Making Loud Animal Noises While Running on the Track

     

     Just another week at the MTC, and still, I have a lot to talk about!
     
     If you are ever curious on what goes on in the MTC, there's a Youtube Video online called "An Army of Faith: inside the MTC." Watch it if you have 40 minutes to burn. 

An Army of Faith: inside the MTC

     Our district of 7 Elders and I keep having fun here at the MTC. Last week one Elder drew Phineas (from Phineas and Ferb) on the Board.  

     The language is coming along, we still can't understand what our teachers are saying, it's alright. Still studying a lot.  I keep running into friends that I went to middle school with, and it's fun to see them after not seeing them for 4 years.

     I went to the Provo Temple, and ran into Paul Reese, an old neighbor of mine. It was super great to see him again. When I went to the temple I thought of Grandma Barrus the whole time, that was the temple she attended regularly. 

     I said one last goodbye to Matthew Baldwin as he headed out to Poland. He's a great missionary, and I'm really going to miss him. 

     During choir on Sunday, we sang a song that had the lyrics, " I was born in __." One of the lyrics was: "I was born in Indiana," and the choir director said, "Raise your hand if you were born in Indiana!!" I raised my hand and saw only 3 other hands go up, in a crowd of 1600. The majority of the people were born in Salt Lake Valley or California. Great to show some Indiana Pride. 

Other Fun highlights: 

     I ran seven miles today in 48:25 (About 6:55 mile pace). So I guess this means I'm in good shape. While running, I had to run past two sister missionaries, and I had to tell them to look out. So then I decided to make a different animal noise as a signal that I am about to run by. They loved it, as I made wolf, eagle, and whale noises right before I ran past them. One of them said, "This is why I love running!"  Made my day. 

     The other day I kept slipping plastic spoons in some elder's pockets in my district. I did it twice to one elder in 20 minutes, and he still doesn't know who did it. 

     The elders in the Indonesia district are having a competition: Whoever gains the most weight in the MTC has to drink five glasses of orange juice before the flight to Indonesia. (There are rumors that the OJ here at the MTC has a laxative effect...)

     During lunch last week, one elder in my district was talking to two sister missionaries. He told them that since we are here for nine weeks, we try to keep ourselves entertained. The exact moment after he said that, both sister missionaries looked down the table, only to see my companion dipping his ice cream bar in chocolate milk, and feeding it to another elder in my district. 

Spiritual Highlights:

     After having a tough lesson (speaking only Thai), my companion and I walked out of the room, put on our shoes, (it's a Thai courtesy to slip off your shoes before you go into a house) and both of us found quarters in our shoes. It was just like the Gordon B. Hinckley story on the Silver Dollar in a farmer's shoes. (If you haven't heard that story, it will make your day. Look it up.  It really made my day, and we paid it forward by placing the money in someone else's shoes afterwards.

     We also watched "17 Miracles" last Sunday, and we had no idea that the main character served a mission in Thailand (Siam back then). That movie can make a grown man cry, even I was in tears throughout that movie. Watch it of you haven't seen it. 

By Far the highlight of the week was this:

   

Sister Khaomuangnoi

 Both Districts met together in a large classroom the other day. All 16 of us guys filed in, and my companion and I sat in the front. There was a new teacher, Sis. Khaomuangnoi, that was from Thailand, and she taught the other district. Before class started, she walked up to me, and asked, "Did your mom serve in Thailand?" That stopped me in my tracks. Out of the 16 guys in my district, she somehow guessed right. I told her yes, and her eyes started to water. "Your mom taught my mom the gospel." I was stunned. She pulled out her phone and showed her a picture of her mom,

Mom (far left), Sis. Sister Sathaporn (fourth from left)

 Sis. Sathaporn, and my mom. "My mom also met my dad at church, and they got married in the Temple." My eyes started to water too, as she shed a few tears. Sis. Khaomuangnoi's mom emailed her about me, and she told her to find me. That was amazing, and very spiritual. 

     Thanks mom and dad for serving missions, and changing people's lives for the better. And thanks to everyone else who served missions, and everyone else who helped teach me throughout my life. 

     Good luck to everyone who is starting school. (At least you don't have to sit in the exact same classroom for about 6+ hours a day!)

Miss you all!

Much love from the 801,

Elder Brinkerhoff