Week 2 - MTC - Sleeping in the bed, Laundry Room, Doing Service

It´s going great here at the MTC!

Two of the Elders in my district got their travel plans today, they´re going to the MTC in the Dominican Republic.  I´m pretty jealous. They head out two weeks from last Wednesday.

Elder Fakava has started sleeping on his bed, he doesn´t use the sheets though. I suggested it to him, and he told me that it "wasn't the Tongan way."  He´s real funny. My companion, Elder Willes, gave him some M & M's and now whenever he eats them he says "eat M&M's,  give you more power," and it's just awesome. He says that in Tonga he only ever ate dinner, and he just had a bunch of water for breakfast and lunch.

We finished teaching our first "investigator" this week. He's really a teacher for another class here. I could say what I wanted to say in Spanish, but I know the grammar was really bad. He understood though, so that was good. My comp and I were really happy when we got him to commit to be baptized, even though he was already really at church since he's a teacher here. It was cool. Elder Rasband came and spoke at the devotional on Tuesday, so that was cool. He talked about having the Spirit, and it was awesome.

Mom, I took a pic of the laundry room, its pretty huge.  We only have to pay for soap, but that's ok because they give us $6.00 dollars a week to spend on stuff we need at the MTC store. There are two bathrooms on our floor, one is right across the hall from my room.  One of the two irons for the floor is right there in the hall as well. There are curtains for the showers, there's about 12ish in there, I wanna say. I got the clothes package. My poison oak is just a scab now, so that's all good.

Dad, my room mate, Elder Dahl's dad spoke Spanish on his mission, so unless there was Spanish speaking missionaries in Pennsylvania back then -  I don't think they're related, I completely forgot about the eclipse, they don't really care about that kinda thing at the MTC.  I dont think.

When I got here, I decided I would be healthy and eat bannanas, had one with every meal. Not a good idea. I think I've gained a couple pounds, I'll know next time I use the scale in the gym. I have been eating so much at mealtime, and we always have it right before gym, so that never feels good. We did "service" yesterday, which basically just meant we cleaned the bathrooms and some weird room.   It  looks like a police interrogation room except in the room the mirror window looked at was a classroom. It is called an observation room,  found out later they observe new teachers teaching in there.

Nobody is native speaker in my district, just threeish of us took two or more years of Spanish in high school, so that's why some know more than others. Some of the Elders didn't take any Spanish before they came here, and they're havin a harder time as you might imagine.

So far I've seen Justin (his cousin) once, and one of my roomates several times, and Spud (former Chicoan) twice.

I have my first for reals preparation day today, and we get to go to the temple in the afternooon, so I'm excited.  I am learning sooo much, it's amazing the things that happen here at the MTC.

Love you all a bunch,

Elder Ivan Bowles

MTC laundry room

Elder Johnson

Week 1 - MTC - Tongan Companion knows no English, Thankful for high school Spanish, Great Food

Hello!
I have had a super busy week. I have been learning Spanish so fast.  I didn't know how much I knew until today and this keyboard is messed up, so yeah.

My companion is Elder Willes from Sandy, Utah, and he's pretty cool. He's overall a pretty good companion. We got two other missionaries staying in our room with us.  They're pretty cool, Elder Dahl and Elder Favaka, and they're both going to Asuncion North Paraguay as well. Elder Favaka is from Tonga, and everything is new to him. He didn't know Engish before he got here on Monday, and now we can carry on whole converatinos with him. He sleeps on the floor because that's what he's used to.  He has upwards of two ice cream sandwiches with every meal, because he likes them.  I can't imagine learning English and Spanish at the same time.

Our teacher is Hermano Howard. He has soo much energy, but then I've never met a Spanish teacher who didn't. We usually have about an hour of language study time before he comes in, and I am sick of Spanish by the time it's time for class, but once he comes in he's so excited to see us and get going that I feel like I just walked in and get real excited to learn again. I'm surprised I just said that.

The meals are great, I get to eat as much of anything that I want, they have all kinds of juice, and like four new things to choose from each meal, as well as leftovers. ¨I got a plate of just bacon today to go with lunch cuz it was leftover from breakfast. Amazing they also have desserts with every meal, but a lot of the time they aren't that great.

Today in class we did a lot of activities practicing Spanish and Elder Thomson, going to Texas,  just started having a conversations with me and I knew how to respond. I think I can even crack some jokes in Spanish now, so that's cool. My companion didn't take any Spanish before, and I am so glad I did. I remember it all pretty much, but only when I need it. Never expected that. I think these computers are for typing in Spanish. Maybe.

Good news, in the summer time, they don't make the Elders wear suits all the time, only to certain meetings and such. There are 12 Elders in our district, and we do pretty much everything together.

I am looking forward to hearing from all you, and really appreciate the mail. My preparation day is Friday, I think from now on, so that's when I will be able to email. The email was down earlier this morning, so I'm glad I was able to get on this afternoon to send you this.

I like it here a lot. I have a feeling I'm gonna gain weight here, we'll find out if  i even can, that'll be interesting. We taught our first "investigator" yesterday, it was really cool, we're gonna be doing a lot of practice like that, which is really helpful in helping know what kind of Spanish and other things I need to study during that time. Also, did you get the letter I sent on Thursday?

Love,
Elder Bowles

p.s. We get card keys for all the buildings we're supposed to go to for our classes and stuff, it's kinda fun. The belt we put dirty dishes on is real cool, it moves around in a circle, don't know how to explain. Mom- the couple who checked me in early say they were in charge of the senior mssionaries. it didn't occur to me until later to ask if they were in charge of training them or if they were just in charge of the ones that work here. If I happen to run into them again I will ask them.

Ivan with his companion, Elder Willes

Hermano Howard, who has soooo much energy

Day 1 - MTC - Newbie Sticker, Poison Oak, Rebel Mailer

Dear Family,

I got through my first day at the Missionary Training Center!  It has been a long day. I'm planning on sending out this letter tomorrow (Thursday).  I was met when I came in, and got my name tag.  Now I'm for reals. 

My companion's name is Elder Willes, I just realized I don't even know his first name.  Oh well, this way I'll call him Elder like I'm supposed to. 

I got a sticker put on my tag saying I'm new, and then everyone I saw said 'welcome to the MTC.'  EVERYONE.  I was happy when I got to take the sticker off. 

I saw my old room mate Daniel and also saw Spud both today, wasn't too much time to talk though.  So far everyone has said that once you get through Sunday the days get easier, so whatever. 

My poison oak bubble poppled after we got off the plane, just so you know Mom. 

I don't know if I'm supposed to send this tomorrow, but they haven't said I couldn't and they're going to show us where the mailbox is so I'll just drop it in. 

Lunch was amazing, I don't even know if it tasted good, I was so hungry.  So yeah, I'm here and I'm learning.

Love,  Elder Ivan Bowles

p.s.  I don't know when preparation day is yet, so I don't know when I will email, but I'll answer whatever is there when I get a chance.

Ivan's nametag which he will wear for the next two years.

Ivan's district at the MTC - they all are learning Spanish, but not all are going to Paraguay

Getting Ready Photos - Dentist, Packing, Goodbye Grandparents

Ivan had 7 appointments for a total of 15 hours at Dr. Horning's office to get a beautiful crown placed where he has been missing a tooth ever since the baby tooth was cut out of his jaw bone.  One day Ivan spent 8 hours there. He even got to see Dr. Horning bake his new ceramic tooth!

Dr. Barton, fitting a new retainer to accomodate the new crown.

Laurie with her excel list, checking items off as they are put into the suitcases.  One suitcase was packed for use when he gets to Paraguay and the goal is to not open it during his MTC stay. 

Ivan in his ALWAYS messy room, packing his two LARGE suitcases with essentials for the next two years.

Weighing the suitcases using the Wii fit.  We used the "pet weight" option and named our pet - SUITCASE!   We had to do some adjusting to get each suitcase under the 50 lb weight limit.  The gray one was 48 lbs and the green one was 49 lbs and they actually weighed that at the baggage counter as well.

Saying goodbye to Grammie Kay and Grandpa Gil.  Gil is not angry; but he is not photogenic either! 

Ivan with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Marylee for the last time for 2 years.

The night before Ivan left for the MTC, he was set apart as a missionary by President Brown. 

Heading to the Missionary Training Center!



Ivan got poison oak playing Frisbe golf with his Dad.  :)

We got up at 2:30 am in order to make the 6:25 am flight out of Sacramento.  Ivan's alarm didn't go off and Hailey forgot something so we had to go back.  We still made it on time. I lectured Ivan on what constitutes a good letter.  I have him the CASHE format to help remember to write about his Companion, Abode, Spritual things, his Health, and what he is Eating.  Then I took a few last minute pictures....




The crowing jewel!  You can't even tell which one is the crown and which ones are REAL!



The happy travelers! Ivan was anxious to get to the MTC. Hailey was excited to travel to see her fiance.

Ivan and Julia taking one last look at each other and trying not to cry.



Our whole family seeing Ivan (& Hailey) off at the airport!

Guess who gets Ivan's cell phone while he gone?!?