Email January 17, 2013

Thanks to Jeri Strong, Yvonne, Jan Galovich, Janette Roach, Peggy Beatty and Rachel Beatty I recieved probably over 2,000,000 calories in the mail! thanks so much, I love all of you!

On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 8:44 AM, James Riley Strong <jamess@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Dear everyone,

The MTC is a very special place. If there was ever a place to make someone come close to christ, it was here. Everything that we learn here is necessary to converting yourself. the focus is on the missionaries, everything we learn is to help us. We then can use those experiences to bring others to Christ, in any way that they need.

It is really hard at times. Because you can't just call up the people that you love, and talk to them. you have to wait for letters, and sometimes you can't say the things you want because it would be to hard to write.

My days are long. I sit in a desk for most of the day and study, and I get to teach volunteers, that are portraying different investigators. I got to teach one real investigator, named Emily, she lives in the Glenwood Apartments in Provo. She goes to UVU and has a twin sister who plays volleyball for UVU. My comp. and I talked to her for about 45 minutes, and she really loved the lesson we taught, and we were able to answer the questions she had through the spirit. she asked us for a Book of Mormon, and then we had to leave. I'll probably never see her again, but I hope she gets what she wants from somewhere.

It has been two weeks but it feels like it has been months. My flight leaves SLC at 8:40 tuesday morning,. and I will arrive in San Diego to start what will probably be the longest day of my mission, going from 4 am at the MTC to leave to the airport and starting in California doing a regular mission schedule till 10:30 pm. I cant wait to get there and see the place that I will be serving in for 2 years.

I love you all and can feel your prayers. I hope everything goes well for all of you.

Elder Strong