1st Week: The MTC is Hard

6/15/15

Dear Family,

I love every one of you so much. I hope you all understand the enormous impact you have had in my life. The MTC is hard, one of the hardest things I've done, but I've been prepared well and I'm excited to keep going. My Chinese name is Hong Zhang Lao, zhang lao being the word for 'elder'. I would tell you the tones, but I think it's best not to. The previous zone leaders gave me a spirit animal around a 'campfire' (trashcan lit with orange Christmas lights). I am the hummingbird. Pretty sweet huh. I am pretty much dying here, but I know I'll enter zombie mode pretty soon and then hopefully the days will blur together...or so the other Elders tell me. I miss you guys! Tell me a little about your summer so far! I don't have much time on the computer, but I can print off and read emails. Happy Fathers Day Dad!! I am trying to send you a letter, but I'm still trying to figure this whole MTC thing out so we will see whether it gets to you by Sunday or not, but if it doesn't I just wanted to wish you a Happy Fathers Day and thank you for the 'hen ban' (amazing) influence you have been in my life. I was flipping through the Mandarin 'pocket' dictionary and found a gem: ni4 feng1 hang2 xing2. Sail against the wind. Officially my motto for the remainder of the mission. We do things that are hard because they help us progress the most. Again, I love you all and am excited to hear from you!

- Hong Zhang Lao

P.S. Please send the shampoo I left in the bathroom & a preferably soft pillow case.

Brothers and Sisters,

I first want to express to you just how difficult the MTC is. I could never have imagined the challenges I have faced just these last 6 days. No one is in charge of me, and my companions and I are held responsible for everything we do. Nobody told us what was going on, where to go, or what was expected. We got the basic rules, and then we were on our own. I have language class for 6 hours a day with a teacher, and around 4 more during personal and companionship study, additional study, language study, and practicing the language during meals. Quite literally, my life is Mandarin. Nevertheless, I have already begun to see the blessings in my life. My understanding of the Gospel has deepened, my capacities have increased, and my perspectives have changed. To all missionaries about to enter the field, good luck. You will need it. I'll be here to welcome you though, and you will come to know that the MTC is a very special place. No sailor eyes here though. About half the missionaries here are sisters, and we intermingle all the time. My zone went from 6 members to 40 in one Wednesday, and over 600 missionaries came in on the same day. Wow. The work really is progressing. Even more are coming over the course of the summer. My district consists of 11 missionaries who we go to class with--9 Elders and 2 Sisters. My companions are Elder Facer from Tennessee, and Elder Jensen from Lehi. Elder Jensen's companion didn't show up, so we became a threesome. We underwent a few 'initiation ceremonies' to please the zombie-missionaries that have been here for 5 weeks, and quickly started learning Mandarin. Oh my. I had no idea that learning a language could be so difficult. I am praying in Chinese now, but please don't ask me to email you in Chinese. One of the greatest paradoxes of the MTC is that you can't keep your eyes open for the whole day, but when your head hits the pillow you can't fall asleep because the Chinese words are pounding in your head... The experience for English missionaries is much better. From what I heard from Elder Vaughn, You will practice teaching investigators, learn deeply spiritual Gospel principles, and go to inspiring devotionals. Your hardships begin in the field. Either way, serving a mission is no picnic. Nor does the Lord expect it to be. It is from these extremely difficult challenges that we grow the most.

Cultural observations:

-MTC tilapia is still tilapia

-leave the Tongan Clan alone

-some missionaries still haven't graduated from high school

-first three days in the MTC are the first third of your mission

-basketball isn't any better in the MTC

-'to feel' with the wrong tones in Mandarin becomes the 'F' word

There is a park in Centerville called Island View Park. There are lighted tennis courts at this park where you can play after dark. Nearby is a panel with a green button and a black button. The green button turns on the lights, the black button turns off the lights. Unfortunately, they are those extremely annoying lights that take 15-20 minutes to warm up and reach their brightest. When the black button is pushed, the lights immediately turn off and usually take another 15-20 minutes to warm up again. Now I know you know this park and that I may not have explained it perfectly, but this is anecdotal for repentance and the presence of the Holy Ghost. I'll leave it to you to discover the rest. Every night I kneel at my bed and pray for each of you. I am so grateful for your support of me all these years, and I am excited to serve the Lord. It is my humble prayer that you will all discover for yourselves that this church is true, and that you will become converted unto it. Wo zhi dao tian fu ai ni men.

Elder Jordan Hawkes