[Parent comment: After not hearing from Michael for almost 6 days we were thrilled when we got a letter and an email on the same day]
Hi! Well I have replied to a few emails so far, and I still
have 24 minutes left so I think I will take my time on this one.
First off our P-Day (in the MTC anyway) is on Wednesday. But
then again, this is our only P-Day in the MTC. Also have you been getting
my letters?? I'm curious to know if everything is working. I have gotten all
yours, so if you could just send me a letter to let me know if or if not
you have received them I would love that.
On our first day they ran us around really fast. I remember
right after I got out of the car and left you guys, I didn't really
have time to be sad because the gave me my tag and stuff and I just
remember staring and being hypnotized by it. I was completely distracted for
the first few hours. We went and met our district and waited until everyone
arrived and then they sent us off to a meeting. My companion hadn't arrived
yet, so I just hung around with two other elders (who turned out to be my
roommates by chance). One is Elder Sampson. He is from P.G. and plays football
for BYU right now. He is awesome and reminds me a lot of Joe Cook.The
other is Elder Herrador. He is from Houston and Spanish is his first language,
but he speaks English very fluently. He actually said his first prayer in
English here at the MTC.
We get up at 6:00 and get ready.
Breakfast is at seven and is about 30 minutes. Then depending on the day there
is 1-2 class blocks (about 3 hours each) and then a lot of study time. I am
surprised by how much time we have that is unsupervised. The teachers aren't
here nearly as much as I expected. There is lunch and gym time also at varying
times during the day. Since I am not very good at basketball, I only play it a
little if the other elders from our district are playing, but most of the time I
run [parent note: Laura immediately broke into tears of joy upon reading that]. I have been trying to run about 1.5 miles each day to stay/get in shape
in case I have a companion later who wants to run and I want to be able to keep
up. Then we usually get back to our rooms around 9:30 and get ready for bed
and the next day. Quiet time starts ant 10:15 and lights out at 10:30. My
favorite part of the schedule is study time. I like getting to prepare and
think on my own without having to be taught by a teacher. I also like gym time
because then you just have to be in the same building as your companion and I
like getting some time on my own.
Our district has 12 people in it, all going to Roseville.
There is another district also going to Roseville making, like we thought, about 30
of us. I don't know everything they did to reduce our time in the MTC, but it
feels like they don't know exactly whats going on yet either as we are their first 2 week group.
I actually saw Katelyn Smith [She used to be in our ward. Her dad was his Scoutmaster] today and she said hi and
talked to me for a minute. I have sat next to Kim [Kim Bennett, Michael's cousin] a few times at various meals
too. I have seen a few people I know from school (Zac Saunders, [Was on the Lone Peak football team with Michael. Upon hearing this first name Aimee immediately shouted out "no way" in a jealous tone... which made his next sentence even funnier] is Aimee
jealous? as well as Micah Hanneman and Tyler Johnson).
The food will be the death of me. I am on a salad, fruit,
yogurt, cottage cheese, and cereal diet. So far that seems to be helping
because the first few days I was suffering.
Like I said I try and run for exercise, but my roommates are
big on working out so we do a lot of pull ups, push ups, sit ups, crunches and
stuff like that.
There is like a mini bookstore here, but everything is
overpriced so I try to avoid it. Although I am finding a lot of things I forgot
(pens, sticky notes, etc...)
I don't think I need you to send anything, but Ill keep you
posted. I did get a check, but you need to know your account number to deposit
it and I have no idea what that is. Also I don't get a chance to eat the food
you send, and although I really appreciate it, I don't want it to go to waste.
I am almost out of time, but I love you all so much and
hope that I can share more through written letters. I hope that you all
are doing well. I love all the letters and pictures I have been getting. Thank
everyone who I can't reply to and let them know I appreciate them. I love you!!
Love,
Elder Gardanier
P.S I miss my first name...
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