Word two

date: Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 7:59 AM
subject Re: Happy 4th of July!


I haven't got much time today but I sent a letter with lots of juicy details. I dunno about the whole mass e-mail thing, I usually just answer anybody who asks me a question in an e-mail, not really like a week-long report. So its up to you, do whatever you'd like. Have not seen anyone I know yet and I kinda forgot about hacky sack, but I play it in my room when I remember and we play futball almost everyday. Its really funny to watch people who have never played before against people who play really well against people who are just messing around. ;) I addressed a bunch of the stuff you asked in my letter so I'll let that take care of that. Today we went on the church history tour, it was way cool and I took a lot of pictures (still haven't figured out a way to send those...). We went to the River Ribble and the tram bridge that goes across it. Its kinda funny cause everyone else takes pictures of landmarks and stuff and I take pictures of funny things I see on the ground and such. Its just kinda funny. There was also a park next to the river that was were loads of people came when they heard something about a baptism. There were like 9000 people there. It was cool to imagine. Then we went to President Hinkley's flat which was really really cool to see. It was funny though because so many people were trying to copy the picture we have of him in front of it that I got sick of waiting and took a picture of me in front of the flat next to his! I got a lot of funny pictures. Then we went to Downham which was really cool. Everybody went to the post office and stuff but me and my companion just started walking and found a public path that went through huge fields of sheep. It was really cool and nobody else was there. Well gotta go, love you!

First word

Date: Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 8:18 AM

To me:

Hey mom, to answer your questions life is good, the flight was long and cool, my companion's name is Elder Gardner from Loveland, Colorado. And the MTC is amazing. There's 33 of us right now. 17 Elders are going to Scotland, 6 of us are going to Leeds and the others are going to Manchester. We also have 3 sister missionaries and a senior couple here. The senior couple is Elder and Sister Dracocardos and they are serving in the Athens, Greece mission which is where Elder Dracocardos is from. The best part about it here is that you want to listen to everyone just to heard all the cool words they say. We have a lot of class time so it can get a little difficult paying attention sometimes but with all our teachers being from different places in England it always keeps it interesting. The food is amazing, its real food and they serve a salad with every meal. Last night I had my first fish and chips and it was good. They were real chips too. Me and Elder Gardner live in a room with 2 other Elders, Elder Erickson from Declo, Idaho and Elder Horner from Kansas City, Missouri. Its funny even how many different American accents we get out here. We're in the Helaman district and Elder Horner is the district leader. Today we went to the temple, it was way cool. I love hearing all the different people talk inside and the celestial room is bigger than Provo's, it was kinda cool. We just got done playing futball and we have until 5 for p-day so I think I'll take a nap and maybe write some letters.

Adios!

To Shane:

Ya I told President Clegg we were related and he sounded pretty excited, turns out there is another Elder here who is too. Ya the MTC is great, like I told mom my companion is Elder Gardner from Loveland, Colorado and boy does he know how to work. He's got a lot of expectations for his mission so for the past 3 months he's been studying 5 hours a day. And now that he's here he just wants to take off in the work. Its been really good trying to keep up with him and it fun to try and beat him out at somethings. We live in the same room as the District Leader, Elder Horner from Kansas City, Missouri so he has to make sure the district is up by 6:30 so me and Elder Gardner wake up at 6:15 and are the first ones to the shower and stuff. then we try to be at personal study a half hour early each day. I think it really makes a difference and it isn't difficult at all, we do a lot of little things like that to get a little more work it. We teach a lot of practice lessons and all the teachers here are amazing, they do examples of what we're supposed to do and they are so good. I guess I have the example to follow. Well no sign of Luke yet but i haven't read his e-mail so he may know more about it. But on sunday i was walking around and a sister stopped me and said she'd just talked to my brother. Turns out that they had stake conference on sunday at the stake center on the temple grounds. Funny huh. Well i just have a few questions, my district leader's companion is Elder Erickson from Declo, Idaho and I knew that I know someone from there, got any ideas? Also there is an Elder Reynolds here who says he's from Roosevelt. I asked him if he knew any of the Rowley out there but didn't know who he knew. He didn't know Teresa either! Well gotta go.

Leavin' on a jet plane

So long, and that thing formerly known as a farewell

Temple Day

Called to serve

After much waiting, the call came



After more waiting, people came



After more waiting and a lot of reading, the location came

When Zack read the words "England Leeds Mission" both of his parents got out of their seats and said, "Uh-uh, let me see that." We thought Zack was kidding. England Leeds shares a border with England Manchester. The MTC Zack is to leave for on June 18 is in Preston, England, which is not only in Luke's mission, but is where Luke is serving at this very time. Unbelievable!


Reading it again, letting it sink in



That face says it all (even with the eyes closed)