Monday, January 27, 2014

Question's, Pictures and a "David" story. :)

This week we asked Alec a lot of questions that we wanted answered.  Some got answered, some didn't.  Alec and Mom also exchanged emails back and forth so this post will be a little different.  As much as I loved the email chat we had, I wish I would have just let him email me his answers and tell me things he wanted to tell me.  I did get one funny story from him and some pictures!  YAY! 

My questions and responses are in red and his answers and responses are in blue.  :)
This is the email with all the questions he wrote back his answers in a separate email.

What is your companions name?  Elder Christensen
Where is he from?  Ummmmmm somewhere in the east, I don't remember and we're like on splits today so I'm with a different elder.
What do you do on your p-day?  Breakfast, Temple, Nap, Lunch, Nap, Laundry and Emailing, Dinner, Class, Shower, Bed.  In that Order.
How many hours do you spend in class?  Roughly 12 hours
When do you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner?  Breakfast is at 7:30, Lunch is usually 12:10, and dinner is at like 6-6:30
Do you get our "dear elder" emails each night?  I get them at lunch and dinner, I go and pick them up
Do you read them at dinner?  I read them when I get them.
Did you get to see Karina?  No, and it's Corrina
Have you been in trouble for sleeping in yet?  Surprisingly, No
What do you do on Sunday's?  Dad's gonna love this, But church is legitimately all day and it starts at 7:30 (which is like 6:30 for you fools)
Do you feel you are learning the language easily?  Some days are easier than others
How long will you be zone leader?  Until I leave the MTC
Have you gone to the store in the MTC?  Twice
Do you use your gym time?  The whole 50 minutes, I am a MASTER at volleyball.  I play with all the Tongans, Hawaiians, and like all the other pacific islanders.  I am the only white-boy on the court.
What do you do during that time if you do?  Jazz dance!  Joke-lang! (pronounced long)  Volleyball.
How many people share a room?  Anywhere from 2 to 6 elders per room.
What are their names?  In my room, its Me, Elder Christensen, Elder Dunford and Elder Crandall
Where are they from?  Elder Dunford is from mid-Cali, and Elder Crandall is from Texas
Is time flying by for you?  No.  I have been here a week and I feel like it's been months.
Give us an timeline of your day...  6:30- Up and showering, 7-7:30- Breakfast, 7:50-12- Class.  Lunch is about 45 minutes.  Class is then from like 1-5, dinner is at like 6ish, Class again from like 6:50-9:30, Bedtime is at 10:30
What is your favorite thing you have eaten there?  Dinner last night, it was like Spicy Chicken nugget thingies (like from Panda) and Sweet potater fries
Are you cold yet?  No  Need gloves?  Yes  A hat?  Yes
Are you using your hand sanitizer so you don't get sick?  No (seriously?  YUCK!  just mom's thought on this one.)
Have you been taking your allergy pill?
Have you coughed and/or gagged at all in the morning?
Are you remembering to take pictures?  I try when I can (which is usually my P-days, and I'm on my 2nd one.
Would you rather get more mail in the real mail?  It doesn't matter
Have you heard from anyone besides us?
Have you started your thank you cards yet?  Please do that soon.  I haven't had the time, but I'll have them done before I leave
What time do you go to bed?  10:30
Are you sleeping well?  I get the recommended 8 hours but I wish it was like 10 hours

He then goes one to write in our back and forth emails:
I have some pictures but I have to send them one email at a time because I have a size limit of 15mb and all my pictures are 6 almost 7 each (#firstworldprobs) 


                                                          Here's me and my companion at the temple
                                        I think this is all the elders in my zone, with a photo bomber
                                                This is how everyone puts their alarm clocks.  Brilliant
                                                         My bed (no, it doesn't always look like that)
My room
                              Average Day in Class...  This about sums it up when we have break


YAY P DAY!  I just threw all my clothes into the washers so I have clean clothes!  It's a good thing I have 10 garments.  Which jacket did Austin take?
I think he took a black one?
Ok, I figured he would.  Could you send me the red-ish one?  I need another jacket because I'm washing my VGHS hoodie.
I will send it when I send you banana bread.  It is more maroon-ish than red.  There are two left after Austin took one.
Ok cool, then just send both?  I'll be sending my jackets back and a few other things before I leave.  Guess what?  And Dad sent the first package right?  With the mints and what not?  They're a bit too minty.
Give them away if you don't like them.  Oh, Dad wants to know what language your tags are in.
English (LAME) 
Not lame, but it would be cool in another language though.
No one wants them, too minty.  I'd like a fruity one if they have that, and yeah it would be cooler if it was in my language, but they do speak English there.
Awesome.  I love you so much.
Love you too mom.  I've got some free time so I think I'll go take some more pictures.
First tell me the guess what thing...

So today I went to go get my hair cut (wasn't planning on it but I was there and they only had to take care of the 2 elders I am with) so when they asked for my name they started to freak out and one of them was like "Sit in this one!  David sat here too!"  So I was like uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh okay?  It was occa-awkward.

I am literally laughing out loud.  That was one question I forgot to ask...how many times have you been asked "THE question".  (Are you related?)
Too many times.  But I was getting tired of No, so I've told some peeps (ahem, I mean Elders and Sisters) he's one of my cousins and then they start freaking out and then I'm like JK! haha
Oh my gosh, that is terrible.  But funny.  I am glad you got to sit where THE David Archuleta sat.  That's awesome.
I felt quite honored actually.
I would be too...but I love him.  ;)
-_____-  I was being sarcastic
NO, not you!  Okay, I will send fruity ones, anything else?
so the jackets, nana bread, and the fruit mints....Hmmmmm...DP would be nice...  :D
I am not sending DP.  It's prolly against the rules.
No, I've seen at least 12 other Elders with DP, Mountain Dew and Coke! 
Where did they get them?  Were they mailed and if so in what?  Cans, two liters, what?
Everything but the 2 liter.  Gtg, hour is up.  Love you

And then he was off.  It was a lot of conversations between emails and I tried to make sense of them in this post.  I like the emails better.  :)






Saturday, January 18, 2014

Life in the MTC


Alec just before we dropped him off at the MTC  
.  
We received 3 emails from Alec on Friday, just two days after we dropped him off!
Life in the MTC

I forgot more than just my 'tainers... Luckily I havent needed them yet but please send them ASAP. Im the zone leader for my zone so i get to pick up the mail twice a day! Im also what is called a "Solo Missionary" here in the MTC. I have an assigned companion but he is learning a different language. I also found out were still pronouncing Hilagaynon wrong. its like hill-uh-guy-non... weird. Its also referred to as "Ilonggo." I really enjoy all the other elders i have around me. They're pretty cool, and since things arent crazy after day one, which BT Dubbs like 30 minutes after you guys dropped me off i was already in class learning Ilonggo. It's mad cray cray. so far i can say: yes, no, whats up, thank you, maybe, and I know that my savior jesus christ lives (yes, that did escalate quickly.) I have 2 name tags, the one like Prez. Perez showed us and a magnetic one (its pretty legit). I miss you guys, and remind Jake and Jack to be strong and that they can always pray if they need help or guidance. I love you all, and today (Friday) is my P-day so ive been in my shorts and toby shirt all day and i thought someone would say something until i saw an elder with a bob marley thing... So im good. 

Sincerely,
        Elder Archuleta

Email #2
pssstttttt 
it was my scriptures....

Email #3
pssstttttt (again)
Send some more snacks too... and some DP.... they only have root beer and fresca here (which isn't too bad but still i needs it) 

Oh also i told the other Elders you make some awesome banana bread.... so send some of that too!


I will send pictures next Friday. i literally have not had time to take pictures. Freaking Ilonggo.... But yea stuff and yea. The food here is like REALLY good and stuff so I'm well fed. I'm not sick but everyone else either is or just was. Weird.


More info about the solo missionary status:
Since I'm a solo elder, I don't always have to have my companion. I can walk around with any 2 elders I want, or the two sister missionaries from my class (but that's the only time i can walk with sister missionaries)


Today i went through the temple with my zone (the elders I'm with) and it was kinda weird not having dad there. But i was dressed quicker than most of the other elders (THANK YOU SLIP HOOKS)

Thanks for all the other shnacks and I'm assuming it was dads idea to send the mints. Good thing, gum is like a HUGE no no here because in like most cultures that's like super rude (especially in the Philippines)

Salamat! (thank you!)

Elder Archuleta