Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Week 1, in the MTC

Hey, everyone! Thanks so much for your love and encouragement.  I´m loving it here in the MTC (CCM en espaƱol.) So much has happened, I don´t know where to begin!!! On the second day, I was called as the district leader, which was a little overwhelming, but I´m getting used to it now.  Unfortunately, there were 5 elders going to Antofagasta Chile from our flight into Mexico (about 20 missionaries in our group in total), and I happened to be the 5th elder, so I was put in a district with five other missionaries, who are all going to the Chile, ConcepciĆ³n South Mission. Even though I won´t be in the field with any of them, they´re all so awesome, and we have so much fun together.  There are six of us in our district, being me, my companion Elder Olsen, (who is super nice, proactive, and luckily, obedient!!!), Hermana McGregor, Hermana Wright, Elder Palmer, and Elder Cook.  I feel like we all get along so well, and have a great time together, while still being able to bond spiritually.  Today is Preparation day, and we also got the wonderful opportunity to travel to the Mexico City Temple.  It´s such as beautiful building, and the pictures don´t do it any justice.  The most amusing part of the temple though was the drive.... Mexico City knows no limits!!!! All the vehicles swerve around each other, and people weave between cars to sell things!!! It´s insane!!!  I also opened all of your MTC letters.  I laughed really hard at some of those!!! Sacrament meeting was completely in Spanish, which was weird, but I´ve gotten fairly comfortable giving a gospel lesson in Spanish, and saying prayers.  The CCM is beautiful (the leaders call it a Garden of Eden in the middle of chaos), but in the afternoons it gets pretty hot (especially in a suit).  We also love talking with the latino missionaries, Because they don´t know much English, and we don´t know much Spanish, so we both end up laughing when we try to talk to each other.  Also, our zone leaders are fantastic, and are both going to Chile as well (one to Santiago, and the other to Osorno).  Our district lucked out when it came to service projects though.  Most people have to clean things, but our job is to greet new missionaries coming in...so we get to do that tomorrow when the new batch comes, which is super exciting!!!  Hope you are all doing well, and loving life!! Keep on Keeping on!!   (By the way, next week, my pday changes to Wednesday).

Love, Elder Checketts :)




Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Last weekend with the family...and then off to the Mexico City MTC!

(Here is a quick note from PJ, and a few pictures from this weekend & this morning...  More letters & pictures to come from PJ soon...)

I made it to Mexico Safely, and enjoying the MTC. My P-day is Tuesday, just so you know, and that is the only time I can email or I can take photos, so no pictures yet...sorry.

Your Missionary's mailing address is:
Elder Checketts
29/03/2016  12A
Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828
Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero
07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal
Mexico

The estimated departure date for your missionary is 29/03/2016. The use of the
above address on all correspondence will greatly faciliate delivery to your missionary
at the MTC. Please don't send packages.

Love you tons, and wish you the best, talk to you soon!


Love, PJ


We went to the new Provo Temple open house on Saturday, then dinner out, & movie night at home, to enjoy the last weekend that our whole family will spend together for 2 years!!!  
One of the Delta employees came over to our ticketing kiosk & was talking to us & asked PJ if he was going on a mission.  Then a minute later, she said, "OK, mom, get your camera ready, because your missionary is going to do something that you will want to get on record.  She then told PJ to raise his right hand & repeat after her…"I promise I will write home to my mom EVERY week, so that she won't worry!"  Hahahaha!  :) 
Elder Checketts & Dad
Elder Checketts & Mom
And there he goes… Last time to hug him or see him in person for 2 years!!!  It will be hard to be so far away & miss him so much (when he is on his mission he can only send emails & pictures once a week, and we get 2 Skype calls per year--once on Mother's Day & once on Christmas--that is it).  We are so very proud of him for all his hard work to prepare & his desire to serve, and there is nowhere that we would rather that he be right now.  This will be a life-changing experience for him & he will be blessed in SO many ways!  He will be a great missionary & we can't wait to hear about all of his experiences!