D on a mission

My brother D is on a mission!!  I can hardly believe it!! He left for the MTC on Wednesday, October 24th.  He flew out from AZ which meant that Jared and I were able to pick him up in Salt Lake.  It was so exciting to see him at the airport!  I didn't have the "sad" goodbye experience at the airport... my "sad" goodbye was at the actual MTC. 

 (Picking him up from the airport to take him to the MTC)

We chatted the entire drive to Provo about missions and snow (it threatened to snow the entire day that he entered the MTC - not quite the "warm" welcome he was hoping for) and family and the gospel.  It was an amazing car ride.  He is an amazing kid!  

As we got out of the car to take a few pictures and say our goodbyes, he practically ran off, he was so excited!  As we crossed the street with him, I had to stop him and remind him to give me a hug goodbye.  He was seriously SO ready to begin, that he nearly forgot to say goodbye to us!  

(Goodbyes at the MTC!!  Love you D!!  See you in 2 years!)

He has been there for nearly 3 weeks now.  I love knowing that he is only a short distance away from me!  I love knowing that when we go to the temple each week, he has been in the very same temple that week too!  It's almost like he isn't gone... even though I haven't seen him and can't talk to him!  

He is picking up Italian quickly!!  Here is his testimony from his most recent letter... in Italian...

"Io so che la Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni è la vera chiesa. Io so che Gesù Cristo vive, e che Lui ha espiato per i peccati di tutto del mondo. So che Jospeh Smith era un profeta di Dio, e che lui ha visto Padre Celeste e Gesù Cristo nel sacro bosco. So che io ha avuto chiamto di Dio a insegnarle ai abitanti di Italia. Io so che Dio mi ama, e che Lui vuole communicarci e benedirci. Nel nome di Gesù Cristo, Amen."

(D's best friend found him on the temple grounds and was able to tell him 

IN person that he got his mission call to MEXICO)

From his second letter he said, 

"I've already learned more Italian in two weeks than the amount of Spanish I learned in three years (now granted, my spanish background has really helped because the grammar and conjugations are nearly identical). In fact, the other guys in my district have nicknamed me Garn-asaurus because I'm so tall and they're convinced that I've been speaking Italian since the dawn of the dinosaurs... Haha it's pretty funny. Really though, I know that there's no way I could have learned so much without the Lord's daily blessings. I have really felt Him strengthen my understanding, not only of Italian but of His gospel too. It is truly a joy to be working so closely with our Father in Heaven."

He is an awesome elder and we are so proud of him!  I am so grateful for his example, his love, and his letters.  His letters have already been such a blessing to me!  It is a remarkable thing to have an immediate family member out on a mission.  There is an added blessing felt in my life!  I am so thankful that he is willing to serve our God and go and preach the gospel to those out there that are missing the wonderful blessings that come from this gospel.  It is true.  This is Jesus Christ's gospel and the reason why 19 (and now 18 year old boys) are willing to do what they do - leave their families for 2 years to help others come to know Christ!  
  

(D and a friend from AZ who is also in the MTC)

If you would like to receive his weekly emails, please message me your email address and we would be more than willing to add you to the list! :)