One week Down!

 
From: Ethan Bever [mailto:ethan.bever@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 9:46 AM
To: jsbever@molalla.net
Subject: One week down!
Well hello there!
I'm already a week in and everything's going as well as I could have hoped. I would have been more
clear in my last e-mail, but I was a little rushed for time ifl remember right. So, today (Friday) is P-day
and it should be this way for the next 8-9 weeks. I'm now in my regular schedule and things are a little
more predictable now.
To answer your questions ...
Audrey: my companion (Elder Willis) will be serving in Panama. He's excited to go and he's doing
really well with the language. The food here hasn't been so great for the last couple of days because they
only gave us half of the cafeteria so that they could feed the Mission Presidents and their wives. But it's
okay, it's pretty much like eating at the Cannon Center at School. I did get an orange sticker and Elder
Willis calls them "dork dots" because you only wear them on the first day when you enter the MTC.
Emily: I didn't get to hear President Monson speak, but this last Tuesday we had a devotional with all of
the Mission Presidents (110 of them) and there with us were 10 general authorities and their wives.
Elder Perry spoke about the blessings of the gospel in LDS lives and how technology is rapidly
advancing to aid in preaching the gospel. Elders Bendar, Oaks, Perry, Cook, Anderson, Holland,
Christofferson, Scott, Nelson, and Ballard as well as their wives were all there. Although we couldn't go
meet any of them, we really didn' need to because we could see how much they all loved us as
Missionaries. And yes, I'm holding you to your promise, you'd better add at least something in the email
every week.
Mom: like I told Audrey, Elder Tim Willis will be serving in Panama and he's excited to get to go. He
went to BYU while I was there and lived in the building accross from me, but I never met him until
now. He broke his leg a couple of months ago while rollerskating and was delayed to report to the MTC
until when we both got here last week. He has a little bit of trouble running and getting into shape but I
plan on fixing that. My Spanish is coming along alright I guess, it's just hard to think of what I want to
say in English, translate that to Spanish, then say it to the investigtor.
But all in all this was a fantastic week and it is so easy to learn here (mostly because all we do is spend
the whole day in a class room studying). Last Sunday evening we had an opportunity to watch a
recorded devotional by Elder Bednar that was given this last Christmas here in the MTC. It was called
"The Character of Christ" and I learned more from it than anything else I have ever listened to/watched.
Sunday, July 01 , 2012 America Online: WLBever
Page 2 of2
He talked about how our ultimate example to follow is Christ and His characteristic of "turning out
when we would turn in". It was wonderful and I can't begin to summarize what he taught. Not sure if
you can watch/listen to it because it was given here, but it's worth a google.
Elder Willis and I have already taught 4 or 5 discussion lessons with our first being the day after we got
here. I think we're getting better, and I'm trying really hard to work well with Elder Willis. This morning
our district went to the Temple together and we did our family endowment names. I was also able to
give some initiatory names to Elder Holmstead and he and his companions were able to get some of
those done too. It was so nice to be in the Temple. I'll send the frnished names back to Sis. Bajornson so
I don't lose them.
I'll try to send some pictures next week if I can figure out how, but until then I expect lots of letters
keeping me updated on what's going on there.
Oh ... and I need that package that I told Mom about before I left. And in addition to what's on her list, I
could really use some more P-day clothes (Shorts and a T-shirt and I really like my black underarmor
shorts that I have ... Emily will know)
Anyway, have a great week!
Love,
Elder Bever