Elder Sutherland Letter #2; Still in the MTC

Hey Family!

It's been two weeks here and I don't want to leave it's been so great. I got my travel plans last Friday and I found out that I am leaving suuuuuuuper early on the fourth of July. I have to be at the travel office at 3 AM and my flight from Salt Lake to Denver is at 6:47 AM MST. And once I get to Denver I have a 2 and a half hour delay before I fly to Kansas City at 10:47 AM. I will be able to call home too. I have to get one of these phone cards from the bookstore here and for only $5 I can call for 500 minutes at an airport payphone. So to Mom and Dad if you want to get up before 5 and talk to me that would be cool unless you want to wait until I get to Denver either way is fine. It will still be pretty early either way I guess. I will have to call home though so the ring might be a little loud.

I have seen Elder Mackie a ton here at the MTC and got to say goodbye to him the night before he left. I'm sure the few hours that he's been there in the Philippines have been great. I took some pictures with him but I can't send photos from the MTC for some reason so I will just wait until I get to the field to send them to you. So my P-day here at the MTC is Thursday but I'm not sure when my P-day will be in the field so it may be almost 2 weeks until you getr another one of my e-mails.

Wow Cody way to get up early! That's pretty cool that you got up so early just to say bye to a close friend. EFY is way awesome. You'll have to tell me about it unless you already sent a letter about it and I just haven't gotten it yet. It sounds like you all had a great time here for the 2 weeks in Utah and Dad 1 week. I am really grateful that Aunt Barbara and Uncle John let us raid their house every time we come up here. I can't express my thanks enough.

I saw that the Heat won the Finals and the Kings won the Stanley Cup thanks for letting me know. I was so pumped when I heard that especially since nobody I know likes the Heat. And Dad, I know that you're worried that I think about sports too much, and I understand. I am really trying hard to become a good teacher here at the MTC, I was just wondering who won and actually I really wanted to know since I am a big Heat fan you know. If it was another team then I could just know and that would be the end of it. I just want to let you know that I am 100% committed to learning here at the MTC. I'd like a Heat championship T-shirt maybe for x-mas or something, but you don't have to worry about that now. I also want to know who won the baseball college World Series.

As for one of Mom's letter and paragraph of questions, I will answer them. Things here are awesome. My district is so amazing and I love being with them so much. The package with the towels you sent me I sent back yesterday so you should be getting it tomorrow or Saturday. Being district leader has opened my eyes to how busy Dad must be as a bishop yet how patient, loving, and Christlike he must be because those are all attributes for a good district leader. I am loving it and it has been amazing becoming acquainted with the branch presidency because they are all great men and their wives are super nice and insightful. I have lots of meetings but I love them because you get to hear how the other districts are doing. My zone leaders are awesome. We got new zone leaders this week and they are both from England. So it's always funny trying to get them to say an American accent. Regarding gym time, I go over to that field almost every day to play beach volleyball. Yesterday I played softball and went 0-0 with 2 RBI's. On P-days I do get to go to the temple. The Provo temple is so beautiful especially the endowment room. I didn't know missionaries couldn't particpate in prayer circles so last week I embarassed myself trying to go in but being denied. That's okay it's the temple and I am just happy to be worthy to enter.

Hmmmmm something to tell the ward. I don't know, just that I am very thankful for the letters I have been recieving from everybody. It has been a real treat (TTTTTRRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!!) It has been a DELIGHT!!! You can tell that to Cody too. He'll get it. AHHH, 2 minutes. Yeah, go ahead and send the backpack to the mission home. You can send either a Samsonite, swiss gear, camelback, north face. I have seen all kinds of brands here at the MTC. It can have a logo on it just not something that stands out. Yes I got the box of cookies.

Sorry I have to go! I wish I could answer all of your questions but I have only 15 seconds left. Love You!

Elder Derek