Week #2

Elder Brockbank didn't send a mass email this week but he said to let everyone know he is doing great and he sent a few pictures! He'll be leaving to Ohio on Tuesday and he's so excited to get to Cleveland!

"This is a brother I talked to and turns out he's from the hood in Cleveland and he's such a baller and such a cool dude. He said 'You'll learn to use your instincts in Cleveland brother, and how to be street smart' and he was so happy that I was going there and to say hi to his family back there! Haha what a stud!" 

"We had 10 minutes of spare time so we built a fort in the waiting area in our dorm, so thats' cool. :)" 

Week 1

Elder Brockbank's first P-Day was today! He's doing so well and is so happy! 

"Where to begin! If I was to email on the first day then I could've known what to say but it's all a blur now.

Details

Food here is awesome! Nothing here is amazingly deliscious but since there's a lot of it it's okay and I stuff myself as much as I can.

My companion is Elder Staker from Arizona and he's awesome although I like to make him late (by late I mean 10 minutes early instead of 20 minutes early). he teaches me a lot and he's a good kid! 

All three of my roomates are going to New York New York North mission which is where Manhattan is and that was my dream mission before Cleveland so I live my old dream through them and the Lord does have a sense of humor.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only Elder going to Cleveland Ohio right now because nobody I talk to is going there when I go. and there's one other sister in my district going there so I'm not too alone.

The first days are nuts and they drag on but then it starts flying by. 

6:30 isn't that early in the morning but you're always tired cause of how much happens. 

I feel like I've seen so many people here that I know because living in Provo has those perks.

Now into the good stuff.

Life is good here! The Spirit is here so strong and you definitely need it if you're going to teach the best lessons to investigators. Hymns are a very powerful tool in keeping motivated and there's nothing quite like singing with 1000 other missionaries here. With that, it feels really empty here and there really is only like a 1000 here and I'm glad I'm in the slower season. And also with the singing, I announce that I have joined the MTC Choir here hahahahaha, partly because everyone else is doing it in my district and cause it seems legit so I'll give it a shot. 

Personal study is hard for our district because we like to just chat and get to know each other but we're getting better simply because they put me in charge of bringing everyone together to shush instead of me being the talker that I was doing before. Watching conference was an amazing experience here at the MTC and those men are very powerful with the Spirit. They truly are called by God. 

One of the biggest lessons and takeways that I have learned here wasn't in conference, it was in a talk that David Bednar gave here at the MTC a while back that we watched called Characteristics of Christ. And in it he talked a lot about becoming converted to Christ and how that's different to just having a testimony. There is two parts because a testimony is a knowledge of a truth but a conversion is consistent actions based upon those truths. And that's where true conversion comes from. It comes from daily living Characteristics of Christ and turning out instead of turning in. Charity is something that I'm working on a ton because it's the pure love of Christ. I don't have any notes with me so I'm trying to go off memory here and it's hard when there's so much stuff that you're trying to remember so I apologize if this is so scatter brained. 

All in all, it's awesome here and prayer works. 

Love you all and here's some pictures of my district and my companion!"

Elder Brockbank and his roommates.. His companion is Elder Staker from Arizona. All three of them will be serving in the New York, New York mission. 

MTC Drop Off

He's on his way!

MTC

Elder Brockbank enters the MTC this Wednesday! If you want to send him a letter or package while he's in the MTC his address is:

Elder Stephen James Brockbank
APR19 OH-CLE
2005 N 900 E Unit 76
Provo UT 84602

and his email is stephen.brockbank@myldsmail.net

OR there are several places you can take packages that do same day MTC delivery. If you take it to Post Mart on University Parkway in Provo and they charge $3 to deliver a package that day. Just make sure you drop it off BEFORE 3:30 on Mon-Fri and BEFORE 10:30 am on Saturday's. You can also drop off letters here, and they will deliver it for free, no need for a stamp. They won't send perishable food items (stuff that needs to be in the fridge) but thing like Oreos, cookies, or other foods are fine.

I will also post updates on Stephen's Instagram account!

He loves you all and is so grateful for the support you have given him to get him this far!

Mission Call Opening: January 22, 2016

Here's a few pictures of Stephen when he opened his mission call in January! He waited a week or so longer than he thought so this moment was much anticipated! He was so excited and everyone is so proud of him!