9/23 Letter

Everyone,
Elders Lee and Murphy are leaving for Guatamala today and that leave only 7 in our District. It's an extremely small district at best. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks in the MTC. Aaron Daybell (friend from BYU) came in last week and lives on the same floor as the rest of my zone, so I see him every day! It's pretty sweet. I'm staying healthy and everything.

President Uchtdorf came a while ago and gave us all his apostalic blessing (he also gave his blessing to all our loved ones so no worries!). I am a third of the way through my MTC time, and can't wait to bounce outta here!

Thanks for the letters and stuff. Please send articles about Y football. I hear BYU is all over the media! I so wish I could see the games, but hopefully they will be just as good in 2 years.

The weeks are flying by here (which is really good because it seems I'm working hard). Thanks for all ofyour support, everyone!

Yesterday I was talking to a Honduran and I am a little scared (tengo miedo) of the "Spanish" he spoke. They drop S's in the middle of words and vowels at the end of words. So, "Como esta?" (How are you?) turns into "Com et?" (pronounced "Com eht-eu"). Tengo Meido! but now I have a renewed desire to learn the language, so that's good!

I love this Gospel so much more, and now that I have been studying the restoration and the antonment (in "Jesus the Christ"), I have a renewed appreciation for all that I have.

Love you all!
Elder Arntsen

9/16 Letter

Hey, everybody! Thank you for the letters. Okay, you wanted to know what my schedule is like? It goes something like this: Wake up at 6:30, get dressed, eat at 7:00 am, class until lunch (11:30), lunch, class until dinner (4:30), class until 9:30. There is an hour of gym time in there somewhere and also random other things. Tuesday is my dia de preparacion, but it ends at 4:30 not 6:00. We go to the temple at 1:00 pm and do laundry at 8:00 pm. Every Tuesday there is a fireside, and last Tuesday it was President Uchtdorf!! It's always someone from the Seventy, but not very often an Apostle. Those can be pretty awesome.

The food . . . is the Cannon Center. 'Nuff said. Thank you for the updates on football, please keep them coming. Also, how are the Rams doing (St. Louis)?

As for e-mails and letters, I can only write back on p-days. So you'll have to wait until right now for answers to your questions.

I'm not sure if I told you but two Elders in my district are going to Guatemala next week. They'll be serving in President Balwin's mission (crazy, huh?). As far as snacks go, one package is never enough. If you feel the need to bake cookies in my behalf, I would love that.

I have been studying very hard, and the language is coming fairly easily. My testimony is growing so much, and I'm learning to read my scriptures and use them as a crutch.

Hope everything is going well in AZ. Keep me updated on football, please. And don't hestiate to drop a line!

Love you guys,
Elder Arntsen

New Contact Information for Michael

Michael has e-mail while in the MTC. We aren't sure whether there will be e-mail in Honduras, but at least until 11/3/08 he can be reached at michael.a.arntsen@myldsmail.net.

Also, his new MTC address is:
Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
MTC Mailbox #308
HON-SPS 1103
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

I have been called on a mission to the Honduras San Pedro Sula I will be there for the next 2 years so from September of 2008 to September of 2010. If you wish to contact me, you can do it in several ways. First of all, I will be in the Provo Missionary Training Center for my first two months. My address there will be:

Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604

Once I am in Honduras you will have to use the Church's "pouch" service. The "pouch" service will take one to two weeks to get the letter to me. To send these letters, it needs to be on one sheet of paper, folded into three-panels, and taped at the top only (no envelopes). This is the only way letters can make it to me without any fines given to the church. My "pouch" address will be:

Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
USA

If you love me enough that you want to send a package of any kind there is another separate address:

Elder Michael Alan Arntsen
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
12 Calle, Avenida Circunvalacion, S.O.
Edif. Yude Canahuati, 3 Nivel, Oficiana 4
San Pedro Sula, Cortes
Honduras

The last, final, and easiest way letters can make it to me is by using DearElder.com. This is a nonprofit organization put together by some members of the Church. On the home page, you select the "Write a Missionary" tab. From there you can select where you would like the letter to be sent. For me, you can select the "Provo Missionary Training Center" while I am in Provo, or select "Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission" when I am in HOnduras. You would then fill out all of the required information by filling in my name, etc. DearElder.com will print the letter out either in Provo or Salt Lake and send it off to me for free.

From here on out my mom will be doing this blog with all sorts of stuff so feel free to stop by!