I'll get the language. I'll get the lessons. I'll be fine.

Hey, sorry it takes so long to get these.  I only get half an hour once a week. 

Life's great here in the MTC.  Food kinda rocks (mostly sucks) and still wreaks havoc on my guts.  I can't believe how much junk food they serve here!  We've been offered hotdogs twice.  Ker-gross!  What's worse is the number of people who take the hotdogs.  Three or four members of my 10-person district took them. 

The spirit is super strong here--especially Tuesday nights when we get to hear from a General Authority.  Last night we heard a talk from Elder Tad Callister of the Seventy.  It was about the apostacy after Christ's death.  It was super interesting hearing about all of the things that were lost or otherwise changed after Christ and his apostles were killed.  He counted off ten in total.  I don't want to get into detail, but it was an awesome talk.

One thing he said in particular struck me.  Something along the lines of "Satan tries his hardest at the advent of something great"  Apparently, when Joseph Smith was 14 or something, he stepped outside his house and a bullet passed right in front of him.  The never found the killer nor the reason for the attack.  But I figured the same thing applies for missionaries.  I hope Travis realizes this as well.  Reflecting on Elder Callister's talk, I realized that this is where I need to be.  Yes, the language is difficult, yes, teaching is difficult--and the two combined, impossible --but you know what?  I have 7 more weeks here.  I'm not worried.  I'll get the language.  I'll get the lessons.  I'll be fine.

Anyway, that's my spiritual message for the day.

We have an awesome district.  Have I told you that?  Our district leader right now is Elder Burton ~ the other Canadian.  We get a lot of grief from the Americans, but whatever.  I just go along with it all the time.    Oh, and I met Rubon today.  I went to EFY with him.  Great guy, it was good to see him here.  Cassie and Braden should know him well.

20 minutes left. 

My "collega" (co-lay-*flem*-ah) is Elder Mower.  He's a great guy.  We get along really well.  He's a drummer and stuff. You know that obnoxious hand-fart thing I can do?  He can do the same--but drop a beat with it.  So awesome.

The Dutch missionaries that have been here a while are leaving on Monday.  There are only four of them, but they've been a great help--with the language and getting us used to the MTC.  Most of the time they hang out in our area of the dormitories.  They taught us the art of the tie-slap and passive-life-ruining.  You calmly take people's nametags off and mess their shirt and tie around.  The Danish guys next to us are awesome too.  Strangely enough, there are three of them.  I think they leave on Monday as well.  I'll miss them.

Want to hear some Dutch words?  Gehoorzamheid.  (*flem*-eh-hore-zam-height).  That's how Dutch works by the way.  G's are Flem.  It's kinda gross.  The worst is how you say thank you.... "Graag Gedaan".  Flem-flem ker-flem.  Elder McKee lost his voice for a week.  I don't even think he's fully recovered yet.

Oh, tell everyone how grateful I am for all their gifts!  And their letters.  It means a TON to me!  Tell my friends to send me tons of letters!  It's great to know they care.  Sam and Cassie sent me one, but otherwise nobody else.  Tell them to use dearelder.com and that I probably won't directly reply (restrited computer use..  Still, keep em' coming.

As far as writing, I haven't really had time to write--let alone time to think about anything.  Days are so busy here.  You wake up, eat, go to class, eat, go to class, eat, go to class, bed.  Throw in Gym (Spoortzaal), and that's essentially our schedule.  Well, kind of.  Tuesdays and I think Fridays start later because we have gym in the morning.  We don't bothering showering until after gym so we just laze around in our room until 7:10-ish, then grab a bag lunch.  You can't go into the cafeteria (eetzaal) unless you are in proselyting clothes.   I've started writing a little something--a continuation of a book I started back home.  We'll see what happens with that.

Elder Wayman, Mathis, Mower and I (all the guys in my room) are trying to get to bed earlier so that we're not so tired.  When you sit in a classroom for 4+ hours it gets hard to stay awake, let alone pay attention.  We're hoping the extra sleep will help.

Oh, and Dalen, where's that dent your companion made?  We think we found it but aren't too sure.

Volleyball is getting better.  I figured out that being super-enthusiastic makes the experience pretty fun.  I cringe every time somebody scoops the ball or "bumps" it with both palms open and facing upwards, or whenever somebody drowns on the net, but oh well.  Hopefull they're better in Nederland.

Well, I'm running out of time. 

That's all I got for now. 

Love you ALL so much!

Elder Burgess.