One and Only MTC P-Day

Bradley is a happy camper today. He is chilling in casual clothes, doing some laundry, and most importantly emailing his family! Here are some of the things he had to say:

"Wow. I feel like I have been gone forever, this has probably been the longest week of my life. I am not feeling very good, I have a sore throat, and a runny nose. So that is making it hard, but its all good. Elder Misi and I are struggling a little, our lessons with investigators are so poor.... So I'm just going to continue trying my best to keep things going strong. But it is so hard. So we taught George our TRC investigator, who I said was really hard, and it was. He has a prosthetic leg and he just kept on telling us all about the pain that he is in, with his leg, and how it is such a trial, and how he has phantom limb syndrome, how he can feel his leg, even though it is gone. And so like 4 times I tried to start talking about Christ and the Atonement and how He knows what we are going through, because he suffered all the pains in the world, and that if we turn our life over to Him, he will lift us through our troubles, but everytime I started to do that he would interrupt me, and one time he just started yelling. He also wanted to know about life after death, so I talked briefly over it all, and then talked extensively about the ressurection, and how when we are ressurected, we will be ressurected in our perfect state, and our limbs will all be attached, I shared a scripture saying that. And then he was like oh well as long as theres life after death, I dont care to get my leg back. So I guess that didnt work. And then we come to find out he is reading the Book of Mormon and he knows that it is true, but he doesn't want to get baptized, because his wife doesn't believe in Christ, so he doesnt want to lose her. But I don't know what to do to solve that, because he said that she wouldn't meet with us. So I'm confused I dont know what to tell him that would help him. So we meet again with him on Thursday, so we'll see how that goes."

"Sunday was awesome, just an awesome day to relax and not worry about anything, we sat up front with the branch presidency, because we are zone leaders, so that was cool, we had lots of leadership meetings. There are 12 missionaries in my District and 12 in the other District, the other District which had the zone leaders in it left Monday for Portland. So we have 24 missionaries in our branch/zone. And we get 8 more today, that we welcome in and give tours around the campus, that is our job as zone leaders. So I am excited about that. Sunday night we had a devotional, I don't remember the guys name, but he showed us videos of old commercials, which were funny, so I enjoyed that. Then they show 5 or so films, in the MTC and you get to choose which one to watch. We watched Character of Christ, by Elder Bednar, Dad everyone missionary should watch that video in mission prep in the stake, before they serve, it is amazing. I suggest that all of you watch it, it is more for missionaries, but still, it is incredible, I loved it so much."

"Tuesday we taught our TRC and the other lesson as I said, and then we had the devotional in the Marriott Center, so we walked over there as part of the missionary walk, President Gary of the 70 spoke to us, he was very good, he didn't have any notes, which was awesome, all from the Spirit. He told a story of him being a mission president in Ghana, and when he got there a man named Bob had 1000 people ready for the gospel, because 30 years ago as he as doing this, he was suffering persecution and his wife left him, alone with 4 kids, he prayed all night to Heavenly Father and his dead brother appeared to him in a vision and told him that the missionaries were coming, and taught him the song Come Come Ye Saints, and that is how he would know they were the right ones, and he also saw President Gary in the vision, 30 years before Pres. Gary arrived in Ghana. Crazy story."

"So today is our P-Day it is our one and only P-Day here, it feels so nice to wear normal clothes, and not have to stress about teaching lessons. I got my laundry done this morning, all of my clothing is working just great, although some of my ties might not be "conservative" enough, and I am unsure whether I can wear skinny ties or not, but I wore one yesterday. oops. Also today we are going to the Provo Temple to do a session with our branch, I am way excited for that. Also we have been playing beach volleyball for gym, out on the field, and I love that, you know i'm a fiend for a good volleyball pit."

"So I live with Elder Wright and Elder Smith in one room, two bunk beds, two desks, and then a closet and drawers for everybody. Elder Smith is from New Mexico, straight out of high school, he is a bigger dude, he played rugby and football, and he was inactive in the church for a long time before this, his dad works on the oil rigs, so he has been the man of the house, and has been taking his family to church which is awesome, he is hilarious. Elder Wright is straight out of high school, and he is the most innocent little thing ever, I am his biggest fan, he is hilarious. Then Elder Misi who is from Hawaii, he went to BYU this past year, and ya he is my companion."

"I love you so much. I love and miss all of you!!!! I don't have much more time, but if I think of anything I'll send it quick. I really am happy here, and this church is so true, I wouldn't want to be any other place, despite how much I miss all of you. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ME!"

LOVE, ELDER HINTZE