October 26

Let's start with Sunday. I didn't have to give a talk. They pick people to give talks two minutes before during the sacrament meeting. So you always have to prepare. The Devotional was President Lesaur the MTC president. He talked about faith and how to reap it. That night I started to watch "On the Lord's Errand: the life of Thomas S Monson". It was very good and the part I saw was about the priesthood and always stay worthy.

Monday came around and it was class in the morning then study time and exercise. We played soccer for exercise time. Elder Jeffries was on the other side of the field and booted it over to me. I lightly tapped it and made a goal! (It was very lucky). I may have been the only one to score. TRC also happened today and it was a rough one. We didn't use Preach My Gospel. It was a great way to experience it and learn from it. So, there is always something good to find in the bad times. 

Tuesday was service. That day Elder Ingman left for Mozambique (Southern Africa). We said goodbyes and then went to service. We had class and the normal schedule of study and exercise. We played soccer and some volleyball. Devotional that night was Walter F Gonzalez of the Seventy. He talked about how we should be when sharing the gospel – Be normal and natural. Don't compare ourselves to others. The lord has prepared people for the way you are and your personality can help their needs. 

Wednesday is new missionary day. And today the district got to host. So, we get to lead the new missionaries to their residence and help them settle in. I hosted an Elder from Nevada going to Cape Verde, Portuguese speaking. Then I hosted a Sister but was only able to take her to the building where she gets her name tag and other things and then a sister took her from there. She is also going to Cape Verde, Portuguese speaking. She said she knew someone going to Fort Collins Mission. TRC was way better this time and felt the spirit a lot better. The lesson was planned out and we didn’t just wing it. 

Elder Snapp left this morning. He is a Portuguese Elder going to serve in Brazil but doesn't have his Visa so he is going to Boise Idaho for now. We spent the morning with him before class. They were whistling the sad song from up. He was so funny and made it to where there was never a dull moment.

Thursday is “P-day Adam” because Adam came before Eve (ha ha ha). Normal schedule of class and studies. Exercise was volleyball and it was so funny. So many laughs and it wasn't an actual game. It started 4 on 4 then went to 6 vs 2. Elder Ostler and I were the team of 2. We weren’t keeping score because I'm at the MTC and we’re missionaries. But we won that game of 6 vs 2.

TRC was also great and it was our last one with Nandy. This upcoming week we’ll teach someone new. 

Friday was class as well and then studies. During class, a newer Spanish class came in and practiced on us. It is so cool to see the difference from day three to three weeks. In the afternoon class we practiced teaching the first lesson in Spanish in a matter in three minutes. It was a little hard at first but I got the hang of it and got better. After three minutes, the time was reduced to two minutes then end 1 minute. At that one minute I spoke Spanish with no breaks and felt amazing with it. It may not be grammatically correct but the content was there and made sense.

That is my week in the nutshell.
Elder Cormack

Bellota

Bellota

I have no idea why the Subject of this week's' email was "Bellota", but we'll go with it.

The day after p-day being Sunday. It was the first church service at the MTC because of General Conference. It was as a branch. The branch contained the Mong speaking district, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish speaking districts. We have to prepare talks before Sunday because during sacrament meeting the one conducting will randomly pick five missionaries to talk. I lucked out my first day and missed it. Two Mong elders got picked and it was really cool to hear the language. We also had Priesthood and Sunday school.

We had a Devotional at the end of the day. Anytime we had between stuff Sunday was for us, which meant naps or studies. The Devotional was someone that wrote biographies for some  Prophets and Apostles. She talked about some missionary work and President Nelson going around gathering Israel.

Monday was classes and more Spanish learning. We had TRC (Teaching Resource Center) in Spanish this last week and it was kind of rough. I couldn't understand a lot and my vocab was basic.

Tuesday classes again and another Devotional. This time Elder Quentin L. Cook came and spoke with us. He talked about the Book of Mormon and how important it is for missionaries to use. He brought a historical artifact guy from the church that brought the original manuscript of Alma 34 and the printed manuscript of 3 Nephi 16 and Alma 34. It was amazing to see these pages and the work put into them. I had tutoring on Tuesday as well to learn Spanish better and how to actually study it.

Wednesday was classes again and TRC was bad. Still in Spanish but with a lesson. Monday was just getting to know them. We even had the teacher observe our visit. Which is a good thing otherwise I wouldn't have been able to answer her question. We had a basic idea of what she was saying so my companion did his best to teach the restoration which was hard because its past tense verbs and we are now learning it. She saw that we struggled and wrote down her question for us to plan around. I just felt bad and realized how hard this Spanish really is.

Thursday was classes and the last TRC for the week. Knowing her question my companion and I were able to prepare for the question she had and taught about the Savior’s time on earth, the great apostasy, then the restoration one more time so she got a better idea. Thursday I was able to understand more than I used to.

Friday or P-day eve was classes again. Classes all week just to know the gospel and Spanish. It's like being in high school again. Classes all day and the food isn't the best. But the days start to blend together. The food is starting to reappear and same things every day. The 5th week is going to be crazy and jokes are going to be so dumb.

The Mong elders are here for 9 weeks and they have only 1 left. The whole branch is on the same floor in a residence hall. So we see how everyone is feeling and meet others. Well, the Mong elders built armor out of cardboard boxes and had a knighting ceremony.

For exercise time we played lots of soccer and this week some volleyball. I kicked the volleyball with no shoes and hurt my big toe. Then playing soccer I ran into some one’s foot very hard and hurt it more. I am walking it off.

That's the week in a nutshell. Oh, and bellota means acorn.

MTC Day 10

I got to talk with Jake today.  It was so great to hear his voice. He's doing so well and didn't sound homesick at all.  He said they joke about "Cormack Time" which means nap time.  He seems to fall asleep occasionally. :)

Don't forget to look for you tie!

Hi mom and familia,

Here’s my update – I'm not dead. Still alive and having fun. I am getting bigger from the food, it’s good. Makenna complains about Utah, but it’s beautiful with fall and the mountains.

They gave us about 8lbs of books and stuff. I also got another set of English scriptures. The MTC is a great place and I’m learning a lot. Very spiritual. I have been playing soccer every day to keep up with fitness and not get completely fat. I may have pulled a muscle, but it was still a good time.

Jake was playing with his (magnetic) name tag and got it stuck on the ceiling...

The district I'm in is very funny and good. My companion is very funny and makes time fly by quick. We had a thing called TRC and it's where a person can come to the MTC and ask to be taught by missionaries. So we got to teach an actual lesson to someone. And it felt very amazing sharing about what I know. It felt like she was enjoying the time and wanting to keep learning. It made me happy to teach. Next week’s lesson is in Spanish so that will be a real test.

Jake and his companion Elder Barnes

Thanks for the pretzels, they are amazing. All of the Elders love them in my district. We were eating breakfast one day and they started mixing stuff in one cup. Like milk, bagel and cream cheese, syrup, and other things. And they were joking about drinking it. I told them whoever drinks it can have a bag of them and one Elder actually did! It was gross. I almost threw up.

Jake and his teacher 

I'll keep sending pictures. I hope your week is great.

Love,

Elder Cormack

P-day 1

Below is a combination of several emails back and forth with Jake this morning. 

We've asked for pictures...

P-day 1

Hola, I'm allowed to only respond to emails and write on p-day. I can always read them just can't respond till p-day. The MTC is fun right now. My espanol es bueno. I am learning a lot about the gospel and Spanish. All the elders in my district are waiting on visas to Peru. 

Saturday is my P-day. My companion is Elder Barnes. My companion is also from Salem Oregon but the south side of it. He was made senior companion but that is from his last name being the first in the alphabet.

My schedule varies day to day but mostly class on the scriptures and Spanish. Tuesday and Thursday, we teach a person and try to get practice in for field work. We get to watch all sessions of conference including the Women’s Session.

Our district and branch is pretty cool. There is Polish, Hmong, Portuguese, and Spanish in the branch. They have this thing called syl speak your language. So, I've heard when they give talks it's in the language they learn. And that Hmong is cool to hear and funny. The zone leaders are learning Hmong and the first day they came to say welcome and show us campus. One of them prayed in Spanish and it was weird to hear. For church we got to service as a branch,  so five districts.

I've been speaking more Spanish. I've learned how to pray in Spanish. The food is great and water is as well. Makenna is wrong about it. It may just be MTC that has it right. One night we got steak it was a good piece. They had hamburgers and pizza. So, I am probably going to be gaining weight here. We get an hour to exercise but I laid on the yoga mat and meditated (napped). The milk tastes like the chocolate milk from home. There was nothing special. I haven’t tried the cookies and cream yet. Lots of fun with my district. All of us are excited to go and preach the gospel. 

Love Elder Cormack

Mission Day Uno

We got a short simple email from Jake - 

"I made it to the MTC and have my schedule. I also met my companion from Salem Oregon. He is serving  in the same place as me. Just want to let you know I am safe. It's been great so far. I love you."

Where is Jake?

I'm sure Jake (I mean, Elder Cormack) would love to hear from folks.  If you get a couple minutes - drop him a note.  We miss him already. 

Email:  
Jacob.Cormack@missionary.org

Provo MTC:
Elder Jacob Waylon Cormack
Nov 12 PER-TRUN
2005 N 900 E Unit 143
Provo, UT 84602

On his way...

...and he’s off! Jake is headed to the Provo MTC for the next six-ish weeks but if his visa comes in before he might be shipped off to the Peru MTC. See you in two Jake!

Hey y’all! We had a great mission farewell party for Jake on Saturday! Thank you for all those who came or couldn’t make it but still sent regards, thank you! Jake is going to wear each and every tie on his mission and he’ll send back a pic of him in it. Watch for your tie throughout the next two years!!