Oscar the Octopus

I have officially been in the MTC for two weeks! And it feels like I've been here so long. It's been really good and really hard at the same time. Learning the language has been really tough! There is just so much to learn and so little time to do so. But it is so satisfying to be able to say what you want to say. And I feel like its so important to learn. We have a thing called TRC, and in it you teach BYU students that served their mission in Sweden. And talking to them was awesome! It was so inspiring to hear how excited they are for us to go to Sweden. The returned missionaries have so much passion for missionary work and it made me want to learn better so that I can teach the people there. The RM's love for the people started to rub off onto me and I think its awesome!

My district is really fun! we learn a lot together but also have a good time. I have a little story to tell about them. So one night we were in our room before sleep. Another Elder that has been here a few weeks more that us came in and asked us if he could change our trash can liner (suspicious, I know). But we let him do it. A few mins later he came back and he actually had emptied our trash. He put it on the ground and left, and we thought nothing of it. Later we went to move our trashcan and realized it was really heavy. So we took the liner out and looked inside. At the bottom of our trash can was about 5 inches of water and a giant fake octopus. Apparently the Swedish elders before us had used it to prank people and now it has been passed onto us. So we of course have been using it! My companion keep taking Oscar ( the octopus) out of its home and doing things like putting it under people's pillows before bed so when they are going to sleep they feel it. And it has been really funny! The best part has been that we have just accepted Oscar as part of our room and now he has been living in our trashcan for about a week or so. I left my camera at my room, but sometime soon I will send some pictures of him.

The MTC has been a good experience so far. It has been awesome to see how the Spirit can be here so strong, especially when we are teaching people and bearing testimony. it has been really good overall! I know that as we do that which God asks us to do, we will be blessed. Fight on!

Elder Nelson