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Oooh oooh. Scrapbooking made me remember something: Send junior maggy a supply of little sticky note things. Have him get in the habit of attaching one to the back of the pictures (you know it is a scrapbooking no-no to write on the back of pictures, don't you?) or on the package with the negatives, and writing who the people are in the photos. (Most people there were too poor to have even one picture of the family.) Pink Klark came home with about 60 rolls of film negatives. (He got the pictures developed in Africa, but gave most of the pictures away. Plus the processing wasn't that great so the ones he did send home were poor quality, or on poor quality photo paper.) Anyway, he couldn't remember the names of some of the people in the pictures he took at the first of his mission. It was quite a process to get them all identified
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Sunday Morning. Did better yeaterday, but could not sleep last night.
watched a move last night "the best two years" upon my husbands request. It was funny but I could have waited a few weeks. Maybe today I will watch "God's army" my son gave me that for christmas years ago when it came out.
Any feelings that can be shared about the MTC. I have boys tell me it was the ugly part of the mission and if they had to stay 11 weeks the would have bailed. I rare have a boy or mother I ask tell they liked it.
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I did not like the MTC. It was not a favorite part of my mission experience. But I believe that it was necessary. For missionaries learning a language, it provides an invaluable learning experience that is unequalled. Language studies aside, it is still a valuable experience to go through as a missionary. I think it's one of those things that is hard, unpleasant, difficult, etc., but that truly teaches lessons unable to be taught in other environments. I don't know what kind of advice to give, other than to treat the MTC stay as an important part of the mission. Write positive letters regularly, give encouragement, send treats as much as possible, and try to be uplifting. Remember that a mission is about the giving of service, not the status of being. Try to encourage your missionary to have that same attitude.
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I'm not a boy and I think I must be odd, but I loved the MTC. I loved having the special speakers come to talk with us. I loved learning how to share the discussions. I was there during conference and was worried about having to sit in a hard chair for all those hours listening to it, but it was one of the best conferences I have attended, probably because I was really prepared for it.
I always hear how everyone hates the food. I liked it.
True - the mission part of your mission is what you are out there for, but the MTC was a great learning experience for me.
I don't know why I am different. Perhaps I had different expectations? You don't go to learn any deep doctrine, you just go to learn how to teach and be a missionary. I know many people hate to roll play, and I'm not fond of it either, but I found that it was a great help to me. It was nice to know just after I did it what some of the things I could have done better. To learn how to express it better before I went out.
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Australia is wonderful. The parts of it next to the ocean are a rainforest. There's a particularly nice one just north of Melbourne, where parrots will land on your shoulders and hands, waiting to be fed. You can see penguins in the Southern Ocean off Melbourne. Kangaroos like the golf courses, because the grass is all manicured and easy for them to eat.
Not crazy about the food in Melbourne, but the french fries in Australia are the best in the world. Period. There's a nice streetcar system that gets you here and there, and a lovely open air market where you can buy the most amazing oranges.
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My other missionaries have all commented that the food takes some getting used to in the cafeteria ...but they certainly don't hesitate tot eat it ! THey all have had very strong ,Positive MTC experiences. One day we did go up to the sidewalk outside the MTC to tell our Son about a friends mission call and we wrote it in chalk on the sidewalk... we thought we were soooo clever. It was gone by early morn so he didn't see it. IT's wierd when you are from Provo because you have so many friends in the MTC at the same time and you see your neighbors driving by... My son reminded me that he has 37 days until he goes into the MTC. Maggy, will your boy be in Australia for Xmas ? My sons departure date is Dec. 21st. I did ask the post net guy what was the latest day I could mail packages to Melbourne for XMas. He said Dec. 1st. for still a cheap rate. I thought it would be fun for him to have his Xmas gift when he got there.
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Yes My son will be there for christmas. He does not leave for Australia until the 1st of Jan. I have heard of the sidewalk writing thing. Thought about it as his best friend should have his call this Wendsday. I also have thought of the watch at the temple parking lot for him. I it would just leave me back at square one again. I have not gotten a letter yet. Don't worry about the food thing. He is not a picky eater. I just worry about feeling like he is in a lock up sort of thing. He is very indenpendant and used to coming and goine as he wishes. Doesn't like to sit for long periods of time. It does do a lot of running Hope he can do that there.
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we were always nervous to even go to our regular Temple sessions because we did not want to run into our boy ! Well, sounds like the boys will get a chance to know each other in the MTC and will arrive within a couple of weeks of each other.( summer time in Dec. ) A couple in our ward came back from being the MIsh Pres in the Melbourne Mish just this July. They said the work among the Chinese is very positive and growing. I thought the new Prez and his wife are a lovely looking couple. Young and energetic.
I am so sad you have not received a letter. That is the worst ... waiting for the #1 letter ! IT is amazing how busy they keep them and how long they sit in classes. I always write everyday when they are in the MTC just because I can drop it off each day at one of the POst Net type places... even though they really don't have time to write that often back. I know my boys and their friends have always looked forward to the very regular basketball games that they have... Does your boy play ball ? did he run in high school ? He can run around the practice field across the street...hope his comp likes to run Does he have other friends in the MTC right now ?
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No he did not run in High School. Just started 1 yr ago. Played soccer in school. He does have a few friends 3 I think in the MTC right now with 2 more in shortly. All going to states. I don't know how much he will get to see them. Have you ever tried Dearelder.com? If so what did you think of the service? Maggy
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We tried DearElder.com for a while, but dropped it after a short time. Not because of poor service. We just liked to put stuff in the letters we mailed, (pictures, stamps, stickers, etc.) so ended up mailing more letters the regular way rather than through DE.com. Now that he is in Australia, we mostly just email letters. If we ship him something, it is personal stuff (like pictures,) that couldn't go through DE.com.
And Mrs. Pink makes better cookies than them anyway.
However, I haven't thought about using them for letters I write to other missionaries in the ward that I don't send pictures to. Perhaps I will try them out again. It would certainly be convenient, and I think all the ones I write to use the pouch.
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I will tell you something I had nothing to do with that was a huge hit.
My oldest, Pink Klark sent Pink BJ a huge package about half way into the MTC. The box was probably 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet tall. In it he had 2 of those Sams club size jars of cheese puffs. (They were the biggest hit.) He sent a large play ball ("What is he going to do with that?" I asked. "I dunno" was the reply.), a half dozen cheap squirt guns, a slinky, and some other cheap kid toys and goodies. We heard about that for weeks from Pink BJ. When he sent us a tape from the MTC, his roommates all talked about it. How it was the biggest package the MTC had ever seen, (I am sure that isn't true.), how they all had orange teeth and fingers for days, how they had squirt gun fights in the showers. He sent so much stuff, they hid some stuff in the airvents for the people coming in for the next group in their room. Almost all of the pictures he sent from the MTC have things from that package in the background or in their hands etc.
I think it meant more coming from his brother than it would have coming from us. Perhaps an idea for a couple of his sisters to put together.
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thats great PInk. We always try to send enough for the district to share. We have sent games before... I think they just love anything that arrives ! Posts: 724 | Registered: Sep 2004
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One of the best packages my district got in the MTC was a bushel of fresh peaches and a bushel of fresh tomatoes. After MTC food, these were heavensent. I remember some of us sitting around at night and eating the tomatoes whole. Yumm!
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Ewww...tomatoes whole? MDS, they shoulda been getting you used to Rotkohl, Sauerkraut, und rohes Hackfleisch mit Salz und Zwiebeln auf deinem Schwarzbrot! Did you ever notice how Germans will eat bell pepper sliced like an apple?
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I recieved my first letter today. I expected a short one for sure, (as my boy is a boy of few words) But it was three pages. He said the 1st and 2nd days, he thought of walking home. But reconsidered. Said he doesn't have time to dwell on himself a lot. Likes his companion, sounds like he is twice the size of my boy however, I hope they really do get along. He is doing well with the mandarin. He is having small converstations with others in chinese. Praying, bearing testimony etc in chinese. He sounds okay. Homesick but okay. I think he might be a little surprised at the homesickness as he did not think he would be for at least a mo nth. It made me laugh and cry and miss him. Did the MTC let the boys keep the games, balls etc you all have sent? Do they relax a little as time goes by. Doesn't sound like they are playing much. Maggy
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Yeah!! First letter!! (The homesickness part is pretty normal from my experience.)
I don't know if he told "them" they had the toys! He took 2 squirt guns to Australia. Left the big play ball with someone else. Ate all the cheese puffs. The rest is unknown, and I didn't ask...
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Yahoo for the first letter ! I am so happy he is handling the language ! Mandarin is really tough. My Son who is in the Mesa Az mission... had a companion come home this week ( end of mish)his fav comp so far. Anyway he is from our area...actually your town... Elder Shuey. Maggy do you know them ? It was nice to hear his stories about the mish with my boy.
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ok so I signed up for that missionary mom website too... I should have done it months ago. So I get an email from a gal whose boy is in Mesa Ariz with my boy. And turns out they are relatives ( of my hubby) so that was a hoot. Then I get an email from a gal whose parents are in Melbourne Australia on their mish and then her son is also in Mesa mission. Then I get an email from an old neighbor whose boy is serving in Texas. So ya I would say there is alot of support out there ! and pretty fun.
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I love the missionary Moms web site. But i must love you guys too, I check the site many times a day maggy
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Well Maggy... It has been a little over one month. How is your Melbourne bound son doing ? My Elder enters the MTC on Wed. I am having those all too familiar pangs of motherly anxiety as he packs his bags !!! I can barely stand to have him be out of my sight. We still have to get one more shot, get a haircut, pick up some film and stamps... Play one last game of basketball with his former teamates and friends ( that game will last for several hours ! ) go get set apart and have our "missionaries eat for Free " lunch at the Golden Corral and then we are off. My box of kleenex is ready !
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Does he have other friends in the MTC right now ?![[The Wave]](graemlins/thewave.gif)
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chinese. Praying, bearing testimony etc in chinese. He sounds okay. Homesick but okay. I think he might be a little surprised at the homesickness as he did not think he would be for at least a mo ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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nth. It made me laugh and cry and miss him.![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
