2nd letter

Date: January 31, 2012

Companion: Wang Zhong Lao (Elder James)

MTC

Momma i am so happy He put me in your house too, I think we are supposed to straighten each other out! I miss you and the family very much! Send my love! So about those questions you had about our investigators. They are fake investigators but the way it is set up it seems like they are real! After teaching our first investigator for a week or so he became our teacher! So we now have two teachers mu lao shi and fan lao shi. They are some of the best teachers ever i love them a whole bunch! They have helped us learn chinese as well as learn to teach so well and it has only been two weeks. I feel like i should have just been doing what i do here at home and i would be so far ahead! And to answer your question we only teach in chinese. Pretty much everything is in chinese! Lessons, sacrament, classes etc. My chinese name right now is Liu. (pronounced Leo with a rising tone) It is just a surname though, when i leave the MTC they will give me a first name as well. Yes i have been getting your dear elder letters and i love them, i love to hear what is going on at home and how you are doing! Please tell Payton thank you for me, i got quite a crack up from the message she sent me. So did my BUFF companion hahaha. Also thank Julie, Paul, Blake and Blythe for me for the messages and pictures i will write back soon! So today you will not believe what happened! It was the 50th annivesary for the MTC and tuesday night is devotional night so guess who our guest speakers were...Elder Holland and Elder Nelson! Boy were we in for a surprise! The spirit they emenate is amazing and their counsel and advice on missionary work...well there is nothing quite like it. So what is going on at home? Let me know what's new and exciting! I got your story about falling down when taking the trash out and dad talking to the city of gilbert about it haha that made me laugh so hard! Tonight afterwards we had a little meeting with just our district (which is only 3 companionships of elders and 1 companionship of sisters) and we just talked about what we learned. The spirit was so strong and our district is starting to grow extremely close, we all love each other! I am so grateful to be put with such a fantastic district. I see Nik Huff almost every day and i love it! Man he is such a stud and it makes me so happy to know he is here serving the Lord with me. Thanks for sending me all the stuff i asked for you are the best mom! Sorry my email is kind of late today i had kind of a weird schedule. So pretty much every day in gym we play four square and it gets super intense so don't you worry about me gaining weight. I get all the exercise i need. Oh and Paul would be proud of me, an elder in my district and I kick butt at basketball.  Well i am so glad to be in the MTC. Every morning i wake up and i just say to myself....wow i am acutally on my mission! I have dreamed about this for a long time. I am sure the shock will increase when i get into the field though ohhh man. I am so grateful for this Gospel and my chance to have 2 years dedicated solely to bringing others unto Christ. What an awesome opportunity and it is all thanks to you Mom and Dad! I love you guys thanks for being the best parents i have ever had!...Well only parents i have ever had but you get the point...You were and are such amazing examples to me and i think about you every day! For my mission scripture tell them to put D&C 35:13-16. But if they are writing it on the plaque just put verse 13 i guess. Thanks Mother you are the best! I love you bunches! As well as the rest of the family. Please tell Julie thank you for setting up a blog for me that is awesome she is so great! Love you all and talk to you in a week! I would write more but i only get 30 minutes so i have to go!   

                    Love ---Caleb  Errrrr Elder Ripley