The 5 Missionaries You Meet in Online MTC

 

First off I just want to say, if you are reading this you are a g for real. Also Online MTC is much better than I could have ever expected. Honestly, I have just developed so much love for everyone I talk to. Everyone in my online District is just like a best friend I have never met. I have the best MTC District in the world and they are chill. We haven't had much time to talk as a group, but we are all connected in the sense that we have one common purpose. The first few days of the MTC online are pretty much just about what your purpose is as a missionary of Jesus Christ--and a lot of "who are you, where are you from, where were you called?" Since the first few zoom calls, I began to notice some trends and now I present to you:

The 5 Missionaries You Meet in Online MTC. 

1. The SAMSUNG GALAXY J7

SAMSUNG GALAXY J7's stick out like sore thumbs, primarily because instead of putting their name or Elder ____ , they forget and their phone defaults to its device name: SAMSUNG GALAXY J7. These Elders (and they are all Elders) are the ones that always forget to mute during class which adds a lot of interesting background noise and other fun stuff. Every time they try to answer a question their internet goes out or they lag really badly. You see a bunch of blurs and changing backgrounds on their screens and their format is all weird. Honestly, I can't tell because their camera quality is so terrible. The funny thing is most SAMSUNG GALAXY J7's have no idea that they are SAMSUNG GALAXY J7's. Maybe they should have invested in a newer Samsung model. In truthfulness however, these Elders always provide keen insight and they are always the first ones to show up for class. To be honest though, I just wish I knew their real names.

2. Sister VSCOs

Before their mission, they were known by a more common name: "VSCO girls". You can always pick these sisters out because they are wearing a ton of bracelets and necklaces, they have their hair down in nice waves, and there is a 99% chance they have icicle lights hanging in the back of their room. Every 10 seconds or so they tend to take a swig from their hydroflask lol. However, these are the sweetest sisters you will ever meet, always giving good insight in class, having a good attitude, and laughing at your dumb jokes and comments in the zoom chat. I know I am supposed to be dedicated to spreading the Gospel but I have caught myself almost sliding into some of these sister's missionary gmail dms. All jokes aside, I I wish there were more sisters in our district.

3. Da Boyz

The boys are a very broad range and interesting group of Elders. They do not have a lot in common but they are always the ones that throw an f in the chat whenever a microphone stops working or there is a lag. In small groups they all seem to be on the same page and are extremely supportive of each other and the other members of the District. The boys are constantly snacking in class, they have terrible handwriting, and you can tell the top half of their outfit does not match the bottom half. However, these guys have the most sincere testimonies and are always willing to tell you what the room code is for the next class and they are always the first to respond in the District group chat. They also always tend to wear that iconic Provo Priest Quorum haircut. I like your cut g. I really do. Studying with these guys may be really unproductive but it is so much fun.

4. Elder Amazing 

Every district has an Elder Amazing and thank goodness because these guys are truly legends. If nobody will answer a question, he will. He is already like 5 years ahead of everybody in the class when it comes to language. He probably memorized Preach My Gospel already and read the Book of Mormon all the way through this morning before breakfast. You get to see a lot of his face because his face cam is always right next to yours. Some may call these Elders "know-it-alls" but the truth is they are just the most sincere people ever and have a testimony strong enough for all of us. They were not called to serve, they were born to serve, and they wear it on their sleeve. 

5. The Loving MTC Teacher

For the record, this is every teacher in the MTC. Usually the first thing that they tell you is that they are so excited to finally meet you, and that they love you and want you to be their friend. Before the lesson starts they talk about how they prayed about you last night. Yeah YOU! They would take a bullet for anybody in the class and then do it again. They probably served their mission in someplace really hard but it doesn't matter because they literally loved their way into investigator's hearts and spirits. I hope that one day I can have half the capacity to love as one of these guys. 

 

So which one am I? I don’t know, probably a hybrid between one of da boyz and a vsco girl, haha. The truth is every Elder and Sister is different and I hope I get to know them even better soon. I hope I can say the same for the great Elders and Sisters in the Reno, Nevada area and eventually in Paraguay. I am not going to lie, it has been weird. I joke to myself that even after one week in the MTC I want to go home. But it's true, I already miss so many things. I miss the feeling of the worn leather steering wheel in my 97’ Jeep TJ. I miss my old bed and my old room. I miss staying up late and watching Netflix. I miss the sound of a song I have been thinking about all day. Today it was Tropics by Sunny and Gabe. There is a line in that song that goes “sell me a dream with a coconut theme” and that is what I feel like I’m being sold in the MTC. A dream that one day I can bring even just one soul to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I can come home and say “my work here is done” and that I’m “done being Elder Johnson” for now. It still feels weird looking down to my left and seeing a badge. My back literally aches from carrying the weight of being a missionary all day, and I have hardly started. However, even though I am at home I am still having a blast. My teacher told me that this is what missionary work is: meeting people and learning new things. So far the best way I can describe MTC online is by comparing it to one of my friend's Instagram posts. He once posted a picture with his prom date and said “Tonight went better than expected”--like what were you expecting dude, for it to go terribly wrong? But yeah, I was expecting it would be good but not this good.