MTC Week 3--Love those packages and letters!

Hey Dad!

First off, packages and letters are probably a few things that can make you excited in about a second. When I got those packages they were awesome and I was just super excited all day to open them. Thanks so much all the food and the missionary from Spain keeps telling me to let him know when I break out the peanut M&Ms :) Also thanks for the shoulder bag it was awesome to get it! It is a little big so I have been debating if I want to keep it. (It's the same dimensions as my small suitcase :) ) Haha but thank so much for thinking about me and what I need! As far as garments go there is a distribution center here on campus and I already went and got a few extra pairs. Also the dropbox doesn't work here at the MTC so I wasn't able to look at the picture that got sent and that is why I have been sending the pictures through email. As far as letters and packages, keep sending them and I will keep loving them! If you do happen to send another package, could you look for a couple more of my ties that I didn't bring and send those? Ties are like gold here and make each day interesting until you have worn it what feels like 20 times in two days. ;)

I'm glad to hear that Daniel got up (Rich told Jacob about a lake trip and Daniel's first time wakeboarding) because I was not able to get up at all when we went with Alex Hamilton. That sounds like a lot of fun! Good luck with scout camp and I hope it goes well with all those kids!!!

That is awesome that Adam is now a deacon and tell him I'm so sorry for not wishing him happy birthday! I was actually thinking all last weekend about it being his birthday, but when I got onto the email I guess I just started to panic and forget. So yeah tell him Happy late birthday! Also tell Anna that it was awesome to hear from her and that a post card is on the way!

I am so glad everything is going well and that you seem to be surviving with out me. I am loving the MTC and I can definitely see the spirit working and my testimony growing. My French is coming and so is Elder Nelson's. He is such an example to me and got called as the new district leader for the last three weeks. He is amazing and works so hard to learn the language. We have had two new lessons with Jean our "investigator"/teacher and he is just amazing! He has done everything we have asked him to do and he "came" to church with us this weekend! Our last lesson was on the Book of Mormon and I could see how the Lord softened his heart about the Book of Mormon and made him ready to read and pray. Our other investigator is also going well and hopefully she keeps the commitments we gave her (She didn't keep it last time which was really disappointing, so we read it with her so she could understand why it is so important!)

I do have a couple words of humble pie that I have received over the last few weeks and the amazing testimony I have gained of planning. It is so crazy how planning can be so great in two ways. First, if you aren't productive even when your schedule is planned out. Also it is amazing how when you plan focused on your investigator or whatever that could be when applying it not to missionary work that you can receive revelation in ways that you may not even know is revelation to study or do things that God knows will help them.

Today Ben left but I got to see him for almost an hour. First we went and did laundry together and breakfast and it was awesome to finally see him for real. I asked him about his brother and he said he loved seeing him for 15 minutes. Apparently they were together and at 14 minutes Spencer looked at his watch and said see ya because it is so important to be obedient all the time and exactly. That has been such a focus for Elder Nelson and I because I know know that this is not my time and the Lord needs me to be ready for the field so he can direct me to the people he has been preparing for me. Yesterday I was able to see a devotional by Elder Bednar given at Christmas at the MTC called Characters of Christ that was amazing! It was so great and made me think of Christ in such a different light and how he set the example in so many ways. If you have the chance I would recommend looking it up and if you can find it can you send me a copy? It is literally one of the best talks I have seen. So inspiring!!!!

Also have you heard anything about the new missionary dress code? If you haven't go to LDS.org and then missionaries and dress code... There are some big changes that are really going to change the typical look of the missionary.

I have so much I want to say but I can't because of time so I will probably just send a letter :)

Avec amour (With love)!!

Elder Pettingill

Elder Nelson, Jacob's awesome companion

Jacob says about the next photos: What can I say? the sisters love us. Also our district. And Ben last night 

A group of Tahitian Elders speaking french and tahitian left this week and it was sad because they were super cool!

Elder Toga is a tongan/samoan from Australia going to Tahiti!! He is super awesome and just gave me a tie! His companion (with the blond hair) is super awesome too and they were in the MTC for 10 or 12 week

They have a pull up bar for us to use so I was just getting some stress out which you can clearly see on my face......

The city is putting a huge water pipe in right outside the MTC! Also the group photo is our whole Zone!