Week 4 at the MTC

[It was a short letter this week...]

Things I want to tell you:

1. I had a double bleeding nose at the beginning of the week! ya that was a mess, I was in my Sunday dress clothes. 

2. A guy in my zone ate an entire banana, peel and all, haha.

3. Elder Cameron had some extra Canadian flag iron on patches so I put one on my bag.

4. I was called as District Leader! 

[Questions from home:

1. What did you study this week in Dutch?

2.  Are you learning more about the Gospel each week, do you study different Gospel topics?

3.  Did you get mine and Grandma Noel’s parcels?

4.  Do you need me to send you anything because this is probably the last week I can send something for it to make it there on time before you leave.

5.  Are you getting excited to go to Belgium and the Netherlands?  Do you know when your visa will be approved and do you have a departure date?

6.  What is your favourite part of your day?

7.  How is your cold, are you feeling better now? 

8.  How was the temple last week?]

1. We studied conjugation of verbs in all the tenses yay! 

2. Ya I learn a lot about the gospel, it is all intertwined really tightly with the language.

3. I got your parcel a while ago, on Friday. Not gmas though. I was so happy when I got the package! And its amazing, everything you put in there was something I was just about to buy like the notepad or stain pens. 

4. There's a couple things but nothing really worth sending.

5. Oh yes, we are all super pumped. I get my flight plans this Friday so that is exciting, I don't know anything about my visa though and I'm pretty sure my date is Feb 7. 

6. The best part of my day is either gym or when my day is over at 9:30 and I can go home and chill for a little bit. 

7. I am healthy again now! 

8. Temple was good as usual. I did an endowment session. 

From our Hangout chat:

-Nick was able to eat dinner with Elder Brett Sheen and Elder Ryan Black last night before they left for Winnipeg today, Elder Matt Stewart will be the one picking them up from the airport, all Lethbridge boys!

-He grabbed a sack breakfast this morning and asked for yogurt, a banana, bagel and chocolate milk because you have to be in Sunday dress to eat in the cafeteria. 

-The new MTC President and his wife sat with Nick's district to eat in the cafeteria for a meal. 

-He is now understanding why I ask him to turn his socks right side out before throwing them in the wash, its much easier turning them before than after and such a pain he says, haha.

-He really appreciates all the emails from everyone!

-Three new elders called to Turkey arrived in the zone last week, one is from Edmonton and Nick played Rugby against him in the Edmonton tournament last year. Also, only elders are called to Turkey, not sister missionaries.

-When elders leave the MTC and leave things behind, the remaining elders like to go raid their stuff  (he compared it to a zombie apocalypse).  He scored some envelopes!

-He is used to the schedule and doesn't get tired anymore during the days.

-He really likes learning Dutch and is getting used to the grammar and language construction: for the word should you combine = zouden + moeten and then conjugate them to the subject; could = zouden + kunnen.     

-This week for TRC (Teaching Resource Center) they are skyping with members in the Netherlands for 20 minutes to teach a practice lesson.

-He lost a bet with the district last night and has to speak Dutch all day today but doesn't mind.  

-One of his favourite times of the week is on Tuesdays when the rest of the zone goes to dinner an hour early because of choir practice and he and Elder Tanner go to the computer lab and watch Mormon Messages for an hour.  

-He fills in his time with a lot of scripture reading.

Temple pic of the week

Canadian in the snow!

a beautiful day

the walk to the temple with the zone

that's some fluffy snow!

happy to get a parcel from home

fortunately it's Dry Erase

Elder Cameron (the flag moves every week!)

Week 3 at the MTC

Dutch is coming really good. I did learn some interesting things ... baptism in dutch is doop, which is pronounced dope haha so John the Baptist is Johannes de Dooper.
You hear so many cool missionary stories here it's awesome. My mission prez went to Holland on his mission and he shares some good stories. There are people there that will listen! I can't wait for Matt to come. The Hungarians in my zone will still be here when Matt comes so I have been telling them about him haha.  Oh I bought a mission shirt I'll send a pic later when I get it. Everyone here wears one.

I have a couple other things to tell you about

1. This Sunday I had to prepare a talk in case I was randomly chosen to speak on Sunday and it has to be in Dutch, I also had to do a lesson this Sunday in Priesthood with my comp on baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. I was so nervous because I wanted it to be so good. Then we started doing it and the whole thing was perfect! Not only did the presidency congratulate us so did the guys in the class. I was super happy with myself afterwards it was just so good.
2. TRC we do once a week and it's when we get to teach members in Dutch for 2 20 minute lessons. I taught this old couple in Dutch with my comp and it went good. I was nervous that we wouldn't be able to fill the whole time but instead it was hard to leave on time. I was able to talk and teach good without using any notes.
3. We teach a mock investigator everyday and sometime 2 a day and for the past week I haven't been bringing in any notes to read off of, sometimes English ones but no Dutch ones at all. It helps me progress I feel because I have to come up with the words there and I think it's better for the onderzoeker because its more personal than reading off a paper. My comp and I have been successful with our mock onderzoekers so far! It's fun!
4. Dutch grammar is weird, for example I know that Jesus is real becomes I know that Jesus real is or do you love to read the scriptures? is love you to the scriptures read? It's hard to do on the spot.
5. I met a guy who is like 40 and he knows a Koelger from Lethbridge, he served with him on his mission in Marseille France, so its not Peter, maybe a brother???
6. Elder Cameron had to go to a dentist yesterday and that means we got to go off campus. Me him and Elder Tanner got on a shuttle to go to the dentist nearby. The first weird thing was being in a car. It's been so long since I have been in one. It was as if I was experiencing a car ride for the first time. It also felt really unproductive not being in class for even an hour... the next weird thing was being in public, seeing cars and stores and houses was odd and I realized I hadn't seen children in so long. The next thing was the dentist, they were playing new music on the radio and I had heard all the songs but it was heavenly to hear music again!!! Man I miss it, we sing in class sometimes the songs we remember. They played party in the USA on the radio and it was awesome. The dentist also gave us slushies before we left so when we got back we flaunted them to the others in the district. The whole thing was sooooo much fun and was really weird, it was like a vacation.
7. The MTC presidency switched and the new ones spoke on Sunday, the new president has a Texas accent it's so cool and entertaining. I was in the cafeteria and I met him, he tried to pronounce my name and I told him where I'm going and where I'm from.

[Questions from home:
1. How is your cold?  Are you feeling better?
2. What did you learn this week?
3. I’d like it if you’d write some Dutch.
4. How was your trip to the temple last week?
5. Is your district/zone/branch athletic?  How are your basketball skills?
6. I’d like to hear what gospel insights you are learning.  Are you keeping a journal?
7. Do you feel like the MTC is new or do you feel like an old pro now, haha?]

1. I am still sick but its a lot better, so many people in our zone are sick and some a lot worse than me. Last Saturday was my worst day but I still get headaches.
2. I learned about verb conjugation and kickers and kissers and modals
3. Ik weet dat de heilige geest echt is en het heilspan echt is. Ik weet dat God kent mij en dat hij zon voor ons stierf. Hij steirf voor onze zonden en wij kunnen bekering omdat hij dat doet. Ik weet dat het Boek van Mormon is de waarheid en dat Joseph Smith vertalled het boek van mormon en dat hij is een profeet van God. ( I hope thats all spelt right and make sense when you use google translate. I don't have my books to write anything so that's all out of my head just now.)
4. Temple was really good, I did sealings for the first time with Elder Keller. It was so cool.
5. Ya we are and we just got 3 new Albanians, 2 elders and 1 sister. In our district we have a good long distance runner, a few good basketball players and an all around athlete. My basketball skills = not so good hahah.
6. Yup i keep a journal everyday so far! I know a lot about the restoration and plan of salvation and commandments and gospel of Jezus Christus.
7. I feel like an old pro now.

love lots elder fernhout

Water Fountain at Provo Temple

Provo Temple

Serious photo of the district

The Zone

Stack of study material!

Week 2 at the MTC

Hey mum, couple cool things that happened. Elder Neil L. Anderson [an LDS apostle] spoke to us yesterday. I took a lot of notes. I am currently sick [with a cold] which sucks so much. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I met up with Mike and Brett and Ryan yesterday to take a pic before Mike leaves. I'll upload some more pics later today. I'm doing laundry right now. The language is coming good. Some days I feel great and others really not. Recently I feel really good about it all.

The food here is getting worse and worse. Sometimes they have fast food though like Taco Bell or Chick-Fil-A which is good. I often have an upset stomach. The TP here is awful.  I did end up finding hangers so don't send any. It would be nice if you could send me a water bottle.

Oh me and my comp got locked out of our room one night and had to run to the front desk in our PJs in the snow and with slippers. We didn't have our key cards so it took forever to get inside the main building. We got a replacement room key and headed back to our residence where we couldn't get inside that building either. So we threw snowballs at the windows until someone came to let us in. It was craziness but also fun. I am in a tripanionship right now because Elder Li went to a new district to learn English first.

Our schedule changed and I get to sleep in a bit now but I have gym class early in the morning. Gym gets hyped, we have rivalries with the other zones... volleyball is also fun and basketball too. But 4 square is where its at.

It feels busy and ya I have a good routine going. I sleep really good here. I fall asleep in about 10 mins every night but all the other guys say it takes them forever and that they wake up all the time. I am so glad I don't wake up during the night. Ya I am always learning. Aw poor Porter, I miss him [Porter howls when he is lonely]. Anyway talk later, ask me questions!

Terry's chocolate orange!!!

love you lots see ya.

Questions:
1. What is the MTC store like? Did you buy anything?
2. Are you studying hard?  I bet you are learning good study habits and skills!
3. What are your teachers like?
4. Which missionaries are going to Trinidad?
5. Do you get along well with your district?
6. Do you have enough exercise/casual clothes?
7. Also, I’m getting the information ready for your missionary plaque to hang up in the church.  Do you still want to use Joshua 1:9 or do you have a new one you have come across that you like better?
8. Do you have any visa information yet?
9. Did you check out your blog?

1. store is cool, I have bought a pen and a notebook and chocolate covered cinnamon bears ;) [He knows those are my favourite] I get 6 dollars to spend every week but I have used my debit card once
2. I am studying hard but everyone in my district is fun so we often get distracted
3. I have 2 teachers, both are young returned missionaries, both girls. They are both going to school at BYU. Zr. Larsen and Zr. Hansen.  Zr. Hansen is a lot of fun.
4. Elder Andrews, Elder Keller and Zuster Jordan
5. Ya everyone in my district and zone are awesome, we all get along great and not one person is weird or anything. I am grateful for them all.
6. Ya I have enough clothes.
7. Ya I'll just use that scripture, I do like a lot of others but I can't think of them right now...
8. I had to poop in a cup for Belgium visa, one of the grossest things I've done... I've also had 1 shot and blood drawn so I think I'm good.
9. I haven't seen it yet but I want to! later today I will.

the worst of the visa requirements, on week #2 nonetheless, haha

studying so much is exhausting

cafeteria

food looks not bad!

His bed just happens to match the Netherland's flag

Lethbridge boys

Residence Hall

Zone

Elders Fernhout, Cameron, and Tanner

Provo Temple

First Week in the MTC

After a delayed flight out of Lethbridge, lost luggage, and a night in Calgary, Elder Fernhout finally made it to the MTC on Thursday December 29th. (His Uncle Mike found his luggage at the SLC airport).  He had a nice visit with his aunt, uncle, and cousins before Mike drove him to the MTC where he started into mission life right away, no time to waste!

Questions for him:
1.  Where is your companion from and do you have a lot in common?
2.  How is the Dutch coming along?
3.  What is your favourite thing about the MTC so far?
4.  Do you need anything, did you forget anything?

From Elder Fernhout:
Hey mum, so my companion lives about 30 minutes away his first name is Keaton, he is easy going and we get along good. Dutch is going really well, i can say a short prayer and a little testimony and a few other random phrases. They teach you so much every day, classes are 9 hours. My favourite thing would have to be the language classes because they are fun, but i also like being with all these other guys and having fun and learning with them. I would like about 3 hangers. If you write my a dear elder on the computer they will print it off and bring it to me, we check the mail everyday to i will get it that day. I might have more computer time later so i can respond to another email if you write back soon. Ask me all kinds of questions and ill answer them!

Interesting comments from our Hangouts chat:
1.  His companion, Elder Tanner, is from Utah.  Other missionaries are from Ohio (2 of them), Oregon, Taiwan, and Calgary; so 2 Canadians out of 7!  There is only 1 zuster (her companion is in the Hungarian district they are paired with).  There is only 1 Dutch district in the MTC.
2.  There are approximately 1500 missionaries in residence at the MTC currently and about half are sisters.
3. He gets up at 6:00 am everyday and breakfast is at 7:00 am.  A lot of hours are spent in the classroom so he is grateful for gym time.

MTC companions: Elder Fernhout and Elder Tanner

Zone Elders

Zone (including Hungarian missionaries) with Mission President and his Wife

Name plate in Dutch!

Lots of study materials

The District and teacher

MTC campus