Week #1

July 26, 2013

This week Zac's emails are answering my questions. 
He never did have time to write a general email, but he did send pictures after these two emails a few hours later.

Email #1

Hey Mom,  

Oh no worries cause I probably wouldn't have time to respond.  

Yep it is, so yeah it was nice to have Pday on our second day.  

Yeah the food is pretty good but mostly just because its all you can eat and we don't have to make it or anything.  

Yeah the computers are super tight but I heard that just some computers won't let you upload pictures, I might try later today cause me and Elder Averett are going to split up our emailing time.  

Oh did you get my letter about all the stuff I needed? Sorry there was so much, it just turns out I needed a lot more stuff than I thought. Hopefully I will have time later to write a general email that you can post on the blog.  

Alright sounds good.  

Hope everything is going well at home. Hasta luego!  

Love,Elder Thayn

Email #2

Oh I didn't notice this email until now.  

Yeah I know, there just isn't anytime to send letters or even all that much time to email.  

Oh gotcha, but that's because they're all older (then Hannah) so it makes sense why they lost. 

Oh really, that's awesome they got their on the same day (1st email & handwritten letter).  

Oh Sunday was pretty good, but none of us had to give a talk from my district, but there's a chance we could be by this Sunday.  

Oh that reminds me, Elder Averett and I are blessing the sacrament this Sunday so that's exciting, but at least we get to read the sacrament prayer off of a paper like at home, but its just in Spanish.  

Yeah I like him (Elder Averett, his companion), we get along together pretty well.  

So there's a total of 10 missionaries in my district. 4 of them are Hermanas. 

Only one companionship is not going to Posadas, and that's Elder Drury and Elder Epperson and they're going to the Dominican Republic, Santiago Mission. But I heard there's other missionaries going to Posadas just they aren't in our zone. 

Oh cool that's good to hear from Elder Garcia! Tell him I'm jealous of him being able to speak Spanish already. Haha  

Alright that's all for now! 

Love,Elder Thayn

Email #3 & #4

Here's some pictures of us! 

The one with all the "Post-its" is when we did a prank on the new elders a couple of days ago.... classic! 

And the one at the temple is our whole district. Hopefully later today I might have more time.

Email #6

It works good! (speaking of the bag we bought to replace the backpack he can longer take with him)

So did you get my list of things I need? 

Oh and you should look into this thing called dearelder cause its free to the MTC and basically you type a letter and send it through the internet and then the MTC prints it out and puts it into your mailbox and you can get your mail any day of the week!

Email #7 & #8 

Here's just some more pictures for you guys, I hope you like them! Hopefully there will be more next week! Love you guys! 

Love,Elder Thayn

 "NOTICE: These email messages and pictures are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited."

I caught Elder Thayn on the Internet in-between emailing pictures and was able to chat via email a couple of times before he left. He mainly talked about the things he requested in his letter which Alyssa brought to me when she came up to the cabin that same day. 

Overall I received 9 emails and a handwritten letter (handwritten letter arrived on Thursday) on Friday!!! 

Zac's First Handwritten Letter

July 19, 2013

1st Handwritten Letter

I went to get the mail yesterday, Friday, but found nothing good, within an hour or two I checked my email  account and lo and behold Zac's 1st email letter to us. I was so excited, it made my whole day! A few hours later we were leaving for Hannah's soccer tournament and had to pickup one of Hannah's teammates when I told Corey to stop the car and back up because I saw a letter on the ground right by our mailbox. And lo and behold there was Zac's 1st Handwritten Letter  on the ground I couldn't believe my eyes! It must have slipped through the mail as I looked through it, unbelievable.

Zac's 1st Handwritten Letter

Written on his first day,Wednesday (July 17), at the MTC, mailed on Thursday (July 18) and received on Friday (July 19). Ohh the perks of being at the Provo MTC and not in the Argentina MTC (sorry Kristie)

Zac's First E-mail

July 19, 2013

First E-mail from the MTC!

P-Day is Friday

Hey Mom, Dad, the family, and everyone else, 

Things are going pretty good now. The first day and yesterday were pretty rough. Like the only reason I didn't cry during the nights was so I wouldn't get embarrassed by my companions. But things are a little better. I still miss you guys so much and Hanna! Like when I think about how I'm not going to be seeing you guys or Hanna for 2 years it makes me really sad and want to come home. But when I just focus on today and whats going on right now I feel much better. I heard that as soon as Sunday rolls around the MTC experience is a lot easier. 

It's so weird to me and my companion that we've literally only been in the MTC for 48 hours, like it feels like we have been here for weeks rather than hours. Talking about my companion, his name is Elder Averett and he is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He is the same age as me. And he's been here as long as me. Everyone in my district got here the same time as me. So we're all going through the same emotions for the most part. There's 2 other sets of companions in our residence room. I still forget their names.... haha. 

Oh so yes today is our P-day. That's why we have time to e-mail and what not. Yeah it's so crazy how busy it is here. Like the first 2 days have given me a headache trying to figure out our next place and how to get there. So like I barely have time to write letters and write in my journal. 

Okay so you guys dropped me off at 1:45 then I just dropped my suitcases off in my room. Then the Elder took me to Language Class and that's where I met Elder Averett. Our teacher Brother Barfuss just returned from his mission 11 months ago. He spoke nothing but Spanish so it was super stressful! 

They expect so much out of us here, it's crazy hard. Like tonight we have to give a 20 minute discussion in Spanish to an investigator! Me and Elder Averett have been working really hard on preparing for it. I have memorized this so far "Hola, buenos dias. Nosotros somos misionarios de la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias. Tenemos un mensaje de Jesucristo y Dios." And other stuff too. 

Oh yesterday our branch president was like "On Sunday I'm going to call one elder and one sister to give a 5 minute talk in sacrament meeting. It's random so make sure all of you prepare a talk just in case." So I'm like that's not too bad but then, he's like "oh I forgot to say it has to be in Spanish." So yeah pretty crazy! 

Oh sweet sounds fun! Tell Hannah good luck on her games! 

Thank you mom so much, I love you and Dad so much! You guys have been such great parents and examples! Sorry that's all for now. I don't have all that much time. Send my love to the rest of the Family. 

Love,Elder Thayn

 "NOTICE: This email messages is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited."

Zac's MTC Dropoff Day

July 17, 2013

The Grand Anticipated Day 

We (Grandma, Corey, Eva, Alyssa, Dusty, Kayla, Zac, Hannah, and Hanna) all gathered for Zac's setting apart that morning. President Davidson came to our home at 7:30am. Pres. Davidson talked to us for a short period and told us how he likes to do the missionary setting apart in the soon to be missionary's home because their home is where they have been training for their missions pre MTC. It was a profound setting apart and comforting blessing he gave Zac...he will have a very successful mission.

After Zac's setting apart we went for breakfast at Kneaders

After breakfast we went home and Zac finished packing, finished writing his last thank you notes, and went to WalMart's to get a satchel type bag since missionarys are no longer to wear backpacks (Friday, we had expediated shipment on a new backpack and had just received it yesterday,Tuesday, too bad).

Picture Alyssa took before leaving to the MTC in our family room 

For lunch we went to Cafe Rio (Zac's favorite)

Too early for dropoff...

After Cafe Rio it was just 1pm and Zac's dropoff time was at 1:45pm 

...hmm...so what do you do... 

go across from the MTC to the Provo Temple and take pictures.

   

It wasn't a very original idea for there were lots of families doing the same thing...spending precious time with their missionary.

One last hug before we get in the car and head over to the MTC

1:35pm - Off we go to the MTC

Sign telling us which direction to the DROPOFF

 Last picture we (Alyssa) took of Zac 

And that's the END.

WAIT...

... wait that is not the end it is just the BEGINNING...

The Beginning of Zac's Best Two Years...

Zac's Night Before MTC Departure

July 16, 2013

At 

Zac with his cousins closest to his age...hmm isn't it funny, they are all girls...Ok Dusty is in there, too.

Muir family to say a final goodbye

Our other daughter Andie with Zac

Kylee with Zac

Too many individual pictures with Zac to post

But...here is a group hug (some are missing out of the picture)

Zac's Farewell

Zac's Mission Call

Pre-Mission

March 31, 2013

Zac met with President Davidson at 11:30am Sunday (Easter) morning and Zac's mission papers were submitted that evening.  

I was told by the stake secretary (Bro. Mondragon) that by Tuesday (April 2nd) the stake received an email letting them know that Zac had already been assigned. He told me they (Lehi East Stake) were very surprised. They had never had a missionary name assigned that fast! It was the Tuesday before General Conference, which was the Conference after the Fall Conference when they announced the new ages for missionaries. But, I think that when they saw Zac's picture they knew exactly where he needed to serve. 

April 10, 2013

 Wednesday, 2:30pm 

Mission call in mailbox!!!

We had to wait until 8pm to open his misssion call so we could all get together. 

Hardest thing ever to do!!! 

We wanted so bad to take a peek and reseal.

There is a rumor that if the envelope has postage of $1.90 or more, that the call will be to a foreign country (because of additional paperwork enclosed...) His envelope had $1.92! Some people think it's just an old wives tale...but....

When he read the letter, there were squeals of excitement! Zac will be serving in the 

Argentina, Posadas Mission!

       

In the days leading up to the arrival of the call, family and friends made guesses via text, email or Facebook as to where he would be called.  Although 4 of the 7 missions in Argentina got votes, NOBODY guessed Argentina Posadas! (This is one of the newly formed Missions.) Here was the list of the 405 different missions around the world.

Thanks to Becky for the pics and words!