MTC Week 2: P day is like Christmas!

(from a letter he mailed during the week)

This morning we did service, so I vacuumed some stairs.  Then I lifted with Elder Landgrun, and that was glorious.  Now, we’re playing PIG on the little tikes hoop connected to the door in our room.  We play a district game of pig every night, and that’s always fun.

It was tough, I was frustrated with the language, but yesterday it clicked and it was nice.  I don’t realize how much I know until I pray.  I can pray, bear my testimony, do the “mission purpose” and the first vision in Portuguese.  It’s coming along.

I love you guys, I’ll email Friday morning.

(from the Friday email)

 P day is like Christmas at the MTC.   Seriously, its like Christmas.  The night before, P Day Eve, everyone brings their beds into our room, so there is 9 beds, and we have a huge sleepover, and its soo much fun!

I said goodbye to Brock this week, and that kinda sucked because I saw him everyday, and it was so nice, but I'm sure hes doing great in Canada.  Hope everything is going good at the house, it's weird that I've only been gone 2 weeks, it feels like 2 months.  But then it also feels like 2 days, idk time goes by weird at the MTC.  

So we had another great week at the MTC.  Not sure if i  told you, but I was frustrated with the language, but then we had a stress management class, and I got it all worked out haha.  I'm still trying to be patient with myself, but its tough.  Its a weird language. 


On our floor, everyone is going to Brazil except a couple of us, and absolutely No One going to Brazil gets their visa, 95 % of them are getting reassigned, including Huxford and Starr, and all my boys haha.  They try to not put the people going to Portugal and Cape Verde in the same class with the people going to Brazil  because Brazilians are stupid, and they pronounce things differently.  We always joke with them about having the second best Portuguese in the world!

Most of the District

Deseret Hills, Cedar and Canyon View!

With a couple of Deseret Hills guys-

First real email

Meeting up with the neighborhood boys!

Brock, on the Sunday walk up to the temple

With Elder Dallin Bosco (be sure to show this to Brady)

With Elder Ty Jaros, shortly before he flew off to Tennessee.

They call this guy the tennis God, he's signed to play at Utah State after the mission.

Sorry I haven't had too much time to write, things are kind of crazy up here and I'm trying to write everyone that writes me back and there's really not too much time.. It sounds like everything is going well up there, I'm really glad to hear that! Yeah we heard Elder Scott talk on prayer and that was really good.  I saw Ryan and a bunch of guys out on the temple walk on Sunday, that's when I see a lot of people!  The MTC is still going really well, and its nice because Elder Landgrun is in my room, and he's gonna run track at Utah State, so we go on runs, and lift and work out together all the time and he is keeping me in shape.  I still love serving with Kaleb, we have a lot of fun!  I really think I have the best district ever! We have so much fun, but we still know when to be spiritual, and as coach Boone would say "that's a fine line" haha. We get to play basketball everyday and that's extremely nice, its probably the best stress reliever ever!

And I love getting the dear elders, thanks a lot for sending them! and thanks for the score bars, it was really nice to get those, and a lot of people loved them! We honestly have so much food in our room its unreal! If I didn't have Landgrun with me I'd probably be getting fat ha.  Its nice, I see Brock everyday, but he leaves next Wednesday so that kinda sucks.  But I really do love it up here, its pretty peaceful because they honestly take care of everything for you, and all you have to worry about is the gospel.  It does get overwhelming at times, but I just work out when that happens and its all good.  I love studying the scriptures and having some quiet study time.  That sounds weird, but it really is nice.

Really the only tough thing is the language.  Its pretty tough, but its definitely coming along, and I can pray and say my testimony and everything in Portuguese.  We aren't in class with anyone going to Brazil because our Portuguese is different, but ours is a lot better haha.  We're in the same hall, so we always make jokes about them speaking the 2nd best Portuguese in the world haha.  Its cool because Elder Drawe is on our class floor, so we see him everyday.  Also, Koy Huxford’s cousin Braze is going to Brazil, and we see each other everyday and talk.  We were right next door with Elder Riley Gates for a little while, so me and Caplin talked to him every night, and that was nice.  he’s actually a pretty cool kid.

I won't lie, there are amazingly cute sisters everywhere..  And that's not good, but its not the worst thing ever either.  You would think it would be really crowded in our room, but its really not too bad.  Everyone has good hygiene and the room stays pretty clean.  And we all get along and love each other so its really not too bad, I really do love everyone in here! but the language is definitely the challenge

I'm sleepin good, and going to the temple today

 E Igleja e verderaro!  Chio!

 Thanks so much for everything, especially doing my laundry the last 18 years, I did it today, and it was awful.

The Room and the District

August 10, 2013

Dear Family,

It’s day 4 and I still enjoy the MTC.  Right now it is 10 AM and I’m supposed to be in class, but Elder Caplin is sick, so I’m hangin in the room playing with the bouncy balls, or Bola Resalto.

I feel desculpa por Elder Caplin....

The language is going well, but it’s really not too similar to espanol.  There’s weird rules, like if S doesn't start a word, it makes a sh sound.  And unlike Spanish we say the j’s.  The r makes a h sound.  Just little rules like that.
We taught our first lesson in Portuguese yesterday and that went well.  And if Cappy starts feeling better we get to play basketball today, so that will be nice.  I see Tyson Garfield, Brock, Ty and Ryan everyday, so that’s always nice.  I’ll tell you a little about my room.
Elder Rivera is Mexican, 24, and our district leader.  He’s a cool guy.  His comp, Elder Lundgun, or as we call him, Elder Estrahno (Elder Odd in Portuguese).  He is the only person in the MTC speaking Portuguese that is going to Canada.  He is just 18, from Brighton High School.  He is ripped, and signed to run the 100 and 200 at Utah State.  He’s one of my favorite missionaries, we do push ups every night.
Elder Richards is 24, from Draper, and kind of a goofy kid with glasses.  Kind of the weird kid of the group.  Elder Crooks is 18, from Texas, and he’s cool.  Elder Hollinsworth isn’t in our room, but is in the district, and I really like him!  He’s 19, from Northern Utah and a funny but spiritual guy, one of my favorites.  Elder Lesere is from Hurricane, he is Tongan and so funny, and rarely on task, ha.  He is hilarious, though.  And Elder Quinsada is from New York, he is quiet but cool.
Sister Bos is from Texas, going to Portugal.  All four of the sisters are going to Portugal.  Sister Beard is from Alta, and she is the cutie of the district.  I try not to flirt with her, and I don’t, but she’s really pretty.  Sister Hirshi is from Kansas and she’s cool.  Sister Gutswiler is from up North, and ran at Utah State.  All the Elders not in my room are going to Angola, everyone else is going to Cabo Verde.  Love my district, and love the long MTC days.  Oh, and I see Elder Drawe everyday, and that’s nice.
Descupa por my bad writing, the lights are off.

Love you guys!
Elder Jarvis

Letter #1 - MTC Comp? Elder Kaplin!

August 7, 2013

Dear Jarvis Fam,

Thanks for the nice drop off, it went well!  It was nice to see Ryan right off the bat.  Him and Ty are in the building next to me, so I saw both of them today!  I also saw Tyson Garfield, and Tanner and Bryce, but they’re not in my district.  My district is way cool thought, and there’s four girls and they’re all cute, ha, ha!

There’s six of us in our room, and all of us are going to Cabo Verde, but Elder Lundwick, he’s going to Canada!  I guess I’ll tell you a little about my companion.  His name is Elder Kaleb Caplin from Desert Hills High.  Ha!  I was so excited when I saw we were serving together!

Our first day went well, and we had Chicken Fried Steak for dinner.  I honestly love it up here, and it’s unreal how strong the spirit is up here.!  Our teachers haven’t spoken a word of English, but I’ll catch on, and it’ll work out.  I honestly loved the first day, and it’s only gonna get better.

Love all you guys!
Elder Jarvis (#4)

And we're off!!!

Having fun at the Provo Temple before the drop off.

Same IHOP, just 15 months later, for the pre-MTC meal

Ben was missing, but we hope he was eating some good tortillas thinking about us!

After a few more pictures, we made our way to the MTC.  We were 15 minutes early, so we drove around the block, and Cougar Stadium, then made our way back to the MTC.  Out timing was perfect, as our neighbor Elder Ryan Hulet and his companion Elder Neptune were just coming around the corner to meet us.  It felt like a real tender mercy to all of us.

And Nate was off, with his host carrying the purple suitcase and the green carry on.  Looking great, Nate!

And here's the senior missionary who told Elder Hulet and Elder Neptune (in the background)  to go back to their classroom.

We're anxiously awaiting word from the MTC........