Hey Family! And others!
Week two is done and I can honestly say time is flying! The MTC is very similar to prison and I'm excited to leave, but I'm enjoying it a lot! I'm making the best of it! This week was fantastic! The Mandarin is coming easily and quickly and I can actually give lessons well now, which is a major relief! I'm so thankful for my teachers, we finally got two! Feng Laoshi (used to be our investigator) is now on his 4th day of teaching so it's been an adventure but hes doing really well! Sister Ochoa is our other teacher. She is incredible! Sadly this is her last week though so that's a bummer. (Yes her father did talk in General Conference.) Both of them are helping us learn so well and I am so thankful that they can bring the spirit in to class as well as they can because I know that's the only way I'm learning as much and as well as I am! This church is true everyone. I realized how true that statement was when I started crying while I shared my testimony IN CHINESE to our investigator. He's not even a real investigator and I still feel the spirit stronger than ever.
I am happy here and I have never been much healthier (besides the food)! I've been running 2-5 miles everyday and been playing volleyball with our zone. I'm still having lots of fun and keeping my patience and positive attitude. I guess that's not too hard when our zone does things like reenact The Battle for Helm's deep with all of our cardboard boxes, belts, bed sheets and paper towel rolls! Hahaha (Yes, we got it on video... To go along with their former Star Wars night and our soon to be Batman night!) I know for sure that heavenly father picked this zone and district for me! Elder Nelson, my companion is from Salt Lake, he went to Highland. Elder Cline went to Wood's Cross, he also is from Salt Lake. Elder Kaufusi is the third from Salt Lake and went to East High. Elder Alexander is from Hawaii and went to Kahuku. Sister Richards is from Provo and went to Timpview. And finally Sister Bernhardt is from Logan. I found out this week that she knew all the Kingstons, did dance with them and went to High School with Nikki! So that's where they're all from.
Last night I got called down to the front desk and found out we're getting another companion in about an hour now. For some reason, they brought in ONE Elder and ONE Sister this week. That's all. So they can have class together but they can't go everywhere without other companions. It's going to be weird to figure out so I'll have to let you know more about it next week.
Yes, Colton left for his mission yesterday. But we did take a picture together on Sunday! He has it on his camera so you'll have to get it from him. Elder Kimmel and I are getting all the Orem kids together on Sunday to take a picture together before he leaves on Tuesday!
I'm glad to hear you are all doing so well! Devin, I'm sorry about the spider, that never happened to me! Sucker!! I hope some day soon you'll feel the comfort and the love in that room that I was able to feel. Adam, best of luck moving out. You're gonna need it.
Dad, I don't know if you remember, but during my priesthood ordination, you blessed me that I would have lots of opportunities to use the priesthood. Well, yesterday while I was doing role play with Sister Bernhardt (Peng Jiemei) she asked me if I would give her a blessing of comfort. So last night after asking our branch president, I had the opportunity to give her my first blessing. It was an incredible experience. I've never felt the type of revelation through me that I did. I don't even remember a lot of what I said because I wasn't thinking at all by myself. I was so happy that I was worthy and ready to give it to her. Thank you so much for your lessons and your example.
THANK YOU for the packages! They are so useful and I love having them! Nothing has ever melted or gone bad so feel free to send anything! I would love some top ramen, and some pop corn. But really any treat in the world is fantastic to have when we get back at night or when the breakfast line is to long so we just bail on it! Hahaha I have been sharing with others too and they all say thank you! I would also love some more pictures, if I could get a timeline like from baby pictures to now that would be great to show my district and zone. The one I got already is fantastic to show investigators so thank you so much! If you wanna send me my pair of jeans and nike shoes that would be great too! My clothes are way too baggy! Hahaha You know me! I'll try to write down things I think of during the week but I can't think of anything else right now!
Well, I would like to close this email with my testimony, but these computers don't really do tones well so I'll just have to send it without them... Wo zhidao shen shi women de Tianfu. Wo zhidao women shi Ta de haizi. Wo zhidao Ta ai Women. Wo zhidao Yesu Jidu shi Shen de erzi. Wo zhidao women xuyao zhege fuyin haiyou women xuyao shuzui. Wo zhidao Yuese Simi fanyi Mo'ermenjing. I know my grammar is probably wrong but oh well!
Love you all! Wo ai nimen!
Love Elder Brian Holderness! (Hong Zhanglao)
P.S. Here's that video!
Brian with is his cousin, Elder Colton Potter while in the MTC together.
