A Typical Day in the life of an MTC Elder

I thought some of you might enjoy seeing what Jordy's days consist of...and all you RMs can be reminded of what life used to be "back in the day".

Here's his Thursday's schedule (They are all different in little ways, but he gets the same things in during the day.

6:20-6:45 Arise and Prepare
7-8:15 Classroom instruction (personal)
8:15 Breakfast
8:45-1:00 Classroom Instruction
1:00 Lunch
1:45-4:30 Classroom Instruction/ Language
4:40-5:30 Gym
5:30-6:00 Prepare for next activity
6:00 Dinner
6:45-9:00 Classroom Instruction
9:00-9:30 Daily Planning Session
9:30-10:00 Review day's activ/Companionship Prayer
10:15 Quiet Time

I told you he was too busy to be too homesick. It sounds like a schedule that would definately get the best of me, but they're young and on a mission for the Lord.


BTW...The picture on this post is not Jordy, as you can see. I think it is his companion. The first time he sent home his camera card it was full of pictures of everybody but Jordy. He was promptly told to cut that out!

Hola Grandmazah....4/1/09

Heres a letter to Grandma...Jordy calls her Grandmazah. I have tried to put all of his letters on here, but unfortunately they are not in the proper order. From here on out I will try to do better with that. All of Jordy's letters sound like he is doing really good and actually enjoying the MTC experience, though it is hard work. Jordy can do hard things though...right Aunt Susan?

Hola Grandmazah,
I might have made it past the hard part, but it is still hard being away from home. I just received your letter yesterday, along with one from Ma, Dad, and Katie. Right now I'm leading the letter count with 11, so keep 'em coming. I've been thinking about you and the rest of the family alot, I just wish I could call and tell you everything that's been going on. I hope your received my first letter, I really haven't had time to write alot, every second of every day is planned out for us. We have to get up every morning at 6:30, so not like me, eh? I writing on Wednesday (P-day) and in about an hour we have to go wash clothes! We spend most of our day in class, talking, reading, talking....
We went on a walk around the temple Sunday, later today we will go through the Temple. I'll try to send pictures and a copy of my schedule along with one of the letters. As you can see writing a letter is not one of my strong points either, but I do what I can. I love you very much, I've been thinking alot about you, nighttime is the hardest time, laying in bed thinking about home. But I know that I am where I need to be. I only have 103 weeks to go to be back home. I love you, I miss you, and I'll try to write again soon,
Love,
Jordan

Letter to Gma

Hi herGrandmazah, (that's what he calls her)

I know I haven't been writing as much as either of us would like, but I really haven't had a lot of time. The MTC is very busy, if you're not in class you're eating, if you're not eating you're getting stopped by a companionship looking to practice their skills.
I want you to know that I think about you just about every single day. What I wouldn't give to be sitting at Chick-fil-et with you and ma about now. As much as I would love to be home, I know I am where I need to be. My testimony has grown alot just in these 2 short weeks. I love you very much, I miss you, and I can't wait until the cookies get here.
Love,
Your Grandson,
Jordan

Hola Ma!....A Letter from my Boy!!!

4/11/09
Hola Ma!
I'm glad to hear that Dad recovered his sunglasses. I received a return-to-sender letter I sent dated on the first, so sorry about that. The letter contained my schedule that I will send with this letter. Send my memory card back after you look at and erase alot of pictures. I'm way up in the letter count, averaging 4 per day. So far I've received 60 letters! I'll try to send a picture of the District later. I guess by your "Dear Elder" letter you received last Wednesday's email so, no problems there. I also received the cookies and the "Dear Elder" Easter Basket.
I've been writing in my journal every night, so someday you'll get to read about life at the MTC. By the way, those were the dullest fingernail clippers you sent me. I wasn't kidding about sending me on of those electronic yahtsee games, and maybe a bouncy ball to toss around every once in a while. All in all the MTC isn't too bad, it just gets really boring once in a while. It's a lot like prison, but in prison you already speak the language and you get visits. I'd be ready for another two weeks if I could walk around the block once.
We got to the temple every week as you will see in the schedule, so if anyone has names to do I can do them, plus I can get others in my district to help out so send 'em on. We have gym once a day, it's pretty fun. I play 4-square alot. We eat 3 times a day, obviously, but most of the day is spent in our little room learning Doctrine and Espanol. One thing that's not so good is that I haven't been getting alot of sleep, I don't know why. The bed is actually quite comfortable, I might go to the Health Cntr and get some sleeping pills. I get along great with all the members of my district, the teachers Hermano Williams and Hermana Rivera are great also. They are both students at BYU. I think I lost Mike's address so send it to me. We forgot to get my PSP out of my carry-on bag so I'll send that home in a package. I put Katie's quote about shooting stars up on the board and everyone thought it was funny. I received Tanner's recap of the game, much anticipated by the way. I'll be taking more pictures while I wait for my old memory card to return. Tell Dad I always figured that was going to happen to the boat eventually, that's why I always walked to the front when they were pulling me up.
There isn't anything I like doing but shining shoes! I've got my old ones looking good!
Our zone leader looks just like Joey Beneviedes. I'm 30-40% certain that it is him insome sort of witness protection program or something. So far Spanish is coming, but slow. I'm able to make basic introductions and understand somewhat of what people are saying.
Send me some ties that are trade-worthy (not important ones) so I can participate in some Saturday night tie trading. There are some pictures of the action on the memory card, it's actually pretty amazing. By the way, the easiest way to get the pictures of the card is to put it on Deena's camera and use the chord. Also, remember I'm in "prison" here, so some CNN style world news would be good once in a while. Tell Katie that I want Braves news, the season has got to be started by now! Elder Roberts (one of my District comrods) is the spitting image of Barack Obama. We have more Democrats in our District than Republicans, 3 Dems, 2 Repub, and the Canadian doesn't count. Once a week we go to the computer lab and answer calls, the number you see on the screen to get a free BofM or.....that's us for an hour per week. I talked to a man from Tennessee last week, it didn't go so well. I love the NC razor, how on earth did you find that!
Ma, I don't know how you could have lived here for so long, I am so sick of that mountain at our window I've had dreams of blowing it up!
We get to teack fake investigators once a week, they have this building here that looks like apartments on the inside, we actually knock on the door, introduce, and teach the lesson to them. I was so nervous my first time, but I feel I know enough now to actually teach the lesson, its still kind of strange. It's also a little strange wearing a suit all day long, but I'm getting used to it. I would kill for a Dr Pepper righ now, but luckily they have milk so I'm not going completely crazy. All in all things aren't too bad here, it's not home, but it could be alot worse. I've tried to jot down everything you'd find interesting. I want you to know that I think about you every day. Tell Dad, Katie, Jake, Gma, Deena....... that I love them very much. I love you very much Ma. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I'll try to write again soon so be ready. I love you, Your son, Elder Jordan Guthrie
PS I'm not joking about that Yahtzee game! Peek into my Sunday School class and say hello. Leave a washclothe in our shower and don't tell Katie how it got there, just for kicks. Tell Michael "Hola Meeechelle"
Peace Out

Answer: About the same as winning the state lottery.

Question: What are the chances that Grandma can call the 800 number that goes to the MTC (the one you call to get a free video or BofM) and Elder Jordan Guthrie, who mans one of the lines for one hour a week (which hour is unknown to us)will answer.

It's true, ever since we found out from on of Jordy's letters that he answers the 800 number one hour a week Grandma Drexell has fought the urge to call until she gets Jordy on the line. Don't worry though, we're keeping her busy and away from phones!

Sorry for not posting the last few letters from Elder Guthrie, I'll have to work on that. This past Wednesday he shared an interesting story. He was doing his hour manning the phone and the first call he received was from a woman who said,"My mother is dying. Can you help me save her?" If he'd been telling me the story in person I would have laughed at this point, thinking it was some misdirected 911 call. I'm glad it was through his 30 minute computer time instead, because I could tell from the rest of the story that Jordy was sincere. He said, "Ma, I wasn't even nervous. I just let the Spirit help me know what to say to her." They spoke for a while and she agreed to let the missionaries come to her house and give her a discussion.

The more I communicate with my missionary son I am amazed at how much he is growing and I am more and more sure that this mission is where he is suppose to be. I think of all the things that I would have prevented him from doing for himself because I love him and want to make his load lighter. If you're a parent, you know what I mean.

Then I thought about another young man who served a mission of sorts. His father loved him too. On his mission he was asked to give his very life for the good of all mankind. Surely his Father ached to make his son's load easier. But there was a plan, and hard as it was for the Father, he knew not to interfere. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth and allowed Him to suffer and die for us.

I know that, along with the uplifting times, Jordy will experience trying times on his mission. But I also know that, like someone I love once said, "If we can't send Mike Hancock's grandson to do the hard stuff, who can we send?"

MTC like Prison??????

Just got a letter from Elder Guthrie. He sounded really good and it was a really good (longer) letter. He relates living in the MTC somewhat to being in prison, except, as he said, in prison you can have visitors! I will post the letter soon so all can read for yourself how good he sounds. I just wanted to get these pictures on so I decided to go ahead and post. More to come.

BTW, Jordy sent home his xD card and I immediately went to WalMart and printed them. Once I saw his pictures I sent him a letter right away to make sure he was in some of the pictures. (He wasn't in a single one!) Maybe he'll do better next time.
This is a picture of his classroom, notice the Spanish on the wall!

Lisa, aka mm to Elder Jordan L Guthrie, Leon, Mexico 3/09-3/11

Jordy has an email account!

Jordy told me he would probably get a 30 min. time on the computer this Wednesday around 12 noon (his time). So, you know what I did: I stayed logged on and refreshing from about 1:30 to way past 3 o'clock (our time). No Jordy.
Then, when I got home from Young Women I checked my email and there was the email from my missionary son. It had come in around 5:30 (just as I was leaving for church).
He sounded really good. He says they have memorized a missionary theme (or something like that)in Spanish, and that he made it through 2 whole days of Conference without falling asleep. He seemed really proud of that!
I will let everyone know closer to next Wednesday about when he will be online. MAYBE we can send some emails back and forth during that 30 min timeslot...that would be too good though, eh?

Also, do all of you know about DearElder.com? It is a really great way to correspond with him too. You just go to the site, set up an account (it's free) and type your letter. They print them a hard copy and put it in their mailbox. Jordy told me in one of his letters that he is getting them and it is working good. It is something to try and really fast.

Here's a copy of Jordy's letter to Deena. I think he sounds good, see what you think! *Don't strain your eyes, zoom in on it!!!

Should I Be Jealous?

Well, now Mama and Deena have received a letter from Elder Guthrie, but not his Mama. Oh, well, I guess he figures his Ma will understand. I will copy Deena's letter for all of you to read (it's a really good one!). Deena said he even writes in Spanish every now and then, just the simple words like 'and' and 'the', but a start. Besides, if he wrote too much in Spanish, how could we read it???
Here's a picture of him and his companion. Details soon.

Finally, Letter #2!!!!

Finally we (actually Grandma) received a letter from Jordy. Here it is....






Hola Grandmazah,
I might have made it past the hard part, but its still hard being away from home. I just received your letter yesterday, along with one from Ma, Dad, and Katie. Right now I'm leading the letter count with 11, so keep 'em coming.
I been thinking about you and the rest of the family alot. I just wish I could call and tell you everything that's been going on. I hope you received my first letter. I really haven't had time to write alot, every second of every day is planned out for us. We have to get up every morning at 6:30, sooooo not like me, eh? I'm writing on Wednesday(P-day) and in about an hour we have to go wash clothes! We spend most of our day in class, talking, reading, talking....
We went on a walk around the Temple Sunday, later today we will go through the Temple. I'll try and send pictures and a copy of my schedule along with one of the letters. As you can see, writing a letter is not one of my strong points either, but I do what I can do. I love you very much. I've been thinking alot about you, nighttime is the hardest time, laying in bed thinking about home. But I know that I am where I need to be. I only have 103 weeks to go to be back home.
I love you, I miss you, and I'll try to write again.
Love, Jordan

ONE week and Counting

This is still Lisa.....Jordy hasn't had any computer time yet and to be honest I don't know if he will write on this for a while. I will keep it updated on what I know.

We dropped Jordy off last Wednesday and he did wonderfully! Our whole time in Utah was fantastic. We arrived near noon on Monday, Mar 23rd and encountered our first snow. We rented a car ( a life-saver)and went directly into SLC and ate at Olive Garden.

Following a quick tour of Temple Square we decided the weather was not for us so it was off to Provo. During our stay in Utah Bill Boy and his family traveled to Temple Square and we were a le to see his new little boy. He has such a nice family. Georgia stayed in the Joseph Smith Bldg with the baby while the rest of us toured the square. It was so much fun having Bill Boy as our tour guide. He knew lots of little stories that we would never have known otherwise.

You could call that day the "Visit with your Handsome Cousin Day" since, once we left Bill Boy and family we went back to Provo and Mike and his "special friend" Cheyanne (sp?) went out to eat with us and then to Wal-Mart (for the 4th time since arriving) for some last minute things.

Mike met us the next morning and it was off to the MTC.

I think one of the things I will always remember about that day is how wonderful Jordy did. When I was parked out front waiting for them to get all his luggage out I kind of lost it...so there I sat behind the wheel boo-hooing. Suddenly there was a little tap on the window and when I looked up Jordy was standing there with one of the older gentlemen that helped with luggage and check in. I rolled the window down and Jordy said, "Ma, I know you've got a lot on you right now, but do you know where my vaccination card is?" Fortunately I did, one catastrophe averted!

After a short service, it was the time I had been dreading....time to say, "See ye later". I hugged him tight, trying to memorize every aspect of my boy. I found out it is hard to make one hug big enough to last 2 years.

As Mike, Deena and I were leaving, we passed an opened door that looked down a hall; a hall that happened to be the hall the missionaries were going down after leaving their families. I can only describe it as a postcard view, seeing all those boys in suits walking down that long hall to literally start their missions. I think I will remember that one look forever.

We got our first letter from Jordy and he sounded really good. It was written on his first day there so he didn't know much about his schedule. We do know that Wednesdays are his "P-days" so maybe we get another letter soon.

Thank you all for your support and genuine love you have shown to Jordy.