Mission Posts from Elder Pepperdine: 1st email from MTC

Dear family and friends,

You have been copied on this email because you have been an important part of Adrian's life and have shown interest in his endeavors. This is a test to see if email addresses I have work and to see if you would like to continue to receive emails like this.

Adrian entered the Mission Training Center (MTC) in Provo Utah on March 11th to learn Gospel teaching techniques and the Spanish language. He will leave the training center around May 13th to go to his mission assignment in the California-San Bernardino Spanish Speaking Mission.

His mailing address (if you are inclined to write) while at the MTC is

Elder Adrian Pepperdine

MTC Mailbox #280

CA-SBER 0513

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604

We have received one email and two letters since he entered the MTC. I have included some of his thoughts below from all three. His P-Day (preparation day when he can write and take care of laundry and such activities) is on Tuesdays.

Adrian's companion is Austin Harrison from Grapevine, Texas. I have asked him if his companion is related to us through the Harrison line but have not heard back yet.

Special message to Romar and Sarah Karl. Adrian said "Tell Romar's wife Sarah not to be shy with the cookies :-) wink." - So a special thank you to Sarah!

He also said ...And please tell people that missionaries do love letters!

Here is an excerpt from his email...

Begin forwarded message:

Date: March 17, 2009 10:16:33 AM CDT
Subject: It's up and running!

Hey Mom and Dad,
The e-mail is set up now.
Missionaries are to use the e-mail only to contact immediate family, so...I think I've been put in a bad way, considering all the e-mail addresses I collected.

Kristi entry ---So please excuse the fact that this email does not come directly from Adrian. As Mom - I have been asked to forward emails to friends and family. Now back to Adrian

I don't think I mentioned it, but my e-mail for Uncle Lorin didn't work (before I got to MTC).

I haven't cried normally so far in the mission, but I did once laugh so hard I cried. So sometimes stuff like that happens,though in general it's more like crazy scheduled studying. And inhuman zealousness.

Anyhow, I have a limited time to write e-mail, and I still move slowly in these letters and e-mails, so I think I'll try and bring this installment to a close.
But I don't know how to do that.
Anyways, gym period is the best part of the day.

Thanks for the dear elders!

Kristi entry - "Dear Elders" is a website where you can send letters and packages to missionaries. So Adrian has received a couple messages using their service. There are actually two services where if you type a letter online they will deliver it for free to missionaries while they are in the MTC. (They will also deliver care packages.) The two websites I have found are:

http://www.DearElders.com and

http://www.mtcdelivery.com

So if you want to save the postage and get a letter off in a day, please feel free to check out these sites. It is only a one way service. to the missionary - Adrian still only has his P-Day on which to write and only 30 minutes on e-mail so he can't immediately get a response back to you. I did leave him with stationery and stamps. It is a whole new learning process to have to wait for mail instead of immediate email.

--now back to Adrian