Elder Keables’ Missionary Training Center Survey

1. What was your favorite thing about the MTC?

My favorite thing, by far, was the teachers and the people that I met. The teachers were so cool and all of the Elders in my district. Hermano Bradley, Hermano Young, and Hermana Penaflora.


2. What was your least favorite thing?

My least favorite thing was always being inside; always being behind desks was horrible. After two months, I looked like a ghost! Oh! Another one of my favorite things was going outside for P.E. Sand volleyball was amazing!

3. Name someone you met in the MTC that you will never forget and why-

Hermano Bradley! He was the best teacher in the world. He had so much patience when we had interviews. I felt like I could tell him anything. He was way understanding, and always put in the extra time with us. His testimony and love for the church was so inspiring for me.

4. Write your three most spiritual experiences from the MTC.

~ I told you about the time Hermana Penaflora took us to that picture and read my favorite scriptures and sang my favorite song. Well, that was one of the most spiritual experiences that I had.

~ Second experience actually happened a few days after getting there. We as a district had the opportunity to teach a person who was having some hard times. This is what I wrote in my journal 2 hours after, on 8-19-09, “For the first time I saw us teach by the Spirit. It wasn’t just going through the doctrine; it was more than that. Every single person felt the Spirit and I know that. It’s the hardest thing to describe. All I know is what I heard is true. I felt peace inside and I felt joy. I know God gives us trials so that we can exercise faith in God and overcome these trials. So we can gain a stronger testimony and eventually return to live with him someday.” That was part of my journal. I don’t have room for all. Mom, I think you would be happy to hear I have over 80 pages.

~ I have no room [on the paper], but I would say it would be going to the temple. I learned so much, and I wrote some of it in my journal.

5. Who was the favorite Elder you met in the MTC?

ELDER HICKS! He was way cool. After the mish he is coming to Chico, so you will meet him. lol Coming to see me.

6. What was the most difficult thing you had to deal with?

Having patience was one of the hardest things. Not with just my companion, but with everyone. It’s hard to share a room with four guys. Also, the other four guys from our district always wanted to be in our room. The hardest thing was having no time by yourself, no privacy.

7. What was your favorite part of each day?

MAIL!! I loved getting mail. No joke- we would check the box like ten times a day. It’s funny; I thought it was hard when I didn’t get mail for one day. Here in Ecuador I haven’t had any for two weeks.

8. What was your favorite part of each week?

Temple was what I looked forward to all week. The feeling of peace that I got every time I went made me love the temple. It’s like every worry, every doubt I had went away while I was in there. I think it was everyone’s favorite part of the week.

9. Name something about yourself that has changed, strengthened, or improved because of your experience at the MTC-

Being able to express myself about how I feel. For the first few weeks I didn’t really tell my companion what was bothering me, but after getting some tips from President Shumway, I was able to work things out. After that, I kind of just expressed the way I was feeling, but in a nice way; a way which helped things out.

10. Who were your favorite devotional speakers? Can you remember something that one of them said that impacted you?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Ok- here are some of the things he said, and if you know Elder Holland, then you know these are his words, “You go out there and embrace your mission. You go out there and get everything out of it. Do not come home with regrets. Wherever you are going, just go out there and love the people. We have been your age and you haven’t been ours. I pray you’re the kind of missionaries my grandchildren think that you are. Don’t go home and get a tattoo and grow a beard; don’t be an idiot! In 24 months you’re going to sob, wishing you could serve the Lord all your life."