Last week at the MTC and a phone call from the airport.

This was Elder Fisher's last week at the MTC--we got 2 last e-mails...and a phone call from the airport today.

 The letters home arrived by e-mail on February 18, 2015. 

“Not a whole lot to write about.  It is my last week here at the MTC.  I have 6 days until I leave.  I got my flight plans this week and I stop at JFK airport and the Paris International airport and then I go to Germany from there.  I believe I am allowed to call you before I actually go on my flight but I am not quite sure what I need to do for that (note: the MTC bookstore cells pre-paid phone cards)--and it is only like a 15 minute call to tell you I am leaving the country pretty much. I leave on next Tuesday from the MTC at 6:00 and my flight leaves at 11:15 so expect a call from anytime in there. Can you DearElder me your cell phone number?  (DearElder.com is a free letter delivery service—if you send the letter by noon Provo time, it is delivered by 5pm the same day).  I forgot the flight information in my room so I can't tell you the information but I am flying delta and that's all I remember sorry.

It is about the same temperature in Germany as it is in Provo I think but I am not too sure.

It sounds like you had a fun Valentines date.   I got three boxes for Valentine’s day!  Please thank the people that sent them for me.  I can’t believe I only have one more Valentine’s Day left on my mission isn't that crazy?

I was actually thinking about asking you for (my high school German teacher’s) email so thank you for that. I will try to write her in German but I don't know how well my German actually is but I will try to do the best that I can.

Scriptures of the week are  3 Nephi 27: 27  “And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”   and then read 1 Corinthians 13: 11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”   I think it was a great connection I made this week with scriptures.

Love, Elder Fisher”

THE PHONE CALL

On Tuesday morning, February 24, 2015, we waited patiently for our phone call.  Elder Fisher was allowed to send us an e-mail on Sunday afternoon to let us know when to expect his phone call so I set the alarm for 15 minutes before the “start” time of 6:30 am and then the waiting began.

The phone rang about 8:45 am and it was so good to hear his voice.  He sounded good—he said he couldn’t believe that he would be in Germany in less than 24 hours.

He said he had really good teachers at the MTC and that he was able to attend the temple each week he was there except for one week when he wasn’t feeling well.

He said it was a little weird leaving the MTC after living there for 6 weeks. (during their time at the Provo MTC, the missionaries only leave to go across the street to the Provo LDS temple.)  Before they left the MTC, they were each given 50 pass along cards to hand out before they reached the Germany Berlin Mission home on Wednesday.

He said that 37 missionaries were going to Germany—14 to the Germany Berlin mission and the rest to the Germany Frankfurt mission.  One of the missionary’s moms had sent granola bars for a snack for their district to eat while they were waiting at the airport.

He asked about the family—he especially liked hearing about his nephew, Connor, and his niece, Audrey.  His new p-day will be on Mondays—he looks forward to his e-mails and mail that he receives.

We were able to speak about 30 minutes. At the end of the call, it was close to boarding time and we said good-bye until our next phone call on Mother’s Day--and we are anxiously waiting until next Monday when we get our first e-mails from Germany!

We are looking forward to the pictures the mission president’s wife will post on the mission blog in the next couple of days.

Frieberg LDS temple

February 11-- the countdown is 2 weeks until Germany

As we waited patiently for Elder Fisher’s e-mails, this scripture caught my attention: 

“And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.” Doctrine & Covenants 12: 8

Today’s blog is a compilation of two e-mails received on February 11th….

Elder Fisher with his district in front of the world map.

“The weeks are going by a little bit faster and the days do not seem as long as they did a few weeks ago. I am also getting along with my companion better and I am trying to work with others in the district better as well. I didn't really have a problem before with getting along with others in the district but I get along better with the people in my district. I can't believe that I will be out a month on this Saturday (February 14^th) that is just crazy for me to think about.

I have seem more people that I recognize from BYU-Idaho around the MTC recently so that is pretty exciting to. I got a letter from Sister ______ in the mail yesterday and if you could tell her that I really appreciated the letter that would be great.

Elder Fisher and Elder Larson pointing to Germany--their destination in 2 weeks
(this is one of the pictures his parents requested that he take)

I am supposed to get the district’s travel itineraries tomorrow sometime so once I get those I think that everything will start to set in about how I am going to Germany in 13 days. That is super crazy to think about. I think that everyone is excited but nervous at the same time about going to Germany in a couple weeks. I think I feel the same way, although I think I am more excited than nervous to go but they are both pretty equal.

I am trying hard to learn as much as I can while at the MTC but I am still trying to find ways so that I can have fun. For meals at the MTC there are usually baked potatoes at least 3 times a week and they are decent. I had a Shepherd’s pie and corn bread meal this week and all I was thinking is that mom makes it so much better.

There have been a lot of people at the MTC sick with colds over the last two week.  I am feeling healthy though so it is all good.

The Provo LDS temple on Sunday, February 8, 2015
LDS Temples

I am learning a lot about the scriptures and trying to relate most of the things I read to missionary work and myself. One example of this is Ether 12: 13:

"Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth."

How that scripture relates to me is that the prison is what is holding us back from our full potential to do missionary work-things like disobedience, unhappiness, and other things. So we need stop these things and let "the Prison to tumble to the earth"

I thought that this scripture was awesome

Hope everything is going well at home and that everyone gets better.

Love,

Spencer Fisher"

For me, the scripture Elder Fisher talked about in Ether 12 Ether 12 and its companion chapter in the Bible of Hebrew 11 are the two most beautiful and inspiring chapters regarding faith--they never fail to uplift me.

February 4--All is Well at the MTC

Elder Fisher is busy at the MTC--he will leave for Germany on February 24th. 

The following is a compilation of handwritten letters and e-mails we have received.

“Dear parents,

I love you guys so much and I am so happy to have this awesome opportunity. I love it here at the MTC and I love my district and branch presidency. Sorry for not writing as much in my emails but I find it easier to write to you through letters. I think it takes a long time for letters to get places because missionaries that live in Payson say it is taking a while for their letters to get back home, like two days (mom's note—it is about 18 miles from the Provo MTC to Payson, Utah)  I hope you are getting the letters and enjoying them.

The food is starting to get a little old here but it is still food (I think). I saw Elder Nebeker a lot when he was actually here but he left for the field on Tuesday of this week. (another mom note--Elder Nebeker was Elder Fisher’s BYU-Idaho roommate and he is serving in the Florida Ft. Lauderdale mission).

The MTC had all the elders move out of the building we were staying in and into another building this morning so it has been kinda hectic. I had a good weekend and was called to serve in the position of district leader until we leave for Germany. What that means at the MTC is that I get the mail and pass it out.

The MTC is helping me a lot. As part of the training, I hold a couple of discussions a week. The "investigators" are doing good, too, and I am learning a lot by teaching people in German. I started reading the Book of Mormon in German last week and it is going well. I have done 9 chapters so far and still going strong.

I am working hard and I am almost done with the book of Acts in the New Testament. It is a very interesting book and what some of the apostles were able to do is really fascinating. The scripture of the week for me is Alma 32. It is a great chapter about faith.

My English has gone way down since I have been here and I am starting to use German rules of writing in my English writings.  Sorry if my spelling is bad but I think in half German and half English now.

I am trying to think positive. My companion is good. Twice a week my companionship and another one have an exchange for choir. The companion swap is so my companion can go to choir practice. My exchange companion is super fun and we are usually laughing when we are together. There is a sister in my zone who goes to BYU-Idaho as well.  All the sisters in the zone are really nice, but the sisters in my district are the coolest.

I love the package I got and the cookies were not stale they were delicious and all the other German elders thank you and said that the chocolate chip cookies were delicious.

Only three more weeks at the MTC.

I love you guys and hope you are having an awesome time. Love you so much and I know that God blesses our lives so much too!!

Love

Elder Fisher

If you are interested in the Elder Bednar talk mentioned in the last blog, here are the links:

Print: The Character of Christ

Video: Character of Christ video