MTC Week #3 Pictures!

 (These are some really fun pictures Elder Chamberlain sent us on Saturday but we were traveling so I wasn't able to load them on to the blog until today.  His letter is under the Saturday, July 26, 2014 entry.)

Kohler wrote, "Mom this is a photo I took today of that same area you guys were at! (we sent him some photos of us by the same sign) I pass that same spot with the long yellow fence when I run every morning! If you came by mid day on Sunday I might have been at the cafeteria which is right by those white bubbles which are the basketball courts and the workout room (it's very small, ha ha!)  My classrooms are all over there too across that street that you took the pic of the elders running.  

 (These are the pics Elder C. is referring to!)

This grass is where we all watched the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire on the 4th of July!

"Me and ma boys at the bus stop ha ha!"

"Sometimes on P-Days we like to move our beds into this small family room!"

"Elder Christensen isn't having a good day today- ha ha. . ."

"For Elder Christensen's birthday he got 7 packages and 22 letters!  Apparently this is a record for our whole zone!" 

"Elder Mangum getting a little mad at the keyboard ha ha" 

"Elder Mangum and I waiting for a REAL piano!"

 "Me getting ready to play at Sacrament Meeting"

MTC Week #3

Hey family and friends,

This week has been super awesome. Several cool things happened this week. So a man named brother Monson who is in our branch presidency is the nephew to the prophet Monson and has some suuuper cool stories. Even some kind of personal things that happened with the prophet but he asked us not to share those. He's one of those funny old guys that will talk forever but hes really into cycling so he's a fit guy.  This week I was struggling with some doctrines that I didn't understand and I asked him privately if he would talk to me. He did which was too cool! I learned so much about God's will and the holy Ghost. I also learned a lot about the Spirit of Christ and how much that can help you!

Also my bro, Elder Christensen's birthday was yesterday and his parents drove his truck with balloons and a cake and presents in the back and dropped it off in the parking lot by the basketball courts. Our classes are by there and we were walking out and they came right as he was there. This wasn't even planned haha! But of course a couple of security guards saw and they were freaking out and me and Elder Christensen just started laughing cause they were taking their job a little too seriously. Then they were cool about it but just said please don't invite friends or family on the grounds.

I have also been able to play the piano a lot. It's only on Sundays but I've been able to play some songs that I haven't been able to play in a while which was cool! Wednesday we hosted over 150 missionaries coming onto West campus alone! Like literally a tiny army haha. I was glad to help them and talk to several of them about how to get through certain things with family and friends especially. My spanish is starting to come along too! The two main things they want you to learn are how to pray and bear your testimony. Mainly to not focus on the words but how to bring the spirit in. Even if your spanish is horrible because its not the spanish that converts them, its the spirit. This has lifted MUCH stress haha por que mi espanol es no bueno, pero yo soy haciendo mejor! I think?

 Anyway I love you all soo much. More stories and pics to come. Stay and live true cause God is VERY real and his work is just as real as he is. I will bet you anything on that.

Love,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

MTC Week #2

(We got several letters from Elder Chamberlain this week---some emailed and some hand-written!)

(hand-written letter received July 19, 2014)
Dear Family,

I can't believe how many missionaries are up here right now!  Every Wednesday missionaries by the hundreds come and leave the MTC!  Membership growth in the church is climbing faster than ever and it's pretty cool :)  

I've been able to read all of your letters but only late at night because our district leader only gives them to us at that time.  You might get this letter after I email you because tomorrow is my P-day.  I will be writing (not emailing) more though!  I just have to find spots in my schedule because I'm still adjusting to it.   

I've never learned so much Spanish and gospel principles in so short a time.  I have also felt the Spirit so strongly up here.  My prayers in the morning and night are stronger than ever before.  It's very easy to feel the spirit here. 

I miss and love you guys so much!  These next (less than :) 2 years will fly by I'm almost positive.  The one thing I have been learning (or at least most interested in) is having more faith in Heavenly Father and accepting His will--even before he's made his will known unto you.  It's really helped me a lot being away from you guys and all of my friends, Suzy, Bishop, church members, etc.  

Anyway, this is my first written letter but many more will come, even in Argentina (if you want Mom and Dad :)  I love you guys so much!  I shall bear my testimony in Spanish and let you guys use google translator or something LOL.  (it may not be that good though):  

Yo se que las familias puedan vivir por la eternidas y si podemos seguir nuestro Padre Celestial que podemos ser muy feliz.  Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero por que tengo sentir el espiritu santo testifice a mi.  Hay son muchas personas y familias que necesitan ayudar.  Estoy muy agradecido a ayudar estor personas y familias en Mendoza Argentina.  Le amo todos mucho! Ustedes son bendiciones en mi vida y por que estoy serviendo un mision.  Muchas gracias todos . . . en el nombre de Jesu Cristo, Amen. :)

 Our apartment here in the MTC West.  

 Best District Ever!

Missionary selfies in front of the bathroom mirror!  ha ha

Pre P-Day Party with Krispy Kreme Donuts thanks to Suzy :)

(emailed letter from today)
Hey family and Friends! So this week has been pretty awesome for my zone and I. We just got a new district of 10 elders and they're all going to Columbia. However all of them just got their visas so they're leaving for the Columbia MTC early Monday morning. I can tell they'll do good.

This week was fun cause I got to play the piano in priesthood and I'm playing this Sunday for sacrament and priesthood too! Bout time-- I haven't played in forever and I miss being able to play whenever I want to! I've been pretty sick this past week with a cold but I'm starting to feel a lot better. 

Today my zone and I got to do a session through the Provo temple and it was super cool. Seeing the room packed with missionaries and more outside made me feel a little better knowing that I'm not alone in this. I'm super glad to be out here though. It's both hard/sad and super fun too so I can't really tell you what it is-- haha. 

Elder Vosti (my comp) and I outside the Provo Temple today.

MY testimony has grown more than ever being here listening to general authorities, MTC president, other great teachers and professors etc. I really like it a lot here and will miss it in 3 weeks.  I love you all soo much and hope you're all having a fun summer.

Much love to you all:)

Love,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

First Full Week and Doing Great!

July 12, 2014

Hey Mom (and family) Wow that looks like you guys are having soooo much fun in Cali!!( well you were!) I have had soo much fun on this P day and I can't believe how fast time is going here. I'm learning soo much and studying A LOT! 

This last Tuesday Neil L. Anderson of the quorum of the twelve came and talked to us and it was broadcasted to all of the world's MTC's! He talked a lot about having the spirit in everyday teaching and how missionary work has never been more important than today because of the powerful influence and attacks of our common enemy Satan. I'm soo glad to be a part of this global army and help these people who are soo humble receive something worth so much!

Also this AMAZING piano player who got off his mission from North Dakota about 7 years ago played some of the hardest songs. They were even harder than "Rondo Capricioso"( at least I thought) He trains in Russia with what he thinks is the best piano player in the world. He was soo good and has such a strong testimony of missionary work. I haven't been able to play the piano much or at all because everything is regulated and you're always studying or learning from a teacher. I'll probably be able to play a lot more it sounds like when I'm out in the field. 

Anyway not a whole lot else has happened. Please tell everybody that I will be writing letters to them throughout the week and for now tell dad that his advice was perfect and I'm gaining a lot more faith in my heavenly Father:) I'm just trying to find time to do what he said but I just have to reorganize my schedule a little:) 

I love you all so much! Oh and tell Hailey that she will be getting a lot of spanish words coming her way by letter this week! I miss and love you all so much! Let's make this fun for all of us. Till next time!

P.S. I have pictures:)  

Love your son,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain


(another quick email below)

 The guy on the left is 6'4" and I'm doing splits with him today!  He's the only one in my district but these guys are my favorite elders!

Elder Bleak and I at lunch.  (We actually see each other a lot but I finally remembered my camera today!)  p.s. Elder Bleak's sister is serving a mission in Gilbert, AZ and she is in our home ward!

My companion's candy stash at night! LOL

Me doing my laundry :)

Elder Vosti and I after our morning workout.


(Another quick email from Elder Chamberlain):  I'll take a picture of the park we work out at! There's pull up bars and places by the benches where we can do push ups/ situps. I haven't started using the bands yet cause we have a weight gym too so i workout twice a day but only on weekdays besides wednesday which is break day for me. (I mean I personally choose to not wake up earlier than we have to on wednesdays. My companion is willing to get up at 5:50 and run about 2 miles then do 3-4 rounds of 3-4 sets of workout routines like back, abs etc:) I'm really grateful that he's willing to get up haha!  Dad mondays and thursdays we do biceps back and legs and tuesdays and fridays we do tricepts pecs and shoulders. We do abs too on all of the days:) 

And love ya mama;)

Sometimes we play pictionary after class! ha ha!

Saying Goodbyes and First Days at MTC

Heading to the Provo Missionary Training Center

  Wednesday, July 2, 2014.

First letter and pics from the MTC

Hey family!

So the MTC has been great so far but we've been doing a lot. Although we have several times during the day to ponder on what were learning. To be honest this week has been kind of rough without family and friends.

Last night being friday night we watched "17 miracles" after our devotional and after we watched the stadium of fire fireworks and it reminded me of so many times. However I know the Lord will help me get through it. The food is really good and we can eat as much as we want. I have a companion who's going to Mendoza as well and he's just from draper Utah.  Every morning we wake up earlier than schedule at 5:50, run and then do a good workout on these pull up bars at the park.

 I miss you guys so much and I want to make you all proud. Oh and Kelsey is the instagram working? I have lots of pictures but apparently I need to sign in on instagram which I can't really do. Anyway I love you all so much! Have fun this Summer! Please write me individually(email and cards occassionally) even when I'm in Argentina! I'd really like that. Oh and tell the Ladukes that they're awesome  for sending me the letter and all the skittles haha. 

Me amo mi familia.

ps. I'm trying to figure out the pictures right now but if not I'll send them to you soon. My P days are every Saturday so that's when you'll receive mail:)

Till next time,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

So excited to see Elder Pablo Gutierrez from our home ward!

4th of July