First email from the MTC

I made it. It's now day 2 and I'm supposed to send a quick email home, so here we go. 

It's pretty weird in here, I'm feeling pretty good but pretty uneasy and freaking out a bit at times. There are some sessions that get me hyped to be here though.  The days feel like forever.  The classroom session is pretty frustrating because they speak 95% tagalog and 5% english. Pure Tagalog immersion and after about 5 hours of classroom instruction i thought i was done, but the last 30 mins that we just had, we learned tons of phrases and I'm getting hyped.  The teachers bore their testimony in Tagalog and I understood some sentences, so I'm feeling real good about the language considering it's day 2 out of like 40 or so.  

Even the branch president said the first couple days until sunday suck so just hold on and thats what I'm doing. I appreciate the love from the 403!!  Oh, and Im in a trio and the comps are mabuti (good)! 

maganda po ang ebangheylo (the gospel is beautiful) with tons of spelling mistakes in that phrase. 

palaam, 

Elder Kearl

Entering the MTC

As soon as Scott received his mission call, he decided that he wanted Dan and Emily to be the ones to take him to the MTC.  In the weeks leading up to his departure, I was feeling and little anxious and wanted to go to Utah with him and drop him off too, he was nice and said that would be fine.  However, a couple days before he left, I decided to obey his wishes and just let him go and have our goodbyes in Calgary at the airport.  Both Emily and Dan were surprised at how sad they were to say good bye to him.  I'm so grateful that my kids get along so well and genuinely love and care about each other.  As per Scott's true self, it was fun and games up until he entered the MTC.

Day One.....Part 2

Oh wait, I'm gonna drop a part 2 email here because the day got a little more epic. Ethan, Jared, Curtis and I went for a nice cruise and got 3 dozen krispy kreme doughnuts. 2 dozen too many. Then on our way home i realized there is a Melchin family in the area and that Curtis and Jared go to school with the girl so we DM'd for the address and i went over to visit Amy Ritchies Family. I met Nathan, Annie and Amy. So good to meet more Melchins, I'm a fan. I came back to Rosenvalls and ate dinner and i now have a letter to mail myself. since it takes 2 months for a package to get to the Philippines and it takes a missionary 6 weeks it should work out perfectly. Now I'm just waiting for bed time and then I'm off to the MTC tomorrow, feeling strong but getting nervous. Should be good. 

Paalam,*

Elder Kearl 

xoxoxo

Day One

Hey Mom, 

I guess this is my first email home even tho i saw you this morning! Its been a real sunny day tho. I'm hardly sad at all! The flight was great.  I read some nice letters from joel and caleb which helped me feel at peace about leaving. When I landed Heather and Ethan were waiting at baggage claim for me and we had a lot of fun together. We cruised around temple square which was super rad and got me really hyped! I ran into Sister Lysy (Dallins sister) on temple square as well as a bunch of filipino sisters. Seriously such a good time at Temple Square. After we grabbed davis and found jayden and had cafe rio, good eats. now I'm with ethan at David and Denises, exhausted but still cruisin. So far so good stay posted. 

Work hard, Pray hard.

Paluum,

Elder Kearl

Saying goodbye at the Calgary Airport

Scott wanted his good buddies, Joel and Caleb to join us at the airport.  The night before they were acting very strange.  Scott wanted me to wash his blue goretex jacket that night, even though he wasn't planning on taking it on his mission.  That next morning, they had a few little props and weird things they were taking to the airport.  I didn't think to much about it.  Then at the airport they wanted Derek to 'redo' his hug to scott 2 times.  It wasn't until we left the terminal that I realized they were filming the whole thing on their GoPro.   The video they made was hilarious.  I posted it right below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty_9ioUGB94

It was hard to say good bye to Scott but I did my best to keep my emotions in check to make it easier for him.  He was excited to go and ready to go.  That made it easier for me.   Derek and I drove right to the lake from the airport and enjoyed a quiet week together on Swan Lake, our happy place.

The Setting Apart

Scott was set apart by our Stake President, Colin Steele in our home.  His counsellors, President Kevin Palmer and President Egide Nzojibwami were in attendance too.   Scott received a nice blessing from President Steele that gave me some peace and reassurance that the Lord knows him, knows his strengths and his weaknesses and will protect him as he goes to serve in the Philippines.  We invited the Wolff family to join us since they have become like family to Scott this past year as he has prepared to serve a mission.  Great family!

Brotherhood Tie

Scott is the first of a big group of boys to leave on his mission.  At his open house, Diane Henry presented him with a tie, a poem and instructions attached.  What a great idea and the boys were pretty excited about it.  They have grown up together from a very young age.

Brotherhood

Friends for so long, so much time spent together

Now it’s time to go alone, happily serving wherever!

However, you won’t really be alone at all,

Your friends will also soon receive their call!

Every day you’ll be wearing white shirts and ties.

It’s the standard uniform for all missionary guys!

So what better way to share you missionary joys

Than by sharing this “Brotherhood Tie” with the boyz?

The tie is yours for the time being, so wear it!

Take pictures in it, then be sure to share it!

As the next Brother begins his missionary life,

He’ll be looking for the Brotherhood Tie to arrive!

Each one can use it for only so long,

Before it’s time to pack it up and send it along!

While each missionary only serves in one region,

The places this Tie will travel will be Legion!

One day soon you and your friends will be reunited,

And of course you will all be very excited

Then, like the Sons of Mosiah and Alma of old,

You will rejoice exceedingly to still be

Brethren in the Lord.

The Plan

1. Wear the ‘Brotherhood Tie’ on your mission!
2. Take a picture of yourself wearing the tie! 
3. Email it to your Mom so she can share it with the other Mom’s and Boys.
4. Sign the back of the tie, with your name and mission
5. Write your testimony and/or words of encouragement in this book
6. Mail the tie and book to the next Brother who enters the Mission Field.  Best to do this soon after he arrives so that he has time with tie before he needs to forward it along.