Week 4...(Family letter and responses to questions asked)

(Response to Mom's Weekly letter)

I relate to the week flying by on a spiritual level. I blinked and this week was over which is super good because I am so ready to get into the field. I love the MTC and all but it is the same thing every single day and it gets so boring after a while. I just want to go and talk to an actual person or see something just a little bit different. This week was super good. Each week gets a little bit better than the last one. Losing the friends wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I still have a bunch of super good friends. Elder Erickson leaves next week tho and that will suck. It has been so cool to feel the support of the whole ward. Tell the Lowe girl thank you for the note that she sent me!! 

About Bailey, that is one of my biggest regrets right now is that I didn't take more time to be good at piano. I wish I could read music but I get to play the piano basically everyday. All the people in my district love to listen to me play the same two songs every day, I want to learn something different tho. I am pretty sure I already knew that she made student council before I came out here on my mission. I laugh everytime I see a picture of Jaxson. That kid is so whack jajaja. I talked with Dylan a little bit about basketball. Hopefully that starts going better for him. Also I am glad Koda is doing better! Remember the one time I sorta got her to play fetch with me? I miss that dog. 

Also whattttt?? That's awesome! I am not quite sure I know what an office manager is but that is still cool! Have you heard anything on the BYU training position?? It was super weird that I wasn't getting dads emails. He kept saying he would write and then never did so I was a little butt hurt around here jajaja. I would always talk about it with Elder Atkinson. I really like the Anderson's they're goofy but I like them a lot. Hopefully Quinn can figure out what he wants to do. He is a good kid just a little lost right now. And yes I talk to Karson just about everyday. I didn't realize that he was the only one learning the language though? He had a district and they all left this week but he had to stay an extra week so he told me that his teacher is having him help teach Chinese to the new group that he just got. He seems like he's doing pretty well. Also Monday we signed our Visa applications and they were sent off to the consolate so hopefully those come through. They said they hope to have them by Christmas so we will see. That would be a Christmas miracle. Christmas here is gonna be super awesome. I'll share our schedule with you. 

I love and miss you all so much. Not a day goes by where I don't think about you. I am sorry I wasn't a better brother and son but I hope that you all know I truly do love all of you. I'll try to make up for it in 2 years. The mission is much bigger than just me and I am learning that. Also yeah we got the news yesterday and there was a mini celebration here in the MTC! How cool is that!? I like that they are doing that. Anyways I will write more in the weekly. Love you guys!! Have a good week.

Elder Mason

Also thanks for the package!!! The oreo balls were a hit and so were the Korean Noodles. Everyone is asking their parents for them now. You are the best. Everyone knows sister Mason around here. You're like a little celebrity jajaja

(Response to Dad's weekly letter)

I am currently on my third attempt at sending this response to you.  The previous two times it has erased the entire thing when I got done.  So sorry, I don't have the patience to type out everything I had typed out already so I will summarize.  Choir is the best and I might be performing in sacrament meeting.  Volleyball is the best part of the day and the only thing that gets me through most of the time.  Getting up at 6:30 is the worst thing ever and I will never get used to it.  The showers are all divided.  Me and my two homies sit and talk for 20 minutes after gym time.  The companion has gotten much worse since becoming the district leader.  We have to receive permission to go brush our teeth at night if it is past 9:45 now.  We have nothing in common and he never talks to me so it is so hard.  Spanish is going pretty well, I just need to learn more vocabulary.  If I had a good vocabulary, I would be able to speak super well.  Grammar is pretty easy.  The girls definitely are weird but our zone has some super cool sisters.  The one I was talking about isn't in my district.  We got a picture with her I will send next week and you will understand.  I am jealous about snowboarding.  I sit and stare towards Sundance and wish I was there.  Sounds like the family is doing great.  Keep me updated on the Jazz.  We are so isolated here so we hear nothing. 

Love you dad!

Elder Mason

(More responses from our emails back and forth today)

I would love if you sent me something like Panda or Cafe Rio but this place is like a military base.  Nothing gets in here.  Elder Atkinson leaves the day before me.  He is going to Mexico City.  We got the shirts at the store here in the MTC.

The MTC for sure gets old.  I am so ready to be out of here and into the field doing real work.  We have about 5 hours of downtime every day and it can get pretty rough sometimes.  We are trying to study Spanish as much as possible to get better at that continually.  I am trying to rely on the Spirit as much as I can and I am learning to be okay with not receiving the things I feel like I should be.

It is super rough with Elder Izatt.  He became district leader and he is so insanely strict that we have to ask permission to go use the restroom and stuff when it is quiet time.  If we are even a second late on closing our door he reports it to the Zone leaders and he never talks to me about anything that's bothering him.  He just goes straight to the Zone leaders and then they will talk to us.  He doesn't talk to me in general even.  We walk in silence and I try to start conversation and he usually replies one word back and then back to silence.  I get so frustrated it is killing me.  Elder Atkinson can't stand his companion either so we are basically companions.  Everyone thinks we are.  Izatt is getting stuff from his family for Christmas so you don't have to worry about that.  Everyone else is getting tons of stuff.  

On Christmas we can Skype for 30 minutes.  No more.  It kinda sucks but I will take what I can get. 

The simplified hymn book would be fun to have if you want to send it.  Elder Erickson leaves this Wednesday to Charlotte NC.  I am planing on sending some stuff back home with you.  Bummer about BYU but I'm proud of you for trying.  Love you!!!  Oh and we are crazing sweetish fish jajaja.  I have no other specific requests!  The packages are the best!  We are all getting fat though jajaja.  I have put on 5 pounds!