Well, hello, hello.

Sunday was mission conference here at the MTC, President Smith got up to speak to us. Really getting after us for not being in bed and up by the right times every week. Later Sunday night, we got to hear from Brother Mills who is the director of international MTCs. He gave a really good talk on letting the mission change your life, and letting the Lord mold you into the kind of person that he needs to you to be out in the field. Last Thursday, we came up with a district goal in the RC, to bear testimonies to 40 different people, be it over the phone or in chat. We hit well over it, it was pretty amazing. It's amazing how much can get done when you really focus on a goal and do everything you can for it. We also have been making Spanish outbound calls to talk to people. Talking to real people in Spanish is an entirely different experience than I thought it was going to be. It was also a bit humbling - they're much harder to understand sometimes. But, it was really fun nonetheless. Is that a word? 

On Monday was also our very last appointment at the TRC and one of the last in the TEC. It's good to get lots of practice in, but at the same time, one can only teach so many fake investigators before you really really just want to start trying to teach real people. So that was exciting news for all of us. The Elder who is delayed in our zone, Elder Kennard, came through surgery just fine, well, ish, during the initial procedure they discovered a hernea(sp?) that they had to fix. So he'll be down for the count for a little bit longer than expected. It's strange cause the original surgery was for something he could have gone without, but felt he needed to go in anyway, good call on listening to that prompting. But following his surgery, he's had to be essentially babysat in the residence hall. Myself, and Elders Bailey and Payne have been his principal caretakers, with the latter two doing most of the work. Mostly I try and help shuttle meals to them. I did take over Saturday night watching him, while they went to class. It's fun, he's recovering very quickly, thankfully. And thus is what has happened in my life at the MTC over the last few days. Oh! One more thing, our teachers are starting to expand more and more of every day where only Spanish will be allowed and understood by them. Class the rest of this week could prove to be very interesting, yet fun and challenging at the same time. 
In gym I have started to play basketball, it gives me more of a workout. And yes my hand is completely healed now. I'm gonna progressively start running more over my last couple of days at the MTC. Try and get somewhat back into shape before I go melt all the weight off in Argentina. 
So, if you don't remember, my travel plans are as such:
11:30 AM, report to the travel office and head to the airport
2:50 PM, my flight leaves for Dallas Texas,
6:33 my flight lands in Dallas, and at 7:35 my flight leaves for... ARGENTINA!!!! 
7:25 AM, I land in Buenos Aires, which is 3 hours ahead of us, so I'm thinking that makes for a nine hour flight.
There are only three people in my travel group; they weren't enough tickets on that first leg, so I leave the MTC about 3 hours after Elder Mohlman, and will fly to Dallas, and meet up with the rest of the missionaries going to Argentina. It's funny, cause Elder Payne, the other elder in my travel group currently, has been my district leader, my zone leader, and now is my travel group leader. :) 
Once we get to Argentina, we're not entirely sure how we are going to get to Resistencia; though from what we have heard, it will entail a 16 hour bus ride, and not a flight, or they would have told us about it in our flight plans. Guess we shall see. All in all, I'm incredibly exciting to go. Tomorrow we go and do all the fingerprinting paperwork for my Visa - and then next Wednesday, the consul comes and meets with us, and then will drive straight back up to Salt Lake, and sign them, and fax them, and the Visas will be ready to go. Funny story, so the lady told us not to ask to consul stupid questions, because that makes him angry.
What else has happened the last few days... Oh, Tuesday night was a devotional by Merrill G. Bateman. Sounded kind of important, didn't occur to me for a while, that he was president of my university... I heard the devotional, but wasn't actually there, it was my turn again to babysit Elder Kennard. While I babysit, my companion just goes with Elders Payne and Bailey. We don't know exactly when he will get to leave, his doctor just told him it's going to be at least another week before he can leave for Ohio. 
Yesterday was just a normal day of class. Teaching lessons in Spanish and the like. I spent alot of the day practicing creating sentences with some of the people in my district. It was helpful for everyone, all around.
Well, I'm trying to come up with more to say, but, all I can come up with is that I'm really really excited to get to Argentina. We talked to an Elder yesterday whose brother went there and came back - spoke of how hard it was. I didn't pay him much heed, I don't like negative talk on my mission area. :) I'm just excited to get there and get sent wherever my mission president wants me to serve, and I hope I get a native trainer. :)
con mucho amor, and I miss you,
Matthew