12-6-11

Dear Family,

Hey guys how is it going? Hope all is well back at home, that you are enjoying the Christmas season.  Thank you so so much for the letters, you don't realize how much letters truly help you stay sane here.  It is very tough here at the MTC but also is so very special.  The spirit that is on this campus is indescribable.

So here we go. When I first got inside I did all the things that where asked. Took my picture, got my tag and did all that fun stuff.  Then I was taken to my room where I dropped my stuff off. Then went to my class room to meet my teacher.  My guide dropped me off and I was on my way.  I shook my teachers hand and asked how he was doing.  From that second on I had no idea what he was saying!!!!! The guy only spoke Cebuano to me!  Using his hands to help try to get me to understand he told me that I had two comps that I would be in a tri comp ship.  HAHA What a crazy first day not being able to understand a single word.  I guess the teachers aren't allowed to speak English to us because it forces us to learn the language.

   Now a little about the language.... HOLY COW!!!!!! IT IS SOOOOOOOOO HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's been about a week now and sadly I am the worst out of the class of ten... I never thought that I would ever actually feel like I couldn't do this... but I had some really really hard times where Satan got me down and I wanted so badly to just give up and come home.   I was discouraged and the guys in my district are not very nice about things when they are better.  They really made me feel like a failure and that I would never be able to speak the language.  Thankfully one of the zone leaders pulled me aside and told me that he had a lot of faith in me and knew that I could be a very strong missionary in time.  I am doing so much better now.  Also I met Elder Johnson the second day that I was here and we hit it off like we had known each other our entire lives.  He is a drummer from his marching band and the center snare and he is from Austin, Texas.  haha small world.  Something even more crazy is that his middle name is Dale also!!!  We talk all the time and really get along and help each other with the things that we struggle with.

I love you guys so so much and truly hope that you are doing well.  I miss you guys so much but also know that this is the place that I am supposed to be.

I need you guys to know though that I KNOW that the church is true! I know that Jesus is our lord and savior and I know that with him, nothing is impossible!  We are his children and it is our duty to bring his other children back to the fold! 

Love Your Missionary,

 

Elder Mackay Dale Shelley!