First Letter

So Branden is off and was so excited to go.  Grandma said that he didn't even look back.  We have just received our first letter from him!  I can't tell you how excited I was for that.  The best way to get in touch with him right now is through www.dearelder.com  Make an account for yourself and then you can send your letter to him.  Branden only has an hour to read mail and reply to them on his P-day.  If you send a letter to him through DearElder.com he will receive a printed copy during the week and can read them and then have his full hour to reply when the time comes.  You will have to enter his unit # (51), his mission (PHI-CEBE) and his Departure Date (Sep 04)



Dear family, 

I cant believe the time of my mission is here. It is so weird, it still hasn't fully hit me. i have a letter coming to explain more of the first day, but I can explain about the MTC. so when i got here, i got dropped off at the front by grandma and grandpa, then I was lead by a missionary who was sorta my guide to different buildings to pick up my cebuana and other missionary stuff. Then we dropped off our stuff in our rooms and I was off to class. As soon as I got to class, I walked in and the teacher didn't speak any language for the entire day. Just the odd word, so we all just starred a lot! and that was most of my first day. 

Yesterday I finally got to see sterling. It was at breakfast and we saw each other across the cafeteria and we both smiled. Every time we see each other now, which is 4-5 times a day for meals, in the gym and sometimes just other places, we can't help but smile. The MTC is pretty big. It has around probably 20 buildings, each either class rooms or sleeping dorms. Then one is a giant gym with several courts, and one with the cafeteria, and devotional bigger rooms. 

My room I have 3 other elders with me, my companion is Elder Geauque, from Idaho, and the other companionship in our room is Elder Lewis and elder Remer. Our district has nine, and the most foreign guy is Elder Ah Choo Koon, from Samoa. It is pretty awesome here, the spirit is really strong and I am soo busy learning all this different stuff. The language is honestly ridiculous, maayo means good, and taga asa ka means where are you from. So in reply I say Taga Canada ko. But thats just a small taste. 

 My address and info is 

Elder Branden Jason Schnoor

SEP04 PHI-CEBE

2007 N 900 E Unit 51

Provo UT 84602

We are district H, zone 45, and I am here for 6 weeks until september 4!

Tell me how things are going. I am limited with time and have told you most, its all pretty much just crazy here. My letter will tell you a bit more. My P day is Friday and i think in the afternoon is when I will be able to mostly reply. And of course any advice you can give me, I am just a bit overwhelmed right now. 

Love

Elder Schnoor

Ok I have more time, so my branch president is President Pearce, and he is so nice, especially his wife! We are not allowed to chew gum on our missions, and I got to go to the temple this morning. The temple was amazing, although we only stayed in one room. We got to see the newest video, so that means there are now 4 temple videos. The spirit was awesome, and the temple was beautiful!! I also have like 12 hours of learning the language a day almost, or that's what they told us. I am seriously missing everybody, its so hard to leave and its only day three so I can't believe there are like 700 more or whatever still!!! My district is nine people, and four of us are going to cebu, the other four an island over. And there are like no canadians here, I have met like 5. Sterling and me, another guy from lethbridge, a cardston guy and a few others from Toronto over. Anyway I have to go, love you all lots!!!!!!

Elder Schnoor