Zach with his Mission President in North Carolina
Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
latest from Zach!!!
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 10:21 AM
To: Huffman, Lisa
Subject: Wow! What a week!
Wow, this week has been crazy! I guess it's been 2 weeks since my last email, but my last week at the MTC wasn't all that exciting.
The flight to NC was fun. There were 11 missionaries total on the flight. It was 4 hours from Salt Lake to Atlanta, and I talked to the guy next to me for most of the trip. Then from Atlanta to Raleigh was 2 hours and I talked to a really nice guy from Georgia.
When we got off the flight we met President and Sister Cotterell. They're really nice and I knew from the moment I saw them I'd love being with them. The assistants to the President were there, too, and they helped us load our luggage into the cars and drove us to the mission home.
Elder Espinosa was one of the Spanish Speaking assistants and he talked to us a lot about the area. He said he knew all the missionaries that were set apart to train us but he didn't know yet who would be paired with who. He said he trained one of them and said that that missionary was probably one of the best in the field. He then started telling us about the areas and how one of the areas was just being opened for Spanish work and that who ever gets sent there will have a lot of success.
We then got to the mission home and had dinner and President Cotterell pulled us all aside one by one and had our first interview. I got to know him a lot better in those few minutes and it got me pumped for the rest of my mission. We then wrote letters for home and then went to sleep on the basement floor of the mission home.
The next morning they cooked us breakfast and pulled us one by one again. President Cotterell told us who our companion would be and what area we'd be serving. I was the last to be called in. He told me I'd be serving in Wilmington, which was the area being opened to the Spanish Work that Elder Espinosa was talking about in the car. He then told me that my companion would be Elder Jasperson, which is also the same Elder that Espinosa trained, so I got both the best trainer and the most coveted area in all of NC!
After that they took us to the Mission Office (which I thought was the same as the mission home, but it's not). They gave us a brief orientation and the only thing I remember was them saying to stay away from the Recluse Spiders, haha. We then went back to the mission home to meet our companions. Elder Jasperson greeted me with a hug and I knew we'd be good friends. After some boring stuff we left to go to the church for our first Transfer meeting. I met me zone leaders, Elder Baker and Elder Pepinos there. Elder Baker is a real jolly guy with a big smile and Elder Pepinos stands about 5' 3" but his spirit is huge.
After the meeting I got to "meet" my bike. I haven't ridden it yet (Elder Jasperson's is still in his old area). Elder Baker then drove us to our area which is 4 hours from Raleigh. He got pulled over for speeding, haha.
Since we're opening the area we don't have many resources, including an apartment. We're staying with a couple English speaking elders (Elder Robertson and Elder Jensen) until August 1st. We're also using another companionship's car until we either get our own car or Elder Jasperson's bike.
Opening an area is really hard, though, and Elder Jasperson keeps telling me it's the hardest thing I'll do on my mission. That made me feel better because it's super hard, haha.
We go tracting all day because we don't have any scheduled appointments or an Area book to go by since there hasn't been Spanish missionaries for almost a year. We've met some really cool people but none have made a lot of progress. Other than that I'm just trying to figure things out, haha. Elder Jasperson is really good at helping me understand what I'm doing but I'm still trying to figure out how.
Not a whole lot else has happened. Since it's just tracting I can't really report on anything. Thanks for all your support and keep writing!
To: Huffman, Lisa
Subject: Wow! What a week!
Wow, this week has been crazy! I guess it's been 2 weeks since my last email, but my last week at the MTC wasn't all that exciting.
The flight to NC was fun. There were 11 missionaries total on the flight. It was 4 hours from Salt Lake to Atlanta, and I talked to the guy next to me for most of the trip. Then from Atlanta to Raleigh was 2 hours and I talked to a really nice guy from Georgia.
When we got off the flight we met President and Sister Cotterell. They're really nice and I knew from the moment I saw them I'd love being with them. The assistants to the President were there, too, and they helped us load our luggage into the cars and drove us to the mission home.
Elder Espinosa was one of the Spanish Speaking assistants and he talked to us a lot about the area. He said he knew all the missionaries that were set apart to train us but he didn't know yet who would be paired with who. He said he trained one of them and said that that missionary was probably one of the best in the field. He then started telling us about the areas and how one of the areas was just being opened for Spanish work and that who ever gets sent there will have a lot of success.
We then got to the mission home and had dinner and President Cotterell pulled us all aside one by one and had our first interview. I got to know him a lot better in those few minutes and it got me pumped for the rest of my mission. We then wrote letters for home and then went to sleep on the basement floor of the mission home.
The next morning they cooked us breakfast and pulled us one by one again. President Cotterell told us who our companion would be and what area we'd be serving. I was the last to be called in. He told me I'd be serving in Wilmington, which was the area being opened to the Spanish Work that Elder Espinosa was talking about in the car. He then told me that my companion would be Elder Jasperson, which is also the same Elder that Espinosa trained, so I got both the best trainer and the most coveted area in all of NC!
After that they took us to the Mission Office (which I thought was the same as the mission home, but it's not). They gave us a brief orientation and the only thing I remember was them saying to stay away from the Recluse Spiders, haha. We then went back to the mission home to meet our companions. Elder Jasperson greeted me with a hug and I knew we'd be good friends. After some boring stuff we left to go to the church for our first Transfer meeting. I met me zone leaders, Elder Baker and Elder Pepinos there. Elder Baker is a real jolly guy with a big smile and Elder Pepinos stands about 5' 3" but his spirit is huge.
After the meeting I got to "meet" my bike. I haven't ridden it yet (Elder Jasperson's is still in his old area). Elder Baker then drove us to our area which is 4 hours from Raleigh. He got pulled over for speeding, haha.
Since we're opening the area we don't have many resources, including an apartment. We're staying with a couple English speaking elders (Elder Robertson and Elder Jensen) until August 1st. We're also using another companionship's car until we either get our own car or Elder Jasperson's bike.
Opening an area is really hard, though, and Elder Jasperson keeps telling me it's the hardest thing I'll do on my mission. That made me feel better because it's super hard, haha.
We go tracting all day because we don't have any scheduled appointments or an Area book to go by since there hasn't been Spanish missionaries for almost a year. We've met some really cool people but none have made a lot of progress. Other than that I'm just trying to figure things out, haha. Elder Jasperson is really good at helping me understand what I'm doing but I'm still trying to figure out how.
Not a whole lot else has happened. Since it's just tracting I can't really report on anything. Thanks for all your support and keep writing!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
From: Zachary Huffman
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 2:57 PM
To: Huffman, Lisa
Subject: Sorry it's so late!
I had started writing at 7:40-ish but the computer kicked me off. None of the computers were working in the laundry room. So let's see if I can remember what I wrote!
This past week has been pretty cool and really weird. All the mission presidents came to the MTC for their training so they shut down 1M (the main building, but I only go there for meals.) The Mission Presidents were told to not interact with the missionaries since there is still a threat of Swine Flu going around. From what I understand not many of them followed that rule, haha.
Elder Parsons and Elder Loe got to meet our new mission president, but I wasn't there when they saw him. He told them he was very excited to meet me and he would try on Sunday. I never found him. Elder Parsons and Elder Loe said he was really awesome, though, so I can't wait to meet him in the field.
For the training seminars most of the 12 Apostles and First Presidency came to teach them. On Sunday, they had their sacrament meeting and Elder Parsons was able to sit through it because he was in the choir and Elder Hine and Elder Mcmurtry were there to help pass the sacrament.
Elder Hine said President Monson kept smiling and winking at him, haha.
Elder Loe and Elder Moss saw Elder Jeffery R Holland walking around. It's funny how if you're lucky you can just glance and see some one that powerful. Elder Holland talked at our Devotional (wich was moved from Tuesday to Friday.) He gave a really powerful talk and the last thing he said hit every one. "Welcome to the work of Angels".
I only have 2 more weeks until I enter the field. Rumors are going around that we'll get travel plans today, but we'll see. As of now the plans are that I'll be leaving the 13th of July. If they don't come today they'll come Friday (either way I'll have them before my next email)
It's crazy how fast time has flown since I got here, but everyone says it goes by a lot faster in the field.
Mí espoñol es muy bien. Pero, somos enseñado lección dos en espoñol esta semana. No me gusta lección dos pero es muy importante que aprendo. Mí compañero le gusta lección dos. Mí compañero es loco.
¡Les Amo mucho! No puedo esperar ir a el campo.
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 2:57 PM
To: Huffman, Lisa
Subject: Sorry it's so late!
I had started writing at 7:40-ish but the computer kicked me off. None of the computers were working in the laundry room. So let's see if I can remember what I wrote!
This past week has been pretty cool and really weird. All the mission presidents came to the MTC for their training so they shut down 1M (the main building, but I only go there for meals.) The Mission Presidents were told to not interact with the missionaries since there is still a threat of Swine Flu going around. From what I understand not many of them followed that rule, haha.
Elder Parsons and Elder Loe got to meet our new mission president, but I wasn't there when they saw him. He told them he was very excited to meet me and he would try on Sunday. I never found him. Elder Parsons and Elder Loe said he was really awesome, though, so I can't wait to meet him in the field.
For the training seminars most of the 12 Apostles and First Presidency came to teach them. On Sunday, they had their sacrament meeting and Elder Parsons was able to sit through it because he was in the choir and Elder Hine and Elder Mcmurtry were there to help pass the sacrament.
Elder Hine said President Monson kept smiling and winking at him, haha.
Elder Loe and Elder Moss saw Elder Jeffery R Holland walking around. It's funny how if you're lucky you can just glance and see some one that powerful. Elder Holland talked at our Devotional (wich was moved from Tuesday to Friday.) He gave a really powerful talk and the last thing he said hit every one. "Welcome to the work of Angels".
I only have 2 more weeks until I enter the field. Rumors are going around that we'll get travel plans today, but we'll see. As of now the plans are that I'll be leaving the 13th of July. If they don't come today they'll come Friday (either way I'll have them before my next email)
It's crazy how fast time has flown since I got here, but everyone says it goes by a lot faster in the field.
Mí espoñol es muy bien. Pero, somos enseñado lección dos en espoñol esta semana. No me gusta lección dos pero es muy importante que aprendo. Mí compañero le gusta lección dos. Mí compañero es loco.
¡Les Amo mucho! No puedo esperar ir a el campo.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I've been here for 4 weeks now. That's one month. That means I can officially go crazy! Woohoo!
Anyways, two districts left yesterday from our Zone. One of them had been held back for a couple weeks because of swine flu. Now, with those two districts gone, my district is the oldest! It's so weird because it feels like we've been here for so little, yet so long at the same time.
Last Tuesday was an awesome devotional. We're singing the prelude hymns like usual and watching the announcements they play before we begin. Usuall they show who's speaking but this time they hadn't. After our first prelude hymn the head of security comes up to the mic and says "I just want to remind everyone that if the Prophet or another General Authority walks in we are all supposed to stand up to show respect. That's only if."
Of course everyone started talking immediatly that the Prophet could be speaking tonight! In the middle of the second prelude hymn every one in the room stood up. I didn't see who it was but I knew it was some one important. After the hymns we all sat down and President Smith (the president of the MTC) said Elder David A. Bednar was our speaker. I was so excited and I was only 10 rows away from the pulpit! It's was an amazing talk.
He started off unlike anything I'd seen before. He called out two missionaries by name and gave them a personal message. After that he talked about recognizing the spirit's promptings. I wish you all could have been there to listen to it!
He also hinted that Elder Dallin H. Oaks might be coming for our next devotional. Guess I'll find out tomarrow!
Next week all the new Mission Presidents come in, which includes mine. I'll get a chance to meet them, so I'm really excited! Also, my teacher said 10 out of the 12 Apostles come for devotionals while they're here, and theres a good chance the Prophet will speak!
Aside from all that excitement, not much else is happening. They switched our District leader so it's no longer Elder Waite but Elder Hine. He's a goofball but of all of us he can get the work done.
Spanish is still coming. We're learning all the lesson in Spanish now, and for the past 4 days we've spoken mostly Spanish as a District. We're going to learn somthing soon that they say makes everything a lot easier. I guess we'll see!
Anyways, two districts left yesterday from our Zone. One of them had been held back for a couple weeks because of swine flu. Now, with those two districts gone, my district is the oldest! It's so weird because it feels like we've been here for so little, yet so long at the same time.
Last Tuesday was an awesome devotional. We're singing the prelude hymns like usual and watching the announcements they play before we begin. Usuall they show who's speaking but this time they hadn't. After our first prelude hymn the head of security comes up to the mic and says "I just want to remind everyone that if the Prophet or another General Authority walks in we are all supposed to stand up to show respect. That's only if."
Of course everyone started talking immediatly that the Prophet could be speaking tonight! In the middle of the second prelude hymn every one in the room stood up. I didn't see who it was but I knew it was some one important. After the hymns we all sat down and President Smith (the president of the MTC) said Elder David A. Bednar was our speaker. I was so excited and I was only 10 rows away from the pulpit! It's was an amazing talk.
He started off unlike anything I'd seen before. He called out two missionaries by name and gave them a personal message. After that he talked about recognizing the spirit's promptings. I wish you all could have been there to listen to it!
He also hinted that Elder Dallin H. Oaks might be coming for our next devotional. Guess I'll find out tomarrow!
Next week all the new Mission Presidents come in, which includes mine. I'll get a chance to meet them, so I'm really excited! Also, my teacher said 10 out of the 12 Apostles come for devotionals while they're here, and theres a good chance the Prophet will speak!
Aside from all that excitement, not much else is happening. They switched our District leader so it's no longer Elder Waite but Elder Hine. He's a goofball but of all of us he can get the work done.
Spanish is still coming. We're learning all the lesson in Spanish now, and for the past 4 days we've spoken mostly Spanish as a District. We're going to learn somthing soon that they say makes everything a lot easier. I guess we'll see!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Latest from Zach...
A couple days ago we had a breakout of influenza. It's spread across the whole MTC and they've counciled anyone who has any simptoms to stay in their room. Of course, it being allergy season EVERYONE has the simptoms...
...We got a new district in our zone last wednesday. It feels good not being the noobs anymore. The senior most district leaves in a couple days, and they say we'll get a new district after that, so we'll be the second most senior district (if that makes sence).
Since our Zone leaders are leaving, they had to appoint new ones. I had my fingers crossed it'd me Elder Waite and I but it was Elder Jones and Elder Lynn. As much as I wanted to be it, I'm glad those two were chosen. They're great missionaries and they always express how greatful they are to be here and with our district. We're arguably the best district in the entire MTC.
Last Wednesday we went to the RC center (referal center). It's where we make calls to people who orderd Book of Mormons or church videos. We call to make sure if they got it and then offer missionaries to visit. It was such a weird experience. I hadn't talked to anyone out side of the MTC in so long the idea of calling was mind boggling. I eventually got over it and made me first call. After much anticipation it rang. and rang. and rang. and rang. Eventually I got an anwsering maching.
"Few" I thought. "That wasn't so bad, lets go back to class." But we still had another hour. 9 more times I got answering machines. I was going for the record, 29 answering machines in a row. Then some one picked up. I said "Hi, I'm Zach from the chur..." and they hung up.
Other than that it's been a pretty boring week. 4 members from our district were told to stay in their rooms because they had Influenza symptoms, and technically they should have stayed in today but they were so bored they sudenly felt 100% better.
Tomarrow Elder Wirnly and Elder Musick leave. They're going to Guatemala for their mission, so they stuck them in this MTC to learn a little Spanish before they sent them to the Guatemala MTC for the other 6 weeks. They're really cool and I'm sad to see them both leave.
Sometime this month all the new Mission Presidents are coming for training. That includes my mission president. I'm really, really excited to meet him and his wife. Also, for training, all of the Apostles are coming, and I might even get a chance to meet the Prophet! (or at least be in the same room/next to the room that he's in.)
The Spanish is coming really, really fast. I learned one word, ONE WORD, and a whole new area of Spanish is now avaliable. I mentioned last week I had to write a talk for sacrament every week. I guess I should clarify I have to write a new talk every week on another subject in Spanish. The senior district gave me a hint that if I quote a really long scripture and a really long section in "Preach my Gospel" I don't actually have to say much, haha.
I've also started to study spanish on my own when we're not in class. I know, I'm already supposed to do that but usually I only reviewed what I had learned. The first day I studied by my self I learned how to say "Bullet" "Knife" "Fist" and "Fork" and also how to say "Shot" "Bullet Wound" "A Slash with a knife" and "punch". So as you can see, I'm really using my time wisely here!
I'm 1/3rd of my way through the MTC, but it feels like I've been here so much longer. The weird thing to think is I'm only 3 weeks in the 2 years, but at this pace It'll feel like I'll be home next week!
...We got a new district in our zone last wednesday. It feels good not being the noobs anymore. The senior most district leaves in a couple days, and they say we'll get a new district after that, so we'll be the second most senior district (if that makes sence).
Since our Zone leaders are leaving, they had to appoint new ones. I had my fingers crossed it'd me Elder Waite and I but it was Elder Jones and Elder Lynn. As much as I wanted to be it, I'm glad those two were chosen. They're great missionaries and they always express how greatful they are to be here and with our district. We're arguably the best district in the entire MTC.
Last Wednesday we went to the RC center (referal center). It's where we make calls to people who orderd Book of Mormons or church videos. We call to make sure if they got it and then offer missionaries to visit. It was such a weird experience. I hadn't talked to anyone out side of the MTC in so long the idea of calling was mind boggling. I eventually got over it and made me first call. After much anticipation it rang. and rang. and rang. and rang. Eventually I got an anwsering maching.
"Few" I thought. "That wasn't so bad, lets go back to class." But we still had another hour. 9 more times I got answering machines. I was going for the record, 29 answering machines in a row. Then some one picked up. I said "Hi, I'm Zach from the chur..." and they hung up.
Other than that it's been a pretty boring week. 4 members from our district were told to stay in their rooms because they had Influenza symptoms, and technically they should have stayed in today but they were so bored they sudenly felt 100% better.
Tomarrow Elder Wirnly and Elder Musick leave. They're going to Guatemala for their mission, so they stuck them in this MTC to learn a little Spanish before they sent them to the Guatemala MTC for the other 6 weeks. They're really cool and I'm sad to see them both leave.
Sometime this month all the new Mission Presidents are coming for training. That includes my mission president. I'm really, really excited to meet him and his wife. Also, for training, all of the Apostles are coming, and I might even get a chance to meet the Prophet! (or at least be in the same room/next to the room that he's in.)
The Spanish is coming really, really fast. I learned one word, ONE WORD, and a whole new area of Spanish is now avaliable. I mentioned last week I had to write a talk for sacrament every week. I guess I should clarify I have to write a new talk every week on another subject in Spanish. The senior district gave me a hint that if I quote a really long scripture and a really long section in "Preach my Gospel" I don't actually have to say much, haha.
I've also started to study spanish on my own when we're not in class. I know, I'm already supposed to do that but usually I only reviewed what I had learned. The first day I studied by my self I learned how to say "Bullet" "Knife" "Fist" and "Fork" and also how to say "Shot" "Bullet Wound" "A Slash with a knife" and "punch". So as you can see, I'm really using my time wisely here!
I'm 1/3rd of my way through the MTC, but it feels like I've been here so much longer. The weird thing to think is I'm only 3 weeks in the 2 years, but at this pace It'll feel like I'll be home next week!
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