Letter to Mom and Dad

Mi amoroso MAMA!

All is well at the MTC.  I have learned alot in the past month (can you believe I've already been gone a month??)  haha!  Thanks for your many dearelder letter and packages!  haha I'm by far the most loved by the mail room.  I get a lot of packages.  It is very fun!  We devour the cookies, I soak up the pictures and thanks for sending my list of demands. 

I am not the first be find out that missions are hard.  Sometimes I think about what I would be doing if I wasn't here --but nothing is more important than this no matter how badly I want to golf, swim, work, take a nap, or take the day off.  I thought about you guys while you were at the wedding dinner, in the sealing room Thursday morning and at the wedding reception.  I bet it was a lot of fun to gave the whole family together--MY FAVORITE THING!  I still have a month of sitting at a tiny desk in a white brick room for 9=10  hours a day  until I'm get to go to Mexico.  I am very grateful for the MTC--without it would make learning the lessons and language very hard.  But I can't wait to get to Mexico.  It's also convenient to be so close to you so you can send me all the things I forgot at much cheaper freight and so fast!  Plus fresh cooked goodies and desserts. 

That is fun that Paige came over.  She told me she got the honor of cutting out my head to paste on the manikin.  haha.  And she got to see Kate and Aldon@  And  that's fun she sent you some stuff from her letter from me.  She told me she would.  I have become alot more relaxed about what may happen when I get home--about what to study, marriage, work, etc.  I have studied alot about the will of the Lord and I am really not worried about the future.  I am promised in Matt 19:29 that if I serve like I should in D and C 4, sacrifice for Jesus Christs' name sake--that I will receive an hundred fold.  And  I know that the  Lord has blessed our family as a whole from the service of Dad and our five brothers.  I have chilled out alot since I have gotten here. I teach my investigators and lessons every day that "God has a plan for you--he loves you..." and it just recently hit my head that he has a  plan for me and I really don't need to worry about stuff like that during my mission.  "EVERY LITTLE THING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT."  Bob Marley--haha, I know you don't love Bob Marley, but I had to say it. 

I gotta do my part for sure, I can't just go through the motions.  I need to put my whole heart, mind, might and strength into it in order to receive God's promises.  D and C 82:10.   I am learning as much as my investigatiors are learning!  I have changed for the better. 

So how was the wedding?  Girls trip?  news at home?  haha!  I have heard through the grape vine that gay marriage is now legalized in New York.  Don't ask how I knew that--at the MTC, outside world news travels faster than wildfire. 

How is FICTIONIST doing?  How is baby Hudson?  I still haven't seen a picture--I got a cool letter from TJ--he is going to be such a great DAD.  I have heard from EM, Robbie, TJ and Ray.  I still need to write some thank yous to some people--I am knocking a few out every P-DAY. 

I am so happy I got my Associates degree from SLCC.  Thanks for following up on that!  I am 95% sure that i will be going to BYU when I get back.  It is P day today--and probably my most pr9oductive one yet.  We woke up at 6:30, did laundry, ate breakfast, got stuff done, wrote home.  The temple is closed, so no temple today.  I better be off--got a few more thank- yous to take care of before dinner.  Thanks for all you have done for me MOM.  Alma 56:47-48--talks about the kind of mother y9ou have been.  You are the best mom ever.  I love you with all my heart. 

HOORAY FOR ISRAEL! 

Elder Connolly

PS  Thanks for sending Grandpa's clock--it is cool, but every 24 hours it gets 15 minutes ahead of what it should be.  I have to reset the clock back 15 minutes every night.  I  just got back from emailing.  I took a picture of the screen so I just read it.  Sounded  like the wedding was good.  Bummer  that Dad got sick.  Thanks for the update.  I bet it was fun.  Wish I could have been there.  Have a good week. 

 

Now a snippet from Dad's letter:

 

Papa!

How is the golf handicap?  I miss golfing alot!  I think they should make a new rule that once a week, they give all the golfers at the MTC one round of golf to keep us sane!  I can't wait to get  to Mexico!  I am excited to teach – I have the first three lessons down pretty well in Spanish—it is so hard to know what to teach because every person is different.  They emphasize, we are not teaching lessons, we are teaching people.  That is what Preach my Gospel is all about! 

Thanks for the letters—and the advice—Missions are hard and I have counted that days down, but it is crazy that I have been gone one month already!  It went by fast!  The best is yet to come.  The Spanish coming along great and teaching is getting better.  Send a picture of us golfing or fishing. 

Love, Elder Connolly

Letter #2

Hola mi amoroso Familia!!

Wow i have alot to respond to so ill get right to it.

1. First off, TEEJ IS A PADRE!!! YEahh, I saw the pic, but send me a hard copy, i don't have much time to look at it I'm on the clock! Hudson yeah?? That's awesome. Congrats Liz!!! That is sooo awesome
2. 2nd item of biz, I HAVE GAINED 5.2 POUNDS!!! Since I've gotten here! turns out it is possible after all haha, I'm stoked
3. It's quite the prepatory planing sesh before I write home because I want to answer all your guys Q's in the 30 mins, and i get alot of mail, but I love it! Keep it up! And if I forget to answer or respond, ask me again and also forgive me....Chirst would :)
4. I need address galore!

• Uncle Joe, the Earls, James Christiansens home, Deweys, (get dewey to get the Wankiers address for me, he'll know who that is), And who is Susan Koringlo? spelling and her address,
• and who was that last letter from I got in that package? I never heard of her before haha, but her name and address and also some info about her so i can pretend to know her haha, Gracias

** Dearelder.com the address so I have them, the clock ticks fast and I dont have time to write them down.

Also keep Elder Thomson and his fam in your prayers, turns out he needed to clear some stuff up before he can return to the field. His older bro returned early from his mish the day before, so 2 missionaries sent home early right next to each other, I bet its hard. THanks fam.

Also keep the Hales Family in your prayers, CLayton and Russell Hales got in an critical car accident. Please find out more and get back to me with details, thanks

Hey Jeff, brick wall is actaully "muralla de ladrillo"... and yes its great... haha

Em- i want to see some pics of the apartment, i heard it was dope. Also go up to

Sam's and get my ipod back, dont send it to me yet! just hold onto it until i get more organized, ill let you know.

Dad- send some pics for my scriptures of me and you golfing or something, i need something. look through my iphoto on my laptop. maybe something like fishing too. and thanks for the advice dad!

Also I want a family picture that fits in my scriptures, like the one in our fam room, gracias

Mom- not I havent taken a pic in front of the map. let me know how your eye thing goes

Ray - THanks for the letter, for real. It makes me stoked to hear stuff like that from you guys and humbles me to realize how blessed i am. your like a bro to me, Thanks Ray KIA KAHA

Questions:

1. Did you receive the package on Monday with the t-shirts etc.? I didn't have your MTC mailbox--did your friends like the cookies yesterday?

Yes, thank you!

2. What about the plaque scripture

ill think of a new one, lo siento

3. Did Sam come on Wed?--how is his leg?

no... he didnt. my guilt is back. Apparently he is stoked because now he can see Harry Potter 7 part 2 and midnight... haha. But ill see him in 6 weeks and give him a big hug!

4. Have you heard from Paige? Is dearelder just for family or can she write to it?

Yes :) and anyone can

5. Can you give us a sample schedule of a typical day? How cool that you were there with mission presidents going out--Did you see Larry Gelwix?

i dont have time haha. but basically just study, breakfast, study, lunch, study, dinner, study, gym, then study, then planning, then an hour before bed. I saw and talked to Gelwix!! it was cool! he said he was going to call TJ right after, so im wondering if he did.

6. About how much money do we think Dewey will be giving you for your account. There isn't much in there. I paid off your credit card for the printer.....have you used it yet.?

no idea, i think kinda alot, but keep it for paying for my mish. also im curious is Tom Bunnell is gonnna end up paying me what he owes. is my debit card activated? and thanks for working on the liscense

7. What time of day will you get your 30 minutes to write--just to be sure we get our emails sent on time......?

depends, mostly around 1 or 2 before he head to the temple, but we have all morning off, it just depends. it would be safe to make sure its sent before 9 friday morning. also PLEASE dearelder them so i can read them before and not waste time, i hate that stupid clock that counts down, its nerve racking

So since Elder Thomson left, we have a 3 some; me, Elder Shipley and Elder Oborn. Oborns from Logan and hes going to MErida with me, Shipley, my first comp is going to puebla mexico.

ive seen all my friends that are here, it is really fun to see them and be here. it makes it feel like im not even serving a mission away from friends cause they are all here.

Thank YOU EVERYONE FOR THE COOKIES!! I've felt sooo much love from you guys. I've got enough cookies to feed armies, and thats good cause im feeding the army of my whole floor haha :)

But the vosens went quick... thanks mom and paige! haha those were all mine :) also mom, i have 2 unused groupons to vosens if someone wants to figure out my password, i have no idea what it is ha.

Real quick, i finally got a free few minutes to read the notes that you guys wrote about my setting apart blessing. they were awesome and thanks soo much TJ for thinking of that. it was great.

I am suppppppper tired ALL DAY! I used to count down the hours until bet.... "AH Elder, only 13 more hours to bed ..." :) haha. Nothing is better than when your head hits the pillow and your exhuasted because you know you gave it your best effort that day. I

It's great.

Also, send some tape! like the scotch tape, but like see through kinda that is really study, so not cheap kind, the expensive kind. they dont have the kind i want at the MTC store. Gracias

Well times down to a minute, I gotta go, soo sorry if I didn't answer your Q's. dear elder them again so i can be prepared

Love you Fam, Ill talk to you later!!!

Adios!

Elder Connolly

Emily's Wedding

We so missed Rich at Emily's wedding--but we assured him the he would be there in cardboard form!  Here he is!

letter #1

Yo Fam!

 

Quick info, my P-day this week was Saturday, but it will be on Friday until i leave the MTC.

First things first, i need to get some things i forgot.

The MTC is.....kinda cool. its fun to see all my homies and stuff that have been here. it is definitely not hard to be here since i honestly know over fifty people here. My companion is Elder Shipley, he is from Moorepark California and he is great. He is going to Puebla Mexico, so i wont go out in the field with him. The other companionships in my room are both going to Merida. So far i know 6 other Elders going to Merida with me sooo that is awesome!

 

My Spanish is going great....kinda actually. I have remembered alot and can recall some stuff, but im verry far from fluency ha. Im focusing on being diligent in study with both the language and the gospel and teaching, it will come with time.

 

Thanks for the package Fam! that was awesome, you must have been inspired to send a shirt because that is the only shirt i have thats not white with a collar ha. Thank you for the Vosens = AMAZING. The food here by the way is not too great, but its no different than BYU housing food ha.

 

I reported here on the perfect day! So i came in here the same day 128 new mission presidents reported to the feild as well. it sucks because security is tightened wayyy up so it is annoying to take detours and stuff. but the reason security is tight is because like every apostile is here!! WAY COOOL. We just saw Dallen H Oaks just outside the laundry room. And we had a special devotional last night from David A Bednar about "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary"! its was awesome! There was 6 apostiles on the stand with him: Ballard, Oaks, Scott, Anderson, Holland and Neilson. IT was too cool. Gave us 5 points to remember\

1. Understand that we serve and represent Jesus Christ
2. Are worthy
3. Treasure up the words of Eternal Life
4. Understand the Holy Ghost is the ultimate and true treacher
5. Understand teaching is more important than talking and telling

I took alot of notes but no time to tell you all about it, sorry.

 

Ive written in my journal every night! 3 nights in a row- a new record in my life ha. It will be great to read it later in life

 

Advise to everyone who will write me!: if you could, send your emails to my email account AND also send them too me on dearelder.com. I only have 30 minutes to email back and it will realllly help if i can read your emails in my room or whenever and i will email back on my P-day, i cant afford even the 5 minutes to read you email. If you could do that, that would be greaaaat!

 

Questions:

1. is the food good?

The food is all processed.... but it is good ha. i think im gaining weight :)

 

2. what time do you go to bed and get up?

I wake up at 6:30 every day, but we havent been as obedient to going to bed on time. last night was 11:25....but it was worth it. Im getting to know my companions very well and it looses the tention we all feel about being away from home for 2 years.

3.what do you do on p day?

Today my p-day is only 4 hours, short comparted to normal. its just the first week, thats why.

 

Well i didnt set up my email until today and it took like 5 minutes of my email time, so i got to go. 

 

Em- Post my MTC mailbox address from the letter i sent home on FB, i have no addresses to that will be great to get them.

 

Anyways, may the Lord be with you guys, you'll hear from me next on Friday.

REal quick, i keep remembering, mom, send me every letter/good luck note/whataever you can find from my friends, wardmembers, and stuff to me! thanks got to go, 30 seconds left and it shut off

 

Love Elder Connolly
 

a good week

got some fun pics of rich and a fun letter - will post soon.