MTC Biggest Loser!

Hey everyone :-) yeah 'elder mooney' does seem a bit formal... I think it's kosher if the fam still calls me Kurt, so don't feel too obligated in that sense. So I don't know where to start with this letter.... I guess I'll just start off with the stuff that has happened in the last week. We decided to do a fatty challenge where we would see who could gain the most weight in a week here at the MTC... I was out after two meals... I felt incredibly sick from how much I ate, and then I didn't end up gaining any weight anyways, so I guess you could say i lost haha. The next challenge we have going is "the biggest loser: MTC edition" so that ought to be fun this week! On a more serious note, I had some pretty cool spiritual experiences this week I'd like to share with you guys... A couple days back, our District Leader was having a really tough time, missing home, etc. so we decided to give him a blessing as a district... it's amazing the spiritual power in all of the elders serving around me when we all band together in a friend's time of need. Another cool thing that happened was when one of my good buddies from our room was called to give a sister in our zone a blessing and he was scared out of his mind. He accepted to do it, but he hadn't given a blessing for the sick before, so as soon as he left our classroom, myself, elder Jackson, elder Argyle, and elder Carpenter all knelt down and I offered a prayer for him as well as for the sister he would be doing the blessing for.... In all the time I've spent at the MTC, I have never felt the spirit that strongly. That's when it really hit me... This whole time that I've been here, I've been praying my guts out to have the spirit with me so that I can be a good missionary and teach the lessons with power, but I realized after that prayer for elder Eggleston that it isn't about me... what's really important is in loving, caring, and praying for those that are around us whom we serve. One last cool experience and then i'll get on with the rest of the letter. Today is P-day of course, so we got to go to the temple, which was amazing. To preface this, I've been having some self doubt... wondering whether i'll actually be a good missionary, whether I can acquire the spanish language, and whether I can have that confidence that comes with having the spirit. When I was at the temple today, I prayed to the Lord as I was in the celestial room to know if I am where I am supposed to be at this point in my life, if I'm worthy to take upon me the yoke of Christ and be his emissary. The overwhelming feeling came just moments after uttering this prayer... It felt like my whole soul was on fire. The light... the love... the peace that filled me... I can't really accurately describe how amazing it felt. Simply put, I don't have those doubts any more. So things are good on the home front? It's kind of funny, one of the guys that I met in the temple today knew who grandpa was... It's super weird being in here and wandering around the temple and being inside the MTC as opposed to all the times that i spent driving by it to go to school, to Stan's, or to grandma and grandpa's.... I feel kind of caged, but it's voluntary so it's not bad :-P So what's new? Katie got a job/walking pneumonia? That's good/bad haha. You'll ahve to send me pictures on a regular basis so I can keep up with you guys and I'll send you my SD card from the camera here in a little while... oh and don't try to attach photos to emails... I found out they don't let us open those up. Don't you just love this weather? It's so nice it has been in the sixties and seventies for like the entire time we've been here. How is work dad? I miss golfing with you so much. How are the decorations looking mom? I miss your cooking haha. How's school sis? Are you excited for your little trip to MD soon? I feel way out of the loop in here, but I guess that's a good thing... I need to get some score updates or something haha. Who's going to the world series? Are the chargers gonna pull it off tonight against the donkeys? (the broncos suck) and how was the family partay that susan told me all about? I'm running out of time for typing this email, so I'll send the account info for the jeep via snail mail, although I think I already gave that to mom before I left. Could you ask people on my facebook to write me? It really makes life so much better when you get letters from those you love... thank you guys so much for all of your love, letters, and support... it means the world to me. Oh! I forgot to ask... can you send me my black LRG jacket, my LA hat, and another towel? If you could it would make life heavenly because I forgot to pack a hoodie :-PAnyways, I love you guys SO MUCH and i hope to hear from you soon!con todos el amor de mi corazon,Elder "Moonshine" Mooney