May 26, 2009 - First email from MTC

Hola! Family and Friends.

My first week at the MTC is now over! We just got done with breakfast and then the zone leaders helped us to set up our emails! I want to thank all of you for your love and support! Mom and dad thanks for the package and the letters! That really made me happy to hear from you! Jenny, Sterling and Natalie, thanks for the letters and the packages, that was so nice. We can only write letters on p-days so I'm sorry that I haven't written any of you yet.

The MTC is so awesome! I am learning so much and the spirit is so strong here! I remember the first day I was here I was completely nervous until I started walking down the main hall and it just felt like I was home! I know I am doing the Lord's work here and I am so excited to serve Him and His children.

My companion is Elder Ward from Idaho. Me and him get along great and we are doing so great as a companionship. Our district leader said that he wished all of the districts were working as hard as we were. (sorry that wasn't very humble) I just thought it was so awesome and I thought you should know!

The spanish is coming along. The gift of tongues is incredible. I'm not sure how much real spanish I know. I can't carry on a conversation but I can pray for 5 things, like Mckay taught me before I left. And I can bear my testimony in spanish. I know that it will come though. The important thing is that I need to keep working hard and being diligent and the spanish will come. I know if you trust in the Lord and do all your best and it's still not good enough, the Lord will make up the rest.

Me and Elder Ward are on fire with teaching the first lesson. We have taught it 6 times already and we have already had one practice investigator. We talked about a lot of the first lesson in class yesterday though so we are going to have to alter our lesson plan again before we teach it again tomorrow.

One cool thing that has happened this week has been the Spanish. My first few days I was absolutely struggling with the spanish and I thought it would never come. I kept praying every night that I would be able to start understanding spanish better but it wouldn't come. A few days in though I prayed with my companero and the words just started flowing, it was so incredible and it made me so pumped to want to get out and serve the Lord.

Our district is a little wacko, our roomates are cool. Elder Bowen is from South Carolina and he knows a lot about the gospel and Elder Lenox (our District leader) is from Texas and is very strong spiritually. He looks like Barney from the real life flinstone movies (I think that is the brother of the guy from 30 rock but i'm not sure?) They are both so strong and such a great example to me

The food here is great but I do love the packages that you send me with the goodies, along with all of the other elders in my zone! They love the food so keep it commin! haha

I have so much more to say but don't worry I will be writing you letters today. I want you all to know that the work that I am doing out here is to serve the Lord and His children. I know that this church is true and I know that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored on the earth again. When Joseph Smith said he saw God and Jesus Christ in the Sacred grove he wasn't lying! He did see them I know he did and I know that he was under their direction as he restored the church. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and I know that He knows everyone one of us and wants us to be happy, and He will do anything He can to help us return to live with Him again. I know families are forever and I know that there is nothing better that you can be doing in your life then improving the strenghth of your family and teaching and strengthing each other in the gospel!

Stay strong family and friends! I miss you so much but I know that what I am doing is right and true. I have had so many amazing expiriences that I will tell you about when I write my letters later. This is my email address, feel free to email me we can print the emails out so I'm not wasting my time!

I love you all and look forward to seeing you in two years!

With so much love your favorite friend, son and brother,

Elder Oviatt

PS. I am the new four square champion in my zone, I think I found my true calling in life. I challenge everyone to a match when I get home so I can beat you all! Just kidding.

I love ya all!

Beunos Dias!

Elder Oviatt :)

Getting on My Way! (Pictures)

Friends after my talk in Sacrament Meeting


This is the family after I was set apart.
Standing: Grandpa Albrecht, Dad, Elder Oviatt, Mom, Grandma Albrecht
Kneeling: Mckay, "Jack", Trent



This is my mom tagging me at the MTC


I am on my way!

Farewell to All, and welcome to the blog!

Good Morning all, it is the morning of May 20th, 2009. I enter the MTC in Provo in about 5 hours. I want you all to know that I love you all so much and that I will probably miss you a lot while I am out serving the Lord and His Children for the next two years. But what i want you to know most of all is that i know that I am doing the Lord's work and that i am doing what I am supposed to be doing with my life at this time! I want you all to know that I have such a strong testimony of this gospel and that I know it is true! I know the lord has called me to Puerto Rico to serve his children and I am so excited to Go!

This Blog will help keep you updated on all the events of my mission. My parent's will post my weekly e-mails along with some pretty thrilling pictures. Stay in touch!

I would love to hear from all of you! My address at the MTC will be:

Elder Jonathan Sterling Oviatt
Puerto Rico San Juan West Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E Provo, UT 84604

That address will only be valid for 3 weeks so make sure to check back for my updated address at the Dominican MTC.

Thanks for all you have done for me everyone! You guys have shaped me into the Man that I am today and i will be eternally grateful! I love you all and i hope that you have an amazing two years. God be with you till we meet again! I love you all! Stay Strong, and remember to pray!

With Love and Compassion :D
Elder Oviatt