To Everyone

Wow, the past two weeks have been so inspiring, hard, wonderful, overwhelming, and a blend of everything in between. I can't believe how quickly time goes when every second of each day you are working on something, thinking about something else in the back of your mind, and also planning for what you have to be doing in the next hour-- all at the same time! It's hard to believe that I'm already back writing an email to all of you again. Has it really been an entire week!? I'm flabbergasted (I love that word hah) by this. It's been a total of 31 days here at the MTC and I have 30 more until I'm on my way to Slovakia. I can't wait until I'm over there. 

The language is still tough for me and I'm so frustrated that I can't express my opinions/thoughts after all of those years doing debate and public speaking. It's frustrating, hard work but I have been blessed so much already by our Heavenly Father. It's amazing really at how much we have to be grateful for, even, if not especially, our struggles. In our times of doubt we both grow and are lifted up, even if we don't quite notice it yet. I've had to remind myself about this a lot of times this week. Two days ago I had one of the worst days here at the MTC. I just lost it and was on the verge of just a total meltdown. Okay, that might be hyperbole but it was just such a hard and frustrating day. The language was tough, my companion was impossible, I wasn't getting enough out of the lessons (both that I taught and was taught), and I just about had enough. I tell you this rather sad and not very uplifting story because of how I realized just how blessed we are. Though I was struggling, I realized how blessed I was the next day. Looking back on that day I now see that it was sandwiched by two wonderful good days, has helped me grow already in so many ways, and was something that I needed to progress. I won't go into to many details with this but I want to say how grateful I am for my life and this opportunity to serve Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I have a wonderful family and great friends writing me, praying for me, and thinking about me throughout the week (thank you!). I'm blessed with an amazing potential to grow and become what the Lord needs me to be. Lastly (but not even close to the last thing on the list of what I am and should be grateful for), I have a Heavenly Father that knows me, loves me always, and lifts me up for when I have fallen. Oh how blessed I am.

I liked this scripture this week about faith. It is kind of random but I just enjoyed it and thought I could share:

Jacob 4: 4-7, 10-11

I love all of you and hope you have a fantastic week,

Starsi Lyman

To Everyone

Ahoj everyone! I hope that you are all doing great and are all safe! It's been amazing at how quickly time flies when you are busy. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was here writing... it feels like just yesterday when I was dropped off here as well.

I've seen SO many people that I know from all over Utah here! 

-Brock Eingelstead

-Nick Luis

-Matt Seldon

-Scooter Williamson

-Mike Peterson

-Waylon Hadlock

-Tanner McGuire

-A LOT of the kids from my Boy's State city.

-Some of the kids I met at Valley Forge.

-Kids from Dixie, Canyon View, and all of those schools that I competed against in Football, Debate, and Track.

It's so fun seeing people you knew before the MTC. It's also so hard to call them only by Sister or Elder haha. One of the craziest things was that I met another kid here name Jacob W. (Waide, I think) Lyman!!! He's definitely not as cool as me ;) but it's so funny! He lives on the same floor as me as well.

This has been such an amazing process and experience so far. I've learned a lot and have progressed in so many different ways. The language is VERY hard but it's amazing how much the Lord helps you receive the gift of tongues according to your faith. Last night, my companion and I taught two twenty minute lessons in Slovak on "How to better receiver revelation through prayer." We did so well! It was so much fun and I was able to see how much I've progressed this past few days-- a LOT! I'm going to keep pushing and especially praying to learn this language. I can't wait until I'm fluent.

Kind of random to mention this but an awesome thing here at the MTC is the "Free Box." On all of the residence floors there are several Free Boxes that missionaries fill with stuff they don't want/need anymore. This helped me so much! I won't list the things that I've been able to get (Because it's a lot) though. What basically happens is that when missionaries leave the MTC they need to pack a specific weight in their bags so they can board the plane (without spending extra). They only need the essentials that they can't get out in their countries so they dump whatever they can't bring with them. Everybody keeps there eyes open fore when a zone or district leaves the MTC. Haha it's awesome! Last week there were about 100 (I heard that was the number but I'm not too sure) Russian missionaries that left! Shopping! 

I wish that I had more interesting/uplifting words to say to all of you today (which I do!). But with the time limit it's hard and trying to think of everything worth saying, while writing several other emails, kind of scrambles your memory. 

Love you all,

Starsi Lyman

To Everyone! From Elder Lyman

This will be technically my second mass email to the outside world but the first one doesn't really count in my opinion... so we'll say this one is the first! I've been having a great time here at the MTC the past two weeks. It's been so fun and it's amazing at how quickly time flies! I don't know how I've been able to do it. The language is coming along nicely but I'm still struggling with it a lot right now. I've never appreciated how wonderful it is to be able to teach a lesson in English! I'm sure I sound so stupid when I'm teaching a lesson in Slovak. It's tough right now but I'm 100% positive that with the Lord's help I will become the missionary that He needs me to be.

This past week has been interesting and very fun. I'm still having so much fun with the fact that I see Josh everyday and the fun tricks we can play as twins. It's hilarious! We were going to do something funny for the new missionaries that would come in on wednesday but decided to save it for next week: Stay tuned. My mom sent my juggling beanbags in the mail yesterday so I've been fascinating those in my residence hall with my personal Renaissance (holy cow I'm not even sure if that's spelled correctly right now: Too much Slovak hah) show between meetings. Thanks mom!

I wish that I had more time to write emails instead of just one hour on Fridays. I feel embarrassed with how short these will have to be in lieu of this so all of you will have to forgive me or send me a letter through the mail for a longer, personalized letter ;). Honestly, I love getting letters as does every missionary! I'm keeping a ledger of who sends what... so I'd send me something every now-and-then to stay on my good side. Haha I'm kidding but it's always great to get something. Thanks to all of you that have been consistently sending me letters/emails these past two weeks! It means a lot and often helps me to get through some of those hard times with the language and everything else around here. 

Overall, it's been very good here at the MTC. I miss you all but I'm not homesick... if that makes sense. I can't wait to get out and serve the Lord. I love you all!

Sincerely, Starsi Lyman

Dovredenia sa!

Dear Everyone

Ahoj Everyone!

I have entered the MTC and so far have been here for three days now. What an amazing experience it has been! Every step you take around here you can feel the spirit. It's been so much fun but insansely busy! I've always loved working hard so it hasn't been too rough though. I've seen so many of my friends and people that i know from Cedar City that I had no idea I'd even have the chance to see.

I'll give you the download of what's been going on:

• My companion is really cool. We're both very driven, organized, and righteous kids and it's working out great!
• It's been very hard to figure out how everything is suppose to happen and what I am to expect at certain hours/meetings throughout the day. Even though it's just my third day I feel like I've gotten the hang of it.
• My p-day's are Fridays!
• Yesterday was my second language class (for 4 hours!) and it was really frustrating. The beginning and end of class was really spiritual and amazing, especially, when we sang I Need Thee Every Hour (felt like angels were singing through us to be honest)! As he, my teacher Elder Bodely, only spoke in Slovak it just went clear over my head and I was so lost for most of the class. I was really freaked out and frustrated but I got over it eventually.
• Trying to keep up with the schedule every minute. I was so grateful for when I realized that I had a Missionary Dailly Planner in my book bundle.
• I only get an hour to write emails... I'm not sure if I've said that already but I don't have time to go over this.
• My missionary mailing address:
• Elder Jacob William Lyman
  SEP30 CZE-SLVK
  Provo UT 84602

I'm having a great time here and I can see why RM's say that it goes by so quickly. The days are long (very long) but the weeks will be short. I'll try to have my thoughts together more for next time so that I could write a much longer letter for you but until then, I love all of you and I hope that you are all doing great... even without me ;).