Week One in the MTC

Ahhh I can finally write! I don't have very long though but I'll try and be as detailed as I can!

I love it here! It has been the hardest but best week ever. My companion is named Elder Dickson and he is an absolute riot. Wow we are having so much fun as companions. I can't wait to tell you some stories about him. We share a room with Elder Wallace and Elder Seamons and they are both really cool as well. We have all been getting along real well and been having an absolulte blast! We took some pictures today but I'll try to send them next week.

We went to the temple today and that was really neat to go as a district, as well as a couple other districts. The temple was great, but so was the walk there. It's nice to be sort of outside the main MTC area and get some "fresh air".

Classes have been pretty intense. They basically started within minutes of arriving. Last week it was about 50% in Spanish and the other half in english but starting yesterday, it is now 100% Spanish! ahhh. But, it was really cool to see how much I actually understood! Even though there were many words or even short phrases I didn't understand right away, I essentially understood nearly everything. It was really neat. Also, one of my teachers said something really cool. He said that the main focus for us is to learn about the Gospel, understand the lessons, and work on the skills necessary to teach, rather than focusing on learning Spanish, and if we do that, the language will come. And I've totally noticed that. I can already pray, bear my testimony, and say so many other things in Spanish. And, our entire district has been really good at SPL, where we try to speak our language first and if we can't get our point across, then we use English. It's crazy how after just one week, I have seen a considerable improvement. I'm excited to see what it will be like in a few more.

Some scary news though. Both Brazil and Mexico are being really difficult about visas. Most people going there are staying here at the MTC for an extra two or three weeks, and if they don't come by then, they are being reassigned to someone in the states. Just the other day, Elder Dickson and I were studying outside at a table and we started talking to four elders at the adjacent table and they were all supposed to go to Brazil, but instead they were going to Montana, Arkansas, and Georgia (I think those were the states). So, by the looks of it, I'll at least be staying in the MTC for 12 weeks. But I'll make sure and update you if I find anything else out. I still have 8 more weeks here regardless.

The missionaries back home were right when they said "just make it to Sunday". Because the first few days were absolutely insane; a combination of being overwhelmed and excited/nervous I guess. We were in the classroom for soooo long each day and the nights seemed to go by in seconds, it actually like on Saturday, that we had never actually gone to sleep but that it had been one really long day. phew. But Sunday was really uplifiting and I was able to catch up today since it's P-day. And dinner is in 5 minutes and then we are going straight to a fireside where we are going to get to hear from a general authority. I can't wait.

Sorry if my email is sort of a mess. I've been typing without really thinking because I've been sort of rushed.
anyway, love ya tons! and it was so great to get that long email from you. Crazy Buddy. And I hope everything goes well with Laura. Tell her I wish her the best!
Tell Stephanie I say hi and that I miss her already!

Con amor,
Elder Brett