At home MTC

Samuel entered the Home Mission Training Center on Aug 23, 2021.  Actually he left our house with Grandma and Grandpa Kerns and his cousin Hyrum Bradford on Aug. 22 after getting set apart by President Jason Blake, a councilor in our Stake Presidency.  We thought Samuel would have a more peaceful/spiritual MTC experience if he spent it at Grandpa Kerns' home in Haines, OR than if he stayed in our fun/chaotic 1250 square foot house in Stanfield, OR.  

Now the first week of the MTC is over. He says he's already learned a lot and he's excited to keep learning more. They have 14 people in his district and they seem like a lot of fun. They haven't really gotten to know each other because it's through zoom, but on Wednesday they'll meet each other in person at the Provo MTC. Several missionaries in his district are feeling overwhelmed, but so far Samuel is doing fine! He likes his companion, Elder Thomas, a lot! He and Samuel get along well and they have a lot in common. Samuel has found that since he's been on his mission he has had hymns stuck in his head, which is a weird experience since he usually would have the last catchy song that he heard on the radio in his head. It's been fun getting into the routine of the missionary life. Pre-mission he wouldn't usually go to bed until 11-12ish, but now he usually gets tired around 9ish and heads to bed. But that could be because he is at his grandparents' house and they are in bed and asleep by 9 unlike his sisters who would be up until midnight talking up a storm. Then he gets up around 6:30am and gets ready for the day. His classes are actually really interesting! It's fun learning the technique of teaching others and how to make it so it's not awkward. He's excited for when he'll be able to be in a situation and know what scripture goes best with it. He's still a long way away from that point though. His teacher said that he was never able to get to that point, but his mission president told him to just open up the scriptures and the spirit would guide him to the right verse. He said that that technique worked well for him and that Samuel can try it too, but it scares Samuel to think about trying. :)  

A few days into his training, I was talking to Samuel and mentioning all my canning help was going to be gone on Monday, when I figured I would be doing most of my canning.  Samuel volunteered to come home and help between his classes.  Grandpa Kerns brought him to our house Saturday and Samuel got to hang out with us and do his classes/devotionals from home.  It was so fun to see the changes that had come upon Samuel with a week's worth of immersing himself in the scriptures.  I happened to sigh as he walked by and he stopped to see if I was okay or I needed help.  I hadn't even realized I had sighed.  Seth and Heidi were quarreling at one time and Samuel very patiently helped them solve their dispute.  Calista mentioned that she was standing next to Samuel while he was watering the newly planted front yard, and Samuel didn't spray her just for fun! His new favorite chapter of scripture is 1 Nephi chapter 13! He loves being able to compare what Nephi saw to the history that we know now.