Missionaries are allowed to fly now despite the swine flu at the MTC, so our friend's son was able to leave for Japan today (Kobe). We haven't heard any more news about sick missionaries so hopefully things are getting back to normal around there.
Josh is feeling pretty cooped up and wishing gym class was longer, he releases stress and/or frustration by being active and 50 minutes a day isn't enough. There were some restrictions on playing basketball since there'd be some contact; just another precaution to keep from spreading illness. There hasn't been word yet if that's lifted but may go on as long as there's a threat of spreading the swine flu or other flus in there.
They do have some fun, Josh and his roommates apparently made videos where they act out being super heroes or something equally goofy. He's been drawing a lot, which as you probably know is one way he LOVES to pass time. He draws on paper, the chalk boards, anywhere he can.
He's learning Hungarian so well; in just 3 weeks he's learned so much. He's able to say a prayer, bear his testimony, make introductions, teach some of the discussions, and more. It's an incredible accomplishment that's part of the magic at the MTC.
He misses playing his guitar; our neighbors can attest to the fact that he'd often just go into his room and play away in his own world. He actually told Ken he now regrets not being able to play the piano...I hope you all heard that!! If you're taking lessons practice a lot and don't stop!
He really is doing well, he's just missing some things that allow him to blow off steam. He continues to want even more letters and to hear from his friends and loved ones. Write him a lot while we can take advantage of the dearelder.com website and write him daily for free. If you're having any trouble using it just let me know!!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
This week:
We got letters from Josh, he is now writing to us in Hungarian! He said the language is extremely difficult but he's getting it, he just wishes he was learning it as easily as he learned German. He said they are going from sunup to sundown there and it's really exhausting but also exhilirating. Yes, my boy used the word exhilirating and not "sick" or "cool" or "sweet"...He said he wishes they had just a bit more down time to feel a little more rested.
We should have pictures from him soon, he's going to mail his memory card to us and we'll post pictures as we get them.
He has gotten letters people emailed him through www.dearelder.com. Now that the excitement of getting there and getting started is wearing down, he's more and more anxious to get to Hungary. He misses the comfort of his family around him and especially his brothers. The other missionaries are really cool and they get along well but of course it's not the same as his brothers.
One of the guys in his room was sick...let's hope he's not one of the missionaries with the flu or swine flu. I hate to think of those young guys getting sick out there. I think Josh is feeling lonesome and would love to hear from everyone, especially his friends. Actually I think he NEEDS to hear from his friends. What he's doing is really difficult and takes all he's got, he needs lots of support.
It's really difficult to read his writing in Hungarian, partly because he wrote with a fine-tip marker on thin paper on both sides...and partly because I don't know Hungarian, I can't even try to figure things out. But here is some of what he wrote:
Jo napot.
Em Hosch Elder. Vagyok, es o Kubricky Elder. Hogy hivnak? Honnan Jottel misszionariusok vagyonk Jezus Krisztus Egyhazatol Szeretnink talalkozni reled es tobbet beszelni Jezus Krisztusrol, es eserelhetnunk telefonszamokat.
-Most jo? Vagy mas alkalomman?
Jobb a litvege vagy litkoznap?
Jobb dele-tt, dilutuu, vagy este?
Szeretenk talakozni_______ (insert day of the week)
Monday: Hetfon
Tuesday: Kedden
Wednesday: Szerdan
Thursday: csutortokey
Friday: penteken
Saturday: szombaton
Sunday: vasarnapon
Koszonom szepan.
So ok...WOW. And you guys should see all the dots and dashes and slashes, etc over the vowels...this is nuts! I probably typed some of this wrong so all you Hungarian experts out there can tell me how it's supposed to be, I'm sure he did it correctly and I'm the one who read it wrong. :)
The Missionary Training Center (MTC) experience is very different, for those of you who haven't gone or aren't members;
The MTC is simply a place of learning. It's pretty exciting, actually, there are over 50 languages being taught 24/7/365. At any given time there are an average of 2,000 missionaries in the training center where Josh is...but there are 17 MTCs around the world and an average of 10,000 missionaries go through the 17 MTCs a year. The church sends missionaries to over 140 countries around the world. Mission areas are organized geographically. There are over 350 different missions. Where Josh will be going, the entire country is encompassed by only one mission-some missions cross over national borders. {Ken went to the Germany-Munich mission and served part of his time in Austria.} Missions are mainly about teaching people about our church's beliefs, but it's also a time when these young men and women completely and totally forget themselves and devote their time and energy to others. If they are learning another language they spend 8-10 weeks in the MTC learning the language and culture of their mission area. Josh went in on May 20th and is supposed to go to Hungary on our about August 3. {If they are going to a mission where they don't need to learn a new language they are there for about 2 weeks.}
Because 8-10 weeks isn't that long to learn another language, the studying is intense and goes on 6 days a week. They get a day called "preparation day" or "P-day". That will continue throughout their mission and it's the day they take care of personal business; laundry, shopping, cooking, writing home, etc. Josh's p-day right now is on Wednesdays, which is why we get emails from him on Wednesdays, he usually emails while doing his laundry. He can write letters any time of the week during breaks or whatever. Today I got to email him from my cell phone while we sat in the MVD getting Jeremy's driver's license-and it was almost like texting because he was sitting at the computer in Provo answering me right away. It was great! He did tell me he got the package we sent of fudge and Vienna Sausages (what a combination) and some of the things he left behind, like his camera battery charger, etc.
So that's about it for this week. Because his p-days are on Wednesdays that's probably the days I'll be updating.
We should have pictures from him soon, he's going to mail his memory card to us and we'll post pictures as we get them.
He has gotten letters people emailed him through www.dearelder.com. Now that the excitement of getting there and getting started is wearing down, he's more and more anxious to get to Hungary. He misses the comfort of his family around him and especially his brothers. The other missionaries are really cool and they get along well but of course it's not the same as his brothers.
One of the guys in his room was sick...let's hope he's not one of the missionaries with the flu or swine flu. I hate to think of those young guys getting sick out there. I think Josh is feeling lonesome and would love to hear from everyone, especially his friends. Actually I think he NEEDS to hear from his friends. What he's doing is really difficult and takes all he's got, he needs lots of support.
It's really difficult to read his writing in Hungarian, partly because he wrote with a fine-tip marker on thin paper on both sides...and partly because I don't know Hungarian, I can't even try to figure things out. But here is some of what he wrote:
Jo napot.
Em Hosch Elder. Vagyok, es o Kubricky Elder. Hogy hivnak? Honnan Jottel misszionariusok vagyonk Jezus Krisztus Egyhazatol Szeretnink talalkozni reled es tobbet beszelni Jezus Krisztusrol, es eserelhetnunk telefonszamokat.
-Most jo? Vagy mas alkalomman?
Jobb a litvege vagy litkoznap?
Jobb dele-tt, dilutuu, vagy este?
Szeretenk talakozni_______ (insert day of the week)
Monday: Hetfon
Tuesday: Kedden
Wednesday: Szerdan
Thursday: csutortokey
Friday: penteken
Saturday: szombaton
Sunday: vasarnapon
Koszonom szepan.
So ok...WOW. And you guys should see all the dots and dashes and slashes, etc over the vowels...this is nuts! I probably typed some of this wrong so all you Hungarian experts out there can tell me how it's supposed to be, I'm sure he did it correctly and I'm the one who read it wrong. :)
The Missionary Training Center (MTC) experience is very different, for those of you who haven't gone or aren't members;
The MTC is simply a place of learning. It's pretty exciting, actually, there are over 50 languages being taught 24/7/365. At any given time there are an average of 2,000 missionaries in the training center where Josh is...but there are 17 MTCs around the world and an average of 10,000 missionaries go through the 17 MTCs a year. The church sends missionaries to over 140 countries around the world. Mission areas are organized geographically. There are over 350 different missions. Where Josh will be going, the entire country is encompassed by only one mission-some missions cross over national borders. {Ken went to the Germany-Munich mission and served part of his time in Austria.} Missions are mainly about teaching people about our church's beliefs, but it's also a time when these young men and women completely and totally forget themselves and devote their time and energy to others. If they are learning another language they spend 8-10 weeks in the MTC learning the language and culture of their mission area. Josh went in on May 20th and is supposed to go to Hungary on our about August 3. {If they are going to a mission where they don't need to learn a new language they are there for about 2 weeks.}
Because 8-10 weeks isn't that long to learn another language, the studying is intense and goes on 6 days a week. They get a day called "preparation day" or "P-day". That will continue throughout their mission and it's the day they take care of personal business; laundry, shopping, cooking, writing home, etc. Josh's p-day right now is on Wednesdays, which is why we get emails from him on Wednesdays, he usually emails while doing his laundry. He can write letters any time of the week during breaks or whatever. Today I got to email him from my cell phone while we sat in the MVD getting Jeremy's driver's license-and it was almost like texting because he was sitting at the computer in Provo answering me right away. It was great! He did tell me he got the package we sent of fudge and Vienna Sausages (what a combination) and some of the things he left behind, like his camera battery charger, etc.
So that's about it for this week. Because his p-days are on Wednesdays that's probably the days I'll be updating.
Swine Flu at the MTC
Well, here's a news release about what's going on in the MTC.
I got that from www.newsroom.lds.org. If Josh were to get sick we'd be notified right away and he just emailed quickly (he'll email more later today) and is fine. When I hear more from Josh it will be posted right away!
I have a friend who lives in Provo and not too long ago she got sicker than she's ever been in her life; and it was the flu. Not the swine flu, but it was very bad...so the flu up there is pretty strong this season. Here's hoping all stays well with everyone there!
2,000 missionaries in there at once? Wow...
SALT LAKE CITY 1 June 2009 Parents of missionaries entering the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, are being asked to pay particular attention to the physical condition of their missionary sons and daughters and to delay their arrival at the training center if they show any signs of illness.
The caution comes on the news that three missionaries at the MTC have been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus and another 17 have tested positive for the type A flu virus.
The affected missionaries have been isolated from the rest of the approximately 2,000 missionaries currently residing at the MTC and are being cared for by the center’s medical staff until they pose no medical risk to others. All are expected to make a full recovery, and their parents have been notified.
Parents and family members coming to drop off missionaries at the MTC this week are also being notified that only missionaries will be allowed inside the buildings. This is to prevent additional exposure to the missionaries from outside sources.
Elder Richard G. Hinckley, executive director of the Missionary Department, said: “As always, the well-being of our missionaries is our top priority. We are erring on the side of caution and taking all necessary steps to ensure they are in a healthy environment. The MTC medical staff is following an established protocol designed to deal effectively with issues related to communicable diseases.”
As a preventative measure, missionaries scheduled to depart from the MTC to missionary assignments are being delayed a week to ensure they are free from illness.
I got that from www.newsroom.lds.org. If Josh were to get sick we'd be notified right away and he just emailed quickly (he'll email more later today) and is fine. When I hear more from Josh it will be posted right away!
I have a friend who lives in Provo and not too long ago she got sicker than she's ever been in her life; and it was the flu. Not the swine flu, but it was very bad...so the flu up there is pretty strong this season. Here's hoping all stays well with everyone there!
2,000 missionaries in there at once? Wow...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
