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| My online MTC set-up |
Hey everyone!
So my pday is actually on Saturdays, so I thought that I would wait until my second pday to write an email so I could talk about the first week and a half of the online MTC rather than just 3 days. And for those of you who don't already know, my temporary reassignment is to the Orem, Utah mission, which I'm actually totally hyped about!
The online MTC is honestly so great. I was worried about it not being as fun or as influential as the real MTC, but I have still had so much fun with my teachers and my district over Zoom and have learned so much already. There are 6 missionaries in my district including me, and I have all my online classes with them everyday. We have 5 elders and 1 sister, so I actually have 2 companions. And they are seriously the best companions ever. Elder McBride is from American Fork, Utah and Elder Rydalch is from Rexburg, Idaho. We kinda hit it off from the start and now we are all total homies. They are both so funny and I have been able to learn so much from them too. It's too bad that I'm going to a different mission than them in the Philippines, but it has been so fun getting to know them.
Anyway, my daily schedule is pretty busy even though I'm at home all day.
6:30-8:30 - wake up, go running, eat breakfast, get ready, study
8:30-11:30 - morning class on Zoom
11:30-1:30 - lunch break, study
1:30-4:30 - afternoon class on Zoom
4:30-5:00 - study some more
5:00-6:00 - study with my companions on Zoom
6:00-10:30 - eat dinner, study more, do stuff with my family, go to bed
Three hour classes on Zoom aren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be. They go by pretty fast, and we take breaks a lot, and my teachers and my district are all really fun to be around. We learn the language, how to effectively prepare lessons and teach the gospel, and just how to be a good missionary. I do a lot of studying too, which is just reading my scriptures and other missionary materials, or studying the language I'm learning. Saturdays and Sundays I don't have any class, so it's a little like just having online school haha.
Also, Hiligaynon is a fascinating language. Three months ago when I got my mission call, I had no idea this language even existed. And now I'm learning how to teach the gospel in it. Pronunciation isn't too hard because it uses the same alphabet as English minus like 7 letters, and everything is always pronounced the same. My teachers say that Hiligaynon is all about the easiest way to say things as possible, so it doesn't have a lot of new words for stuff. It just takes already existing words and combines them to make something new. So far I really enjoy learning it and speaking it with my district.
Anyway, I'm so excited to continue being a missionary. I love being able to talk about Christ and His gospel everyday, and I love being able to share His light with those around me. Everyday I have new spiritual experiences that reaffirm to me that this really is the true church of God, and that the Book of Mormon is true. It's so true!! I am so looking forward to when I will be able to share this gospel with the people of Utah, and someday the people of the Philippines.
Love you all!
Elder Snyder
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| My District with our teacher, Brother Mariano |
