Seth's Mission Blog: Elder Funk's Visit and More Pictures!

Apa Kabar Everybody!

The newest letter of mine is coming all the way from the Raintree/Wyview/MTC West Campus! BYU's (MTC's?) IT Department rigged up about 24 laptops right underneath our classroom at Raintree to form some semblance of a computer lab. Like Elder McCleary said in the article "WE ARE PIONURRS!!" (That's a funny story in and of itself.)

Time to recap: On Tuesday we packed up all our worldly possessions, waited at the curb behind the MTC Bookstore, and were herded onto tour busses that trucked us over to the Wyview apartments where we had a cool orientation from the MTC Presidency where we were told where the mail was, where our classes would be, that we get gym time every day, what to do if we want room service, and that we can have ice cream for every meal. (Just kidding about the room service part. :P) We then unpacked at Wyview apartment 17, ate some lunch, and had our "historic" first class at 1:00 at the Raintree apartments.

Elder Murphy and I taught our "investigator" John about the Plan of Salvation and it was pretty awesome because we were teaching him in a room with two couches. I was thinking that it was almost like real life until I realized that the people we're teaching have little money and can't afford two giant leather couches. I'll send pictures later, but essentially, they fitted our building so each apartment has 3 separate rooms for about 30 missionaries. We're on a floor with the other Malays and Singaporites. Since we have 10 in our class, we got the biggest room of them all. We even have a sliding glass door that leads to a balcony!! It's so cool! I never knew being a pioneer was so luxurious! I'm leaving out a ton of details, but if anyone has any questions, let me know!

We spent the next day, (Wednesday), trying to figure things out--like where to pick up our mail and if we really could have ice cream for every meal, but it was really special because we were bussed back to main campus to have a class with Elder Randy D. Funk from the Quorum of the Seventy!! Actually getting there wasa problem, but that's also why we were interviewed. We have a bus that runs around all day from the main MTC campus to our campus at 11 and 36 minutes after every hour. Elder Murphy and I room with Elders Kyle and Gil, and right before we were supposed to leave, Kyle and Gil were gone. The rest of the district was looking everywhere for them, in the bathroom, in the chapel, if they made a run for the outside world, or if they were waiting over at Raintree. While we were figuring things out, there was this solitary reporter from the Deseret News who came up and asked us a little bit about the MTC. For some reason, Elder McCleary was designated as our "spokeselder". I read the article you sent me, Mom. Way cool, but McCleary really didn't throw both arms up in jubilation like it said. But we took the picture, and hopped on the next bus, hoping that Gil and Kyle were already there at the classroom. When we got there, thank heavens, they were both sitting in the classroom like nothing happened.

We didn't know what was going to happen with the whole General Authority visit, so we just started role playing teaching about the Kitab Mormon (Book of Mormon), when Elder Funk walked in. It was one of those moments where you wonder if you're in trouble or not, then he starts talking and you realize that he's there to actually uplift you. He came in, talked to us for a bit, listened in on some of our role plays (Can you say intimidating?), spoke the little Indonesian he remembered, gave a short but awesome spiritual message, and then he was gone. So cool!

Hey! Guess who moved down to Wyview West too? Sister Cami Turley! And Becca should remember a Sister Mariah Pugmire. They're both here. It's pretty great.

I've begun sleep talking. I can't remember if I told you guys or not. Josh should know from personal experience that I can actually have conversations when I sleep, so it shouldn't surprise you that during one night, Elder Murphy said something in Indonesian while he was sleeping, and in the words of Elder Kyle, I "sat up, looked at Elder Murphy and said 'hey, that was actually pretty good', laid down and went back to sleep." Needless to say, Elder Kyle is freaked out that I'm possessed or something. I told him it's hereditary. Matt should have some pretty good sleep talking stories. :) (As does Brandon...)

Anywho, I gotta get off pretty soon. But on Tuesday, Elder Craig Zwick from the 70 came for Devotional and challenged every missionary to answer this question: "To Become a Better Disciple of Jesus Christ, I WILL..." It's a fun question to think about! And I challenge everyone to think about that question for themselves! (Look at that: I left you with a committment without a second thought! It's getting to me!)

Kasih Anda Semua! Punya minggu Baik!

-Elder Barrus