First Week @ MTC!

Well, here I am. I was set apart on Sunday Sept. 5th and arrived in Utah on Monday the 6th. I had a great time w/ Jess Cooper and his family. They were so helpful! I did a few last minute errands, saw temple square and did an endowment session in the Salt Lake Temple. A lot of people were pretty confused when I told them my name is Elder Mahoney. They wondered where my name tag is. Haha.

 

I arrived at the MTC on Wednesday, Sept. 8th. This place is so awesome! The schedule is pretty intense. The schedule is different everyday, but for most of the time I'm here (12 weeks) we have a repeating weekly schedule. There are some days that start w/ 45 minutes of gym time and are then classes from like 08:20-21:00 w/ only breaks for 2 45 minute meals. It's hard to imagine any place in the world so regimented and disciplined. I love it though! I'm in a district w/ 10 missionaries. 6 Elders and 4 Sisters. There are 4 districts in our zone and the zone is our branch. Above the zone leaders we have a branch presidency who are older men called from outside the MTC. I do all the classes w/ my district. We have the best district! Unfortunely, I'm the only Russian-speaker going to Kiev from this group, but that probably the only downside. (There is a district of 10 Ukrainian speakers in another zone all going to Kiev.) The are 9 languages spoken by people in our district: English, Russian, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and Arabic! My companion is great. =) His name is Elder Takagi. He's half Japanese and half-American. He lived in Japan a lot of his life, but most recently was at BYU and studied there. Everybody else in my district is mostly American except for Elder Dannenberg who is from Germany (and hilarious and awesome) and Elder Peterson who was adopted from Russia when he was 10. Our teachers are so great. We have 3 and they come throughout the week at different times and teach us Russian and about how to be missionaries.

 

The schedule is so intense here that at the end of the day when I go to write in my journal I can hardly think of where to start and it seems like what we did at 07:00 was days ago! It's so sweet though, it really makes us stretch and grow into the instruments the Lord would have us be. One sweet aspect of being here is meet people from all over the place! Yesterday I spoke English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and I'm learn a little German and a few words in Arabic. =P I've bumped into a couple people I know so far and am expecting another one tomorrow. Elder Christian Drage was called as zone leader his 3rd day here! That's a pretty big responsibility. I'm fine w/ just being a regular missionary for the time being. Haha.

 

The language is coming along well and the native Russians just arrive today, so I'm really excited about that. It'll be sweet to practice talking with them and get to know them.

 

I did a session at the Provo temple this morning. We do one every week here. The Spirit here is so great. I feel the Spirit again and again as I learn, hear stories and testify. I feel the hand of the Lord in this work everyday. I know that I am here because this is were God would have me be. This is a great and marvelous work. I am so happy to be here! I would really not rather be any place else. They said there are 2000-2500 missionaries here and ~5000 people working to support us. That's so incredible. I can really feel it.

 

My time's up. I'm praying for you all. Godspeed.

 

- Старейшина Махони

 

P.S. I love eating here. So much food. =D I'm getting good at eating quickly and going back for more! =D

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