he let us borrow the projector and dvd player so we could watch elder macarther's slide shows)... 

President Didushok, Elder Hassell, and I enjoying a lovely dinner of pasta, sardines, some strange chicken patties, mayonnaise, and that baby champagne I referred to above (President Didushok made it.  That was some good 'ol authentic Ukrainian cooking.)  

here's a quick request and note...I haven't gotten any packages but it's all good...more stuff halfway through my mission eh ;) j/k, I dunno they'll get here sometime...but in the meantime if anyone ever gets the crazy idea to send one...I would love peanut butter and jerky... 

[Babble about e-mailing pictures.]

family and friends...I love you all.  you're truly wonderful...know you're always on the back of my mind and everything even if I get so caught up in the work that I forget to think about you sometimes haha j/k...but here was some advice given from the mtc that I've been thinking about.  Put both feet into the mission, and take both feet out when you get back home.  That's what I plan to do, and know that as I do...it'll be good...My best friend Brayden needed some attention in this letter...so hi...you're going in to the MTC SOON!  YAY!  And my other best friend (HJ) mentioned something that was great - in an eternal perspective 2 years is nothing.  truly...all is well. 

I love you all,love one another! give big hugs and kisses and let little things go please...there's so much good in all things to let the dumb things direct you.talk to you next week!  Kiss kiss, love love, hug hug 

--Grant"