Elder Gavin Milius: I SWEAR I SET AN ALARM

Hello fellow people who decided to want to listen to my rambling about my mission. I’M IN THE MTC!

Today and yesterday have been so fun! This past week has definitely been a transition week but, I’m honestly so happy I’m here in the MTC. This past week I packed up all my stuff in my room, loaded up some luggage and said my goodbyes, and it honestly didn't feel like I said goodbye until I got to the MTC because even though I said goodbye to my family and friends at home, I still got to see my brother and my nephew. And even when I said goodbye to him I was just in this new place, but waking up this morning, and, yes my alarm didn't go off and we ended up sleeping in like 20 minutes extra, I just couldn't shake the thought that I missed my bed, my home, my mom.

Saying goodbye to my mom was honestly one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and I didn't realize it was that bad until this morning when I woke up and I wanted to go see her and give her a hug. But if there's one thing I've felt the spirit tell me these past days was that my family, especially my mom will be OK and that I will get to hug her and my family again.

It's interesting to see how people notice missionaries. When me and Jolley got on our flight to fly to Salt Lake, someone saved a row for me, Jolley and another elder. Just some random stranger wanting to help out some new fellow missionaries. But it's also funny to see how some people back away or give us death glares while we walk by, just reminds me of what my dad told me, smile and wave.

Arriving at the MTC was not fun, it was just me and my brother and a camera, I remember Michael pulling into the underground drop off, we were calling my family at home but eventually lost connection, and then he parks the car and says THIS IS IT. So then I get out of the car, missionaries are cheering, an elder grabbed my luggage and I hugged my brother goodbye and in a matter of seconds I was walking away. I literally almost had a panic attack, I started to cry but so much was going on that I couldn’t even cry like a man, I just whimpered and walked away.

Eventually I got to my room with my companion and got settled. We had a lot of meetings/devotionals that day so that's kinda what we did the rest of the day, I met my district, teachers, the president and his wife, had a great lesson on the character of Christ and what that is. Oh! I forgot to mention, my sister in law’s aunt and uncle totally greeted me as I walked in, they were like "Milius! Our niece married someone named Michael Milius!" I was like, “THATS MY BROTHER! He just dropped me off.” It was a really funny thing that just goes to show how small the world is haha.

Other than that everything else has been pretty low key, we'll see how things are in the next week and I'll have to compare how home MTC is verses in person MTC.

I'm so grateful I'm here, I know it's gonna be one of the hardest things I do in my life but I'm grateful for a great companionship and district. I know the Savior loves us with an infinite love. Back to the character of Christ, Christ looks outward while the natural man looks inward, He would give up everything He has just to help others. While I'm in the MTC, that is what I want to work on and what I encourage all y'all to work on. How can we forget ourselves, forget our needs and help others. In Matthew chapter 4 we read that Jesus fasted 40 days and yet He wasn't gonna turn rocks into bread to satisfy his natural man needs and instead, He goes to serve others. When the Lord is hungry, in pain, tired, He still will serve others. I’m not saying give up your life for others but for me, I want to recognize my blessings and understand that other people don't have those things and I want to be able to give them what I have or help them and give outward rather than take and look inward.

Pictures:

1. All the elders in our district

2. The sisters tried to mimic our picture

3. Sister Cox made this delicious bread and it was fantastic

4. The murals all over the place are so cool, this one is Moses parting the red sea

5. Leaving Arizona for two years