Week 4: September 20, 2013

Dear Family,

It has been a busy week! Mom, I got made a zone leader last Sunday! I figured you would be really proud of this, while Justin would scoff and say that being a zone leader in the MTC means nothing. Either way it is a lot of fun but takes the small amount of spare time I used to have and negates it. This week was a lot of fun. We got to host new missionaries into the MTC and then Elder Rogers and I got to orient the two new districts in our zone. They are a squirrelly bunch. Bringing them to meet the Branch Presidency reminded me just how crazy and eccentric our Branch President is. He walked in 15 minutes late and said, "You finally got here!" followed by his favorite and oft-used line, "Welcome to the True Church." Then he turned to Elder Rogers and I and said, "Never play defense," and then promptly laughed heartily at what was apparently a pretty funny joke. I still have no idea what he meant by "never play defense", which makes it all the better.

Elder Rogers got his visa! Because we are only TEN DAYS from shipping out [TEN DAYS!] he will be remaining here in the Provo MTC and will leave the same day as the rest of us. I don't have any news on my visa (mom maybe you could call church travel or something just to double check that things are actually happening), so I am preparing to receive my reassignment about a week from today! No, mom, they generally don't make a special effort to send people to portuguese-speaking missions; but yes it would be super cool to go to Florida. I actually thought about it just the other day. They also apparently have Portuguese missionaries in Boston (and probably other major cities) but I suppose I oughtn't get my hopes up. Here's to a UT Provo reassignment.

Parabens to Justin on the big move. Also thank you SO MUCH Viviana for sending me letters! They always make my day. Mom, if you want to send me something in that package, send stain remover. Thanks!

Here's a spiritual thought - lite: There was a woman who spoke at one of our devotionals the other day (apparently her husband helped produce 17 Miracles) and she said something to the effect of: "If you are struggling right now its because God wants you to struggle, because it will help you to grow." I genuinely believe that. As some other speaker once said, "Life is a classroom". But, like, a really fun classroom.

So yeah, I will be getting out of this joyous prison soon and into the field! Looking forward to that!

Thank you all! I love you so much.

Elder Wilder