We're Here!

So, I imagine you've been wondering about what happened with my flights - You may've seen that we finally got out of Detroit at 11:30 their time, and from Amsterdam got split up, with our half of the group going to Copenhagen and then to Berlin - it was actually really nice, and I just felt relaxed and happy the whole time, which was amazing, because I feel like I'd be so much more likely to be fretting beyond belief. But now we're in the Mission Home, so yup. Elder Fullmer started a stopwatch right as our Salt Lake plane was off the ground, and stopped it right as our plane hit the ground in Berlin - it was 24 hours and 30 minutes... quite the party.
Love you!
-Elder Cloward

MTC Last

So my flights:

Delta 242, leaves SLC at 11:15 AM 25 JUL arrives AM 8:05 AM 26 JUL
followed by:
Delta 9571 leaves AM 10:05 AM arrives TXL(Berlin) 11:20 AM

So yeah, I've got to be at the travel office at 8:00 - so that gives us 3 hours to get to the airport, through security, and onto the plane and all that - I feel like it usually takes forever, doesn't it? Anyhoodles, I was talking to some people in my district who got phone cards, but they only work in the states, so it'd have to be in Salt Lake - so I'll try to call you, I don't know what the time there will be like. so yuppers... so you can look for a call some time in there - I just would feel terrible if I wasn't able too... It'll probably be fine though... you probably know better than I do... mumble mumble mumble....\

So yeah, this week has been so crazy. The surreality is just getting weirder and weirder. With being done with fake investigators, with being done with normal class... it's all super krasy. I'm also just terrified. Yesterday was "In-field" training, and it was a full day of workshops and lecture, and we had these little packets that we had to fill in the blanks... it was kind of incredibly boring, but the stuff they were talking about was good... mostly it was a more condensed version of a lot of the stuff we've been talking about the whole time, and geared more directly to starting off and planning and working with members and stuff... stuff that I'll be doing in a couple days... whenever I think about it I just get super nervous and my stomach starts playing this game where it sees how many times it can fold itself in half. I don't like that game.

On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to be HOST missionaries, aka, the missionaries who pick up the new ones at the curb and show them a bit. It's sort of a full circle literary device. Anyhoodles - when I was standing out there waiting for people, I was ridiculously nervous. And when I say ridiculous, I mean entirely worthy of ridicule. And I was just thinking, "If I'm scared to death by new missionaries, how will I possibly be able to handle a German?" It's not a particularly comforting thought. But every time I actually approached a car, the new missionary came out, and all of the sudden all I was concerned about was helping them and making them feel comfortable, and ok with the shocking process. So I'm really trying to keep that in mind. The idea of real people is absolutely terrifying. Real real people aren't so bad. When I'm actually with them, and when I'm concentrating on how I can help them, there's no need to be afraid, and there's less of a tendency to be afraid. Just try telling that to my stomach.

Church is true! Love you,
-Elder Cloward

MTC Week 8

Dear Mutti

So stuff here is pretty good. I leave a week from today which is super crazy. We got our flight plans last thursday - We're flying straight from Salt Lake to Amsterdam - So I feel like I won't be able to call you at the airport during our layover....I guess I'll find out - but yeah, it's pretty exciting. As always, I totally don't believe that I'll actually be in Germany on a real mission.

I pretty much get two Vorbereitungstage this week - one today and one Saturday. Friday we've got this in-field training thingy. Our schedule says "vision" on it several times, so I'm pretty sure we'll get some angelic visitations. But nap-time would also be good. (See 1 Nephi Somethin':2 or 3ish) So they've told us to start packing and weighing our bags and stuff in order to be ready to leave, but the only stuff I took out of my bag is the stuff I still have to use... They're talking like we won't be able to take everything, so figure out what you want to ship back home - I dunno, I'm really hoping my bags are just light enough with everything I own. I guess I'll find out later.

Yes, I got the blogs, thank you so much! It's always marvelous to read about how my friends missions are going, especially now that I feel somewhat more involved in the work. It does make me want to write everyone letters though, which is hard because I get an average of one letter done per Vorbereitungstag, and I already have a bazillion people I need/want to write, so to all of my adoring fans out there, I try, I really try.

Wow, I really don't know how to respond to the news about Teri. That's so devastating. I will certainly be praying for her and her family. It's just such a shock.

I love you mom! thanks for being so supportive. I know this church is true, and I know families can be together for eternity.

- Elder Cloward

MTC Week 7

(This was actually written on July 11, but there was a problem with the computer so it's being posted a week late.)

Hey mom!

Sounds like you've been having all sorts of parties with the extended family. I'm glad to hear that. I wish I could see them all too. Dad seems to've neglegted to tell me about his ordeal, so he'd best tell me next week. I really want to go hiking... I wonder if I'll ever get to do that sort of thing on Vorbereitungstage.... I wonder what the terrain will be like where I am.... I wonder where I'll be. And yup, it's getting so close to actually leaving, but I still don't believe it. A lot of the other Elders are going crazy like, "Gahhh! I just want to get out there!" I, however, am quite laid back, and will gladly sit here for another two weeks. I'm super excited, but the time has flown by, and I want to cram in as much preparation as I can before I have to deal with real people.

That's all I managed to write before the computer died.

MTC Week 6

Anyhoodles, things are going pretty well here. Happy America Day, by the way! On Saturday night we had a cute little devotional thingy, where we sang Yankee Doodle (Unfortunately, I was in the overflow, and you couldn't hear the accompaniment there, which had some unfortunate consequences) and this guy talked about fighting for freedom and stuff. I think a couple of Elders are patriotic to a comical level - Not that I don't like it, I think it's great that they do, but one of my friends, Elder Pitts, carries a copy of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in his shirt pocket at all times and says he'll continue to do so the whole time in Germany. I really do love this country and am glad of the opportunity we have to participate in government and all that Jazz. I've so far avoided picking up any antiamerican labels, unlike a certain friend of ours. ;P anyhoodles, that thing on Saturday was kinda fun, though I'm pretty sure they were just keeping us inside so we wouldn't be able to hear David Archuleta. Afterward though, they let us outside, gave us ice cream and let us watch the fireworks through the trees. It was a party. Today we're actually planning on having a big celebrationish thing since it's our Vorbereitungstag (Chief Planner being Elder Pitts) involving American games, American Rootbeer (which we've been saving up from sack lunches for the last up to 9 weeks) and.... patriotic letter writing activities..... Anyway, it should be fun.

Well, writing this stuff takes time... which is unfortunate. Yesterday was a good day, it was kind of relaxing and regenerating, like they always say Sundays are supposed to be. It was nice. We had mission conference, since it was fast Sunday, and that was nice. The temple walk is always marvelous, though come to think of it, yesterday, we didn't actually make it across the street to the temple, we just played around with cameras (but I'd forgotten mine) on the field across the street. And the fireside last night was fantastic - It was Jenny Oaks Baker (You guessed it, Elder Oaks' daughter) who is a super fancy acclaimed and whatnot violinist. She played several incredible hymns with personal spiritual experiences attached. She also had her daughters play I am a Child of God on the piano, cello, and violin which was a stinking dorable. And afterwards we watched the Mountain of the Lord, which made me happy inside and reminded me of my childhood. I'd forgotten how infomercially that movie is, but it's still my favorite old school church movie.

Well, I'd best finish up, but I know this church is true, I love it here, and I'm super excited to go to Germany! I know that when we humbly turn to Christ, his Grace is sufficient for us, both to make it happily through our stuggles and unto Salvation.

Love you Honey Bunches of Oats (No Almonds, that would be unfortunate),

Elder Cloward