August 10, 2023: The Last Days

 "I wouldn't stay here for longer than 2 minutes and 35 seconds if I were you. We're having the walls and ceilings removed"

A mission is the closest thing we have in life to a reset button. maybe the science is possible.

I'm probably in Germany by the time this email gets to you precious souls who have followed me thus far. I cant even begin to explain how I feel right now, as I sit on an airplane knowing that the next place I'll be is the mission field. So many feelings of excitement yet anxeity. The joy of knowing I'll finally arrive in the place I've been called to labor, but it means letting go of everything I've learned to be comfortable with. The MTC has taught me so much, but it's hardly even the tip of the iceberg of my journey thus far. This will be the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, and I want to embrace it. 

To the weak, he asks to come, recieve my strength, and they lift the world.

To the broken, he asks to come, let me fill you, and they are whole. 

To the lost, he asks to come, seek for me, and they are found

To the lonely, he asks to come, speak with me, and they are loved

And to the world, he asks to come, follow me, and they will rest.

Highlights:

10 days ago we started doing a thing where we picked someone every day to get in the middle of our district circle and we go around and compliment them. One day for every member of our district, and it was really sweet.

We got our travel plans last friday, which was awesome, even though I'm already on the plane

We had a substitue teacher on saturday who was so amazing. I've been dreading the first day, because they literally just throw you onto the street with a companion and you start finding people to teach first thing, and if you know me I am generally pretty nonconfrontational. He told us that he would talkt to 500 people every week with his first companion, and for some reason that just made me so excited and turned all of my fear away. I'm still anxious, and always will be, but it doesn't matter anymore because I know that if he can be given the strength to do that, than I can as well. 

I've learned that getting enough sleep is so vital for learning a language. 30 minutes can make the difference between progress and frustration.

We took a language assessment, and I got a 5.7/10 which supposedly makes me an Intermediate German speaker. Nobody quite knows what that means though, and I don't think it holds any bearing on our actual german skills. 

During our departing devotional we got to hear an exclusive clip from Elder Holland

The German flag was hung up on our last day (It's only been there twice)

Brown spicy mustard is neither brown nor spicy

I ventured into the dungeon of horrors (The MTC Barber Shop), got a haircut from someone who wasn't my mom (gasp). I hardly survived the many exceedingly sharp blades that edged my face and my skull (she did a wonderful job)

 

My comp, at 11pm on our last day said he was going to the 4th floor of our residency to get a haircut. Sure enough, an hour later he came back with a real haircut. I guess missionaries just do that at the MTC? 

Yesterday for class our teacher let us have a district picnic with all the snacks we could by at the BYU Creamery store with the leftover cash on our MTC cards. after that we sat in the grass and had one of the most incredible testimony meetings I've ever been a part of as a district. It was so powerful, and yet the one common theme throughout was how great the love of God is. The most simple gospel concepts are the always the ones that move the most people, and it's amazing.

last night, we had the privilege to participate in our residential floor's sendoff tradition. We've done this every week for those who are leaving, but this time it was our turn to be those guys. the whole floor gathers in the bathroom at night (the acoustics are superb) and as elders we sing "god be with you till we meet again". Then somebody performs a vocal solo of "hallelujah" (it's not a mission approved song but dont tell anybody). None of the elders in my district are specifically singers so we did a quartet instead. We then went to our rooms at 10, and packed until about 1:15AM, got a quick nap in, and woke up at 3 to head to the airport. 

Sorry this was a long one. The last month has already changed my life and I can only imagine what the next 23 will be like. 

Ich weiss, dass Gott lebt. Ich weiss, dass sein Sohn für uns gestorben hat. Ich weiss dass die Schriften wahr sind. Ich fühle die Friede, dass daduch kommt. Ich weiss dass, die liebe Gottes echt ist. Ich weiss, dass Ich nach Deutschland für einem Grund gehe.

nechste mal du werdst von mir hören, werde Ich in deutschland eine woche gelebt haben.

Elder Tage Rex