Nate's third week at the MTC

Hey family, Well 3 weeks yesterday since I’ve been in the MTC. Things are going well still. Italian is going well I’m learning how to speak like a normal person in shorter sentences instead of saying every single word, so we sound a little less challenged then before. The food still sucks hahah. Everything’s good though, its been nice getting all of you letters. I can’t believe it’s so cold their, its nice here I can rock my lava lava and a sweatshirt on p-days and be warm. My comps are cool, we’ve been learning to teach with Unity in our lessons, and were just over all improving communication and planning, MTC is all planning every hour of every day of every week. Well Mom you asked what my days are like so Ill give you a typical outline. We have to be in class by 7AM , which is when we do personal studies on a topic. 745-815 is breakfast, 815-1230 were in class. If we have a teacher were working on Italian or getting tips on how to teach well, If we don’t then were doing personal studies, practicing lessons, learning doctrine, or studying Italian. 1230-115 is lunch which is my favourite part of the day. 115-400 is class the same as the morning. 400-530 is gym, I usually run 2 miles and schools these kids in basketball. 530-615 is dinner which is usually pretty gross over cooked meat and a few other things added. 615-9 IS class just like the morning or afternoon and then 9-930 we plan for the next day, like what were going to do, when were going to do it, what were going to study etc etc etc. 9-1030ISH is basically when we go back to our apts. Me and Tilini often get into pretty deeps conversations about something we’ve been studying, share insight on doctrine. Sundays we have a fireside and a church movie. We watched the making of the Salt Lake Temple, I could believe the faith they had in that dispensation. Me and Tilini were sitting in that hall until midnight just talking about faith. It was unbelievable. Tuesdays we have a devotional at night as well. So they keep us busy...but believe it or not theirs still not enough time in the day to do everything I want to do, and go over everything I want to go over. But if your heart and soul is in the right place I guess the Lord understands. Senior comp is pretty cool, I basically oversee everything we do, our branch pres essentially says if your senior comps doing it you can to. Therefore I take the heat for anything and than I pass it down if it has nothing to do with me. I sent the pictures and some letters to all of you yesterday, so you should be getting them early next week I’m hoping. I don’t know how fast the mail system is though. I got a dear elder from Dan so I have an idea what’s up with him, but I don’t here from Brian although I assume he’s busy . I’m proud to hear you’re all being more diligent in studying, keep it up and you’ll be blessed. The Lord is EAGER to bless you if you’re faithful with everything you ask. Good job getting those missionaries helping you this weekend, they have it to easy with cars…we have to walk in Italy hahaha. Like I said I wrote you all letters. SO take care, stay strong, trust in the Lord. All my love Elder Costa

Nate's Second Week at MTC

I got all of your dear elders I appreciate them so much, they give me something to take my mind off of everything. Things are going well here. My companion is make me a true Hawaiian...I’ve got a lava lava no…google it and you’ll see what it is. Italian is coming along I can speak past and present tense short sentences. We only have 30 minutes a week so it would be great if people could dear elder me or write me a letter because reading them here takes a lot of time. Well my companions are going great, its trippy to see the new greenies coming in and thinking we were them 2 weeks ago. Now were welcoming them and trying to make them feel at home. Some of these dudes take it pretty hard being away from everything...walking through our dorm some night you can see it. But I think they focus to much on what they miss instead of what were doing. Were in the latter days and we need to focus on the work being done. The food is getting better...well I’m getting hungrier. I could definitely go for a BIGMAC though...and a coke. If you could send me the shaver charger we talked about on the phone that would be great to. The only internet site we can go to is mormon.org and lds.org so I can’t check out my blog until I’m in Italy. But thanks for setting it up that will be informative for people who want to know. I’m pretty tired here but obedience with exactness does have blessings...and if we go to bed when were supposed to I can feel the difference...it just doesn’t happen often. We had a devotional last night on faith which was pretty cool. They told us we could take off our jackets...it was pretty funny to see all the white shirts. Oh yea I was made senior comp of my comps...which is a lot more responsibility then I thought. Its cool but I need to be careful of everything I say more so then before. I weighed my self in gym on Mondays and Fridays I gained 9 pounds so far. I’ve been keeping up with one of my comps. He’s a 6"2 270 football player from Hawaii…man he can eat. Well how is everything everybody? I’m hoping good, I only have 5 minutes left. The picture developing thing is down as per usual so hopefully I can get them developed tomorrow...but I need to put it in our agenda so we have time...every minute of every day has to be planned, which take a lot of getting used to but that’s life. Io sono bellisimo dalla MTC, so don’t worry about me. Stay strong keep faith read your scriptures and God will help you with the rest. ALL MY LOVE, PEACE ELDER COSTA

Belated birthday wishes

It was Nathan 20th birthday this past week, January 8th. We know he is not able to celebrate this day with his friends and family but we still want to wish him a Very happy Birthday and we are all thinking of you.

Here is the first letter from Nathan in the MTC!

Come sta? Well I’m great here in the MTC. I guess I’ve been here 1 week today. The first 3 or 4 days were rough but you move on and keep you head up. So I’ve only got 30 minutes once a week to write an email so you'll get an email from me every Wednesday, which is my P-day, while my laundry is running. So I’ve got 2 companions, Elder Tillini and Elder Gann. Tillini is from Hawaii he’s a big dude and Gann is from Idaho. We all get along great and we’ve been a great support for each other, because everyone gets homesick. I’ve seen quite a few elders actually go home already so I'm proud of myself for making it past the first week with out any problems. I had to get 3 needles last week my HEP. A, flu shot and another one. The food here pretty much...sucks but the hungrier you get the more likely you are to eat whatever they put in front of you. One of my Italian teachers was telling us that Southern Italy is actually pretty cheap. You can get food for like a few euros and everything in general is cheaper then here. Which is great. So in the MTC were basically in call all day long. I have my companions and 3 Sorelli (sisters). There’s about 15 other missionaries preparing to go to Italy 19 are coming in 2 weeks and were the only 6 going to Catania. I thought that was pretty special. There must be something big in store for us. When were not in class we have 45 minutes for meals 45 minutes of gym, a devotional every Tuesday night, and Sundays are basically a day off. Which is really nice because you brain needs it. I can already speak basic present tense sentences in Italian. Wednesdays we get to visit the temple, so this afternoon the Italian district is going. So I’ll be sending you guy’s pictures probably later this week. Mom, Dad you guys would believe the view here everyday. Its insane. The mountains are right in front of the MTC, the temple is to. I keep looking at the mountains my comps think its funny, but we don’t have anything like that in Ottawa. Last night at our devotional we had Elder Ballard the apostle come and release the MTC Presidency and gave us a talk. It was insane. The love and the spirit in that room were strong no matter who you are you could feel it. We left that room on such a spiritual high. We study hard all day and then you crash really hard at night and next things you know the alarm is going off again to get up. But the time goes by fast, and everyone says that 8 weeks you’re here feel like half that. The days feel long but they just go by fast. This emails kind of all smooshed together because so much has happened and I don’t really have time to put it all down properly. So I hope dad got back from Utah fine, although I’m sure I would have heard is something happened, I think you have the number for the MTC. They’re pretty strict here but I guess its good training for the field, that way when you don’t do some things out there its not actually that bad because the bar is set so high here. The new greenies come in today, its funny to see them looking around and thinking that was me a week ago. Well hopefully this email will find you all well. Don’t worry about me I’m doing great, the Lord is behind me, and I’ve had an amazing family that raised me right. You can email me back at this address costa07@myldsmail.net. Or write me my address is N.COSTA MTC MAILBOX #115 ITA-CAT 0305. 2005 N. 900 E. Provo, Utah 84604-1793. You can send me free letters through dearelder.com Because Ill get the letter the day after you send it, and its free. Keep me up to date with things at home, we feel so cut off here its like were on another planet. Well I hope everyone’s well I know I’m making you proud and that helps me get through some of the days, we will ALL be blessed for this time, none said it would be easy just worth it. Well I love you all get back to me soon. PEACE Anziano Costa.