I'm not sure how often he will be able to send a "mass email" letter, so I'll include important tidbits that he writes to me.
I'm sure the format and such will be changing as we go.
4/22/2015 (this is part of the letter he sent me)
It's been a long week, but it also flew by. The MTC has a fantastic spirit here. Everyone is so kind and wants to serve the Lord.
I am really loving it here. I've learned SO much more Italian than I would without the Spirit here guiding my words. We had to teach an investigator on the THIRD day IN ITALIAN. But the Lord provides a way.
My teachers speak mainly in Italian. They are returned missionaries who went to Rome as well! They speak it wonderfully, and it gives me an idea of what to look forward too. But they definitely speak slowly and simply to us. I can't understand a third of what the investigator is saying, but she is so kind. I am truly excited to preach and teach the gospel in Rome.
The church is true!
- Anziano Cox
4/22/2015 (this is the "mass email" letter he sent on 4/22 - so there is a little repetition)
So this first week at the MTC has been fantastic. My companion's name is Anziano Krogue. He's from Utah, enjoys snowboarding, and has a fantastic testimony.
On our third day here, we had to teach an investigator in Italian! It was lots of tripping over words and pausing, but we got better and better every lesson we did.
There's only one thing that I can complain about. The food. It tastes pretty good, and I like it. However, my stomach does not. I don't know if that's just because I'm away from home and my body is in panic mode, or if I just am pathetic, but I think I'm starting to get used to it.
Yesterday, half of my zone went to the Italian consulate over in Salt Lake. I didn't go because I never got the ok to go. I don't know if that means they didn't get my papers and passport yet, or if it means that I already did the stuff and didn't realize it. I hope it's the latter.
I really enjoy the spirit here. Everyone can learn about the gospel and their language in such a great environment. I am excited for the next week to come.
Io so che Chiesa e Vera!
- Anziano Cox
4/29/2015
Being the music coordinator has been not as difficult as it could have been. I really just need a musical number every week for sacrament meeting. The first week I just did a piano solo, the second week I had three Elders sing The Spirit of God, and this week I'm having one of the sisters sing a solo. It's pretty simple.
Something else very music oriented happened on Wednesday. I walked into the classroom and there was a note on the board for me. An Elder Reynold was asking me to accompany for him for Thursday morning. Usually, there is a list of available accompanists, but the MTC is very small right now (in comparision to the past -- t has about 1000 missionaries right now, but it can hold I think 6000), so there was no one on the list. He found me through the music librarian, who heard about me through my Branch President's wife. He was singing "Oh That I Were An Angel". I had an hour before class and 15 minutes before the audition to practice. He sang beautifully. I definitely had some major help with playing. But they loved it. We performed at the departure devotional Monday night (which was why it had to be this week. He was leaving on Tuesday). I did great! Again, I doubt I could have played it without some significant help from the spirit, but it was beautiful. He is such a cool guy. He's from New Zealand and is the only missionary in the entire MTC going to Madagascar. Definition of a Cool guy. That was a really great part of my week.
The MTC has overall been great. I found out I can play volleyball fairly well, and I can't play soccer very well. It's an interesting array of activities that they have. In the gym, we can play basketball, volleyball, and..... four square. Yup. I haven't played it since elementary school, but it's not too hard to catch up to. Out at the field, we can play soccer, frisbee, or beach volleyball. Again, strange last one, but that doesn't mean it's not fun.
That's It! I love you so much! Il Vangelo e Vero!
- Anziano Cox
