Alex's Twelfth Letter from the MTC

Hola Familia!

This letter will probably just be response to a bunch of stuff. First off I got to see Parker yesterday for a split second but it was still way cool to be able to see him give him a hug and wish him luck in the MTC. Mom I am so sorry. I either am just rushed for time when I am emailing and I tend to forget to tell you stuff but the other day I got two shots, the second part of my HEP and the DTAP it came to $109. And yes I have tons of bug repellent and Sunscreen.

I swear I already told you how I was able to catch the grand finale of the fireworks at the 4th July already, but no, pioneer day was just a normal day in the MTC. I am happy to hear the Leavitt family is still doing activities even when I am gone. Sometimes I felt like I was the only one wanting to go to all the picnics and other stuff when I was home haha. That is sweet you are finally starting that garden. I remember when dad first got the book. I don't know what sister Gallups address is. She just drops it in my box and it doesn't have an address on it so maybe if you could get that for me I will send a thank you to her, but yes I will send more thank yous. The Griffins sent me a little letter with a 25 dollar check in it so I will probably send that home at some point. It was really nice of them. If you could send this to Kira for me it would be awesome thanks

Hey Kira!!

Thank you so much for that package you sent me! It was way nice of you and I basically ate it all within the first couple days of receiving it. I feel bad for taking so long to respond and thank you but I have a limited time on this email so Ii kinda had to wait for a slow week so I had time to write you. But ya it was a way nice surprise and I thank you again. I am glad to hear that you, Justin and boys are doing good. From everything I have heard you have been having a crazy busy summer. Those ones are always the best ones though and you come out with more good memories rather than a layed back summer and you don't remember what you have done at the end of it. Tell you right now, this is my craziest summer and I probably won't forget it haha. Ok so Mormon.org created this way of getting the rep and image of Mormon out to the world in a new way. If you go there it is like a Mormon face book, and it is really cool. And you can watch some videos of people. There are like maybe 12 to 11 videos of people and it is like I am a blah blah blah and I am a Mormon haha. But they are way cool to watch and there is one video I thought you would appreciate and I loved it. There is a guy with SMA. It was so neat, he is super successful has a family and it just made me so happy to watch. Maybe you can watch it too. I thought you would like to. It just made me way happy thinking about Evan and everything. I know I don't talk about it much but just thinking about him and everything he has gone through already and what he will go through gets me a little emotional its just crazy. But seeing how you and Justin have handled everything it amazes me. I honestly don't know if I would be able to have done everything you two have. But watching that video just made me so happy thinking about him I don't know why it had such a strong effect on me but what ever, along with that video I went to the temple on Tuesday and in my endowment session there was a man in a wheelchair and he didn't have the use of his legs. Now he didn't have SMA but it was the first time I had seen someone like that in an endowment session. It was so neat to be able to watch him and some ordinance workers be able to help with everything and be able to enjoy the temple. It was so neat for me to be able to witness that. I think you have noticed more than anyone else but I guess I am a little more emotional than Ben and Brandon. Haha it is frustrating some times but I guess it is fine. I just try putting on a tough face but with some stuff it just doesn't work. I love you so much Kira you are such an inspiration to me and to the whole family. I look up to you so much more than you know.

Love your little brother,

Elder Alexander Leavitt

Hey mom, if you want you can ask Kira if you could use some of the stuff for the blog or something, if you do don't make it too embarrassing for me ok haha. Well like I said on Tuesday I went to the temple. That is basically the only exciting that has happened to me since the last time I wrote. I love the temple so much. Even though it was smaller than any other temple I have been in the spirit is the same in any temple you go into. I love being able to just sit in the temple and think. It was such a nice escape for me to leave the MTC, leave all the studying, all the Spanish, and just sit there. Think about life where I am now and where I want to be in the future. How I can make myself better and have the spirit guide my thoughts and hopefully tell me where god expects me to be and how I should get there. The whole temple is based around charity and I love it. Then I read in Peter today and the last verse in 1st Peter gives us just a simple way of living our lives. I don't have time to write it so maybe you can look it up. I love you all ya bye

Alex's Eleventh Letter from the MTC

HOLA!!

So this past week has been amazingly fun haha. There were alot of little things that happened so hopefully I can remember most of them and share them with you. Well first thing I remember is that my district last week was studying out in like this little common area in my building. We had been studying for a little while and Elder braddy fell asleep. We let him get into a deep sleep to the point where he was twitching a little from his dreams and what not haha. Well then I grabbed a nice bag of goldfish and started filling his mouth. The entire time I was putting fish in his mouth a teacher was standing right next to me watching me doing it. I finished and he looks at me and gives me a silent clap and mouth "Bravo" haha it was funny. Tons of people walked by saw this guy with goldfish in his mouth and laughed. Finally some girl laughed so loud in front of him it woke him up. He was pretty upset haha.

Saturday me and elder nielson had an amazing TEC. It was so spiritual and so powerful it was awesome! We learned how to really focus our lessons around the atonement and how to make them more personal to the investigator. On Sunday me and elder nielson had to teach sunday school. We were given the topic of the plan of salvation and it was so good. A member of our branch presidency was there and his wife and afterwards she came up to us and told us that she has never in her life heard it explained like that and it made complete sense and said it was an amazing lesson. The lesson really was awesome it was so spiritually packed and I don't really know how to explain it. Also brother willis from the branch presidency pulled us aside told us it was probably one of the best lessons he has ever sat in on here in the MTC and that is really was just amazing. He went on to say that if that is an example of how we can teach together we will work miracles in the field. It was just an amazing compliment. He went on to say to say that spiritually he says we are some of the strongest missionaries here and that he is not just saying that. He probably was but hey haha. It was just really cool to hear.

Ok now monday, holy smokes I got destroyed in the TRC on monday. We had a grandmother from Honduras as our investigator. She doesn't speak a word of english slurs her words amazingly bad and I think she was using a different dialect of spanish than what I am being taught because she used different words for stuff. I honestly could not understand a single word she was saying it was terrible. It was the worst lesson I have taught since being here in the MTC. I honestly can say I do not know enough spanish haha. But the only comfort I have is that Hermano Rosales who is from Mexico says he cant understand half of what she says either haha. And now today is Tuesday. I am writing you right now and when I finish I am going to the temple! It opened up yesterday so I am very excited.

Ok and now I will respond to your questions and what not. Oh by the way I am starting to see so many people I went to school with or knew up at the U. It has been really neat cause I felt like I have known nobody here haha. But hey that is way sweet about Jamie's Boyfriend being baptized! He seemed like a really cool guy the couple times I was able to meet him and if he does decide to go on a mission I know he would love it. Also the converts I feel are sometimes the strongest missionaries here because they have gone through the whole repentance and conversion process, and also they share some of the strongest testimonies I have heard. They just know without a doubt what they are talking about is true. It is really cool to hear them talk about it.

That is so weird Elder Ellis knows Hermana Murray! I love that girl haha. She is awesome! Yes I have been flashed the 33's but its basically if you even talk to a hermana you get flashed 33's so no biggy. But she and some other sisters in our zone are going to the Oakland temple mission Spanish speaking. They are also called as singing missionaries as well so that is cool. I did get a package from a barb Bennett. I was wondering who it was haha. I will have to keep an eye out for a Bachynski though. But there is a kid from Calgary in my zone, an elder Nielson, the guy is so tall its ridiculous haha. That is cool Bowman comes in. I will look for him. I am excited my buddy Parker comes in tomorrow. I hope I get to see him. I love that guy. I cant believe Courtney is getting married that is insane! That is kinda funny about Sydney but not really haha.

Well I am running out of time so ya. So I have really been getting into studying certain subjects in the book of mormon. And not to long ago I have studyed up on forgiveness. It was really interesting to study. It really made realize how important it is and how difficult it can be. I honestly really have never held to many grudges in my life. I really easily forget things and let things just slide off my back. But there have really only been two times in my life where I have held a grudge against certain people and like bad ones. But then I read in genesis where god commanded moses to forgive someone. And it says that moses started weeping. He was crying because of how hard it was for him to forgive them. It really hit me and made me realize that even a prophet can have a hard time doing it. Well later on I decided to kneel down and forgive those two people for what they have done. I literally felt a burden being lifted off me. I am so much happier now. It truly was an amazing experience. Well I have 20 secs left hopefully this sends. I love you!

A Letter from Alex's Mission President

We didn't think that Alex would be getting a letter from his mission president because he was already in the MTC by the time his mission president arrived in Chile. We were totally surprised when a letter with a questionnaire showed up at the house the other day. We need to forward it to him so he can respond. I made a copy of it to go in his book. I wanted to share a few things from the letter on the blog.

In one portion of the letter President King is talking about the clothing requirements etc. and he says "You are serving in a walking mission." We had already figured that but he confirmed it. Brandon & Ben both served in walking missions. Fred served in a walking and biking mission - a lot of biking!!

I want to share the last portion of the letter:

Elder Leavitt, you have been called as an ambassador of the Lord in the Chile Santiago West Mission and we feel honored to work with you to build the kingdom of God in these the last days and help establish His church. This is a mission where the Lord has truly chosen to hasten His work in its time (D&C 88:73). You will play an important role in this effort as we go forth at an accelerated pace helping to change the lives of people by serving the Lord -- finding, teaching, baptizing, reactivating and establishing the Church. Our prayers are already with you and will remain with you. God will bless you to do a great work.

May the Lord bless you in the MTC. Enjoy the experience, learn all you can, and prepare for the work at hand. We will be waiting for you.

Sincerely,

Presidente y Hermana Richard W. King

Alex's Tenth Letter from the MTC

I still cannot get over how lucky we are to have two emails a week from Alex while he is in the MTC. It still surprises me when I see that extra letter every Thursday. Even Brandon said today that he just can't wrap his head around it. Although, they didn't even have email access when he was in there! We feel very blessed.

Hey Everyone!

It is way to weird for me to think of Sarah going to college and what not. And ya I would assume you would be pretty stoked for your last Grad Night, your last Act and SAT, last time to apply for colleges and last High School Graduation haha. Sarah made the day of those two elders by the way haha soo funny. Temple walks by the way is every Sunday the missionaries at their set times get to walk to the temple and just chill and sit around the temple for a couple hours. It is really nice and would be even nicer if it wasn't like 100 degrees every Sunday. It is soo funny to see there be at least 2 or 3 girls just sitting around trying to talk to the missionaries hahaha. One of our branch presidency members before we went for the first time said look out for the barracudas (totally spelt that wrong). We were all confused and he went on to say they are the girls sitting around trying to get us haha. The temple re-opens like this week or the next so I will be able to go a couple times. Also guess who I saw yesterday? Brad Stapley! I saw him and gave him a hug so it was pretty cool. I love how dad has spent years trying to get that electric bike thing to work and now he is finally finishing it haha. If you could give this to Sarah after she gets back from girls camp that would be sweet.

Hey Sarah!!

So just in case you wanted to know you made the day of those elders who wrote you. They both come up to me and were like look Sarah wrote us back!! It was funny, also I think one more guy is gonna send you a letter haha. And the other two are totally writing you back. Thank you so much for all the letter and post cards. I have gotten so much from you I didn't even know how to begin writing you back so here I am. The MTC is awesome Spanish is coming along slowly but it is coming. I am glad to hear your leg is doing better and that all is good in your life. I am sure your devotional thing went great and that girls camp will be an amazing experience for you. I bet you are just getting pumped for your senior year! Speaking of which when does school start for you? Just keep running, study hard and really just try and make this last year the best it can be. That's what I tried to do. I literally tried to do everything so I could say I didn't miss out on any opportunities and it made my senior year so much fun. Don't let people try and talk you out of anything because they think it sounds dumb or something. Frank didn't want to do the whole squirrel thing for the school air bands thing and when we did it he was so glad we did cause it was amazing haha. Just have fun Sarah. You are an amazing girl and can do things you could not even imagine is possible. You are so blessed and have the support of everyone around you. I love you so much and can't wait to hear from you again which I believe will be very soon with your track record.

With so much love,

Elder Leavitt

ok so lets see what I have done so far this week. So like I said the TRC went amazingly well. Spanish is starting to come quicker and quicker or at least I am starting to be able to memorize stuff a whole lot faster which was mentioned in my blessing. I already had a decent memory and I was wondering how that was going to work, but none the less yesterday I was able to memorize over 70 terms that are related to clothing haha it was kinda ridiculous haha. I am so blessed, with just everything in general. My family supports me in everything I do, I have amazing people backing me up from everywhere, church, friends, Teachers I love it. I have never felt the spirit on such a regular bases and I know that is why I am doing so well. I love reading the scriptures. I finished the Book of Mormon again just this morning. I am seeing scripture in such a different light. I can really see how it says in first Nephi 19 how we can really liken the scriptures to our lives, not just some but any scripture. They are becoming so personal to me now and they show me how I can not just become a better missionary, but how I can become a stronger person and future husband, Father, anything. It is as simple as when it says in third Nephi when Jesus tells the fathers to read the scriptures with their families everyday. And now that is something I will strive to do in my life. The scriptures can bless us in every aspect of our lives it is just great. Even the Bible is starting to make sense to me and believe me it really didn't before. I am positive I highlighted all of 1st John today and there is only 5 chapters, all about being born in Christ in all aspects of our lives I loved it. ok well I am out of time, I love you all and I will talk to you later.

Love,

Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt

Alex's Ninth Letter from the MTC

Hey Everyone!!

It is way awesome to hear from everyone and hear that everyone is doing good. Just to start off answering all the different questions that have been asked, Mom I have two short sleeve vests. I can't believe Blue went missing how long has she been gone? I had a quick question about dad and HI-Z and what not, will you be able to get like a raise or anything from the contract that you signed or what? This here if you could send to Alycia and Brandon that would be cool.

Hey Alycia!

Thanks for the letter it made me laugh. I am sorry to hear about Trevor and his back how did it happen? All I heard was he cannon balled and hurt it. I am very happy I was able to get out of the blue house before it started falling apart haha. About your dream I think that is funny because I remember us always talking about how we would be in the MTC at the same time and everything haha. That would have been pretty cool if we would have done that. OK funny story about people in the MTC. So there is a sister in my zone named Hermana Weber. Well apparently her and her boyfriend broke up like a couple months before she came into the MTC. Well guess who just got here last week and they saw each other. Her ex-boyfriend! It was so awkward and soo hilarious at the same time haha! There is another elder in my district from California and we sing California girls all the time haha and it makes me think of you because we would just always sing in the car and what not but ya. So thanks for the letters and I cant wait to hear from you again. (Alex & Alycia sang in the car with the music full blast all the time - dancing and singing. I always knew when they were home because I could hear them coming down the street! Alycia refers to Alex as a human "iPod")

love your Favorite Missionary,
Elder Leavitt

Hey Brandon!!

Thanks for the letter it was amazing. I am definitely working my hardest with my companion no worries. We are always taught to pray for the ability to see people the way Christ would, and believe me I am praying for that every time I pray. He is very difficult to get along with at times. But hey I love him and I am doing my best so that's all that matters. I am trying to work hard and portray myself in a manner that people would hopefully see I am doing my best. I have been asked by my teachers and branch presidency members to help the other elders in our district open up and what not and it means a lot to me to hear that so I know I am possibly doing the stuff I need to do. Ok so I want to hear about how your internship is going and what not. What have you been up to how are you kidlets? I hear Hayley is somewhat starting to walk now. Utah is soooo Hot! Estoy muy muy calor. We go on our little temple walks on Sundays and I feel like dying every single time, so I am wondering how you are holding up. OK well thanks for the letter I love everyone one you send and I cant wait to hear from you again.

Love your bigger younger brother,

Elder Leavitt

Well hey mom! So my week has been going great. I am guessing you want to know how my TRC went. Well lets just say I have been praying everyday for my tongue to be loosed and that I would just be able to get my message across and that they would be able to understand at least most of what I was trying to say. It was an amazing and such a humbling experience I had on Monday. So we go in there and we have the cutest pair of grandparents from Mexico City haha. They told us all about their four kids and their six grand children it was soo cool. Of course all of this was in Spanish. It is amazing how God Answers prayers because I know with the knowledge of Spanish I have I would have never been able to communicate with them. I said everything that I wanted to say and I wasn't perfect. They corrected my Spanish a good number of times but the fact they knew what I was trying to say and that they were even able to correct me was an amazing blessing. Afterwards they were so surprised it was our first time teaching in complete Spanish. They said they felt the spirit so strong as we taught them and bore testimony in Spanish. It is such a testimony booster for me knowing our heavenly father is looking out for us. It was just so cool teaching in Spanish. Don't get me wrong I still have an amazingly far way to go but it is just awesome being able to literally see myself progress the way I am. Well I will write a more in depth letter and Thursday and I will tell you more about my week and what not but I was responding to Alycia and Brandon today. OK I will talk to you later and I love you all soo much!

Love,

Elder Alexander Leavitt

Alex's Eighth Letter from the MTC

Hey Everyone!

It is good to hear that everyone is doing good. So I finally got Sarah's and Sister Bessey's Letters. Sarah you are too cute and your pictures I have have been getting a lot of attention haha. I think two elders have written you and you know what? They are probably my two favorite elders in here right now so they are both awesome haha. I am sorry to hear about your knee. Just keep working with it and I know you will be fine. Just think this is your last year you have to give it your all :) You are an amazing girl and I know you will do awesome. I was so happy to hear from Sister Bessey. I love that woman haha. I will have to write her back at some point. Hey! did I ever tell you I got Caitlan Sutherlands wedding announcement she sent me one haha. It was awesome.

Well on to some sad news. So Elder Burkhart is going home. So now we are down to 7 elders in our district and now only 5 of us are going to Chile. I am so sad about it. Elder Burkhart is that quiet kid who in the corner every now and then just throws out the funniest comment. I am going to miss him so much. We found out Tuesday night. When they told me I didn't even believe them. I had to go over to Elder Burkhart myself and when he looked at me my heart just sank. When I saw his face is when I knew they were telling the truth. I just walked over to him and gave him a hug. I couldn't think of anything to say, and really there was nothing I could say. I am not even the one going home and I feel like I am more sad about it than he is. This news hit me pretty hard and I have been thinking about it a lot.

We went to our fireside and it was all about being out in the mission for the right reasons and making it the best it can be. It was a very appropriate talk for the situation. After ever Tuesday fireside we have a little testimony meeting where we share our feelings about it. Everyone was just waiting until it was Elder Burkharts turn. He gets up and just thanks us for helping him feel the spirit here in the MTC and that it was that spirit that let him know that he needed to go home. Now I don't know why he is going home all I know is that he needs to wait a year before he can come back. His testimony was so simple and straight forward it hit home for me. That night while I was praying I asked my Heavenly Father to help me know that I was here for the right reasons and to help me know I am suppose to be here. And then the most beautiful and one of the most powerful moments I have ever felt the spirit in my life came to me. While I was sitting there and pondering just all these memories, all the little moments that I have had here in the MTC where I have felt the spirit just kinda flashed. I don't even really know how to explain it. All the times I have born my testimony in the TRC and TEC, all the lessons where I have felt the spirit there, all the times I have helped with blessings, just literally all the times that I have felt the spirit bear witness to me in the MTC came to me. It was just so amazing I am sorry I can't describe it any better than that. It was just so powerful that I started crying. I have no idea why but I did. I thank my Heavenly Father for answering my prayers and for telling me that this is for sure where he wants me to be. I love my Heavenly Father so much and I know that he has a purpose for me. I know while I am here at the MTC I am suppose to prepare myself to be his tool. I know that God loves us. He loves us so much he sent his son Jesus Christ to the earth to take upon our sins and make it possible for all of us to have a chance to repent and live with him again. I am so thankful for the atonement. I know that Christ lives. He lives so that we all can live again. Because of this knowledge I am obligated to share it with my brothers and sisters in Chile. They need to know. It has blessed me so much in my life and I want them to have those same blessings. I love this gospel, I love the Book of Mormon, I love Jesus Christ, and I love my God.

I know Elder Burkhart is doing the right thing. That if he goes home, works things out, and dives into the gospel and into the scriptures that in a year he can come back and be a powerful missionary. He is an amazing guy. I am just sad to lose him. Thank you for all the letters and for keeping me in your prayers. I love you all so much and I pray for you every night. Can't wait to hear from you again and I will write you on Tuesday.

Love your Missionary

Elder Leavitt

Alex's Seventh Letter from the MTC

Hey Everyone!

So you are all acting like I didn't write you last week. I am pretty sure I remember writing you one big one, then writing a smaller second one haha. That is more than any other son has written you in one week while in the MTC so I don't know why you are acting like I never wrote you or just wrote like two lines haha.

Dad that is really cool to hear about the successful modules and how things are really starting to take off at work! and I can just tell how excited you are about your new dutch speaking co worker haha. Classes are good we really are never taught Spanish in class though. All we do is the spiritual stuff and they say if we do that and work hard in our free time Spanish will come. I am actually doing decently ok in Spanish though. I am really scared cause next Monday I have to teach the first lesson in Spanish! no English I don't know how I am going to be able to do it but the lord will provide right? I have seen Ryan snow he is gone now, Paul Hill from Utah school, Eric Tuttle if you remember Harrison from spring break he is his best friend, I have seen Ryan Quackenbush, and the kid from the temple Thursday night shifts I cant remember his name, also rem plewe? i think that's his last name he dated Marie's cousin Megan so I use to see him alot. There I think that is everyone. Well the gym closed yesterday for 10 weeks so I will be sending those basketball shoes home in the near future haha, I will probably either just run or play sand volleyball out at the field. Apparently I am one of the better ones at volleyball here. Probably cause no high schools in Utah have mens volleyball haha.

If you didn't know I am scheduled to leave the MTC on August 17th the 3 companionships are all leaving for Chile that day and the 2 going to Paris France Spanish speaking are leaving the 16th. The District Leader is my companion Elder Nielson and I am senior companion, I think we are switching in like a week or so though I don't really know how it all works but ya. Elder Adair and Elder Burkhart are both going to Chile. Elder Adair is from California Northern, Elder Burkhart is from Salt Lake. Elder Braddy and Elder Higgs are going to Chile and Elder Braddy is from North Carolina and Higgs is from Riverdale Utah. Elder Cononica is from Switzerland and Elder Watson is from Utah and they are going to Paris.

The Service we do is we put up all the chairs for the devotionals on Tuesday and on Saturday. It is the best one because it is really easy haha. The temple opens up on like the 26th and even when it is all open I will still be able to email twice a week it is because of our service project is the reason why we get to do that.

Well I have gotten all of Sarah's postcards and she is so cute I love her. If she sent anything else besides all the post cards no I have not gotten them yet and I never got Sister Bessey's letter either. Speaking of Sarah I told me really good friend Elder Martindale he can write her haha. He is one I definitely approve of. He is the zone leader haha.

The camera is working great I have taken pictures no worries and I will be printing some out here in the near future no worries. About the new training the missionaries thing yes I have already heard about it. President king told us about it when we met him. It is basically a smaller preach my gospel and I will start using it when I get down into Chile. It is basically trying to teach even more by the spirit and really shape the lessons around the investigator.

Dad's hat is awesome haha yes I saw it and I thought it was funny. And no you never told me anyone birthdays. (Fred's Father's Day gift was a hat I picked up in the BYU bookstore. It's a baseball hat & half is blue & half is red. The blue side has the BYU logo and the red side has the Utah logo. Since we are a house divided with kids at both schools it seemed appropriate and it really is funny. I sent Alex a picture of it)

I would answer the other questions you have but I want to tell you a lil about my week. So me and Elder Nielson had a huge blow out. He just stopped talking to me one day like two weeks ago and it was so frustrating. He wouldn't help me plan wouldn't do anything. So I started praying like crazy. It went on for like another week and we were not going anywhere and I mean like he would not talk to me at all. Finally I got one of our teachers to sit down with us hoping he would open up there. Finally he started talking to me and we got everything worked out. But dang it was difficult. But I know my prayers were answered cause now we are even better than before.

So I was able to leave the MTC yesterday! Elder Nielson got elbowed in the face during basketball and we got to go to the orthodontist haha. His permanent retainer broke. So I was just chattin it up with people in the waiting room. When we were waiting outside to see if we could contact anyone and sure enough some lady stepped out for a smoke break. We were like crazy! who would have thought in Provo we would have this opportunity!! Right when we were about to approach her she bust out a cell phone starts calling someone and walks away! I have gotten my first rejection and I have yet to even leave the MTC sad day eh? Well God gave us a second chance. We were standing there and these two girls were walking they had their lil running shorts and bikini strap shirts on. They point at us start smiling and one kind lowers her shirt a lil. me and Elder Nielson were like ummm do we try and share the gospel? We decided that we would let the Lord send truly prepared missionaries to go teach them and we walked away haha. But it was cool I got to leave the MTC.

I am having a blast here in the MTC I am learning so much and I can really feel the spirit of the Lord working on me. I love the Gospel with all my heart and am so glad I can be here. I cannot wait to be able to actually go down to Chile and teach the people. I know if I put all my faith and trust in the Lord he will help me with my Spanish. I am working hard and I know that each day I am progressing. I love all of you and I will talk to you again on Monday.

Your Missionary,

Elder Leavitt

Alex's Sixth Letter from the MTC

Well I feel just sick! I wrote Alex on Sunday morning through DearElder.com and was surprised when I read in his letter Tuesday he hadn't got it. I figured he'd have it for today after the mail room opened back up from the holiday. I didn't worry about writing a letter yesterday through them because I'm putting together a package for him and started writing him a normal letter yesterday with plans of finishing that package all up and sending it out today. I knew he'd have my Sunday letter for his email to us today - obviously not. I sent an email to DearElder.com to see if I need to resend it. I have my email confirmation from them from Sunday morning. I specifically wrote it Sunday morning knowing I wouldn't have time after church and that we would be traveling on Monday & Tuesday and I wouldn't be able to write. I will also write Alex and give him some tips on things he can write to us about even if he hasn't received a letter that week.

Hey Everyone!

Well what to say. Not much has really happened since the last time I wrote. I have yet to get an email or a dear elder from you guys this week so I can't respond to any questions. Brandon wrote me again that is cool and I will respond here in a little bit but ya. Since I have been here I have been asked to do two annointings and one blessing. All have been really cool for me. We got a new district in our zone yesterday and I am starting to really get close with the zone that is two weeks ahead of us so ya its been fun. If you could send this to Brandon that would be cool

Dear Brandon,

Thanks for the letter it helped a lot. I would like to say I am handling all the constant change I have had here in the MTC pretty well. I am just working as hard as I can praying often for help and guidance and I am doing well hahaha. That is cool you were able to go up to Canada with everyone. I wish I would have been able to go, but you know I have been kinda busy. It is so crazy to think I have been here for 3 weeks now. It's way weird the days go by so slow but the weeks just rush by. It's fun though. I am sure once I am down in Chile I will have more to write to you about. In the MTC there seems to be a limited amount of conversation topics haha. But I do want to hear about how Sydney and Hayley are doing and how Serene is doing so ya. Ok bro I love you and thanks for the letters I am glad you write me.

your little bigger brother,

Elder Alex Leavitt

Ok hey mom well I really don't know what to write cause of limited topics and the fact you and dad have yet to write me this week so I am sorry about that. I love you guys so much and I will talk to you later.

Love,

Elder Alexander Leavitt

Alex's Fifth Letter from the MTC

Dear Family,

Well hey! Happy 4th of July! And happy birthday Mother! I am pretty sure I have nothing written down so I am going off of memory. Well the entire mail room has been closed since Saturday so I have yet to get any letters or anything from you guys so I don't know what to respond too or anything so ya. It opens back up today but I didn't have anything. Well I had a sad couple of days. We just sent off Elder moody and elder Bown sad :( I loved those guys and it is going to make a huge impact on our district. But I have also had some awesome spiritual experiences this weekend too. We learned about sharing your testimony and when you should.

There is a quote from Thomas S Monson that goes kinda like "a testimony shared is a testimony remembered and a testimony not shared is a testimony lost." That really hit home to me. It's like I do share my testimony often especially since I have been here in the MTC but I have not been sharing it enough. So I have been going testimony crazy and it has made a huge impact on me. Sharing your testimony works wonders, not only for the people hearing it, but being able to have that spirit with you as well. It's as if you are reliving that experience you are sharing and I have felt the difference it has made in me. As you already know it was fast Sunday and I am now able to bear a short and very simple testimony in Spanish so it is pretty cool.

I am learning so much here and I am not even close to being tired of it. I have grown so much here in the gospel and I have never had this sort of relationship with the Holy Ghost, Christ, and our Heavenly Father. It is getting to the point that my lessons and the parts I teach are just me sharing my testimony and how it has impacted my life and how it can impact theirs in the same way. And you know what it is great? Being here has really made me look back and see how the gospel has changed my life. How knowing that our god is our Heavenly Father and that he loves us. How knowing where we come from, why we are here on the earth, and where we are going has made my life that much easier. It is amazing to me how many people don't know those things. I am starting to pray every night for those people in Chile that I may come in contact with that they will be ready to hear my message that I can possibly bring something to them that will change and bless their lives forever. We are told to work on a Christ like attribute every week and set goals. Well I chose Christ like love and charity and it is amazing how much that can do. I feel like Ammon and his brethren who were heart broken at the site of their Lamanite brethren and how they didn't know god. Well I am starting to see how they feel. I am so ready to try and help the Chilean people and I pray every night that I will be prepared to meet them. I do not want to be not ready and have it on me that one of gods children don't have the opportunity to hear his gospel. I don't know what it was but it was this weekend where I started looking at the mission in a totally different way. I am starting to take it way more seriously. I love Jesus Christ and everything he has done for all of us, I love my Heavenly Father and everything he has given me. I love this Gospel and how it has blessed my life in ways I cant even start to talk about. I love the Chilean people and hopefully I can prepare myself in a way that I can have the holy ghost as my constant companion and hopefully touch the hearts of every Chilean I meet that they will be ready and prepared to hear the gospel that their lives can be blessed forever.

I love all of you and I cannot wait to hear from you again.

Love, Elder Alexander Leavitt

Alex's Fourth Letter from the MTC

Hey Everyone!!

Well I am very upset. One, I have yet to tell you guys that at least 4 days now our subs have not shown up. Our regular teachers had to leave town. One his dad is in surgery and the other is now engaged and was meeting the girls family. Not all in a row but 4 days we have gone without teachers so it is really frustrating and two we have not had a single normal week so it is impossible to get into a rhythm you know? The 1st week it was our 1st week so that is always crazy and then you are going to meetings and they are telling you how the mtc works and all that jazz. Second week we had all the apostles here and what not, not saying it was bad it was amazing, but it changed the schedule of everything. Now this week is mission conference and the schedule is all changed for that so I have yet to have two weeks be the same schedule. And to just add on to everything my favorite teacher the one I wrote about last week is getting promoted to be over all the Spanish teachers or something like that and is no longer going to be my teacher. Apparently I am not the only one who likes him. So I am really sad about that. Also we met our new teacher Brother Pepper and he is the exact opposite of Brother Penallio so we will see how that works. I am a little worried so pray for me. The biggest problem with all the schedule stuff and not having teachers and everything is that in the 16-17 days I have been here we have had only 4 Spanish lessons. Basically all the Spanish I have been talking and all that is all self taught. So ya I am praying hard for Spanish. But it is fine I know with faith and the power of prayer and spirit I will be able to learn it even if no one is teaching me haha. So I am not that worried about it. Well maybe just a little bit but its fine haha.

I have yet to get fat. So far I have only gained 2 pounds since I have been here which really means I have yet to really gain anything.

Apparently the church is creating some Mormon facebook or profile thing and the website goes like like July 5th or 6th and they want all the missionaries to make one so I think I will do that one of these days. We had some devotional and the Mormon public relations guy was talking to us and he showed us some video clips and it looked pretty cool. There was some powerful stuff in there. If you could send this next part to Alycia for me that would be cool she wrote me the other day.

Ok I am back mom. So ya I am doing great. I am just working as hard as I can even with all these changes and no teachers. I am learning alot so no worries. I love this church and this gospel and I am doing all I can to do my best. We had a devotional the other day and near the end she showed a clip of the 68' Olympics and the marathon runner from Africa who was injured in the middle of it and how he finished the race even though it was 4 hours after everyone else and he said "my country didn't send me 5000 miles to quit. They sent me to finish the race." Well I kind of turned that around and I say "you guys didn't send me to Chile just to start my mission and not do the best I can. You sent me to do work and do it to the best of my abilities." So that is what I am doing. I am working my tail off so I can become the best missionary I can. I love you guys and I will talk to you next week. Love Elder Leavitt

P.S. I was wondering if it would be possible to send me some basketball shoes. I never brought any and I am just using my volleyball ones haha.