Elder Thomas Farr: And So It Begins

Here we are. Email numéro un of my mission! I'm so happy to be able to share this experience with you all.

This week I started the At-home MTC. I was set apart on Tuesday evening and started class on Wednesday. And let me just say, the MTC is so much more fun than I expected! Between my district, teachers, and companion it has all amounted to a perfect first few days of missionary service.

District: My district is fantastic! Everybody is so kind and full of the spirit. After just our first round of classes, I already felt that I had nine new best friends. (eleven if you count our teachers, which I ABSOLUTELY do). Genuine conversations are so easy and so flowing with my district and it is a fantastic spirit and a fantastic energy. Every member of my district is an amazing person and is becoming an equally amazing missionary.

Teachers: Our teachers for the week were Sœur Holt and Frére Miller. Unfortunately, they were only our teachers for this first week because our regular teachers had to finish week six with their last group of missionaries. Sœur Holt is so fun and full of life. Right off the bat when I hoped to zoom for our first class, she was there to welcome us so kindly. Frére Miller is a fantastic person and an equally fantastic teacher. Through them we were able to learn what Frere Miller described as the equivalent of first year French class in only three days! They will both be missed very much. Their next district is extremely lucky.

Companion: Mon Collégue Missionnaire is Elder Card. He's from Mapleton, Utah and has such a bright spirit about him. He makes our comp meetings so fun and I enjoy talking and just hanging out with him very much. We've quickly bonded over the fact that we are two of the four missionaries in our district that came in as blank slates in regards to French. But we are both working diligently to be ready to converse with our prodigy district members.

Speaking of français, I love it! It can be a very strange language but it's so beautiful. I'm beginning to be able to understand a good amount of words without subtitles but, obviously, I still have a LONG way to go before I'm ready. For those of you who don't know, my grandpa Farr served in the French speaking mission way back when all french speaking countries were a single mission. I am both his namesake and the first of his grandchildren to serve their mission speaking french. When I got my call letter, I was ecstatic to know that I would be carrying on the french for him.

The MTC, even from my little room in the basement, has such a strong spirit to it. My days are lighter just from wearing the badge. As one of my district mates said in their email earlier today, there's something about having Christ's name so close to your heart. I love being a missionary. In only three days I can already tell that this is going to be the most fulfilling two years of my life thus far.

Thank you to everyone reading this for supporting me as well as you all do. Remember to stay strong in the spirit. The church is true.

Au nom de Jésus Christ, Amen