Christmas Note

Levi sent us a quick note for Christmas (he had his preparation day a day earlier than expected):

So this week my district worked out our schedule to get Monday morning off to do laundry and e-mail and such. Not much to say.... We're expecting a general authority at the fireside tomorrow, maybe one of the first presidency but we have no proof for that because they're keeping the secret awfully well. Life in the MTC goes well.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

The Latest

Latest letter:

Well, life in the MTC is doing alright. My district is hosting this next week as we're the oldest as of this week (there were 4 weeks before us without any new people in my zone). We finished all our Spanish book in the first 4 1/2 weeks and we've been reviewing since as there's really nothing new we can learn. Ah well, the practice is good for me. I like my zone.... It's almost Christmas.... I'm not really sure what to write about..... The new district is pretty fun.... My district has the co-ordinating sister, both zone leaders and a district leader so more than half of us have a bundle of extra meetings and responsibilities... Don't know what else to say........
Enjoy your week and enjoy Christmas :)
~Levi

Re: Más Gatinoticias

Latest update. Also, we’ve received a photo of his MTC district.

Christmas lights have been up for a couple weeks now around here. However, other than a few hymns, there's no other really Christmas type things happening and we're not changing anything with classes or the schedule so it doesn't really feel like Christmas. It snowed this week and so some people are as bundled up as possible and I'm just annoyed that I still need to wear a suit because it's still warm. 

My companion is Elder Collins, he's a native of the States and our Spanish is coming along pretty well. However, I still enjoy writing in English. 

If it's not too late, I'd like to add some more ties to my Christmas list - the tie trade is flourishing but I like my ties so I don't want to trade them. Preferably I'd like some bright and/or unusual (Unique?) ties - perhaps from value village or somewhere, I don't need any new ones. "Schlachter" ties are pretty highly valued here (Up to a 3:1 ratio in trading). 

Also, best of luck to Matthew with his exams and assignments. Hope you're doing well :)

~Levi Schlachter

Week Three

Three weeks here so far and so far I've only recieved one real letter. Training at the MTC is the most difficult thing I've ever done. Admittedly, it got much, much easier after the first 3 days or so. Still hoping to recieve more letters from friends, especially because I brought no contact information and I have no other way to contact people at home. I'm in the MTC until January 21 and then I fly out for northern Argentina. 

It's good to hear that the car's working well again and David seems to be doing well. Thank-you for the letters and the cookies, I enjoyed receiving them. I'm still eating two or three servings of every meal and I'm trying to avoid deserts like the plague. It's working pretty well for me :)  

Elder Schlachter’s MTC mailing address is:

Elder Levi E. Schlachter
MTC Mailbox #357
ARG-RES 0122
2005 N 900 E
Provo, Utah  84604-1793
USA

You can also send him letters via online service “Dear Elder” with same-day delivery:

http://www.dearelder.com/index/inc_name/letter_sender/mission/Provo%20MTC/

Latest Letters: November 20 and 27

First update from the Missionary Training Centre:

The adventure went fine, I called both the MTC and the shuttle at the airport and everything went smoothly. The first 2 or 3 days were really difficult but then things started to click and it's all good. My MTC companion is Elder Colling and he's a lot like me so we're getting along really well. I'm in the best district (and other districts agree); we have 4 Elders and 4 Hermanas and we're all really dedicated, motivated and generally happy. We're singing and praying all the time.
As for how it feels, it's pretty much the same as being around people my age usually is. The best part so far is that I found a Sister who's really into (and epic at) Yoga and we have the same gym schedules (I think). Enjoying having 2 or 3 servings at every meal (then I usually rubn out of time) and I don't think I've gained any weight yet :P
Do you know if someone's making me a blog? If so, would you mind letting me know the address of it? Thankyou.
MTC is good, hardest thing ever and we're usually spending 8 or 9 hours in a day studying, we taught our first Spanish lesson to an investigator on our second day here. I can't call on Cristmas from the MTC. I got the packages. Trying to do laundry (Pday is Tuesday). And our entire disatrict is being annoyed that we're not perfect at Spanish yet.

Until next week,
-Elder Schlachter

Following week (didn’t get many letters because parents were in Argentina):

Day 13; 

 So far my communication with the outside world has been limited to a single e-mail. No response has been received. Still no letters from any source. Phone calls are not allowed and I do not know the addresses of my friends. It would be desireable to learn the mailing addresses for Meagan (Matthew likely has access to it) and the Champlain ward missionaries. I'm also wondering if a picture I drew for Samantha has reached it's destination, I forgot to pass it to Matthew to deliver and last I heard it was still on the top of my bookshelf. My Christmas list is comprised of Additional hangers and garments, an extra tube of regular chapstick, a dollarstore chess set, and perhaps some other items which are not so readily remembered. My Yoga buddy has now left for her area. I rather wish I could go places on my own. The companion rule is prudent but also occasionally rather exasperating as I can't simply wander at will and enjoy the weather/sights (or sit and quietly think). Sooooooo bored sometimes (mainly when I'm waiting for laundry or some such). I suppose a notebook for drawing would also be nice, one with a coiled binding on the short side. 

Levi

Note from the Editor/Elder Schlachter Comes Home & Leaves Home

Elder David Schlachter arrived home this past Tuesday, November 27. Elder Levi Schlachter departed November 14, heading to the Argentina Resistencia Mission following his two-month capacitation in the Missionary Training Centre in Provo, Utah.

Follow various photos from Elder David Schlachter’s last week in the mission field, parents accompanying him: