Patrick's Days in the MTC

1/19/10

HEY MY DEAR FAMILY!

You weren't expecting this so soon were you?

There's an elder that is 7 foot 2 inches tall. I congratulated him.

They give me an intense water purifier so don't worry about that. They said they poured Coke in it and it came out water. WHAT?!

Today I learned. My comp is from Indianna. His high in bowling is 246 or something close to that.

I just have so much to say in these first 7 and one half hours of seperation.

I love it so much. SO MUCH. for real.

Buenas Noches

Elder Patrick Taylor

1/25/11

Hola,

My companion is great. He is a hard worker and can study and study and study without complaint.

My teachers are great! For real. IT IS AWESOME. Hermano Sparks speaks in spanish almost 100% of the time.

I've received a high calling, designated unofficial music leader! Heck ya! Singing in spanish is awkward, but I like it a lot, like most awkward things.

Elder Avila, a small guy who happened to sing with me in the same choir at the paralympics, in fourth grade, (AWESOME) has the voice. When he speaks to me I feel like it is a commandment. I'm becoming good friends with him.

People keep talking about this massive transition phase, like some unseemly monster stalking you from behind, but I haven't felt its vicious jaws crush on me yet.

There is so much to learn. I feel like I'm relearning everything I ever knew through a medium I don't understand (spanish) and it is awesome.

Thanks for all your letters and support. It's always fun to get them. Some of the elders have hardly any support. So i'm good.

lOVe you all.

Elder Taylor

2/1/11

Hey familia! Bienvenidos a la carta de Elder Taylor!

So when I got here they told me, "the days are like weeks and the weeks are like days." And it is true. Each day is LONG but the weeks fly by. IT'S BEEN TWO. NUTS. but the bed is long enough so that is GREAT.

Dad, in your talk, don't forget that the Atonement not only makes bad people good, but good people better. Only through it can we truly progress.

Tell the priests how far ahead they'll be, especially if they learn a language because then they won't have to learn all the lessons in english and spanish. They'll know how to teach in english decently well and can focus on the evangelio. It really is huge.

My DL and I often sing together, Santa Baby being one of our favorites. It gets awkward sometimes but we presevere.

Also, Elde Avila gave us an impromptu rendition of Nacho Libre, and he's mexican, so it's extra funny.

I love the Spanish language. It's so much prettier than english, even though it doesn't make sense. If you don't plan your days out here, you won't accomplish much is what I've learned, the hard way. I try to plan every 15 minutes of the day. NOT A MOMENT TO LOSE EH?

I love you family. The weeks are pretty much all the same here. BUT they are good. I love it. There's no place else I'd rather be.

The Gospel makes so much sense. I hope I can teach it well and baptize the Hell out of some people.

Go out and give 'em heaven.

love that,

love you,

Elder Patrick Taylor