Howdy again everyone! I've added a few people to the mailing list. I promise I didn't mean to forget anyone! It's just that time here isn't very conducive to thinking about that sort of thing any other day of the week.

My update's a bit short, but meh. :) I only hope that y'all will write me soon! Otherwise, how am I to know you're even reading?

Erich at the MTC, Vol. 3 (of 9)

So, my opening thoughts for this post regard the volume of people asking me if or assuming that the MTC is “fun”.

If you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then yes, the MTC is fun:

· You like teaching random strangers about a (very) brief history of the LDS church, informing them why you feel they need your message, and encouraging them to feel the Spirit.

· You like eating food that bespeaks “mass production”.

· You like going to bed before 11 each night.

· You like learning a new language for 8 hours a day.

· You like learning gospel doctrine/preparing lessons/teaching others 8 hours a day.

· You like having 16-hour days.

· You like people.

· You like feeling the Spirit.

· You like self-improvement.

· You like having a constant companion both physically and spiritually.

Most of my non-LDS friends that read this will probably react at first like “Bwuh…what?” Then again…most of the LDS ones will probably wonder too. XD

Alright. Now that that’s out of the way, I’m gonna review my journal. Can’t remember beans at time of typing. Which reminds me…I totally forgot to write in my journal for the first two days of this. But that’s alright, because I got me some more letters! :3 I won’t mention any names, but suffice it to say that they’ve made me really happy!

My companion got these enormous packages from his family this past week filled to the brim with nut mixes and otherwise “kosher” vegetarian food. My personal favorite’s the V8 – he’s usually willing to let me bum one off him. They taste fine, and on the plus side I get a serving of veggies (I must be honest…rather in short supply here. See comment about the food above.) He got quite a bit of stuff, and he’s a little worried that if we get our visas that he’ll have to ditch some/all of it. Mebbe we ought to weigh our bags and gauge how much extra crap we can acquire from the MTC before we have to lose something.

Portuguese is making (seemingly) slow but steady progress. I’m now aware of many names for concepts I’d have to handle based on previous concepts I’ve seen, and the technology-assisted language learning labs here are excellent for ironing out your understanding with grammar. I sort of wonder how the Rosetta Stone software compares with it – I hear it takes a similar approach to the software we’ve got here. My only regret is that BYU’s had a direct hand in developing it – I take altogether too much pleasure in finding bugs in the software. I’m attempting to make an account with their JIRA issue tracking instance, because I’ve got about thirteen little reports to make. Matt Peterson, stop laughing right this instant. :P

I must take a brief instant to reiterate: MAIL PLZTHX. If I don’t respond in a week, make sure you’re sending to the right address. ;)

Anecdote of the week:

I totally got a Sister to “swear” by accident on Saturday. I gave the following line to Elder Shaw that evening:

“Well, Elder…let’s make like exorcists, and get the heck outta here.”

A Sister looks over and says “I don’t get it…WAIT. Hah!” Her companion, wearing a puzzled expression, asks “Wait, what did he say?”

“He said…let’s make like exorcists, and get the hell outta…gah, whoop!”

I told them they’d make a spot in my journal and blog. :P

Man, the longer I’m here, the more it feels like a blur. I’m learning a lot, and I’m certainly making the progress the program here hopes for…but I can’t wait to actually get out into Brazil. The people of Maceió are sounding more and more interesting as I learn about Brazilian culture and food. I kind of wish I had minha professora here to give me an inside perspective, but it’s good to hear an American point of view.

Hmm. This week’s post is kind of short, huh? I’ll see if I can’t tease more content from my experiences. Might have to get spiritual in this joint. :P But only time will tell!

Até logo!