I will teach thee what thou shalt say

Week 2 at the MTC:

1. Tell us how you have liked your packages?

Valentines (family book): Valentines was way sweet!

Snack Attack package: ( please share it all with everyone so that it doesn’t go bad or get left behind. We don’t want to eat those treats at next month’s family meeting. Ha ha!) Snack attack was awesome but a little too much. It's all good though.

Thanks so much for those labels!! perfect!

2. How have you adapted to the early mornings? Its really hard getting up, but I'm getting used to it.

3. We hope you’ve taken lots of photos. Did you figure out the DVD burner? I have taken a decent amount of pictures. I will send a dvd before I leave on Tuesday. Grandpa told me that he told you that I am indeed going to the CCM!

4. How is your knee doing? Sometimes my knee kills and other days it feels great!! I don’t know what makes it do that...but it isn't too bad.

5. How is your chest doing? (Jordan popped out a rib next to his sternum a few weeks before leaving from a sneeze!) My chest is doing great! No pain at all!

6. How are you handling wearing your suit every day? Wearing my suit everyday is just fine.

7. Do you want us to get you a different watch? Ya just a good old analog watch or pocketwatch would be great. This watch gets its buttons pushed by itself and the time changes all the time on its own.

8. Tell us about a funny/embarrassing/weird MTC moment: Well you heard the estamos desnudos story. Here's one about Elder Garner in my district. We were at the temple on Sunday for our temple walk and while taking pictures he had to sneeze. So he turned around to sneeze and his head slammed into a marble ledge thing and it cut his head open. He's alright though so it's really kinda funny. He is now Harry Potter!!

9. Tell us about a hard/challenging MTC experience. Something hard....the language...I can understand a lot but its hard for me to actually respond back in spanish. Dad, thanks for that scripture. It really helped a lot!
(Exodus 4:10-12 10)
10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

10. Tell us about something you learned that you hadn’t thought of or known before? I don't really know, just how to teach I guess.

11. How is the MTC different from what you expected? It really isn't that much different than I expected.

12. Do you know how much we love you? YES

13. Do you need anything? Nope I'm good. I couldn't find my sweaters though. Did you pack them?

14. Do you know anything about leaving to the Guatemala CCM yet? Yes....Grandpa told you I think. I leave March 2nd! Be ready to answer the phone cuz I have a 5 hour lay over in Texas. How do I call collect?

15. Anything else you want to share?
(Sorry for the typing and spacing...the space bar doesn't work half the time. I don't know why.)

Ok so first of all, Dad was right about my teacher.. it is Brother Rivers, not Rios, and we call him Hermano Rivers.

I met Elder Crapo in gym the other day and played one game of basketball with him. That's it. As for the rest of the Elders you mentioned I have never seen them. I have seen Mason and Josh a few times though. My comp and Josh's comp are friends! Crazy!! There is only one other companionship going to my mission from my district and one going to the Quetzaltenango mission. I haven't seen Elder Dudley but Elder Haskell is in our zone. He says we were in the same ward when we were little and lived in Orem. His mom told him that because we didn't really know or remember each other. Oh and I saw Elder Winkel the first day.

Jake! I want my bed back! Oh well, enjoy it. You're lucky. How were those pancakes? Dang man, too bad you lost a game, but you will get them next time for sure! Thanks for writing! Write about anything you want, whenever! Spanish is hard by the way. Really try to do the scripture mastery stuff in seminary. Not just memorizing them, but what they are really about and where they are. I wish I would have.

That is way sweet that Brian and Lauren are having another boy!! Tell them congrats and tell Brian thanks for the letter he gave me the day I went in...it helped so so much!!

Nice deal on that rosetta stone deally!

I highly doubt I will host for new missionaries...but we get a district of nuevos next week!

We learned a missionary Haka! It is way tight! (Jordan's Dad served his mission to New Zealand so the Haka, a warrior chant/dance that most polynesian countries do, has been a BIG part of our family's life. It also doesn't hurt that the BYU football team does one before each game too!)

Toka tu moana ae......HEE!
Tu pakari....Kore kore rawa ae inga
Itay pukairi, itay hara wainga, ita mou, wahada ae
Wai wai tamaha....HEE! HAA!
Kote Kupu whaka kana, whiti aka pakae kaha
Kiya lita, kiya hamama, kiya umaedae i
Whaka mou wa hapaka
Mo tae aroha no wha otae tangata herekori
Kiya whiora i itay moke moke
Kiya kore i, whakapehi ita ringa mai
Tawahei tu tonu tu kaha ahkae, ahkae
Whuwa (fewa) teringa taku topuni
Eri tako iho inga kopere ae
Tu tono tu kaha ahkae, ahkae
Whuwa (fewa) teringa taku topuni
Eri tako iho inga kopere ae
Eputa atu kwae Ito ahuru
Mo wai pika iritae ara[puotama
Kiya maiya kiya nifa
Patu tanifa Patu rangu rui
Eita, Eita kia tou....HEEE!
It means:
Be Prepared
Go out, never never fall to
Coveting, jealousy, anger
Always be bold, strong
Call to the Heavens to give you Strength
Stay centered, Immovable
Clear all worldy thoughts, Put on the Armor of God
Block the Adversary from attacking
Your seed (posterity), your heart, and your mind
Now go out and serve
You are out of the womb
Build your way up to your Father in Heaven
Remember these Teachings
Remember these words and
Always, Always, stay strong!

We do it for the departing missionaries in our zone. IT'S SWEET! I have a video of it but you cant really see me though.

Well that's all for now!
Oh send me a copy of the lyrics and music for "Come thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing" Thanks!!! Love you!!!

I sent the fam a letter. I hope that this is good enough for you...I didn't write you a personal letter cuz that would take waaayyy too long! My hand would hurt if I wrote you everything. Haha so that’s why you get my email. Thanks for the overload of food! I will send pictures before I leave.
I love you Mom!!
-Elder Jordan Smith