Boys Will Be Boys - Even When They're Elders

Editor's Note: The Elders in our ward reported Sunday that at their meeting Friday they met Elder Fitzgerald from Ian's MTC Spanish class. He is south of us in the Lauderhill ward and hopes to have an exchange or split up here so he can get a picture with us to send Ian. I want to get more information about what Ian's reputation is among the other kids. I will snoop further.

This is not a newsy letter, but showcases his endless knack for tall tales. The MTC sounds like a crowd control nightmare. Fans of "The Office" will understand his comparisons better than I. Though, one can never be quite sure of the truth where Ian is concerned.

On a more spiritual note it does sound like he's putting his grandparents' gift (Spanish hymnbook) to good use – it's the first time I've ever heard him admit to a favorite hymn! So he has turned over one new leaf!

MTC
July 23, 2007

Hi,

I'm going to send Marcus a letter at some point during his 6 weeks home.

Yeah, I'll need a phone card to call from the airport, and to deposit money you deposit to the Wachovia account.

Yeah, Elder Fitzgerald is the nicest guy. I gave them all our address and your phone number and Jamel's. Look out for Fitzgerald, Stewart, Shick and Mortimer. Stewart taught me everything I know in foursquare.

I got a letter from Dita last Monday, and I opened it, and it said "Dear Elder Subandriyo" and then the entire letter was in Indonesian. So I think she put letters to me and her brother serving in Atlanta in the wrong envelopes.

Yeah, send that shirt, but send me some sandals, either my blue ones, or Marcus was supposed to bring me back some sandals from Hawai'i. I just need some sandals. My blue ones I hiked the whole Na Pali coast in, so it would be nice to keep those at home, so see if Marcus has some sandals for me, or if Jamel wants to give me the ones he brought back. I just need some soon. Yeah, get some of that lotion and some more pyrithium zinc shampoo to send with the shirt. Thanks.

I'm glad Jamel's getting the car done. That's so cool. Ask him if he's going to take Alyx on his kayak or what. Oh yeah, we answer the phones for the people who call for the free Book of Mormons and Lamb of God videos etc. Someone hung up on me the other day, so I sent their Lamb of God video to our house so you guys could have it.

Nothing else has happened here. I talk to Elder Tavete from La'ie about surfing Goat island all the time at night. Tell John to look out for Elder Tavete in the LA mission Spanish Speaking, or take him to lunch or something. Everyone gets along great. Except one guy in our room is literally another form of Dwight from “The Office”. He worships the ground his companion walks on (like he's Michael Scott), laughs at all his jokes hysterically, never gets him out in foursquare and answers questions for him. He's also the most obnoxious person I have ever met. He gets on my case all the time if I don't make my bed like "lucky we don't have room check today, that's a disaster zone up there" and then today his bed isn't made, and I just don't say anything. I am always cool to him. One day I was walking down the hall, and someone tripped me and I turn around and he's laughing and running the other way. In class I asked him what the heck he was thinking, and he's like "you didn't trip, what's the big deal, if I wanted you to trip, I would have pushed you." like that somehow justifies it. I told him I would get him back , but when he least expects it. I told him I would trip him down the stairs in the airport so he has a 10 1/2 hour flight with a broken leg and then kicks off his mission in a wheel chair. I'm glad he's going to Bahia Blanca. I don't think he realizes how nice we all are to him in our room. It's so ridiculous. This and that about everything. I don't think he fully understands that I could literally knock him and his 85 lb companion out. Maybe I'll just bottle up this contention and bust his chops in the airport 'cause we're flying to different missions.

love, Ian

P.S. Thanks for everything. Thank Ellen for the cool picture of dad. Also have someone sing hymn 88 for you in the Spanish hymnbook, its a Spanish only hymn and it's my favorite. It's "Placentero Nos Es Trabajar".