Today was 1000 times better!!! We got to talk to Jesse while he was on his layover in Atlanta. He left the MTC this morning at 4am and flew out of SLC at around 7am. They flew out with some Missionaries going to Atlanta and others going to Columbia, but the others that were going with them to Peru had a later flight out of SLC and they met up with them at the airport in Atlanta. We were worried about his bags being heavy, but he was okay so only $75 for the 2nd bag, but no overage! We got to talk for a little over an hour, its amazing that you can talk about so little for so long, but it was so good just to hear his voice. He sounds great! I asked him if he was home sick, he said not really but there isn't really any time to be home sick. He does miss us though, but its already been three weeks and its flown by. He said being at the MTC seemed like he was away at school and just decided not to call home!
In last weeks letter he told us that the MTC had a big bout of sickness go through it, he has a cold, but he didn't get whatever it was that went through. He said it was food poisoning, but from others we'd heard it was the flu. It seemed to be over in a couple of days though so who knows. And I found out that he did get all our letters...he just forgot to take them with him when he did laundry so he couldn't remember any of the questions and thought I would have sent another email with more. So here I was upset over nothing...as usual I suppose! Now because I complained to dearelder he now has like 3 copies of all the letters because of my over reaction...maybe he'll learn not to be so vague!!!
He said he was nervous to be heading out to Peru, but we reminded him that he was nervous for the MTC here too and it turned out to be no big deal. He seemed ready for the change though. We told him to be excited and work hard, keep the mission rules and he'd be good. He said him and his companion get along pretty good, it still makes me laugh to think they were born the same day! His companions name is Benjamin Jeske (Je-ski), and he goes by Jamin...Jamin Jeske. I can't help it, it makes me giggle!!!
We asked him how the language was coming and he of course is a little discouraged. Most everyone took Spanish in high school. I told him to be happy and realize how far he's come just think two weeks ago you didn't understand a thing, and you've completed 4 years of high school Spanish in 2 weeks and he needs to quit expecting it to come overnight...the Lord wants him to work for it, that's how it works!! As much as we want Him to, the Lord will never just give it to us without us doing work too! I guess all the advice on doing a crash course like Rosetta Stone wouldn't have been such a bad idea!!!
All in all it was great to talk to him, we got a little more info on the MTC. He said it was different than what he thought...he thought there would be more sitting in class learning and not so much personal study time and just being thrown into a room and told to speak to someone in a language you don't understand or speak...but he said it works. Just not really what he expected. He did get to go to the Temple once, it opened back up last Wednesday so that was a good experience for him. He said a lot of people told him they loved the food at the MTC he said he felt like they ate the same thing everyday. He got along with the boys in his district, but didn't like having to climb the stairs to the top floor to get to his classroom and to his bedroom...he said he can tell his kids when he was in the MTC he had to walk uphill both ways!!! Oh and by the way he clarified his Christmas letter by explaining the police...apparently it was the South Korean Missionaries that were causing the ruckus they share the same floor just through a wall...the guys underneath called the cops and when they came, because there were mattresses all over out of the bedrooms they figured it was them. No problems though...just a great story!!! Were hoping to get pictures, but I guess he needs a card reader he said he couldn't hook the camera up to the computer. Hopefully when he gets to Peru!
Now he's on his way to Peru landing in about 2 hours to begin chapter 2...please keep him in your prayers, pray for his safety, his ability to learn and not get discouraged, and that he can love those he serves with and those in Ecuador! Thanks for your love, support and prayers!!
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