#1 WHAT'S GOOD (August 5, 2014)

Elder Terry Bailey, serving LDS mission for 2 years

This isn't going to be very formal because I'm short on time, and I'm getting rather fat... The MTC has been GREAT! The first three days felt like a few months. I don't know why, but they did. My district was WAY fresh! I saw a bunch of people that I knew in my other life (inside mtc jokes) jaja I'm on West campus, so it's only Spanish speaking missionaries. I talked with Erika Hubler, Ian Hansen, and a bunch of other guys that I knew from photography or soccer. I have also made a ton of new friends! 

Let me just take a second to tell you about my district. They are all fluent in Spanish, and made me feel a little  Self Conscious about Spanish because I would never read or write a lot in Spanish, and most of these guys went to school in Spanish. They all seemed like cool guys from the very first day, and they were. It's great to see a bunch of young men willing to dedicate 2 years of their lives to serve the Lord. Haha I want to tell you about this guy in my district, Elder Ramos, he's from Mexico, but has lived in LA for a few years. He has a wild imagination that he seems to think is real. It's way funny! He told us that he was a black belt, an MMA fighter and a Brazilian Jujitsu instructor. I started talking to him about some locks, and he didn't know what I was talking about. He told us that he's beat up 5 guys at one time! Picture this: a 5'5 Mexican guy who looks like George Lopez and Nacho Libre teamed up, and became Elder Ramos! He was teaching a lesson and said this to a lady, (read in strong Mexican accent) "I see dat jew half some doubts about di Gospel... Do jew wanna feel da Spirit? Do jew wanna feel it RIGHT NOW"! And went on to talk really fast and in the end the investigator said, " I think I'll just go to mass next week" Haha He said so many quotable stuff! I was too funny! I love my district!

I played volleyball like every day! I was way fun! Everyone touched the net when they spiked, but other than that it was fine. One day I played soccer and it was like lunch soccer on steroids! I felt like I was in third grade again and everyone just wanted to kick it, so that was my last day playing until I get to Spain. 

lastly I just want to briefly tell you about my Spiritual experience here. I have learned soo much, and I feel like everyone should spend a couple weeks at the mtc just to feel what I felt. I want to let you know that the Lord answers prayers! I never thought that I would get home sick, or miss anything about home because I've always been quite independent, but while being here I have found that I did start to miss home, and that I didn't actually know everything about the gospel and teaching people. I started to miss my mum, my family, my friends, pictures, and many more things. I prayed that I could forget about them, and learn to be better. I started studying more earnestly, and I let the Lord humble me. In life and especially on the mission we need to place an emphasis on feeling the Spirit. I feel like I've gotten better. I'm far from perfect, but I know that through Christ I'll become better. I love you and wish you the best. The church is true.

ELDER TERRY BAILEY

PS I fly to Madrid in an hour! I stop in Paris then go to Madrid! Email me and let me know how things are in the States!

Two of my friends left at the same time as me.  Elder Toff Taylor (Ecuador), Elder Tanner Clegg (South Africa) and me, Elder Terry Bailey (Spain)

My friends have been awesome examples.  Elder Mitchell Thayne (Capetown South Africa) is currently serving.  My brother Paul just got home.  And here I begin.