MTC, Week 7

It's really awesome that Shani will be competing in the Days of '47 pageant. I personally think she'll do well. It'll also be good that she's reading up on our ancestry. I finished both Jesus the Christ and Our Heritage yesterday, and the latter made me appreciate pioneers even more for the sacrifice they made.

It's really good that you got to spend some time with your sister. Family is really important (but you already knew that). I had no idea that Brad was already working on a doctorate. That'll really help him be successful, especially considering the field into which he is going.

It sucks that Phil had an allergic reaction after being in Brazil for just a month. I hope I don't have to deal with anything like that. President Lafferty, our branch president, told us that European food isn't as bad for allergic reactions as American food, so I'm hoping that'll prevent anything like that. Plus, the chocolate in Belgium is actually healthy for you. Not just as in it makes you happy, but it has health benefits. :) That's really good justification.

Visiting the DUP Museum will be a great experience for all three of you. I didn't even know it existed, and the unknown places like that are always good.

We were expecting the YSA calling that Shani had being dissolved, weren't we? They're going to make YSA stakes? How is that going to work?

Just so you know, good shoes really do help with running. Josh Bateman got new shoes our Freshman year, and started beating me in everything. So good shoes really do help. I'm actually wearing the shoes we got me for track last year right now. They're comfortable. Did any of the people in the shoe department at Sears talk to you? I'm kind of curious as to whether or not any of the nice people who worked there with me are still there. You might find you enjoy track meets. They're really fun to watch. Especially pole vaulting. I love that event. I might try it in college if SVU has a decent program.

I love cake! That banana bread sounds yummy! I would like it if you sent me some, if it's not too much of a hassle.

Somebody started a countdown in the corner of the chalkboard (I know, we're behind. Some rooms have smartboards.) in our classroom. It says 12 dagen right now. That'll probably weaken the effects of the temporal bubble known as the MTC boundaries, so it'll feel like longer.

The address for the mission home, in Dutch, is:
België Brussel/Nederland Zending
87, Brand Whitlocklaan
1200 Brussel
België
You'll want to send everything that won't arrive before April 23 to that address, until I send you the one for my apartment when I have one, and you'll want to send me an email on Easter, instead of something through Dear Elder.

We're theoretically going to be getting our flight plans sometime in the next few days. I'm super-excited! The last missionaries to go to our mission had a layover in Atlanta, and then flew into Brussels. According to Brother Bond, we're going to be let loose in some square in Brussels, and then try to contact people. It's kind of intimidating. Especially because I speak no French, and it's a French speaking city.

Well, my time's almost up, and I think my laundry's done.

I love you all. Bye.