Week #4 MTC

"I will destroy you and steal your fiance"

The MTC is a magical land. Similar to Hogwarts in the first 2 years of school. You are locked in and cannot leave, the teachers are like Snape, they push you until you feel awful about yourself (but you later figure out they were helping you all along), you spend all day cramming for your OWLS, and still fail. The worst part is, your parent/guardian didn't sign your permission slip to go to Hogsmede and you have to stay behind while you watch the English elders and sister come and go.

For all of you who have never seen Harry Potter or just do not care, I am saying this place is great but I am itching to leave. 2 more days and we are halfway done.

Our teacher, Masa Eyring, who happened to speak no Latvian left us this week. I have become an emotional piece of human garbage whilst in the MTC, and showed my talent of crying on command by blowing up the dam and letting the rains go down and the floods come up. She meant a lot to us. She was there through everything. We only knew her for 54 hours but she left a lasting impact on us that we will never forget. 

Our new teacher, Masa Larson, speaks only Latvian (yay). She walks in spouting of in crisp, fluent Latvain and we cannot understand her. How after 4 weeks of learning a language are we supposed to understand any word she says? Our other teacher, Bralis Bird, knows what we know, so we understand him. It is crazy. I feel like I know nothing.

Oh, before I forget, the title of this email comes from a song Elders Satterlee from my district sings.

"I will destroy you and steal your fiance,

 booty, booty, booty, booty,

 rocking everywhere."

He sings it all day and it is wonderful.

Dallon H. Oaks came and spoke to us this week, we sat on the third row. (We go 45 minutes early to every devotional because I refuse to sit in the most uncomfortable gym bleachers of all time) He read the entirety of Preach My Gospel to us. It was so boring, but it did answer all of my prayers so it wasn't actually that bad.

The food here is awful.

I got a haircut today.

Someone (Adrian) give me a detailed update of the NBA and NHL playoffs as well as the political race. Someone in my district caucused for Bernie and another caucused for Cruz. I, being the only smart person in our district, caucused for John Kasich. He has probably dropped out by now. I wish I knew...

DearElder.com is a great place to go and write me all about your life. I want to know everthing.

Es zinu ka šie baznīca ir patiesa.

Elders Josts

Week #3 MTC

Week 3 at the MTC was great.

I am a true Zone boy now. Me and Elders Birch got the assignment of being the Zone leaders, which is great because I love power.

The MTC food is the absolute worst food I have ever had. A part of my soul leaves with every choked down plate of scraps. My body is reacting in violent ways and it hurts.

One of our Latvian teachers (who speaks less Latvian then we do) Masa Eyring (granddaughter of the one and only Henry B) is getting fired due to BYU graduation and I am filled with sorrow. She means so much to us. I am unsure how we will treat our new teacher but it may not be pretty. Ill keep you all up to date because I know you care SO MUCH.

Honestly, how many of you actually read this? I know I would skim over other missionaries emails and miss the majority of the content. Whatever, I don't really care.

SEND ME DEAR ELDERS PLEASE I LOVE THEM AND I NEED THEM IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.

We received 4 new Elders and 3 new Sister yesterday. They are great. I shall attach a picture of them so that you can look at them.

STORY OF THE WEEK: We were teaching our investigator (teacher) yesterday about baptism. My companion, Elders Birch, was trying to explain that you become a member of the church through baptism and receiving the holy ghost. He was trying to use the Latvian that he knows off the top of his head to explain this and and said "Caur Kristishanos un Svetais Gars speku jus varesit klusit loceklis" which roughly translates to "Through Baptism and the Holy Ghosts strength you can become member". Funny thing is without adding "Baznicas" before "Loceklis" which means "Church Member" the word "locekli" can mean a number of things. I can mean Member, Limb, Extention, or a certain part of the male anatomy. Fill in the blanks and laugh a little.

Things are all good here. I am four square king. All others bow before my greatness.

Elders Yost

Week #2

Me on my birthday after a bombed lesson.

"What a funny little bird the frog are. Him ain't got no tail for hardly. And when him walks, him hops. And when him don't hop, him sits on his funny little tail, which him don't got. Don't it awful?"

See if you cannot figure out the meaning behind this short, yet meaningful piece of writing.

The MTC is fun. I never thought I would say that. I also never thought I would make it this long, but miracles happen. My companion, Elders Birch is a hoot and a half. We get along too well. The language is coming along well. I couldn't ask you any questions further than how are you doing, but I can recite multiple scriptures from memory, so that is great. Sister Geddes arrived yesterday and gave me the most firm handshake I have and will ever receive. We play basketball everyday, it is great. I have played four square a few times but I cannot handle these square newbs trying to give me the business. I am the business, and I show them that through elevated play.

The food here is awful. I am going to die. This is no joke, I am hurting due to lack of nutrition. I guess that is what I get for letting a mediocre university foods service feed me 3 meals a day.

I miss Sophie.

Keep the Dear Elders coming. I love them.

Dievs jus mil un es jus milu.   Elders Yost

Me and Brother Wills at the beam ceremony

The beam

Week #1

Elders Yost, Vyresnysis Herbst, Elders Birch, Satterlee and Cooley

Well, I hate it here. So many dang rules I can hardly handle it. The first few days were hard, but Conference made it a little better. I loved Duncan, Renlund, Uchtdorf, and the guy who talked about refugees talks a lot, but Holland put everyone in the dust (as usual). The last few days have been great, and I am getting along really well with my district.

My companion, Elders Birch (yes, the "s" is supposed to be there), is an okay fellow. He is sarcastic, and I am sarcastic, so we get along just fine. Our residence comprises of Elders Cooley of California, Elders Satterlee of Kearns, Elders Birch of Farmington, and Vyresnysis Herbst of North Carolina, as well as myself. Cooley and Satterlee are more rules oriented they the rest of us but we do our best to get along.

There are 4 Elderi and 2 Masas (sisters) going to Latvia. We have a blast.

Masa Burton, Elders Satterlee,  Elders Cooley, Elders Yost, Elders Birch and Masa Kunzelman

The language is coming along nicely. Elders Cooley makes us all look like 2nd graders but we are picking up some here and there.

My Zone has missionaries going to Russia, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. My zone leader is Elder Anderson from the 1st ward. 

The packages have been nice and the DearElders have been fantastic. Keep sending them.

Nothing that exciting happens here. I don't know what else to say.

No one knows Tim and Eric. That is the worst part. I cannot be myself without T&E. 

Love you all. 

Elders Yost

Devin and Dallin Demie

Devin and Brandon Anderson

Me having fun :)