Life in the MTC

HEY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Just want you to know I got all my care packages and the chips and salsa were great! I had Top Ramen the first night, with my new pencils as chopsticks! Thank you for the sheets! They are like a billion times better! Did you mean to send 2 top sheets though? I made them work but I just didn't know what was best. Anyways, I have enough pens and pencils to last the rest of my life! Thanks J! :) The dryer sheets are sweet and thank you for the shirts and the detergent! Everything smells like home!!!

Okay, I just pressed tab and it sent that one short, don't mind it. I am having an awesome time here and discovering so much about myself and my amazing companions. I am praying for all of you back at home and for the missionaries in the field. I'm glad you guys met some Greenies! I met one who was going there (here in the MTC) and I gave him all your info, so he should come say Hi! I also told him he needed to go teach Fio if he is near there, cause he was Spanish-speaking! Oh! I met Sister Bleazard's grand-daughter the other day!!!! It was so weird. I overheard someone say, "You're going to Kennewick??" And the guy was in front of me in line, so I said the same thing! I was like, "Whaat??" He was English-speaking, so you may actually meet him. But the girl asking him was named Bleazard, so I asked her if she was related to Sister Bleazard, and she was her grand-daughter! Crazy small world.

I am definitely a fan of just sending journal entries because it is easier. I'm glad you like it! I also saw the pics of Britton and his companion - it is soooo sweet there!!! I wish I could play with the fish-ies on my p-day! Oh, and I loved all the tips he gave me this week. I've just learned to find all I can to love about my companion and then it makes it a lot easier. He is actually a really sweet guy, but sometimes he just doesn't wanna do the things I need to do. Oh well, I can always grab one of my other companeros if I need to go, and that has been working out all right so far.

Soo no cool General Authorities yet, just a bunch of emeritus seventies. (July is their vacation month.) They are still really good speakers though. One that was my favorite made it into my journal, which is on its way to you. I can't wait till we get to hear some though. It will make my day!

Okay, nobody is starting to learn Spanish from scratch, we are all intermediate - pretty much the same level. The food is okay, not amazing, but there is soooo much. I got like EVERYTHING laminated. Its now invincible. :) I gotta go soon but I love you all!

I'm the 6th one

We went to the temple today and it was really sweet!

Send me a www.dearelder.com with Cantrell and Olsen's addresses, as well as Britton's if you can. Anyways, I love you all so much.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!
:)

Love,

Elder Channing Winterrose

Happy Pioneer Day!

First P-Day

Hi everyone!

Okay, I got my first official letter!  It was from J and it made me sooooooo happy!  Somehow there is just something about REAL mail that makes it feel like they're right there with you.

We are almost done with our first official week and it has been crazy.  I have learned a lot, had a tough time and also a lot of funny, great and memorable times.  I miss you all so much.  I am glad to be on a mission.  It finally feels like I am starting on the path to righteousness.  I would like to live as Christ did, at least as close as I can.  This, as well as better myself and make the change.

So some other things - after the devotional we all sat, then stood, for a picture.  That was only the second time they had taken one of the whole MTC.  I thought that was cool!  I've just got to remember I sat on the left side, half way up, in a green suit, to the right of two sister missionaries in blue! :)  Oh, and my tie was silver.  So, besides that I finally got my pictures of the family in front of the temple and the one of me and J.  I gotta get it laminated or something so it will always be perfect.

Tell Britton (the other Elder Winterrose) that, as well as avoiding O.J., I have smelled the tree, found/hid things, and learned how to use the exercise band to catapult unwanted things out our door door, down the hall.  

I love the MTC.  It has been an amazing experience and it has been sweet having fun times with my roommates/companion.  Well, I'm off to bed.  I love you all who are reading this!

Okay, I will go to sleep as soon as everyone on our floor quits singing Disney songs as loud as they can...

Well, buenas noches!

Love,

Elder Winterrose Jr.
(The Jr. is a title from his brother, Elder Britton Winterrose currently serving in the Alaska Anchorage Mission)

Mom's note - Channing sent home copies of his journal from the first week because he didn't want to forget anything - lots of writing - hope what I've chosen to post is representative of his first week in the MTC!

Just a Quick Note

HEY! I'm a missionary!

I only have a little while and I have lots of stories to tell you, but I decided I will just send you copies of my journal entries cause they are all in there! This is a crazy place! So much going on! 

We got here and were plopped straight into class and all they spoke was Spanish! I need a lot of things I forgot so here's the list, I want you to see if Ryan can send me one of those water bottles and give him my address and also put my address up on facebook. Also I forgot that little vial of oil on the Special Olympics key chain and I need that. I got the talk so thanks for that! I need the post-it notes and pens and pencils that I forgot. Make sure they don't get stolen and dispersed around the house please! Also I need a Tide-To-Go stick and if you can send some cup of noodles and popcorn cause I'm always starving at night.  I have to go ask the Tongans for food cause they are ALWAYS eating. Haha, it's seriously like those aliens from Men In Black who are always in the coffee room, but they are big poly-dudes in the snack room, always eating and laughing and yelling.  They're awesome.  Hahaha. :)

Okay well I'm running out of time and gotta go soon! I got the luggage thingy and will ship it in a little bit to Grandma. Don't forget the water bottle thing cause I am always dehydrated cause I don't wanna leave class every 5 minutes when I'm thirsty, which reminds me my P-day is Thursday.

Love,

Elder Channing Winterrose

Below are some photos of Elder Winterrose headed to the Missionary Training Center (MTC).

On the way to the airport

Bye-bye to my piggy

Brogan and Elder Winterrose

Elder Winterrose and the Little Brothers

Mom, Elder Winterrose, Dad

Grandpa and Grandma Perkins, Elder Winterrose

Elder Winterrose and not so little Little Bro.

Channing's Open House
Sunday 7:00-8:30 pm at Winterrose Home. We're having a casual get-together to wish Channing well before he leaves to serve in the California Los Angeles Mission for 2 years. Stay for as little or as long as you'd like. (This is different than his farewell talk which will be Sunday, July 10th from 1:00 - 2:10 pm at 969 Gage Blvd., Richland, WA.) - All are encouraged and welcome to attend either/both events!