April 26, 2013

Dear Mom,

Here is the letter I told you I would write.  ​

Sorry it has taken so long but I have been very busy. The only reason I am able to write now is because I am in the hospital...don't worry I'm only here because I am being the companion of a sick missionary. They choose me because I'm in a trio that is close to the hospital so we have an extra missionary.

It is weird being out in the field. We spend most of the day trying to find people to teach. We look up a lot of referrals and old investigators. It is weird knocking doors, something I never thought I would do because they don't knock doors in Mexico. We also have a car in my area so that is also weird. ​

I love being out in the field and out of the MTC but I can't wait to get to Mexico. My companions are Elder Adams and Elder Hammond, they are both really cool Elders.  Elder Adams has been out for 21 months and Elder Hammond has been out for 3 weeks longer than I have.  Elder Adams' Spanish is really good and Elder Hammond and myself are at about the same place with Spanish.  We can tell you all sorts of gospel related things but we can't really understand what you are saying to us and as soon as we are off of gospel related topics we are about as useful as a dog trying to tell a human something. ​

I'm sorry that I missed you both times I have called.  Make sure you are there when I call on Mother's Day (I don't know when that will be). Don't think about me too much, I'll be home before you (or I) know it. I can't wait to see you all again.​

I am going to send you my schedule at the MTC with this letter because Dad wanted to see what I did while I was there. ​

​(look it's 2 pages!)

You always end your letters with a spiritual thought so I thought that I would give you one too.​

3 Nephi 13:31-34 [see below]
Don't worry about me, I have been called of God and I know that He won't leave me hanging.

Love,
Elder Blanding

PS: I just remembered about a story I have of my first day here (Monday). I was riding around on a bike with another Elder (not one of my companions now) and we were just contracting on the street.  We talked to a crazy man who said his name was "Jesu Christo" and gave us a piece of paper that said, "My name is Jesus: Luke 8:16 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest: Luke 12:2, 9 Matthew 10:26, 33 Mark 4:21, 25: and Miracles in the Bible brother have word fast in my Lord" (it didn't make sence to me either) and while he was just blabbering on in Spanish the Elder I was with went and started contacting someone else leaving me who didn't even speak Spanish to finish the "conversation" (I put it in quotes because we said maybe 5 words after we introduced ourselves.) He was an interesting person who was obviously not all there.  It is interesting that I met a crazy person on my first day in Texas.​

Here is the scripture Elder Blanding was referring to:​

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

April 21, 2013

Quick email from Jason with his new temporary address:

Elder Jason Mark Blanding
13747 Montfort Dr Ste 120
Dallas, TX 75241-4479
United States

He would LOVE to hear from you.

Oh and my wonderful nephew sent this photo. (By the way, if my nephews are keeping score, Jackson right now is my favorite.)

Elder Blanding and Jackson Ostler

This was found on Elder Blanding's missionary president's blog.​

April 18, 2013

Dear Mom,

Everything is fine here. Wow that is crazy! Did the lighting hit the van or was it just nearby?

Tell Matt congratulations for me! I told you I didn't have to worry and that I would graduate :D Thanks for your prayers; I am being temporarily reassigned while I wait for my visa. I will find out where I am going and when I leave sometime today. I will most likely leave on Monday or Tuesday and I will probably only be in my reassigned mission for a few weeks. They will let me call home for a few minutes when I find out where I am being reassigned so watch for my call because I don't know if I will be able to call again until I am at the airport.

The Tuesday night devotional was awesome! Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us. He talked about prayer and how we can make it a better experience by not simply saying a prayer but TALKING with God. He talked about three ways we receive answers they were: 1. A peaceful/calm/good feeling (a yes) 2. A stupor of thought/uneasy feeling (a no) and 3. No answer.  Number three is what he focused on the most, to summarize he said that sometimes we don't get an answer so that we can grow, because God trusts us to use the knowledge we have to act on what we think is the best decision.  At the end of his talk Elder Scott gave an apostolic blessing on the missionaries in the MTC. I don't have my notes right now so I will send you what I was able to write down in a letter but the thing that stuck out to me the most was that he promised that if we work at it we will be able to MASTER the language. I'll send you the rest of what I was able to write down later but it was an amazing opportunity and one that I wouldn't have had if I had gotten my visa and left when I was supposed to (would have missed it by one day) so me not getting my visa turned out to be a blessing.

Love you all and can't wait to see you all again in 2 years.

Love,

 Elder Blanding

Another email later that day:

I just got my reassignment; I leave for the Texas Dallas Mission Monday morning at 5!!! I will be able to call you at 5:45 Utah time (right before dinner). Should I call the home phone or your cell-phone?

He called my cell phone at 4:45 (our time) and since I was refereeing a soccer game, Steve talked to him. It was a short phone call and he basically said what is in the above email. Steve said that he could hear happiness in his voice and that he was enjoying the work and excited to be going to Dallas temporarily.

April 11, 2013

Editor's Note: Jason sent a few emails home today. Most of them are answers to questions we asked him. I'll try to edit so that you can follow along.

We asked if he knew when he was leaving the MTC. I also told him I was jealous that he sent his brother a long letter ~smile~.

I don't know when I am leaving. I still don't have my visa and they haven't given me a reassignment yet so I could be leaving anytime between Monday and who knows when. I'm sorry I haven't sent you a front and back letter yet but I have been busy here and there hasn't been much to write about. That will change soon (hopefully) when I get out into the field. Then I will send you a nice long letter.

Oh and they just changed the rules about E-mailing we are now allowed 1 hour per week instead of just 30 min per week. We are also allowed to E-mail friends now so you can post my E-mail address on Facebook so that my friends can use it.

Tell everyone hi for me, I love and miss you all but I will be back soon.

Elder Blanding

I caught him online so he sent this reply back quickly when I told him we were praying for him to have the gift of tongues.

Oh I am 99% sure I already have it because there is no way I would have been able to learn as much Spanish as I have in only 6 weeks with out it.

another email

Just got your letter (it seems they come on Thursday) and actually I do kind of miss the rain. It is to dry and brown here and the weather is bipolar it can't decide if it wants to rain, snow (it has done so three times since I got here) or be the clearest sky I have ever seen. What they say about Utah weather is true, "If you don't like the weather wait 5 minuets." If I could bottle the sun I would, sorry :(
good luck with soccer :D

His dad emailed him a quick note and this was his reply. Steve just started a new job.

I'll send you my schedule here at the MTC when I leave (hopefully soon) I'll also send a letter outlining what an average day is like here in the MTC. Join the club of not feeling like you know what you're doing I have spent the last 5-6 weeks feeling like that. It will come don't worry :) 

The more I hear you talk about your bike the more I want to get one when I get home lol.

Elder Blanding

 Jason's email is: jblanding at myldsmail.net 

We just ask that you remember to be positive and uplifting in your emails to him. Remember he is out there to be a missionary for the Lord and not as a tourist. He is busy doing the work so if he doesn't reply, good, he's working!

April 4, 2013

 Dear Mom,

Just got your letter. Easter here was awesome. We had one big sacrament meeting with the whole MTC. (We usually have small ones with just our Branch.) Even though there were about 3000 missionaries it only took 13 min to pass to all of them.  It made me think of when Jesus fed the 5000. This was probably one of the biggest sacraments meetings ever.  Bishop Causse spoke to us during sacrament meeting and then Sister Dew spoke during the Sunday night devotional. Both were really good talks and I learned a lot from both. To round off an already spiritual Easter the video they showed after the devotional (they always have some video on Sunday night) was a talk Elder Bednar gave to the MTC about the character of Christ. It was over all an amazing Easter.

I got to host the new missionaries yesterday. It was really cool seeing the different reactions of the new missionaries as they got dropped off. One of the most entertaining was one sister who was like “I’m actually doing this…I’m actually doing this…” She didn’t actually say that but she might as well have.

Well say hi to the rest of the family for me including Alex and Roxy. Tell Dad and Kray I think they are nuts. Oh and tell Kray I told him so about crashing his bike (within a week). Tell Chris and Jess thanks for the notes and tell Jess thanks for the drawing.

The drawing Jessie sent to Elder Blanding

Love you all!
Amo ustedes!
Elder Blanding

March 28, 2013

Editor's note: Jason was able to send a few emails today. Some had PHOTOS!!

Here is his first email:

I still can't believe someone gave Kray a loan.  I never thought I would see the day my dad bought a bike (I can believe Kray would just not that someone would loan him the money).

Thanks for the package it can get cold during the night here.  Just in case you haven't got my letter yet, it snowed twice earlier this week it was awesome. One of the Elders in my district hadn't seen snow before (he grew up in Haiti and then moved to Miami when he was 10 (I think)). Sadly the snow melted by the end of the day both times :(
As much as I love it here in the CCM [MTC] I can't wait to get out into the field.

We finally got a new district in our zone so my district is no longer the newest district in the zone. 

things are going well over all. oh you were right about me probably needing lotion so if you could send me some good lotion in the next package that would be awesome.

I will send you some pictures later today because I don't have my camera with me and even if I did this computer doesn't like to send pictures. (and yes the email client doesn't like big pictures and I didn't get it the first time you sent them).

Editor's note: I had sent him a few pictures of his dad and brother on their bikes.

Elder Jason Blanding is far left.​

​Elder Jason Blanding is upper left.

Elder Jason Blanding is (again) far left.​

Elder Jason Blanding and his companion Elder Clark
This time Jason is on the right. ​

 Then his last email:

I just got your letters like 5 min. ago.  YOU GAVE CHRIS YOUR IPHONE!!! you didn't even give me buy a smart phone and you just give Chris an iPhone? (yes I'm a little jealous) but anyways congrats to you on getting a new iPhone. how is dad liking his new job?

March 23, 2013

This is sort of out of order--letter take a bit longer to get home than does email.​

Dear Mom,
Thanks for the candy. (FYI we aren't allowed to chew gum in the MTC.) It snowed for a bit yesterday and it has been snowing all day today. IT IS AWESOME!! There is an Elder in my district who has never seen snow before (he was born in Brazil, lived in Haiti until he was 10 and then moved to Miami, Florida).  All the missionaries that grew up in Utah wish it wasn't snowing. I don't know what is wrong with them.

Yesterday was a really hard day. I "hit the wall" about an hour after lunch and had difficulty putting together coherent sentences in English let alone Spanish. Jackson was in our classroom after dinner yesterday (not to each us, sadly). I think the only reason I didn't just give up on trying to learn yesterday was a mix of your package, a chat I had (in English) with one of the teachers and running into Jackson after dinner.

Over all I am enjoying my time in the CCM (MTC). There have been a few moments like yesterday but those are the exception not the rule.

Love you all,
Elder Blanding

March 21, 2013

Jason's email from this week was short and to the point, but we got a hand written letter earlier in the week.  I think with the 5000+ missionaries that they have at the MTC computer time is highly regulated and scheduled.

His letter dated 3-15-13
Dear Everyone,

Thanks for the letters, they were nice. It is nice to hear from you all and that everything is going well.

I love it here. My district is awesome and I am picking up Spanish faster than I thought I would.

We finished teaching the first investigator (R*) they give you here at the MTC. It was an interesting experience.  Because we didn't really know much Spanish on our first lesson, we weren't able to communicate much and so we didn't start teaching how we would have liked.

We found out today that the person who was our first investigator is also one of our teachers. His real name is Hermano (brother) T*. He is a Samoan from California and is a really awesome guy.

Time to go to bed.

Love you all,
Elder Blanding

PS: Use Dear Elder if you want to communicate faster because they just have to print them and we get mail after lunch and dinner every day.
PPS: Tell people to write, I want to know what is happening!!!

His email from March 21

Ha ha ha I can't believe dad got a bike (insert smile face) and I can't believe that Kray found someone willing to give him credit.

I might have answered the questions you asked me in a letter already but just in case...

my companion is Elder Clarke, he is from Utah and is pretty cool.
My whole district is awesome we have so much fun together.  there are 7 Elders (3 are in a tri companionship) and 4 Hermanas (sisters)
Thanks for sending me the package it was nice to get stuff from home.

tell the Delanos thanks for me (they sent me an Easter package) I'll send them a thank you later today probably.

oh and while I'm on the topic of thank yous can you send me the Bean's address so I can send them a thank you for the shoes.

I love you and can't (kind of) wait to see you all again (even Kray (insert winky face))

see you in 2

Love:

Elder Blanding

I got a reply to my reply to this letter (I sent him the Delano and Bean home addresses) and it said:

can you send me my Phinius and Ferb blanket? (the thin fleece one) it gets really cold in the mornings here and the blankets they give us suck.

can you also send me my BYU jacket. (it can get cold and windy in the mornings but not cold enough for me to want my big coat)

thanks.

Elder  Blanding

ps. I asked dad to send me a SD card reader (USB) so you can send them at the same time.

March 14, 2013 (part 2)

Email to his dad:

It was good but very hard. My district is awesome and so is my companion. Full immersion is hard but effective. I wasn't expecting them to put us with investigator as soon as they did especially ones that only speak Spanish.  Teaching the gospel in a language I don't know is really hard. I know that God will help me learn and oh boy do I need the help.

How hard was it for you to feel like you had a good enough grasp on Portuguese to teach people confidently?

If you want to send me anything please send it through DearElder it gets to me faster and I don't have to use my E-Mail time reading what you wrote (I only have 30 a week and only on P-Day).

Oh I for got to tell mom this but I have run into Jackson twice already in only one week. it is really weird seeing people I know from outside the MTC here. He has a picture on his iPhone of us if either of you want it.

love: Elder Blanding

March 14, 2013

Hey I hope you got my letter.

If you write me please use DearElder because I can only check my E-Mail once a week on P-Day (Thursday) and I only have 30 minutes witch isn't enough to read anything lengthy and then respond. 

Teaching the gospel in another language is hard. I am making progress but not as fast as I would like. We started teaching our first "investigator" (one of the teachers here at the MTC) on the second day, we have to teach in Spanish and it is so hard. I wish I had paid more attention and tried to learn more in my Spanish class.

Please send me the Gospel Library I forgot to put it in my suitcase it should be in the selves next to the computer.

I Love you

-Elder Blanding

March 6, 2013

Editor's note:
This is from a handwritten letter sent home.

Dear Mom,
First day. It has been a change from before entering the MTC. During the class times for Spanish [we] only speak Spanish. It can be hard to understand but the "Districts" are small (only a few companionship) so it isn't too bad.
After class we went to a meeting with the MTC Presidency and then to dinner. We then unpacked and then went to teach as a group to 32 differnt investigator (one at a time). The Spirit was strong and we actually went too long and so some of my district (me included) were late to the next part of the day.
My room is 309 in building 15M (for Jackson). I will probably send it again in an Email.

Love you,
Elder Jason Blanding

March 4, 2013

Current Address

Elder Jason Blanding enters the MTC on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 and his address will be:
Elder Jason Mark Blanding
MTC Mailbox # 205
MEX-PUBN 0415
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

But of course the easiest way to write Elder Blanding is by using Dear Elder. It's free!