Oh my gosh thanks for coming in clutch with the package! I loved it so much. I felt so cool. But also Elder McCausland gets a package everyday so step it up maybe.
I really appreciate everything in my package but I still need a wallet, gold fish crackers, some post it notes, maybe a pack or two of 12 colored pencils, a photo album of me and all my life before the mission, and maybe some cheap cool stickers to deck out all my stuff and my letters I write home. Other than that I'm pretty set.
I still need updates on current events tho. I heard this pokemon go thing is HUGE, we saw the flag at half mast again and then heard something about France and more terrorism stuff. INSANE! and then of course what's happening with the government elections and then also Russias new laws with missionaries??
OK I'm running out of things to write about because everything is the same here. The world (Drake) says "nothing was the same" but the MTC says "everything is the same." This letter is going to be very unorganized sorry.
This week Hma Barlow came back and we were sooo happy!
During Ciclo, Ekblad and I go find a piano and he plays while I read the Book of Mormon. I am most definitely not complaining. He's wayyy good and one time Elder Parke and Gwilliam came, and Gwilliam is a monster at piano. Look up "all of me" by John Schmidt because he played that for us and it's unreal. He said it took him like 2 years or something to learn it. Speaking of music my two favorite songs I've found here are "Elements" by Lindsey Stirling and the MoTab which is excellent and "Bring him home" by Alfie Bowie from Les Mis. Gets me everytime. It's all on Mormontabernaclechoir.org.
On thursdays we have the opportunity to do service and this week we lucked out. We got to go off campus and drive over to Y view apartments to help move beds and furniture out of the buildings. It's the third time we've been off campus and we got to go in cars which was weird because I haven't been in one in forever. We got to go out in the world for the first time in forever. (tangled reference)
Our volleyball games this week were either bad or insanely good. On Saturday we all played our best game yet and it was some insane playing. We'd all spike crazy hard and someone would dig it back and our rallies were like minutes long. I had a couple solid blocks and after one of them they told me it counted less of a block because I was a "democrat" but then I responded with "sure I'm a democrat but I'll still build Trumps wall" and made a blocking motion and they were all going crazy after that. Our trash talking is pretty competitve but fun, and it's funny because we don't even keep score so we don't even know who wins. We always will have the same teams though because our 2 5v5 teams are like 100% chemistry.
This week's struggle/ the struggle of my life is that only Kochevar and I can't roll our R's so Hno. Moore had to teach us separately but we are both lost causes. Now all the time I say "RA RE RI RO RU" over and over and over again to get my R's rolling but nothing. #pray4Colin I need all the help I can get. Luckily both Moore and Barlow told us that they couldn't in the MTC but learned in the field.
This whole week we have been trying to figure out who the new District leader would be. Ekblad was passionate about NOT becoming it and actually our whole district was pretty adamant about not becoming the district leader. We had our bets on Parke, Jones, or Kimberling but towards the end people were saying me or Wagner. On Sunday, Parke and Gwilliam were called out of class and we knew it was going to be Parke but they came back and they're our new Zone Leaders!!! hahah we were all stoked!!! And Kimberling is our new District leader which he was pretty not excited about.
This week we didn't have a tie draft. Not because of that one guy that stopped us but because our President says that he felt people were being excluded from it. (Not true at all because it's an optional thing) but we obeyed. I think it was a one week hiatus though so it might come back this week.
On Sunday we were going over to the devotional and it was sooo packed that we had to sit in overflow, which we were all beyond bummed about to begin with. Luckily we just watched "the character of Christ" again which was just as excellent the 2nd time but afterwards during the time when we would normally watch a church video guess who shows up?! THEE ELDER DAVID A. BEDNAR HIMSELF. Everyone in the overflow was livid (because the word I wouldve used isn't church appropriate). He had one of his famous Q&A which was just super cool to see. One thing I learned is that Bednar is a CERTIFIED savage. Like no joke. He's a real apostle of the Lord but that doesn't stop him from roasting kids left and right. It's hard to explain. This one girl goes "konichiwa" as she begins to ask him her question and Bednar interupts and says "it's not morning sister" and then continues to correct her japanese in his own perfect japanese. Oh my gosh. It may be hard to imagine this but it happened and everyone went nuts.
Speaking of Japan I sat next to this girl at dinner one day and I started talking to her (ya I'm a rebel as a missionary) but she's from New Zealand and going to Sapporo Japan. All her district is from Japan and she's the only one who speaks english. Her accent was SO cool though. That's really why we started talking to her.
Anyways, that's basically it for this week. Sorry it wasn't that cool.
I guess I should send something spiritual so I'll just talk about how cool the book of Mormon is. I'm over half way done now. I'm in Alma 48 after Captain Moroni, being the MAN that he is, creates the Title of Liberty. The chapter goes on to say that he is comparable to Alma and the Sons of Mosiah, who as you know are my all-time favorites, so I guess I'll add Captain Moroni to my list. The Book of Mormon is good stuff. I love it!
Love you all so very much. Miss you like crazy. I had a couple dreams where I was at home and it was weird to wake up after those.
Goodbye for now.
Elder Ross
**note: many of the following pictures are taken/captioned facetiously by Colin; he did not in fact speak at a devotional, etc.
Serving the Lord 2 by 2 has never been so much fun. With the companionship of Ekblad (and the Holy Ghost of course ;p) We can do anything. We plan, and we teach, and we baptize. That's our job. And we do a good job.
Ok so the first pic is me recreating a drug bust looking picture. If you know what I'm talking about. All the bags are individually wrapped and at first that's what I thought it was.
The painting is super cool and I always like it when I walk past so i figured I'd snap a pic of it and sent it to you guys
Whats the point of marking scriptures if you dont know what it means?! With my creative mind, and drawing skills, I have now made my scripture reading the best yet!
Being a missionary requires lots of planning. I LOVE planning. here's a pic of me developing both my skills and my passion for planning :))
Elder Ekblad is a great example for me. He even has been teaching me a few things on the piano. I just love learning new hobbies!!!! cant wait to come back and major in Piano composition. ;-p
So for the tuesday night devotional they asked ME of all people to give a talk. LOL I just love public speaking now that I'm a missionary! speaking in front of 2,400 people is like nothing. It's almost like talking to a small group. Luckily my friend snapped a pic during the talk.
Growing my leadership capacity is also what I've been doing here. Teaching lessons is not an issue and being able to effectively communicate is now one of my strong points.
Reading the scriptures is nice but reading the scriptures with a question in mind is GREAT!! I love being able to mark my scriptures and write my thoughts. Such a blast. "sorry I cant have fun with you, I'm too busy with my scriptures" - me all day.
You thought I was a good leader but Im also good at leading music now that Im a missionary. Its not just waving your hand around, its directing a choir! so much power in leading music. WOW!
Elder Wagner and I matched for the 2nd time unplanned!! we were like "whaaaa?! no way!" he is a super star
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