Headed to Eugene, Oregon

So Elder Shelley is on the plane as I am writing this...He got to call me from the airport but only had 4 minutes before they were closing the doors on the plane.  He said they were late getting to the airport because the bus started on fire.  It was so good to hear his voice. He sounded so happy.  He said that he loved the MTC.  I asked him if he was ready after only two weeks at the MTC and he said "absolutely, I can't believe how much I have learned.  We have been studying so hard." He is ready to get out there and start working...He said to give everyone a BIG HUG, tell everyone that he loves them and he will see us in two years..really only 716 days but who's counting.

Fun At The MTC

I had to share these letter and photo that can from Sister Zito....Its nice to see that with all there hard work they still have a little time for fun.

So the elders in my district give me a hard time about getting letters because the second day after I got there I got a couple so they decided it would be funny to continue to give me a hard time every time I got a letter... so this week Elder Heaton came back with our mail and he handed me a mysterious Tupperware full of cookies with one of my dear-elders on top. The letter had Vanessa's and Alexis letter in one so i couldn't figure out who sent the cookies... I was so confused all week because no one knew where they came from. Anyway the other day the elders all gathered around me and said... "Sister Zito... we have to tell you something." Elder Heaton pulled out a letter that says... Dear Elder Heaton, We hope you enjoy these cookies we made you... Then it hit me that the mysterious cookies were actually Heatons cookies that he didn't want so he decided it would be funny to make me think they were for me. hahahah I was so mad at him. Well of course I needed my revenge so the next day I took all the cookies and stuffed them in his books, desk, backpack and any little crevice I could find. hahahaha It was so funny. So the next day he drew a sorry note on my desk with an expo marker...

Atticus did the drawing.

Week 2

Mama,

I Love you... I have really liked D&C 121, I feel that it will really relate to you because of the last couple of months... I wish you could come and spend 1 week at the MTC because it has such a different feeling...Tell Rachel Sullivan thank you for the COOKIES...Tell Grandma Eva I am doing good and that I am learning so much. I have a great companion his name is Elder Taylor. He helps me so much with the scriptures and I help him get what he is thinking across. We work so well with each other. I love everyone here and I feel such a great love from everyone.

Love,
Elder Atticus Shelley

Atticus's district in front of the Provo temple. Sent by Sister Zito, in the striped skirt. Sister Zito is from Atticus's home ward and they gave there farewell talks the same day.

Week 1

Atticus has been in the MTC for 10 days. He leaves the MTC to Oregon on the 27th of Feb. His companion at the MTC is Elder Taylor from Wisconsin. Only two weeks of training. Here are couple of parts from his letters.
Hi,
I leave from the MTC to Oregon on the 27th of Feb. My P-day is on Tuesday, so I will get to email you then. I have seen a lot of people that I know. I have met a lot of people that played water polo, and have started some good friend ships. My district is awesome. I only have 30mins on the computer on P-day, so I don't have too much time.

We are already teaching investigators, one is a guy from Alaska. He finally opened up to us yesterday about how he had a near death moment and prayed and was overcome with peace. He then passed out and woke up in the hospital, he was stabbed and shot in the side and throat. The other guy talks a lot but doesn't speak very much English his wife has cancer or died from cancer, his brother is dead and 6 years ago his 14 year old son died from cancer. He doesn't understand why God would have his son suffer through brain cancer, then being Catholic his minister told him that his son is in Hell because he never got baptized. When his son died He tried to kill himself so he thinks God is now mad at him because he tried to brake a covenant by killing, I have only had one lesson with him but it is hard. My teachers are awesome and have helped a lot. Everything is going great, but my butt hurts from sitting so much. Our schedule is packed to the rim. I will try to get pictures to you. Tell everyone I love them. Tell people to write me because I have a lot more time to write letters than to get on to the internet. I will have to tell you about Elder Kupitz because he so dang funny. Everyone is loving here. Our district is getting along so well. Other districts have companions getting in fights. In our zone there were 5 districts but two are leaving today, most of them left this morning at 4:00am. We don't have to meet at the travel desk at the MTC until 8:00am so I am really happy about that. I have seen, Elder Zach Johnson, Sister McDonald, Sister Forte, Elder Ty Jenson, and Elder Connor Townsed. Also others from school.

Love,
Elder Atticus Shelley

Missionary Training Center

 Goodbyes are never easy. 

See you in 2 years.

Talk/Farewell

Farewell Talk

Hi I am Elder Atticus Shelley and I have been called to serve a two year mission in Eugene, Oregon, English speaking.  Some interesting facts about Oregon are; Salem in the capital, the state animal is the American Beaver which Oregon gets its nickname from as the Beaver state, Oregon is the only state that has a state nut which is the Hazelnut, the State rock is a geode called the Thunder-egg, the state beverage is milk, and the Nike swoosh was invented in Oregon.  The list could go on forever about the interesting things about Oregon and how beautiful it is, but that is not why I am here.  I am blessed to be going to such an amazing place.  I have the convenience of being able to speak English, and not worrying about the water if it is ok to drink.

Bishop Peterson told me I could speak about anything I wanted to, but I have to know the subject very well so I am able to teach it really well.  So I am going to be talking about food.  I have always liked the quote, “We are all kneaded from the same dough, but we are all shaped and baked in different ways.”  I would like to break this quote down a little bit and tell you what I always think about when I hear it.  Some people have been pushed and kneaded too much which makes them tough.  Some have been in the oven for too long which makes them stiff and hard to open up.  On the other hand some people jump out of the fire at the first sign of trouble which makes them soft.  In a way I am jumping back into the fire.  I may get burnt or I might come out the perfect piece of bread.

On a more serious matter I am going to be talking about tests and tribulations.  When people hear tests and tribulations they usually think about affliction, misery, suffering, or trouble.  When I think of tests I think of might, overcoming, power, and strengthen.  In Alma 20 verse 4 it states, “I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things.”  We will always have trials but with the Lord on your side you can do anything.  Also in D&C 63 verse 47 it says, “He that is faithful and endureth shall overcome the world.”  No matter what the world throws at you, you can overcome it, get past it, and learn from it.

In my senior year of high school I got to take some college classes on Physical Therapy.  I learned a lot with these different classes.  I got to see people all over the valley that have been injured in some way or form that they need help.  I saw things from surgeries to sport injuries, and things like Shaken Baby Syndrome to a kid whose parents didn't enforce them to wear a seat-belt where in seconds their child’s life changed forever.  This child now when they get sick they can’t control their own muscles enough to get the mucus out of their throat, they have to get the mucus pumped out multiple times a day so they can breathe with a clear airway.  These people are tested every day and have a lot more trials to overcome then we do.  I have also seen the love that a select few have for these people.

I would like to also talk about gratitude.  We don’t realize how easy we have it.  Most of the time we hear people complain, “My work is too hard, gas is getting expensive, wow the price of milk is getting high.”  Always think about the good in life.  Instead of work is too hard, think of how lucky it is that you have a paying job.  Instead of gas is expensive, think of how glad you should be that you have a working car and that you don’t have to walk everywhere.  Instead of worrying about the price of milk, think about the convenience of being able to go to a store and having milk ready for you to drink.  Imagine having to take care of your own cow and milking it every day just for your cereal in the morning.  If you learn anything from me today, it should be always look at the brighter side of things.  My psychology teacher taught me to point out the good things in life.  My psychology teacher tested this theory out on his dad when they were driving.  When my teacher would park in a spot that was close to whatever they were going to he would point it out to his dad, but if he had to park really far away he wouldn’t say a thing.  All that his dad remembered was his son always getting a great parking spot.  If you always look at the bad things you will have a bad day or a miserable life.  Even think of things as simple as how lucky you are to be able to have the strength to be able to walk out of your front door, out of the shelter that protects you against harmful weather, and you have the freedom to do whatever you want to do.

I know that I will be tested on my mission but I have gratitude because I have the choice to go on a mission.  I would like to bare my testimony… In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.