-Elder Andrew Beckett
p.s. Florida is beautiful! Also, I hope this picture doesn't look funny because I haven't seen it yet :P
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
He's in FLORIDA! :D
Hello family! I have arrived! It is nice and warm here, and the air is very moist. My P-day isn't until monday so I won't be able to write you until then. They just let us get on real quick tonight to let you know so that you don't worry about us. We saw Jerry Sloan at the airport. President Hall and the two AP's all had Goldtoe socks ha ha. Ok talk to you later, I'm so excited! Tomorrow is more orientation. I love you all and it was good talking to you today!
Woohoo! Letter #3 :D (With Pictures and Captions from Elder B. Himself!)
Hello my family! I love you all. This week has gone by much faster than the first week, and I am loving it here. Alright, so here is a cool tender mercy story that happened yesterday... We went to the Bookstore to get some things, and I was just walking up an aisle looking at stuff when all of the sudden I get to the end and look up and right in front of me is Elder Josh Beckett (going to Asuncion Paraguay, so I knew it was him) printed on a bag! It was the very first thing I saw too. Anyway, that was neat because even though I wasn't able to be a host I still found his bag and snuck him a little note inside :) Oh man, this keyboard is driving me nuts. Theeee program here is ridiculous (point in case with the "bad" typing on my behalf ).
Another cool experience happened the other day in class with Brother Carlson. He is an awesome teacher! What he had us do was teach him as himself (rather than role-playing an investigator). So first we got to know him for a bit, but he's pretty much a celestial person already from what I can tell so I had no idea what I could teach him. He left the room for ten minutes and let us prepare, and I just thought of two things - a scripture in 2 Ne 31:20, and temple attendance. I thought they were kind of random and stuff at first, but I had no idea otherwise so I just went with it. Anyway, he came back in and those were spot on things he needed to hear! Apparently he goes to the temple weekly, and this week he had missed ha ha. And he had been studying that scripture recently, and told me he felt like the Lord had been trying to teach him through it recently and that he needed to remember it. He had even changed one of his passwords for something a few weeks ago to be that scripture. It was just a neat experience that showed how even if I have no idea what or how to teach something, the Lord does and can show me through the Spirit.
One thing I have found interesting while here is that we haven't really been taught the lessons out of Preach My Gospel much, hardly at all in fact. I guess they just expect you to study and learn it mostly on your own, which is good. I am grateful I read through it a few times before I came, that has really helped me. One thing that we have learned a lot about though is teaching to an investigator's spiritual needs. Brother Carlson told us they are continually working on better ways to teach missionaries so that they will be more effective, and having us teach to needs is doing just that. We have watched a lot of clips from sixbillion.org
, I guess it is a website by PBS or something that went out and interviewed hundreds of people from all over the world about some of the deep life questions we all may have. From the videos we would talk about their spiritual needs, and how we could see God's hand in their life preparing them to hear the Gospel. It was really cool.
Six days and I will be in Florida. Hopefully they will have decent computers there. I'm not a fan of the Dells they are using here ha ha. Hey, could you send me my camera cord if you see it? I don't think I brought it with me. I also forgot one of my pens if you happen to see it =) Thanks. I saw the Boy Scout Rap main guy here and went up and asked him if it was him; it was. It's cool to see so many people from BYU and just everywhere really that are going on missions.
Oh I forgot to mention about Elder Beckett (Josh) who is arriving today. I tried to happen to be walking along the arrival area around 12:45 (that's when he was coming right?) "looking for a place to eat my lunch" ha ha but I didn't see him. I got there about 12:46 and didn't see him, and headed out about 12 minutes later :/ I'm sure I'll run into him at some point while I'm here though.
Ok funny story... you know how there was the whole window experience with Wesley when I lived at Wyview? The one where I looked out my kitchen window, saw him changing because he had his bedroom window open, laughed (not in a mean way or anything, it was just awkward), and then he got all mad and did some mean things before closing the blinds? Well I've felt bad about that and never had the chance to apologize to him. I did see his roommate in the bathroom on my dorm floor though, right as he was going into a stall. It was probably the most awkward convo I've had with someone, but I told him that was me and asked if Wesley was way mad at me. He said no and that him and Wesley's other friends were all laughing and thought it was funny, and that he wasn't mad at me. So thankfully the shirtless wonder got over that little incident :)
I saw Eric Hales this week, I guess he teaches English as a second language here. Sunday was interesting, each week they tell all the missionaries to prepare a 5 minute talk on a subject, and then they randomly call on a couple missionaries to speak. They don't announce it until halfway through sacrament meeting, and this week I was called on. I spoke on virtue and it went well. Sunday night for the movie my companion and I went to a talk by Elder Holland called "Missions are Forever." It was SO good! I love Elder Holland. It was really powerful. One of my favorite quotes was "Salvation isn't easy because it isn't a cheap experience. It wasn't easy for Him, so why should it be easy for us?" And "The road to Salvation passes through Gethsemane." Basically we all shouldn't be expecting easy lives, and don't think that just because we are members of the Church that doesn't mean all our trials are taken away. I was thinking about that and I'm wondering what I have coming... I hope nothing too bad. I feel I have been really blessed in life so far, and haven't had a very hard life. We'll see what the Lord has in store for me :) I am so excited to be serving a mission, and I can't believe this next Tuesday I will be going to Florida! Aaah! How exciting :) I love you all, thanks for your letters and everything else. Please keep them coming, it's wonderful to hear from you! My time is about up, so now I have to go. You are in my prayers, and I sure love you! Also, please send me Nolan's address; I haven't heard from him and I don't have his address. Thanks! - Elder Beckett
Me Pointing at the Y
Elder Drake (a Ute) pointing at the Y. I said something like "show me how much you really love the Y by your smile" ha ha
Our district. All to Florida except bottom left 2 sisters and Elders Drake & Smith
Elder Hales & I! :)
Me and my comp @ temple
Me with on e of the signs all over BYU (this was on the way to the temple. I miss BYU too.)
Me, Elder Drake and Smith (the Nova Scotia-bound Elders)
Same (as one below) but got cut off for some reason.
MTC Matrix
The classic "point where you're going on the giant map" :)
Stratford, Thomas, & Moultrie in our room
My tag and newbie sticker :)
My district, our first night together. (L-R) Taylor Drake (South Jordan), Harrison Smith (Littleton, CO), Me, Michael Stratford (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) Camron Moultrie (West Point, UT), Bailey Thomas (Montpelier, ID)
Another cool experience happened the other day in class with Brother Carlson. He is an awesome teacher! What he had us do was teach him as himself (rather than role-playing an investigator). So first we got to know him for a bit, but he's pretty much a celestial person already from what I can tell so I had no idea what I could teach him. He left the room for ten minutes and let us prepare, and I just thought of two things - a scripture in 2 Ne 31:20, and temple attendance. I thought they were kind of random and stuff at first, but I had no idea otherwise so I just went with it. Anyway, he came back in and those were spot on things he needed to hear! Apparently he goes to the temple weekly, and this week he had missed ha ha. And he had been studying that scripture recently, and told me he felt like the Lord had been trying to teach him through it recently and that he needed to remember it. He had even changed one of his passwords for something a few weeks ago to be that scripture. It was just a neat experience that showed how even if I have no idea what or how to teach something, the Lord does and can show me through the Spirit.
One thing I have found interesting while here is that we haven't really been taught the lessons out of Preach My Gospel much, hardly at all in fact. I guess they just expect you to study and learn it mostly on your own, which is good. I am grateful I read through it a few times before I came, that has really helped me. One thing that we have learned a lot about though is teaching to an investigator's spiritual needs. Brother Carlson told us they are continually working on better ways to teach missionaries so that they will be more effective, and having us teach to needs is doing just that. We have watched a lot of clips from sixbillion.org
, I guess it is a website by PBS or something that went out and interviewed hundreds of people from all over the world about some of the deep life questions we all may have. From the videos we would talk about their spiritual needs, and how we could see God's hand in their life preparing them to hear the Gospel. It was really cool.
Six days and I will be in Florida. Hopefully they will have decent computers there. I'm not a fan of the Dells they are using here ha ha. Hey, could you send me my camera cord if you see it? I don't think I brought it with me. I also forgot one of my pens if you happen to see it =) Thanks. I saw the Boy Scout Rap main guy here and went up and asked him if it was him; it was. It's cool to see so many people from BYU and just everywhere really that are going on missions.
Oh I forgot to mention about Elder Beckett (Josh) who is arriving today. I tried to happen to be walking along the arrival area around 12:45 (that's when he was coming right?) "looking for a place to eat my lunch" ha ha but I didn't see him. I got there about 12:46 and didn't see him, and headed out about 12 minutes later :/ I'm sure I'll run into him at some point while I'm here though.
Ok funny story... you know how there was the whole window experience with Wesley when I lived at Wyview? The one where I looked out my kitchen window, saw him changing because he had his bedroom window open, laughed (not in a mean way or anything, it was just awkward), and then he got all mad and did some mean things before closing the blinds? Well I've felt bad about that and never had the chance to apologize to him. I did see his roommate in the bathroom on my dorm floor though, right as he was going into a stall. It was probably the most awkward convo I've had with someone, but I told him that was me and asked if Wesley was way mad at me. He said no and that him and Wesley's other friends were all laughing and thought it was funny, and that he wasn't mad at me. So thankfully the shirtless wonder got over that little incident :)
I saw Eric Hales this week, I guess he teaches English as a second language here. Sunday was interesting, each week they tell all the missionaries to prepare a 5 minute talk on a subject, and then they randomly call on a couple missionaries to speak. They don't announce it until halfway through sacrament meeting, and this week I was called on. I spoke on virtue and it went well. Sunday night for the movie my companion and I went to a talk by Elder Holland called "Missions are Forever." It was SO good! I love Elder Holland. It was really powerful. One of my favorite quotes was "Salvation isn't easy because it isn't a cheap experience. It wasn't easy for Him, so why should it be easy for us?" And "The road to Salvation passes through Gethsemane." Basically we all shouldn't be expecting easy lives, and don't think that just because we are members of the Church that doesn't mean all our trials are taken away. I was thinking about that and I'm wondering what I have coming... I hope nothing too bad. I feel I have been really blessed in life so far, and haven't had a very hard life. We'll see what the Lord has in store for me :) I am so excited to be serving a mission, and I can't believe this next Tuesday I will be going to Florida! Aaah! How exciting :) I love you all, thanks for your letters and everything else. Please keep them coming, it's wonderful to hear from you! My time is about up, so now I have to go. You are in my prayers, and I sure love you! Also, please send me Nolan's address; I haven't heard from him and I don't have his address. Thanks! - Elder Beckett
Me Pointing at the Y
Elder Drake (a Ute) pointing at the Y. I said something like "show me how much you really love the Y by your smile" ha ha
Our district. All to Florida except bottom left 2 sisters and Elders Drake & Smith
Elder Hales & I! :)
Me and my comp @ temple
Me with on e of the signs all over BYU (this was on the way to the temple. I miss BYU too.)
Me, Elder Drake and Smith (the Nova Scotia-bound Elders)
Same (as one below) but got cut off for some reason.
MTC Matrix
The classic "point where you're going on the giant map" :)
Stratford, Thomas, & Moultrie in our room
My tag and newbie sticker :)
My district, our first night together. (L-R) Taylor Drake (South Jordan), Harrison Smith (Littleton, CO), Me, Michael Stratford (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) Camron Moultrie (West Point, UT), Bailey Thomas (Montpelier, ID)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Letter #2!
Wahoo! Wow, I love it here. It is such a great place and I have learned so much! We pretty much live in the classroom, so I have been very creative at finding new ways to sit and trying out different postures throughout the day so that I don't get too sore. I have been having good posture though and doing my best so I can be tall and strong when I see you in two years again ha ha!
So, the first day was just crazy. There was so much to do and it seemed like so little time. It was a completely new experience, and I think I must have been in some sort of shock for a few days. It felt like a dream for about the first three days, and still kind of feels like a dream. Time seems to pass differently here, it feels like I've been here for forever! That is in a good way though :) The first Sunday was weird; it didn't seem much like a Sunday. You really have to set it apart in your mind, and EXTRA dedicate yourself even more than the other days because you are already trying to focus and feel the Spirit strong every weekday anyway. It's really wonderful how much you are just engulfed in the Gospel! I love it.
Sunday nights and Tuesday nights we have devotionals, and on Sunday the MTC administration head spoke to us and Tuesday Donald Hallstrom and his wife spoke. They did great and it was neat to be with so many missionaries at once. We did sing "Called to Serve" and it was pretty awesome! The other night though there was an elder sitting next to me who was singing so loud I seriously couldn't hear myself. I was singing tenor and bass switching off between verses and had the hardest time finding my notes because he was singing so loud (and not on key). I learned a really good lesson though. He was a super nice elder, and I could tell he was excited about being there. Whethere he knew he was singing off-key or not, he was singing loud and praising God! That's how we all should be; never be ashamed or worried about what people think, but do good anyway. We should fear God and not man. There's a scripture in Romans (8:16?) that talks about not being ashamed of the Gospel.
I haven't been sleeping super well; the first night I couldn't fall asleep until at least midnight and woke up at about 5:45 before any alarms or anything went off. I think I had so much going through my head and was nervous about being late and everything and so I didn't rest much. The next night was a little better, except that night I started having crazy dreams. I usually don't remember my dreams, but the majority of the nights here so far I have had dreams and remembered them. They are really weird. I have slowly been improving at sleeping though and am getting more used to falling asleep/waking up here.
They feed us tons, and it's not too bad. We get BYU icecream every Wednesday and Sunday and that's pretty good. They also have freezers with icecream bars in them and you can just eat however many you want at any meal. I'm getting my money's worth. I hope you are enjoying the Blend-Tec, I think it's just great that you bought it the day I leave. ;) No, I'm glad it will be there waiting for me when I get back. I hope you have some good recipes down perfectly so that you can show me the ropes.
My teachers here are really great! Brother Carlson and Sister Adkins are our main teachers in class. They really know a lot. Hmm... I only have about 3 minutes left, so I'm trying to think of the most important things to tell you. There's so much to say and just not enough time! I'm writing a lot in my Study Journal and Mission Journal though, so a lot of my thoughts are recorded then.
I love you all so much, I'm thankful for the letters and packages I have received so far! We get mail twice a day, and the Dear Elder's have been working just fine. They have same day arrival if you do it before noon I think. Anyway, thanks for writing me it really brightens up my day!
I guess I'll just tell you some of what I'm feeling. I am SO thankful to be serving a mission right now and there is no better place I could be! I love it here and there are a lot of good missionaries around me. Our district is apparently the "example district" so that's cool. I love my Savior, this is His church and it is true :) I know it! Please do all you can to share it with everyone around you.
I have to go but know I love you so much!
-Elder Beckett
So, the first day was just crazy. There was so much to do and it seemed like so little time. It was a completely new experience, and I think I must have been in some sort of shock for a few days. It felt like a dream for about the first three days, and still kind of feels like a dream. Time seems to pass differently here, it feels like I've been here for forever! That is in a good way though :) The first Sunday was weird; it didn't seem much like a Sunday. You really have to set it apart in your mind, and EXTRA dedicate yourself even more than the other days because you are already trying to focus and feel the Spirit strong every weekday anyway. It's really wonderful how much you are just engulfed in the Gospel! I love it.
Sunday nights and Tuesday nights we have devotionals, and on Sunday the MTC administration head spoke to us and Tuesday Donald Hallstrom and his wife spoke. They did great and it was neat to be with so many missionaries at once. We did sing "Called to Serve" and it was pretty awesome! The other night though there was an elder sitting next to me who was singing so loud I seriously couldn't hear myself. I was singing tenor and bass switching off between verses and had the hardest time finding my notes because he was singing so loud (and not on key). I learned a really good lesson though. He was a super nice elder, and I could tell he was excited about being there. Whethere he knew he was singing off-key or not, he was singing loud and praising God! That's how we all should be; never be ashamed or worried about what people think, but do good anyway. We should fear God and not man. There's a scripture in Romans (8:16?) that talks about not being ashamed of the Gospel.
I haven't been sleeping super well; the first night I couldn't fall asleep until at least midnight and woke up at about 5:45 before any alarms or anything went off. I think I had so much going through my head and was nervous about being late and everything and so I didn't rest much. The next night was a little better, except that night I started having crazy dreams. I usually don't remember my dreams, but the majority of the nights here so far I have had dreams and remembered them. They are really weird. I have slowly been improving at sleeping though and am getting more used to falling asleep/waking up here.
They feed us tons, and it's not too bad. We get BYU icecream every Wednesday and Sunday and that's pretty good. They also have freezers with icecream bars in them and you can just eat however many you want at any meal. I'm getting my money's worth. I hope you are enjoying the Blend-Tec, I think it's just great that you bought it the day I leave. ;) No, I'm glad it will be there waiting for me when I get back. I hope you have some good recipes down perfectly so that you can show me the ropes.
My teachers here are really great! Brother Carlson and Sister Adkins are our main teachers in class. They really know a lot. Hmm... I only have about 3 minutes left, so I'm trying to think of the most important things to tell you. There's so much to say and just not enough time! I'm writing a lot in my Study Journal and Mission Journal though, so a lot of my thoughts are recorded then.
I love you all so much, I'm thankful for the letters and packages I have received so far! We get mail twice a day, and the Dear Elder's have been working just fine. They have same day arrival if you do it before noon I think. Anyway, thanks for writing me it really brightens up my day!
I guess I'll just tell you some of what I'm feeling. I am SO thankful to be serving a mission right now and there is no better place I could be! I love it here and there are a lot of good missionaries around me. Our district is apparently the "example district" so that's cool. I love my Savior, this is His church and it is true :) I know it! Please do all you can to share it with everyone around you.
I have to go but know I love you so much!
-Elder Beckett
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Letter #1 :)
Family!
Wow. There is so much going on here! It is amazing. I feel like I've been here for forever already (in a good way:) ) After you dropped me off Elder Fowers walked me to the main building where they have me my missionary tags, bluecard (used for meals, access to housing, and things like that). I went through and then we dropped off in my room and then Elder Fowers had to go back. To save time ( I have TONS to do) I'll just send you my schedule and then comment on important parts. We learned our purpose and our teachers are really cool.
Oh, I was blessed with a great companion! His name is Elder Michael Stratford from Rancho Cucamonga, California. He is awesome. There are two other Elders (Moultrie and Thomas) and they are cool too. Elder Thomas is from Montpelier and knows Uncle Tony! How cool. Oh, and we are all English speaking and going to Orlando! Elder Thomas seems very dedicated to obedience, which is great.
Our teachers are Sister Adkins and Bro. Carlson. Sister Adkins told us right up front that nobody can pass gas in class. Lol it really caught me off guard. :)
After that we had a little devotional with the MTC presidency. So far I've seen Jamie McConnell, Nick Fowers, Bryson Loughmiller, Travis Thompson, Danny Hansen, and Chris Hansen. You can look them up on Facebook if you don't know them.
After the fireside we had dinner and then went to 3 series of teaching demonstrations. The teacher was incredible; he's been back for 2 years and his testimony was solid!
Anyway, I've gotta go and I'll give you more info through email because it's much faster! I am safe and well, and I hope you all are too! I love you so much! :)
-Elder Beckett
P.S. Sorry I'll try and improve my handwriting. :P
Wow. There is so much going on here! It is amazing. I feel like I've been here for forever already (in a good way:) ) After you dropped me off Elder Fowers walked me to the main building where they have me my missionary tags, bluecard (used for meals, access to housing, and things like that). I went through and then we dropped off in my room and then Elder Fowers had to go back. To save time ( I have TONS to do) I'll just send you my schedule and then comment on important parts. We learned our purpose and our teachers are really cool.
Oh, I was blessed with a great companion! His name is Elder Michael Stratford from Rancho Cucamonga, California. He is awesome. There are two other Elders (Moultrie and Thomas) and they are cool too. Elder Thomas is from Montpelier and knows Uncle Tony! How cool. Oh, and we are all English speaking and going to Orlando! Elder Thomas seems very dedicated to obedience, which is great.
Our teachers are Sister Adkins and Bro. Carlson. Sister Adkins told us right up front that nobody can pass gas in class. Lol it really caught me off guard. :)
After that we had a little devotional with the MTC presidency. So far I've seen Jamie McConnell, Nick Fowers, Bryson Loughmiller, Travis Thompson, Danny Hansen, and Chris Hansen. You can look them up on Facebook if you don't know them.
After the fireside we had dinner and then went to 3 series of teaching demonstrations. The teacher was incredible; he's been back for 2 years and his testimony was solid!
Anyway, I've gotta go and I'll give you more info through email because it's much faster! I am safe and well, and I hope you all are too! I love you so much! :)
-Elder Beckett
P.S. Sorry I'll try and improve my handwriting. :P
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