Yeah! Dallon is still alive and thriving. This week was especially long for our family because Dallon had his birthday on Saturday. There is no mail or deliveries on Saturday. We had to send everything to him by Friday and just hope that he had good friends in the MTC to help make Saturday a special day. Another interesting fact is that Dallon's birthday is on Sept. 18th, which is also Chili's Independence Day. He is going to have great birthday celebrations the next two years! Anyways, he writes about his birthday in this letter.
"Hey guys! I can't believe a week has already passed by since I last wrote you! The days are so long but the weeks seem to go by pretty fast! My birthday was the best! I had a ton of fun and I LOVED all the presents I received! Especially the camera. I've already made some videos that I am going to send home but probably not until next week. I did give Elder Peterson his present and he loved it. He plays with it all the time. It was an awesome birthday! Thanks for making it so fun! Everyone at the MTC was talking about my Nothin' Bundt Cake because it came in a huge celaphane wrap thing with balloons and stuff. ha ha You should have seen everyone's faces while I was carrying it back to my room! It was awesome!"
He then shared some great news!!
"I made it into the choir that is going to be singing at Priesthood session of General Conference! For awhile there everyone told my district that we filled out the wrong form, but it turned out that we filled out the right one! So you'll have to look for me. I am so excited! Music is what I miss the most. The President of the MTC won't let us listen to any music. Sundays are a little better when I can go to sacrament meeting and sing. We also get to watch church movies on Sundays and we were able to watch "The Testament". I told myself that I wasn't going to cry like the other missionaries that write home and tell how much they cried...ha ha, but that movie did a number on me...sniff."
There was additions to his district group.
"We received one more elder and hermana into my district this week. The elder is Elder Mace and everyone thinks we are twins! We definitely do have a lot of similarities, but I am definitely better looking! ha ha It's been fun to have new people in the district. My Spanish is really starting to come along. I didn't think I could learn this fast! Although it is still a huge frustration in my life, I still know I am being blessed through this trial. Elder Peterson and I taught our first real lesson in full Spanish yesterday. It was sooooo hard! I thought I was going to die with stress! ha ha Somehow we were able to get through it. I think we are doing really well for our first time teaching in Spanish. I'm grateful that I can feel the spirit everyday because without it I probably would be coming home right now!"
He shares what life is like at the MTC.
"The MTC is like a different world. The whole time they are pushing you to be your best and to get lost in the work. I think it's awesome but sometimes it does start to feel like we are in an alternate reality. It is really funny because every night we have a bell that tells us to go to sleep at 10:30 and the other night a sister missionary bolted out of her room screaming, "This place is a prison!" ha ha The next day our branch president commented on it and said, "This place isn't a prison, it is worse because you don't get visitors!" ha ha It was really funny! Anyways all is well here at the MTC. Not a lot happens in my life because it consists of studying squashed all day in a small room with fourteen other missionaries. We have a good time together and I'm starting to get to know everyone really well. How could you not get close when you have one elder's head asleep on your shoulder and another elder with his legs under your desk?! ha ha It really is cramped in our room, but I sure am learning a lot."
A fun thing happened at the temple.
"Oh the coolest thing happened today! I went to the Provo Temple and guess who I ran in to? Michael Wood! Crazy right? I just barely read about Mom talking to him and then I ran in to him the next day! It was way cool to see him."
Dallon ends with this testimony.
"I'm grateful for this church and all of the blessings that it gives me. I know that I am here because Heavenly Father wants me to be here. I am so grateful for this opportunity. I know that through Heavenly Father we will be able to live as a family forever. I know that I am a Smith and we are tough. We can do anything that we set our minds to. Keep striving to do your best. You are always in my prayers. I love you all so much!"
Con Mucho Amor, Elder Dallon Smith