Hey everybody to answer the questions before I forget, I will do that now: The past week was great. I learned a lot and taught lots of lessons along with lots of meetings, firesides, devotionals, workshops, classes, etc. Staying busy, but loving it here. I am making progress for sure. I am learning things every day that help tremendously. I will still not be fully prepared when the time comes to leave this coming Tuesday morning, but I will be as ready as I can be!
I am feeling great. I have had a bit of a sore throat, but have taken care of it and am almost fully recovered. I am a little homesick, but not too bad. The worst will come when I leave for Washington I'm afraid. But it really is not bad right now.
I love the food at the MTC. I eat so much and fortunately due to basketball, volleyball, and gym, I am able to stay in shape. I am trying not to put on weight ha ha ha! The other elders tell me I could use about 50 lbs!
My companionship is ok. Elder Nielsen is awesome. His testimony is probably one of the weakest in the group, but we still get along. We both love sports, but he and I definitely have our differences. I am very clean, have proper grammar, am prompt, etc. if you catch what I'm saying. He is great though. My district gets along so well. We all mesh well and love spending time together. We all have great bonds. The elders going to Kennewick Washington are: Elder Bates, Elder Nielsen, Elder Aldous, Elder Young, Elder Larkin, and Elder Nawahine. The elders going to Nashville are: Elder Sowards, Elder Bassett, Elder Owen and Elder Whitney.
Uh oh, no debit card yet.....I will check with the front desk and see if it has come yet.....
We just got back from the temple again. I love it there. We did another endowment session and I almost have all the words memorized if you can believe that! I changed clothes fast, too. I love it there and it's a great experience. We are getting ready to do laundry after this letter and it went well last week. I figured everything out and things went well.
I talked to Jordan at the copy center last wednesday after I emailed you all. It was great to see him. I have seen many of my school friends here, actually. Probably 5 or 6 at least! I have been so busy and have hardly any free time besides personal study and gym that my fingernails (mom, you would be proud) are almost completely grown out ha ha ha! I bet you never thought that would happen! There are so many great things I have experienced here and for times sake can't write them all here, but have good journal entries and take good notes in class.
Please tell everybody thank you for the packages, letters, love, prayers, etc. It means the world to me and every night I save my packages and letters so I can open them up when I get back. It's a great way to end the day. Please Please Please express your thanks to the Caspers for the great care package and notes they sent me. IT MADE MY DAY!
Also thank Brooke for her wonderful cookies and letters. Thanks to Bran and Mom and Dad too for all the letters. They really help and I love you all. Everybody is jealous of me here because I receive the most love ha ha ha!
Thanks for the BYU updates, too. Elder Sowards uncle works at the MTC and goes to the games and has also told us the scores. It's a good 2 years to be gone! Funny enough, we listened to some of the Nevada game from where we were studying outside the residence hall on Saturday. We could hear the announcer. We heard it was 24-10 at halftime, but that's all we heard. We later found out we lost. It was cool to hear the crowd cheer at times and know I was within earshot of the action!
Please tell everybody at home I love them and appreciate all the prayers and love in my behalf. PLEASE tell Uncle Greg and family thank you for the care package and letter. It made my day as well. I sent them a written letter, but just in case it somehow does not make it there, tell them thanks again! Mom, thanks for the no-bake cookies, too. I am eating so much, but working hard to keep the weight off! The weather has been great for golf lately, go figure! Keep me updated on how you all golf and how things are going with all of you at home. Tell Brooke, Rocky, and boys how much I love them. Tell Erin how much I love her. I pray for all of you each and every night. I only mention names of people that might not receive this email (so Brandon don't be upset that I didn't write down that I love you specifically cause I know you know I do and you are reading this)!
Another group of fresh missionaries come in today. We are now the oldest in our district! I feel old and experienced! We check in to the travel office at the MTC at 8 am on Tuesday morning and our flight is something like 11:30 and we get to Washington at like 12:45 or so (exact details are back in my room on the itinerary, sorry). With the 1 hour time difference, you can see that this is only a short flight just about 2 hours. I am trying to think of what else to say. I still have 12 minutes left to type! Oh yeah, I am on the bottom bunk on the far right side of the room by the window.
Sister Keddington is a great teacher and said she talked to Bran on facebook and conveyed your message of love for me. Brother Brown is our other teacher. He is AMAZING! We all love him because he is funny, connects well to each of us, and is a great teacher who just returned from his mission in January. I learn so much here, family. I am also taking great pictures. Some are so funny and I will have to explain when I show them to you.
Mom, congratulations on placing in your 3-day tourney! I am so proud and I know that you know I am! Just remember, 37! Tell everybody at the country club how much I miss them and also tell all the ward members and family members how much I love them and appreciate all their letters, prayers, love and support.
Guess what? Aunt Amy wrote me a letter and extensively explained how Viewmont was going to get killed by Bountiful because Viewmont had not won all year. Guess what else? I read dad's letter right after telling me Viewmont won 27-2! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell Aunt Amy and family that I love them, but Go Viewmont! How funny is that?!
Well, 6 minutes left to write all of you. Thank you for sending so many packages. I will try to keep eating, but there is so much that I have to share some with the district and zone. They all say you are the best family in the world! I really do get along with all district and zone members well, not just cause of packages. They all like me. Basketball is so much fun here. I have not hurt myself yet, but I am beating a ton of elders. Elder Nielsen and I cream everybody in basketball. We had an intense zone volleyball tourny yesterday during gym. It was intense!
Well, the next letter you get from me will be from Washington/Oregon. I will call you from the airport, but I will need your love and prayers as I make the hard transition. Everybody, I want each of you to know how much I love you and appreciate all you do for me. Oh before I forget, we got to help the senior couple missionaries move into their buildings and show them around yesterday. It was a cool experience. I am so proud of all of you and again thank everybody in the ward, neighborhood, and family and friends for all they do for me. Keep me updated on sports stuff, Bran and Dad! I know you will! I can't wait to hear general conference and like Dad said it will be cool to know that we are listening to the same thing! Dad and Bran, know that I wish I could proudly be sitting next to you at Priesthood session, but that I am there in spirit. What a great experience it will be. Well, I am off to do laundry, write whatever letters I can, get some free time, and head to class tonight! Take care family and know I love you so much.
Love,
Elder Bates
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