Answers

Ok, I have been asked to sort-of give you all an idea of what the MTC is like for me. 

This may not be sufficient for all of you, but to answer those questions I will do my best to describe a day at the MTC. Here it is:

Every day we wake up at 6:30. We then proceed to ready as fast as possible so that we are not too late to breakfast. Our district usually sits together and we joke while we eat. 

I think breakfasts are usually too short.

Then it is usually on to personal study time. On Thursdays it's service.

The time space between schedule blocks is at maximum ten minutes.

Class is three hours long, our district shares a room. Sometimes it is very hard to keep your focus. 

Lunch for us is really early: 11:10. The food is good.

After lunch there is more study, or more class. 

Then there is dinner: 4:10. The food is good.

Exercise is always before dinner. I usually run. The day before last I ran for something like 45 minutes.

Most of us have a ring of flash cards that we practice with, while our companion is in the bathroom. I am always at least trying to study. Sometimes that is very hard to do.

Mail is the joy of our lives, but it is very hard to find time to write at all. We find five or ten minutes of free time, and try to, but that is hard too.

Free time is also used to go to the book store (which has everything), run to the next building and other such things. 

I have seen a few familiar faces, Sister Donohue, Elder Elliot, and Sister Mia Davis have all said hi, but I haven't ever been able to get a picture with them.

All the time between dinner and returning to residence is spent in class, language study, and planning. On Thursdays we have a devotional. 

At 9:30 we return to residence, and have time to prepare, review, and begin writing in our journals before lights out. We proceed with flashlights, and then sleep. 

I think that this should give you a pretty good idea of what The MTC is for me. Sundays, of course are a little different, we have a lot of study time, and time for interviews, branch priesthood meetings, and sacrament meetings in Japanese (that's cool). 

I am happier than I have ever been. I love this work, and this place, and the Lord. I know that this is His church. I know this is His work. I get to be taught by His Spirit every day. It's awesome.  

To all those who write me. Thank you, and I will try to write back. I'm sorry if it takes eternity. :P

I love you all,  love, 

Elder Bevan

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving !!!!!!!!!!

P.S.S. Mom I love you very much. Thank you for caring so much for me. Just let me know if there is anything else you want me to do, and I will do my best to do it. 

Emmett Missionaries

Emmett, Idaho Missionaries 

at the MTC

Nathan, Kelsey Donohue, Rasche Elliott

Konichiwa!

Well, it is getting into my third week in the MTC. I now have two companions. Elder Moe and Elder Iordachescu. They are both fantastic.  My companion left after doctor's orders on Tuesday. That was hard. 

The day he left the zone leaders and my two companions assisted in giving me a priesthood blessing. The words were not so much powerful as they were undeniably the will of God. I am often impressed with Gods willingness to speak personally to me through a worthy priesthood holder. It almost catches me off guard to hear the familiar voice of the Spirit through someone like that. 

When I wrote in my journal that night, I felt like writing that I had just been blessed by two of my best friends. I have never had an impression like this one, but I really do feel as if they have been my friends for a very long time.

My becoming a part of their companionship must be hard on them. Elder Moe, whom I really do adore, I nevertheless often disagree with. He is just a hair taller than I, is handsome, good natured, full of energy, and brilliant. He attended a private school, where he took Latin, and even did a personal study on scuba-diving. He loves Les Miserables and many other good and intelligent pieces of work. 

Elder Iordachescu (your-da-kess-ku), is more quiet. He is not one wit behind Elder Moe in background or in character. He sings along to more songs than I know and is always good natured. I have not yet heard a cross thing pass his lips. He is serious when he needs to be serious and fun when he can have fun. He is sort of the buffer between Elder Moe and I when we disagree. He is definitely the most cool headed of us three. 

I am taking His time right now, so I guess I should wrap this up. God our Father lives. Jesus Christ is His Son. He died for our Sins so that we can live with Him in the end. He knows all of our trials, and all of our weaknesses. He answers prayers and knows up individually. He cares for us. I love Him.

-Elder Bevan

MTC

Wow, I have so much to write about, and so little time!

The MTC is AWESOME. I love it. The language is going great. I love the language.

Give Brother Graviett a hard time for me though, because we totally do have to learn to read Japanese! No don't, but I was caught a little off guard by it. Sister Graviett's lessons saved my life. Let her know that. I would have been crushed those first days if I had not learned from her. 

This past week has been tough. My Comp. has been having a rough time of it, but I have been blessed, uplifted, and upheld by God's good hand more than I can tell. Most of those blessings have come through the hands of his willing servants who are all around me. I love the Lord and all that He does. I hope that I will be the very best missionary for Him that I can be by the time I am through with my mission. I am so excited, thrilled, to be in and about His work. 

Among the experiences I have had this week are accidentally saying in Nehongo that the Book of Mormon is Satan, and sleep walking. 

("Saitan" in Nehongo is Scripture, and "Satan" is the devil) (all I remember about sleep walking is having woken Elder Iordachescu to pray, and waking up sometime aroundmidnight kneeling and praying with him.)  

I love you all, I am sorry that I haven't been able to get back to you all.

Truly yours, 

Elder Bevan

P.S. I'll be in the MTC for 9 weeks because of language, tell Abbie I am happy for her and miss her. I tried to send pics but could not, I will try again next week K?

Elder Nathan Bevan
Dec 31 JPN-FKU
2007 N. 900 E. Unit 71
Provo, UT. 84602