Somehow I had something moderately-interesting happen nearly every day this week.
Thursday: I saw Amelia approximately 5 hours after my last letter (speaking of, please add her to the forwarding list: amelia.bible@myldsmail.net). Apparently, according to Elder Herzog, my first words were "Why haven't you written me yet?" But the really great part of that day took place in the afternoon. Elder Herzog needed to fill a prescription, so we were allowed to leave campus for nearly 20 minutes! It was glorious! It was grand! It was beautiful and liberating and bright and happy and cheerful and wonderful! I felt like jumping and spinning and singing my heart out! Elder Herzog disagrees. He just wanted to hide in a corner. But anyways, we went to the student health center a block or two from the MTC. Since it's still part of BYU, most of the magazines were still published by the Church. The exceptions were Architectural Review and something else boring. I was commenting to H on our way out that I would have preferred something like Newsweek or Time, and then I spotted a newspaper rack next to the door! Granted, it was the BYU campus paper so there was nothing interesting except a picture of the Colorado Batman shooter, but I was so happy to have it. So happy.
Friday nothing happened. Or if it did, I didn't bother to remember it. Nothing compared.
Saturday during our weekly service assignment (read: cleaning someone else's bathroom) the facilities supervisor said something about them discovering the Higgs. I'm skeptical because he didn't know much about it, but I thought I'd ask y'alls anyway. Also, has Romney announced his running mate yet? Also on Saturday I didn't eat meat once. That's an achievement in the MTC cafeteria, let me tell you.
Sunday: I don't remember who I have or haven't told about Narnia Holes. Narnia Holes can be any of a number of small hidey-holes in the walls at the dorms (air vents and unused power outlets, mostly). There's one at my desk with a picture of some missionary holding a lightsaber. We hid a squeaky-toy cupcake Herzog got for his birthday in the air vent. Anyway, on Sunday Elder Herzog and I were granted knowledge of a far greater repository of joy and wonder. He who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Monday before morning class started, my teacher Brother Lucero walks in and without preamble asks "Who is up to the task?" Herzog raised his hand, and I followed. Then Bro. Lucero told us (in Spanish) <
Remember how I said I probably saw Breanna a lot more than she saw me back when she was here? It's the same with Amelia. Like how on Tuesday I saw that she lost her companion at the devotional. Which, speaking of, was not memorable. But my thoughts and impressions during that time, and really for the entire evening before and after, were some of the strongest I've felt in months. People aren't kidding when they say the Spirit at the MTC is powerful. I will share with you the insight which dominated my thoughts that evening. It is widely-accepted that Jesus Christ was a great moral teacher. He taught that we should do good to others, and to avoid doing things that might harm them. But that's only half of His message. Kingdom of heaven aside, the message He taught, and which he commissioned His disciples to preach, was repentence, which I claim is in essence doing good to yourself, and avoiding things that might harm you. And I don't mean physical harm or selfish "good"-ness. I mean keeping your thoughts in check, striving for self-mastery over the carnal desires, and (as before) refocusing on others.
There I go, sounding all missionary-ish again. And this time I don't even have a good MTC joke to follow-up with.
Nah, I'm totally kidding. This whole place is a joke. For example, the walkway between the administrative/cafeteria building and the mailroom/bookstore building always smells like a combination of rotting food and sewer. So what do we do to ease the stench? Did you say giant urinal cake? Because they did.
Love to Kendrick and to all mankind,
Z
P.S. Nothing interesting happened on Wednesday, either. Just so I'm not leaving you hanging.
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