Aug 1 2018 - THE DROP OFF !!
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| Max's friend from school Elder Zach Brady going to the MTC the same day. |
Aug 7 2018
Hello everyone!!!!
So the MTC is pretty great! (just fyi the shift key on
this keyboard needs like 50 pounds of pressure to work, so i apologize if i
don't capitalize in this) so much has happened already, I don't even know how
many meetings i've been in already! So i'll start with my companion! His name
is Elder Gonzales and he is from the Philippines.
but the plane that all the philippino elders took to get
here got delayed, so my first day i was companionless and had to just bounce between
other companionships! that was not fun at all. It was like the moment i got
here, the Lord was testing my faith, but i realized it was a great opportunity
to realize the importance and effect of a companion.
but he's here now and all is well now. so in my room it
is just elder gonzales and i, and these 2 naitive korean elders. so it is
really hard to communicate between us all, so hopefully i can get my korean down
quick!
Korean!!! attempting to learn korean has probably made
these last few days the hardest days i've ever had i a while! i was told that
chinese was supposed to be the hardest language i the world, but i'm pretty
sure korean trumps it. however, i have been studying as hard as i can to
somewhat be able to speak it. so now i can say prayers in korean!!
it's not super good, but it is kind of cool to be able to
speak to heavenly father in a foreign language.
My first sunday was fast sunday, which was really good.
we have our sacrament meeting in our classroom, so that's interesting! but we
had a testimony meeting and it was soooo good!! there are like no barriers for
the spirit here! we also had a devotional with Jenny Oaks Baker (Elder Oaks'
daughter) and her very musically talented family. this place really is just
always rich with the spirit!!
I have been able to see a lot of my friends here which
has been super nice! one of my friends is Elder Piper, who was called to Seoul,
Korea, and his room is literally right next door to mine! so that is just
great! it was good to have someone I knew so close and in my zone. but my
district and zone are great! we have zone volleyball games with the northern
missions versus the southern missions of Korea to prove the better missions,
and Busan will never lose.
Quick story: so right in front of the mtc entrance are
these "tiny, shriveled, peppers" (quote by Olan Rogers) and as we
were coming back from our volleyball games, one elder grabbed a handful and
brought them in to our residence hall. Apparently all the korean missionaries
eat the peppers at least once before they leave, so of course i had to
experience it. Hottest thing i have ever had in a long while. i was crying for
like 5 minutes, my mouth was burning for a solid 20 minutes, but it was great!
haha, there was one elder who had 6 of them, and he was sitting on the ground,
sweating, and just looked liked he was regretting every one he had ever eaten. So
the MTC is treating us well!
If you are wanting to send me a letter, or a package with
some sweet treats, my MTC mailing address is below. I saw one elder who had two
boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, so if i received something like that from one
of you, i would keep you in my prayers. :)
Elder Max Hyrum Hanks
OCT02 KOR-BUS
2005 N 900 E Unit 161
Provo UT 84602
If you want to watch a life changing video!!! watch the
MTC devotional video by Elder David A. Bednar called "Character of
Christ". it is so good!! i promise if you watch it you will not regret it!
Sorry if this was too long, i'm a rookie at this right
now. But everything is great! the church is true! don't stray from the path!
this may be one of the hardest things i've done in a
while, but i've already been changed in ways i can't explain in only 6 days! i
can't even imagine what 2 years will do for me!
I love you all!
Elder Hanks
Pics: (hopefully in order)
3. The Korean zone
4. my district
5. the tiny, shriveled, pepper from the sriracha nebula