The MTC was crazy busy and the SD card that was in the camera wasn't working so I couldn't get any pictures the first few days, my companion there gave me his on the last day and I took pictures of everyone in my district but all the computers don't have a card reader so I have no idea how to get the pictures to you. I only have like 13 pictures, a single of everyone in my district and a district photo, I hate taking photos so that's all I have so far.
As you can tell my personal day is going to be on Monday's now so just plan on that. Before I get to answering all the questions you sent I have a few to ask you --
*What kind of missionary do you tell people that I am?
*What changes do you hope to see in me when I return?
Please be honest because I need to know.
First, yes, we did have an opportunity to call from the airport and I fell absolutely horrible that my calling card didn't work. I tried for the whole morning and it just wouldn't work but then I remembered we could call on Christmas so that's fine.
Gilbert is extremely pretty right now and I'm just south of it in a place called SanTan Valley which is itself very nice as well.
I have gotten all the emails you've sent me and appreciate the pictures and thoughts attached to every one.
Haven't gotten to go to the Gilbert Temple yet but while I was in the MTC we were able to attend the Provo Temple which was awesome.
I don't know if you got my handwritten letter I wrote the night before I left the MTC but I truly do miss the MTC and all the friends I made there; as well as the experience to learn, grow, and develop my testimony and strength in the Lord.
I still don't know how sending letters work and that makes me pretty sad because I want to send some handwritten letters but don't know the return address and my training companion, as awesome as he is, doesn't know it either. Once I figure it out I promise to send you all the handwritten letters that I have written along with the address.
Yes, the AP's did tell me that you met them and I was super embarrassed haha, it's fine.
You probably noticed the family I was with on Thanksgiving was Polynesian, meaning, when they eat they eat seriously. Thanksgiving happened so fast and I wasn't even thinking about it but we had 4 dinner appointments and were stuffed.
Thank you so much for the bike, it is so much fun to ride (right now anyways) and is very high quality. I love my training companion, he is very nice and crazy smart plus he is super competitive so he can teach me a thing or two on why people are competitive although I can already tell that the reason we are so very productive is because of he's competitiveness. This mission surprisingly doesn't have apartments, instead, it rents out houses that all missionaries live in but the area where I am serving right now is set up kinda weird. We sleep and study and eat breakfast at a house 6 miles away from our area but eat lunch and crash at another house that is about .5 miles away from our area, there are about 2 companion-ships per house so that's 4 elders in each one. I haven't seen the mission office yet and I honestly have no idea were it is. One funny thing is - my trainer and senior companion don't have drivers licences so I have been driving since the second day in. Oh yeah, when I got here we got off the plane and we were greeted by President Nattress and his wife, then we went to eat lunch at a Stake center in Gilbert where the members made a lot of food. After that we had our introduction into the mission: how much money we get per month, how to use that money, what to do, insurance, etc. We went to dinner at a member's house in Gilbert, they are so rich! They had one of the nicest houses I have ever seen, it was really fun. After all that we got to spend our first night at a member's house and the member's I ended up with were super nice and funny because all they wanted to do was talk to us even though most of us had only gotten around 1-2 hours of sleep. So the next day we had more introductions and finely got assigned our trainers, the group of missionaries cheered really loud when I got paired up with the Samoan because we are both pretty big guys, I mean Elders, anyways that was pretty fun. We talk to everyone we meet which was weird the first 20 times but you have to get used to it. I still hate talking to people so I hope that will change, I just don't know what to talk about and feel horrible because I don't have any interests in my own life or can't think of any and won't get any because I am on a mission. I can't relate to people, it's hard, but I think I will get used to it. In my area the investigators have all gone to see the Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple already, so I'm not sure if I will get an opportunity to go this year.
I know Brother Wetzel and he's a crazy teacher, haha I actually had him in seminary but he always points out some great truths and somehow invites the spirit by just being himself. I know why I'm on a mission, true it is to help other come unto Christ but it is also for me to find out more about me and I am not sure when that will happen but I am sure it will.
Thank you mom, thank everyone else for all the support they give me. It still doesn't feel real that I am on my mission. I'm sure it will sink in one day. I love you lots and don't you forget it or think for a second I don't.
Elder Throckmorton
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