Week 003 - The Spoon of Glory

Sounds like you are killin it in big ole Texas. Love you guys. 

This week has been fantastic. Slowly and slowly the MTC seems to be getting better and better, and faster and faster. It's way cool here because you're always feeling the spirit everywhere, especially during gym time. Always need it in there. But it's super cool. And I'm really starting to realize the potential with the gift of tongues. Like no joke, it happens. But only like when you're bearing your testimony or bringing the spirit into a lesson. Everything else is total mayhem. But who knows, I am learning Spanish for 9 hours a day, so technically I should be getting better anyways. The good thing though, is that every one understands us. Which apparently is really good for your first two weeks. 

We are teaching 4 people now, all members who are acting like they aren't, but surprisingly really good at playing off as nonmembers. Teaching is totally technique though. You go in there, find their week spot, bring in the spirt, then make them cry like a baby. Then pull out the big guns, "Queirara baptizarse". Then they want it so bad they can't say no. We actually taught this member, who acted like a member, so we just gave her a basic lesson, like when the missionaries come over to eat. But when we came out she said that was one of the best MTC lessons she's ever had. Then she was wacked out of her mind when she found out that we have only been here for two weeks. So that was pretty good and uplifting to hear, cause I was thinking we were behind on our Spanish. She also went on a mission to Argentina and taught us some really important words like Che=dude Capo=cool, and Ranuca Gato=Groove Cat. We are killin this Spanish thing. 

I'm starting to get more and more along with my companion, especially when he started singing "Most beautiful girl in the room" by Flight of the Concords. And of course I joined in, and no joke, killed it. 

That story about Emma and Katie losing the gas cap is so funny, because I totally did the same thing with the Passat. Except I didn't tell you guys. I actually put plastic wrap around the gas tube and searched for days for a gas cap that fits. Autozone ended up coming in clutch. 

I did end up finding the king of kings Matt Simmons and the tall of talls Max Pothier. It's so easy to spot out Max, actually it's so easy to spot out his whole district who are all tall. Matt's so funny because there's only a small amount of Russians, and they all sit next to each other in this boxed area next to the window in the cafeteria. I went to sit with him, and he says they call the side that opens up to the cafeteria "the iron curtain", and that the French speakers are trying to get in. But they won't let that happen. What's funny is that it wasnt a joke, and there is some rivalry with the French speakers. 

So I totally brought my slick yo yo with me here, and have been learning some sweet tricks. But one kid in the other dorm sees me with it and wants to try it out. Three days later we hear some yo yo party next door, and see 6 kids all with the same exact yo yo. They will never master my spin moves. 

We just had a new district join our zone (Neuve Carne), but they all don't know how to talk. I think they are just mixing up the MTC with a prison, and are scared out of their minds. It does kinda feel like that when there is a deep voiced guy on the speaker every night saying "Its quiet time". They should totally just play Closing Time instead. I'll put that in the worker request jar next time I see one. 

So every week we have to write a talk for sacrament meeting in Spanish, and two people get randomly called up on Sundays. It's so we have 6 talks ready in Argentina. But it's totally like that moment in Hunger Games where the pink chick picks the names out of the jar, and your heart is pounding until you hear it's someone elses name. I haven't been asked to come up yet, but it could be anytime. And if you don't have a talk, you just go up and embarress yourself. I'm just waiting to see that happen to someone. 

So I'll give you what you've been waiting for, the update on four square. Thank you Katie for the idea. Now whoever ends up in the king square, at the end of gym time, gets "the spoon" (a spoon from the cafeteria) until the next time. A whole 24 hours of Glory. I don't have the glory currently. But a lot of times people suck at seeing where the ball is hit, or who is actually out, so we just yell "line battle" and the two people have to play to the death. Line battles are hyped. Actually four square in general is getting more hyped. But because of that, all of sudden a huge amount of people are thinking "what's going on, whats all the ruckus?" So now we have this huge line at four square, and everytime you get out, you wait 5-8 min to get back in. The line is pretty hyped though, so that's fun. It's super funny because it's just four square. It's kinda the loophole to competitiveness, because we are not really supposed to make games like basketball competitive. But you can in four square, because it's four square. 

Recently we've found that the coolest song to sing in Spanish is "Tengo gozo in mi Alma hoy" (There is sunshine in my soul today). Sing it in Spanish and you can't stop. So we sing that almost everytime. Almost don't even need the himno book. I can tell that the Hermanas are getting sick of it. 

I can't believe you're watching the new X-Files without me. No I don't want to make you wait two years. Super lame though, that after 5 years of waiting for new X-files, that they decided to play them two weeks into my mission. 

So update on the fridge, it turns out we can't get the fridge from our zone leaders, because they have been transferred to another zone and another building, for breaking RULE 33 (flirtin with the ladies). So the guys who have it now, are keeping it no matter what. But we learned that if you have food allergies you can get a fridge for your special foods. And since "Gluten Free" is such a big hit these days, I asked elder Streueling to take one for the team and try it out. We'll see how it goes. Probably won't work. 

Here's a little insight I got from the scriptures this week.  Read 2 Kings 2: 23-24, and you'll never make fun of bald people again. 

I love you guys and miss you. Caio.

Week 002 - The Lord Will Provide

Hey Fam - Nailed a whole week. 

It's lame I had to miss Claire's birthday, but congratulations Claire, you really did it, made it to the old twelve. That trip to New York is going to be wicked sweet. Especially when you have some sweet fans like grandma and grandpa to come along. Probably not gonna be as fantastic as mine and dad's visit to the pink temple and Magic Mountain. But it's a good close second. 

It's super cool that Emma and Katie would decorate Claire's locker... well almost Katie. Come on Katie, dont you know the rule - if you "don't know"... you can't get in trouble. You guys should hang that one up right next to the "We don't say no to things that the majority of persons that matter think are fun" quote. 

That's so cool that the Bronco will be smooth moving soon. I can already see the excitement on Mom's face. 

So since you're asking about my great P day, I'll give you the low down. It's on Saturdays, and we start off the day with four square of course. I get like an hour to do emails, but me and my companion just print them off and read them while we do our laundry, so don't worry about writing too much. And I do get to go to the temple each Saturday, that's a plus. Totally get to recharge myself for the rest of the week. 

By the way, don't worry, gym time is every day. So when some days get down and dirty, there's always hope in gym time, aka four square time. We are starting to get to the point though, where we are doing trick shots. It's kinda like when Asians play ping pong and they are not even close to the table. There is one small Hispanic kid, we call Pedro, that has shown up, and he's totally changed the game with his tricky footwork. You never know where he's going to be next. Right. Left. Sideways. In the sky. You never know.

We actually didn't get to have gym time Wednesday because of the PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY BROADCAST... lame. Not really. It was super bueno and a great replacement. Some general authorities and apostles were on it and spoke. And gave some good tips. And said stuff. Like that the Holy Ghost is the teacher, and we are Tools. Never really thought of myself as a B9 Special. They said they hadn't done anything like that in a decade, where every missionary gets to see this broadcast specifically for missionaries. I totally saw the Max Tagg in the audience looking as fresh as usual, killin it as he writes his notes. 

So, the elders in my district are pretty much together all the time, and when we take showers at the same time, we've been getting into a habit of starting a beat that leads into great jams. Highlights of this week were "I'll make a man out of you", "Worst guys" by Childish Gambino, that song Hercules sings "I have often dreamed of a far off place" (not sure what the song is called), and we got some "Tribute" by Tenacious D in there. They can take away our ipods, but they can't take away our minds. It feels good to have a district I can rely on. 

You know that honey story I told you about last time... Apparently it did $1,000 worth of damage, because whoever did it, put honey on more doors downstairs and it hardened in the locks, so there was a lot of replacements going on. Not on ours though. 

Those blessings from exact obedience must be kicking in. 

I loved the letters that the gals sent me. They were pretty great. I liked the mailman one, but I could not figure out who the guy was. Anyway, they did smell good with all the gum in it, and I could tell my roommates were so jealous. Oh, and that package from Amazon Pantry (advertisment on my part) was totally a blessing. No joke, I was sitting in my class speaking Spanish and such, when I thought to myself, "I totally need some Flamin Hot Cheetohs in my hand right now. Then all of sudden a package arrives with Flamin Hot Cheetos. At first, when I opened the box in the middle of the hallway, I saw the two bags and yelled "No way, the Lord has provided me with a giant box full of Flamin Hot Cheetohs!!!!" But I did learn that it was two bags on top of all sorts of other cool treats, which is way cool. 

Another cool story... I'm sitting in the cafeteria, having the time of my life, when I see this girl who I thought was a friend of mine, that wasn't. So then I started missing a bunch of my friends. So I get up to go put away my stuff, then all of a sudden I see Annie Hayward, one of the coolest chicks in the game. Then Braedon Farr aka Perro Succio (Dirty Dog). And then Danny Few. Three total pals from the BYU. I also saw Matt Wanson, tool of the nation. So that was kinda a plus too. Once again the lord will provide. But I am on the prowl now looking for the king, Matt Simmons, because I thought he was also coming Wednesday.  But no one seems to know where the Russians live. 

So right now, Elder Hopkins and I are kinda like the guys to go to if you need something. Currently we are working on getting some Mountain Dew Voltage for a kid who's got a fridge, and he'll give us the fridge if we get him the Dew. So if anyone wants to send us some Voltage, that would be sick. Or put it in the drop zone, which is behind the bush, next to the shed on the soccer field. 

That's the business of the week. 

Thank you Mom for that talk. I'll totally read it. Rasband is the man. 

See you next time, Groove Cats, at the slam dunk contest with ronnydonnyyannahe.

Holden Greene

P.S. Still having problems with putting up pics, I will figure it out.

Week 001 - First Letter Home

What's Up Fam! It's great to hear from you guys. Even though it's been like three days. It's felt a lot longer though. 

I'm excited for Claire. Sounds like New York is going to be a really fun trip. Early Happy Birthday to her. 

The MTC's been a pretty crazy experience so far. I was super nervous going in, and I wasn't even sure what I was nervous about. But once we got situated and such, it's been a lot better. What really helped though, was seeing so many people I recognized. I probably saw 7 different people I knew from home and BYU in like the first two hours. Pretty neat. 

My companion's a stud from Salt Lake. He's pretty cool because he can do flips. I can't do a flip, but I know he can. It's sometimes difficult to work with him cause he's kinda a downer on the MTC; kinda wants to jump the gun and just go straight to Argentina... then land on his face. But he's great though, really wants to spread the Gospel. I'll send you some pics later, still trying to figure that all out. What's cool though is that I have like three other roommates and one of them is a guy I knew from BYU. So we were pretty hyped. Actually all the Elders in my district are all going to Santa Fe. So we kinda think we are all that. Except for the Hermana missionaries, they are going to Buenos Ares, aka loser town. Best part though, is that I'm totally District Leader, so I rule all of these kids. I get extra work though, like mail duty. My companion is kinda like my assistant to the district leader, because I have him remind me stuff, like get the mail. He's really good at it. 

The spanish has been crazy! They really just put you right into it. Like literally all we are doing is speaking spanish. And on the first day everyone is all like "Como Estas" cause I have a spanish name tag. What's crazy though is that I'm understanding a lot of things a lot faster then I ever did in high school. We need to tell the schools to pick up their slack. I gave my first prayer in spanish yesterday. No one would volunteer so i did. It ended up going pretty well I think, cause my teacher was all like "whoahoo". Which is probably "super awesome" in spanish or something. That's the gift of tongues for ya. no joke. My companion's actually way good at spanish though, he acts like he's not, but he really is. 

But one of the Greatest things at the MTC is GYM TIME. "What's at gym time that is so great?" you say. It's Four Square. It's not just any kind of four square though. it's the king of four square. But usually only when my district and zone leaders play because we go hard. Sometimes I feel bad though cause suckers come in and get wrecked. We get in trouble if we dive though. So no diving techniques are going on (unless you trip). So that's always something to like forward too. 

The Branch presidency is pretty cool too. They like to give hugs, and one of them is really small so it's kinda funny to see him try to hug the tall elders like me. 

Oh, quick funny story, some Elder went nuts last night at like 11 cause someone put honey on his doorknob. Was not me, if you were thinking. But anyways, the guy has honey all over his hands and banging on every door saying "Get up. Security is coming, and he's going to bust all of you." As the great district leader I am, I sent one of my elders to shut down the Ruckus. Great man. Doesn't actually shut it down, but makes the elder more angry, and the security guy actually came up and asks what happened. The crazy kid starts going off and the security guys makes him clean up the honey. Way funny. Got to love him though, cause what a reaction for just some honey. It's probably gonna happen again. 

Overall its been pretty fantastic. I've never done so much studying in my life, but definitely cool to be feeling the spirit 24/7. That's definitely a plus. I'm loving it. Trying to be exactly obedient, cause I hear miracles come if you do. And I can't turn down a miracle. Oh, and the foods pretty good too. I am leaving the MTC to Argentina on the 23rd of February. Counting down the days. And I can pick up a package any day of the week if you were to send me one. I am the mail guy of course. Great hearing from you. Love you. Adios (Spanish for goodbye). 

Week 000 - On His Way

Holden entered the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo UT on January 13, 2016.  He'll spend the next 6 weeks in training, and then will depart to Argenitina Santa Fe.  Here are a few pictures from his departure in Houston TX, and arrival in Provo UT.