Dear Family and Friends

Week one of the MTC!

So my p day is on Wednesday and I only get a short 30 minutes to email so hopefully I can type fast enough to get all out what I want to say! WOW! Let me tell you that the first 4 days of the MTC are quite a doozy they are ridiculous, right away they start speaking to you in Russian and occasionally stop to make sure you understand what they say and usually I just sit with a blank stare because it went right over my head. But I am loving it so far I can feel the spirit so strongly here and I know this is what I am supposed to be doing with my live at this moment. Oh and mom I just found out we don’t get to call on mother’s day but I will keep writing you letters don’t worry.  The first couple of days were really hard on me I really missed you guys and the rest of the family and so to not be able to talk to you like at all is really tough. but I prayed for strength every moment I needed some help and that has gotten me through each day so far and now I am on day 8 and I feel so much better and things are going a ton better as well. My companions are super nice and cool I have elder Packard as my companion (he is the one I went to school with) and elder Samuelsson as well as elder Kunferman they went to BYU Provo.  We all get along well and things are going good with us. they all have some previous experience with Russian so it is a little unfair ;) but it’s okay they are always there to help me out with what I need so it’s nice to get extra help but the language is quite overwhelming.  The second day we were here we taught our first lesson in Russian. that was quite the experience. it’s hard to get the point across when I don’t know  a whole lot of Russian but I do know how to bear my testimony and that is extremely powerful and that is a great feeling to do so. Sundays and Mondays are probably going to be my favorite days (Wednesdays are nice but we don’t get a ton of time to do stuff like email.) so far we have now taught 5 lessons in Russian and our last one is tomorrow. I also can pray a little bit in Russian which is crazy because I have only been here for a few days. But I know that I am able to do all of these things through the spirit and that I would be lost without it. we study a ton I think we are in our classroom for like 10 hours out of the day or more ill count next time not enough time now ha-ha. I have already learned so much and by listening to the spirit teach to me and to guide me is such a great thing to know and have. I never really knew what it felt like but it is amazing to know he is there helping me out.   Everyday minus Sunday and p-day I get to play some basketball (the guys here are not that good either) ha-ha but it is still fun so I get my good work out in :)  The work is definitely hard and it is going to be tough from here on out but I know that the spirit is here for me teaching through me and helping me as long as I am putting in my time. wow I have written a lot and still have 15 minutes not bad ha-ha anyway I do love what I am doing and now that this is where I am supposed to be. when I get discouraged I just pray for strength and that is the most important thing we have is prayer and ask  for strength the lord will bless us I know he will. I cannot believe it’s been a week the days seem so long then they are over and I feel like it wasn’t that bad. I love you all and want you all to know I pray for everyone especially our family everyday and I always tear up when I think of you guys... I’m such a sap now ha-ha love you all!!!!

Also if you don’t know what dear elder is please check it out I get the mail that same day it is sent and it is always great to get a letter even if it is just you saying hello I still will appreciate it. It’s always a sad day when our mailbox is empty. I will have time to write you also if you send it by dear elder because I can write it throughout the week and so it’s just great

Dad I do want you to keep sending the updates I love it makes me so happy to see what’s going and it is not distracting I look at it have a laugh and then carry on my way.... oh one last thing we had a meeting where we all talked about the devotional and every single person said um to start and at least 4 times I didn’t say it at all... aren’t you proud :) I love you

Mom you can send me as many dear elders as you want 5...6 a day if you want that might be pushing it but I love them and didn’t realize how much I would ha-ha I love you

I love you all

Elder (Anthony) Litchfield