March 28, 2013

Editor's note: Jason was able to send a few emails today. Some had PHOTOS!!

Here is his first email:

I still can't believe someone gave Kray a loan.  I never thought I would see the day my dad bought a bike (I can believe Kray would just not that someone would loan him the money).

Thanks for the package it can get cold during the night here.  Just in case you haven't got my letter yet, it snowed twice earlier this week it was awesome. One of the Elders in my district hadn't seen snow before (he grew up in Haiti and then moved to Miami when he was 10 (I think)). Sadly the snow melted by the end of the day both times :(
As much as I love it here in the CCM [MTC] I can't wait to get out into the field.

We finally got a new district in our zone so my district is no longer the newest district in the zone. 

things are going well over all. oh you were right about me probably needing lotion so if you could send me some good lotion in the next package that would be awesome.

I will send you some pictures later today because I don't have my camera with me and even if I did this computer doesn't like to send pictures. (and yes the email client doesn't like big pictures and I didn't get it the first time you sent them).

Editor's note: I had sent him a few pictures of his dad and brother on their bikes. 

Elder Jason Blanding is far left.

Elder Jason Blanding is upper left.

Elder Jason Blanding is (again) far left.

Elder Jason Blanding and his companion (?) Elder Clarke
This time he is on the right.

 Then his last email:

I just got your letters like 5 min. ago.  YOU GAVE CHRIS YOUR IPHONE!!! you didn't even give me buy a smart phone and you just give Chris an iPhone? (yes I'm a little jealous) but anyways congrats to you on getting a new iPhone. how is dad liking his new job?

 

March 21, 2013

Jason's email from this week was short and to the point, but we got a hand written letter earlier in the week.  I think with the 5000+ missionaries that they have at the MTC computer time is highly regulated and scheduled.

His letter dated 3-15-13
Dear Everyone,

Thanks for the letters, they were nice. It is nice to hear from you all and that everything is going well.

I love it here. My district is awesome and I am picking up Spanish faster than I thought I would.

We finished teaching the first investigator (R*) they give you here at the MTC. It was an interesting experience.  Because we didn't really know much Spanish on our first lesson, we weren't able to communicate much and so we didn't start teaching how we would have liked.

We found out today that the person who was our first investigator is also one of our teachers. His real name is Hermano (brother) T*. He is a Samoan from California and is a really awesome guy.

Time to go to bed.

Love you all,
Elder Blanding

PS: Use Dear Elder if you want to communicate faster because they just have to print them and weget mail after lunch and dinner every day.
PPS: Tell people to write, I want to know what is happening!!!

His email from March 21

Ha ha ha I can't believe dad got a bike (insert smile face) and I can't believe that Kray found someone willing to give him credit.

I might have answered the questions you asked me in a letter already but just in case...

my companion is Elder Clarke, he is from Utah and is pretty cool.
My whole district is awesome we have so much fun together.  there are 7 Elders (3 are in a tri companionship) and 4 Hermanas (sisters)
Thanks for sending me the package it was nice to get stuff from home.

tell the Delanos thanks for me (they sent me an Easter package) I'll send them a thank you later today probably.

oh and while I'm on the topic of thank yous can you send me the Bean's address so I can send them a thank you for the shoes.

I love you and can't (kind of) wait to see you all again (even Kray (insert winky face))

see you in 2

Love:

Elder Blanding

I got a reply to my reply to this letter (I sent him the Delano and Bean home addresses) and it said:

can you send me my Phinius and Ferb blanket? (the thin fleece one) it gets really cold in the mornings here and the blankets they give us suck.

can you also send me my BYU jacket. (it can get cold and windy in the mornings but not cold enough for me to want my big coat)

thanks.

Elder  Blanding

ps. I asked dad to send me a SD card reader (USB) so you can send them at the same time.

March 14, 2013 (part 2)

Email to his dad:

It was good but very hard. My district is awesome and so is my companion. Full immersion is hard but effective. I wasn't expecting them to put us with investigator as soon as they did especially ones that only speak Spanish.  Teaching the gospel in a language I don't know is really hard. I know that God will help me learn and oh boy do I need the help.

How hard was it for you to feel like you had a good enough grasp on Portuguese to teach people confidently?

If you want to send me anything please send it through DearElder it gets to me faster and I don't have to use my E-Mail time reading what you wrote (I only have 30 a week and only on P-Day).

Oh I for got to tell mom this but I have run into Jackson twice already in only one week. it is really weird seeing people I know from outside the MTC here. He has a picture on his iPhone of us if either of you want it.

love: Elder Blanding

March 14, 2013

Hey I hope you got my letter.

If you write me please use DearElder because I can only check my E-Mail once a week on P-Day (Thursday) and I only have 30 minutes witch isn't enough to read anything lengthy and then respond. 

Teaching the gospel in another language is hard. I am making progress but not as fast as I would like. We started teaching our first "investigator" (one of the teachers here at the MTC) on the second day, we have to teach in Spanish and it is so hard. I wish I had paid more attention and tried to learn more in my Spanish class.

Please send me the Gospel Library I forgot to put it in my suitcase it should be in the selves next to the computer.

I Love you

-Elder Blanding