A freakin' 12 gauge, whaddaya think?!!

(I couldn't remember where we were, so I hope this is close enough)

"I eat my peas with honey.

 I've done it all my life.

 It makes them taste so funny,

 but they stick to my knife."

As you know, I am leaving a week from wednesday. Not that the MTC isn't great or anything, but I am definatley ready to get into the field. Living at the MTC has been compared to the Mii Channel music. For a while, it's a pleasant, even enjoyable experience, but after so long... You'd rather listen to almost anything else.

OK, so maybe it's not all that bad, but still. You know what I'm sayin'.

This will be my last full week at the MTC. If everyone's travel plans stay the same, then I will be a solo missionary for almost two full days. I'm 99% sure that at least one person in my district will be visa waited, though, so I'm not too worried.

Oh, and I am allowed to give you a tinkle whilst I wait in the airport, if you were wondering (Which you were, since you asked me about it earlier).

When I think about the MTC, it's odd the things that I haven't done in two months. I haven't been in a vehicle (unless you count an elevator). I have eaten almost exclusivley MTC cafeteria meals. I have been in a stall every time I've taken a poo (sorry for the vulgarities, but it had to be said). I have very rarley been outside of this tiny campus. Crazy, but it dosen't seem like that long a time. I will be glad to get out, but I will, at least mildly miss it (Not as much as I might if it was in another city, however).

Let me now make it known that I predict the Saints beating the Patriots in the super bowl in yet another classic game. My bold prediction is that, for the second year in a row, a-non quarterback will throw a touchdown pass.

You'll have to keep me posted on who wins MVP. If the goings on in the NFL have remained consistent since I left, I would be for Drew Brees all the way on that one.

What else... Ah, of course the MTC got a new presidency this week. I don't see why that would have any impact on you, but just thought I'd make you aware.

Now, a true issue that I want to discuss. The changes being made to the hymnal. I just want to get this out: if they remove any of the following hymns, please call and complain:

The Spirit of God

Up, Awake ye Defenders of Zion

Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise

How Firm a Foundation

Israel, Israel God is Calling

Nearer, My God, to Thee

Come Come ye Saints

and of course, the best hymn in the book, Thanks for the Sabbath School.

(I do realize that most, if not all, of these are extremely unlikely to be removed, but I just wanted to make it known that on the off chance that they are, I disapprove).

Now, let me weave you a tale. It involves a TRC (a nonmember one) in which I feel like I may have gone too far. I can't go into much detail about the person we're teaching, exept I will say this: A-he's actually a member, pretending to be a nonmember, and B-he is going very hard on us. Now, on to the story. So, we were teaching him, and we were following up with him about prayer, as we had invited him to pray the last time we met. He said it was going well, but he said he didn't understand why when he prayed God didn't appear to him. So, we explained to him (all in Chinese, of course) as best as we could, the doctrine behind this principle, but he still wasn't getting it. He just kept pushing us and pushing us on it. We were out of things to say, and he still wasnt satisfied, so I pulled out a scripture on him, probably following my own frustration more than the spirit (never do that, kids). Jacob 7:14. I'll let you read it on your own time. Suffice to say, he was not satisfied and we left the lesson with his concern, sadly, still unresolved. There is some good news associated, though. My teacher actually said that it was a very good scripture to share, you just have to handle it very delicately. Unfortunatley, with the level that I'm at in the language, I was unable to do that. Also, our TRC person did seem to get the point, and didn't take offense to it, so that's good news as well.

In closing, I would like to add to the ever-popular column, "Needy Ben." There is but one request I have, and this is mainly for use in the field. A larger shoulder bag. The one that I have how is not only too small to fit everything, but is begining to fall apart in places. (It appears to not have been made with the highest quality). So, just something a bit bigger would be nice. (I did find out that, unfortunately, all the mandarin speakers in my mission use exclusivley cars, so it wouldn't matter if it would be mildly cumbersome, since I won't be riding a bike with it).

Anyway...

Bye.

Good 'ol Ben