MTC Veteran. . . Countdown to CANADA!

Elder Gelwix & Elder Smith

"Boulevard Ward Boys"

Family and Friends,
Thank you so much for all the letters and packages! Your support is awesome! I feel like the most loved missionary in the MTC! Addison and Alex, thank you for the pictures and letters also. Dad and Payt, your letters are awesome. Mom and Grandma, you top out with amazing packages.

I have so much amazing food here. Haha. This is awesome because here, we go by the law of consecration. So in this aspect of the MTC, I think I'm one of the favorites. It's extremely fun too, because I've been able to greet the new missionaries in the MTC next door to us in our dorms. I know how hard the first day is, so it's been awesome to greet two new sets of missionaries with amazing homemade food. At first, they were shocked, just like I was when I first got here when I was greeted with food and nice missionaries as well. It's awesome here because everyone is so nice and helpful. The firesides have been awesome and a ton of fun. I've learned so much. One of the coolest parts was at one of our firesides when the whole auditorium full of missionaries was singing "Armies of Helaman." It was so powerful. It's an awesome place! It's been really cool because I run into a ton of Canadian missionaries. I really think I've learned how to speak their language. Two of them came into one of the districts that we welcomed into our dorm. They're really cool. One of them reminds me of a mix of Jordan Bowman and Matt Collette. He's really cool. He's told me a ton of cool facts about Canada, and they do say 'tight' there, which I think is 'tight'. It's gotten a ton easier as I've gotten into the routine, and now I'm just ready for Canada. I HAVE MY TRAVEL PLANS!!! I have to be up Wednesday morning at three AM, and report by four. I then am driven to the Salt Lake Airport, and my plane leaves for Denver at 7:30. I should get there at 9, and then I'll leave at 10:20 for Winnipeg. I should get there at 1:30. AND GUESS WHAT, I'M ALLOWED TO CALL HOME!!! So expect a call before 7:30, and hopefully another, once I get to Denver, haha. I'm so excited to hear your voices and to be on my way to Canada.

I just wanted to let you know that I love and miss you soooooo much! I looked at my life and I can't believe how blessed I have been! I am sure that I have better family and friends than anyone here!! I have been so lucky and I regret not being more grateful for it throughout my life! You people are so amazing! I can't even express how grateful I am for you! I love you all so much! Thank you for all of the support! It's crazy because while I've been here, I've seen kids who have broken families, messed up parents, wierd friends, lost sibling, and all around horrible lives! I even met a super cool kid who is completely color blind! But they are all still out here doing the Lord's work! Its been a shocker to me because I am sooo blessed! I wouldn't want anything different about my life! You all are so amazing and you have been soo good to me! We all run into hard times but we have to remember how lucky we are!

Finally, I know even with all the blessing that we have life isn't easy! We all have trials of our own that we have to get through! Even out here in this "spiritual prison" haha and I mean that in a good way rather than in the bad way we are used to! haha But out here and everywere else there are going to be trials! I found this scripture chapter and it honestly is my fav of all time, right now! It's Ether 12!! Check out the whole chapter its amazing! Mom read through it for Family Home Evening! its good stuff! But once again, I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all you do! You are amazing! Don't worry about me at all because I'm fantastic!! Oh and alex! Way to rock the football championship! you're the man! And payt, kick trash friday night and "pick" a couple for me! Everyone knows you're the stud of that teams so just keep rockin' it in the games! love you all!!

Chandler

MTC Address

To write to Chandler in the MTC, either go to www.dearelder.com,  Mailbox #220, or 

US Mail Address: 

MTC Mailbox #220
CAN-WIN 1028

2005N. 900 E. 

Provo, UT 84604-1793. 

He would love to hear from you!

"Redouble My Efforts" D&C 127:4

Friends and Family,

One week at the MTC is officially down. I can honestly say that this has been the hardest experience of my life! Thank you for everything you have sent! Especially the Canadian advice Payt! Haha, oh and Alex, great job on the football stuff! Addison, I love the book, it's on my wall. My comps and district are awesome. We're all so different, but we can learn a ton from each other.

The first day was so crazy. In about two minutes, they slapped on a name tag, took my luggage, got all of my info, showed me my room, introduced me to my companion, to my teacher and showed me my classroom. It was so stressful that I was sitting there completely overwhelmed, and I was LITERALLY dripping sweat. I wanted to start crying and call my mom (ha ha). Then I realized that I somehow lost the small packet of everything that I needed to survive here at the MTC. At this point, I was ready to rage. I was grabbing desperately for my cell phone to call my mom (ha ha). But immediately, the teacher pulled me aside and settled me down. I think he noticed that my suit was wet with perspiration! It was quite an experience. 

For the next three days, I kept my cool and learned a lot. But I spent most of my time thinking about myself and my family. I kept asking myself how I had gotten into this (ha ha). Then I watched  a talk from Jeffrey R. Holland "Miracle of a Mission". I truly believe this talk was for me. Elder Holland literally threw down the most powerful talk/testimony I'd ever heard! He said that this is the most important thing I'll ever do! This is the most important work in the entire world! He said whenever we were down and wondering why it was so hard, and why people weren't  flocking to the font, it's because salvation is not cheap. It will never be easy, and it is not supposed to be. This was where everything began to click for me. The next morning , I was still so tired. If you work hard here at the MTC, it is truly the most spiritually, mentally, and physically draining experience ever. I was running in circles in the class studying just to stay awake. I asked one of the veteran missionaries (he's been here two weeks) when did he get over the tiredness and how did he deal with it. He said, "you don't get over it" (ha ha) But he showed me this scripture, D&C 127:4. After reading this, I decided that when I'm down I just need to "redouble my efforts" (easier said than done). 

There has also been some funny experiences here at the MTC. I got rocked in basketball by some Studly's, so I gave up basketball the next day and dominated some nerdy missionaries in four square. Then our district leader (my roomy) got the Swine Flu. They tested us for it, gave us some pills so we don't get it, we call 'em birth control pills. I've made many good friends with Elders that I wouldn't usually get to know. And I've learned to love goofy scripture jokes.

Oh! I also placed my first Book of Mormon. Everyday we get a little time to call back people that have called about church commercials. So I called this man, but it was the wrong number (ha ha). But I just told him I had a quick message and I laid down a two minute testimony, and asked him if he would like a Book of Mormon. He said that he would love one, so I got his info and sent it! It was one of the coolest things ever! And I'm pretty positive he will get baptized. I'm really pumped because from the couple minutes I talked to him he seemed like the "enduring to the end" kind of man. Honestly, this has been the biggest emotional roller coaster of my life. I've never cried so much for my friends and family, but I honestly have cried more over the Spirit that I've felt here. Everyday, I have the best spiritual experiences ever. Yesterday, I was making phone calls again, and I placed six more Book of Mormons! Two of the ladies that I placed them with talked to me for close to thirty minutes each. I gave both of them the first lesson and quoted the First Vision from memory. It was the coolest thing ever! Right then, I knew there was no better work than this. I also know that I would never be able to teach like that without the help of the Spirit. This place is so hard, but  so amazing! I know this is where I'm supposed to be. It is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's worth it! I love you all so much and thank you for all your support. The letters and packages are so amazing and I cannot believe how blessed I am.

Sorry I don't have time to write anyone else. PLEASE send all your stuff through Dear Elder.com or the mail. I won't have time to read or even look at the email.  The package was AWESOME. You never cease to amaze. Thank you so much. Good luck with everything. I love you all. I'll look forward to your letters.

Love, Chandler   

Let the Adventure Begin! MTC

Wednesday at 1:35 PM Elder Smith fell in line with many other brave young Elders as they marched up the sidewalk leading to the Missionary Training Center! He only looked back when he heard another Elder behind him say, "Chandler?" He turned around and was so happy! Now we just anxiously await that precious first letter! Stay tuned.  

The Big Call

Chandler and Curtis had been fishing at Beckler Meadows in Yellowstone National Park the day his call arrived, so Kris and the kids and grandparents drove to Big Judd's in Ashton with the call to meet them. 

We have always loved Big Judd's for the hamburgers and fries, but now it really holds special significance. 

From there we spent a fun weekend at the cabin in Island Park!