Dominican MTC Life ---email (dated 08/29/2008)

Well thursday is my new day to write on the computer and check emails. Its sure been a full week here in the DR mtc and it sort of dragged a little bit. I think its because its alway hard to get settled in. But now things are starting to ease up a little. I feel like i'm getting more used to this whole place and how things are run and stuff.

Food here in the DR are a lot better than the food was back in the Provo MTC. For breakfast we ususally eat cereal and pancakes. But ever once and a while we get this cinamin french toast that is a way good. Lunch time is the best part of the day though for sure. Lunch here is the big meal of the day. and when i say big i mean big. We always have rice and beans and some sort of meat. the meat changes every now and again though some time its chicken sometimes its ham somtimes its beef. The good part is that its always good. The first day we had rice and beans every one was hating life the next day and had the runs... yeah the bathrooms took a pretty bad beating. All the natives just thought it was funny. I guess it takes awhile for your body to get ajusted to so much rice and beans at once.

The weather here is pretty constant, it rains every day with out fail and its really humid. we got to go over to the University today and do our service project at the park. we went and picked up trash. the walk over there was good though, it felt good to get out of these 20 ft cement walls that surround us and the Temple. The drivers here are crazy, i dont think they really have rules on the road.

For gym i usually play basketball out side in the parking lot and it doesnt take any time at all until your sweating like a pig because its to humid. A lot of the time we'll be playing basketball and it well be raining on us but its still way hot.

In class all the teachers do is speak spanish. they hardly know any English at all so i'm pretty sure that this place is going to help me understand and learn spanish so much. All of our teachers are really good though, the only probablem is theres a language barrier between us still at this moment in time. But we're working on breaking that barrier down. The Temple here is absolutly beautiful and i'm a little sad that i'm only going to get to go to it while i'm here in the MTC. I wish that we could come over from Puerto Rico and go to seasion every once in awhile. I got to do Initiatory today and than do a session afterward. It was amazing! All of the marble that is at this temple came from Brazil. The temple here is huge for being in not so big of an LDS area. The temple by far is the Best part of the week!!The new district here is going to be really good i think. I'm excited!

Oh yeah, and just to let you, Pres. Perkins made me the district leader for my district. Its going to be a lot of work and i'm not really sure why he made me the leader because my spanish definately isnt the best in our district but it is what it is. Its a good thing to have leadership i guess... anyway on Tuesday morning Sister Perkins (the mish. Pres. Wife) took us to do Baptisms for the dead. That was really cool because they never let us do that back in Provo. I love every opportunity we get to go to the Temple.This week we get to teach the 1st lesson in Spanish, or at leas attempt to teach. We're going to have to make it really simple to be able to get through the whole lesson in Spanish. But thats alright because as time goes on we'll be able to build on it and make it better and better. Well my time is running out on the comp. so i'm going to have to let you go... I love all of you! and thank you so much for your prayers and your support! PS If you can keep on e-mailing me because the mail is really slow here in the DR. I havent got any mail yet and have only seen one other Elder get a real actual written letter. I love to hear from you and i can read my email on thursday's now.

Love, Elder Lopez

Letter (dated 08/20/2008)

Once again, just click on the letter to make it big and readable.

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WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!

This morning, Bret left for the Dominican Republic MTC. While at the SLC airport, Bret just happened to run into his brother-in-law Lou, who just happened to be flying out for a business trip!!! Then Bret runs in his cousins' Curtis, and Danielle who ALSO happen to be flying that day!! As if that weren't enough, Bret's Aunt Francie happens to be a flight attendant. She heard Bret's flight was flying out to Dallas. She worked something out, to where she could get a flight to Dallas...AND she was able to sit next to Bret on the flight!! Talk about a lucky series of coincidences!! Here is a picture taken from Lou's cell phone, of him and Bret.

Email (dated 08/20/2008)

Well another week down in the Provo MTC. I know it sounds really crazy but its true i'm out of the Provo MTC and into The DR CCM wich means DR MTC. Time flew by in this place, and its had its up and downs, mostly ups. Every time i'd be stuggleing some experience would come by wether it be a talk given or a testimony born there was always something that helped me to realize that i'm on the Lords erand right now and dont have to worry about anything else. Learning a language i decided cant be done with out the help of the greatest gift we've been given which is the Holy Ghost and our agency to choose with the HG's guidance.

All of your emails helped to boosed my spirits so much and i cant thank you enough. The support i'm gettin at home is amazing so thank you all, you keep me going:) This passesd saturday we had our second teaching appointment and it was a really good one i thought. Elder Sellers and I really worked on politely inviting ourselvs in to a house after knocking a door in espanol. It took us a while to start feeling comfortable in talking to people in Espanol, infact we still arent even close to being able to feel comfortable speaking spanish to anyone that knows how to, but it will come. Anyway we got our point accross and there is only going up from here. After we introduced ourselves in spanish and told the "investigator/volunteer" that we were going to share a message about the restored gospel with them things started to go really good.During the lesson we were ableto speak English and the spirit was very strong. I love to recite the 1st vision and the spirit it brings is so strong every time. I'm even able to say it in spanish now by memory. It still a little choppy but it will come with time. At least thats what i hear. We finished teaching the lesson in about 35 min and i think that we were able to meet the investigators needs.

Sunday was really good like always this week. In the fireside that we had we learned about the power that music has to bring the spirit. It was so good Misionaries were able to share their favorite hymns and then we would sing a verse from that hymn. When the whole entire MTC sings together the spirit is so strong. It was incredable!This tuesday we had a Devotional when a General Authority comes to speak with us. This wee was the best by far! On my last week here in Provo we got to listen to Dallin H. Oaks speak! yeah i was probably like 30 ft. away from an Apostle of the Lord in our day. It was amazing! the whole MTC was singing "our saviors love" and then he walked in and we all stood up out of respect. The Holy ghost just hit me there like a hammer! He talked with us about staying worthy of the spirit because with out the spirit you can not teach. He really hit hard onthe importence of partaking of the sacrament worthily and how by doing so we are starting the week of with the spirit of the lord and as long as we stay clean can keep that spirti with us. Its through the spirit that we are able to work miracles and i cant wait to get out in the world and let the spirit guide!I love you all! Thank you for all your support again!
Love Elder Lopez

PS. my address in the DR is
Elder Bret Lopez
Dominican Republic MTCAv. Bolivar #825
Los Robles Santo Domingo
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Letter home (dated 08/13/2008)

Here is a scan of Bret's last letter home. It was easier for me to just post the scanned letter, rather than type the letter into the blog. Plus, I think it looks pretty cool :) If you click on the letter, it will get big, and you'll be able to read what it says. The 3rd page of the letter, was sent as a text document, so I wasn't able to put the scan on the blog; therefore I had to write out the 3rd page. But you get the idea.

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Basketball & Baseball.
They don't let us play baseball here but I just found out we can play softball. I guess that's close enough. So next gym time I'm going to see if I can start a game up. Most of the time I just play basketball during gym which is pretty fun. Hey, my email address is elderbretlopez@myldsmail.net I'm able to send email every Wed. So check it and write me back on there too. But keep on sending letters too. I love them! I'm only able to write on Wed. just to let you know, so it's only once a week.
So I'm sorry about the penmanship & I'm writing on a park bench, which is making this even more difficult.
I love you and hope you can read this!
LOVE Elder Lopez
P.S. I gave my ring to the guy that's in Steve Heaps ward, to give to Bishop Heaps. So you can get it from him. Write me and tell me when you've got it. Thanks for letting me see it for a while before I leave out to the field. I took pics of it to remember it by. Here are some pictures of life in the MTC too. I hope you enjoy.
Love you again!!
Elder Lopez

The "Birthday Tie" Bret had to wear all day.

Superman missionary!

Bret and his companions

Bret opening up the package with his championship ring

Bret's email address

I have posted Bret's email address on the side of the page, for any of you that wish to email him. He is only allowed to email back his family. But if you email him, he WILL get it, and he can respond to you in a letter. He says he would LOVE to hear from all of you!)

MTC life (email dated August 13, 2008)

Well i sent a email last week but i dont think anyone recieved it because i didn't get any reply. I sent it to kaye84057@yahoo.com so mom please check your email every wed. because i'm can email for 30 min every p-day. My email is elderbretlopez@myldsmail.net so if lachelle could maybe put that up on the blog i'd love to read emails from friends but i'm only aloude to email back my family. I sure hope this one gets to someone out there...

Well life in the MTC is going good. I just saw Jack Grazzini's dad here at the copy center. Iguess he works for the BYU copy center and has to check up on the MTC copy center every now and again. I told him to tell the crew back home hello for me. Grandma wrote me a letter and it was really good. MOm if you could send me her address i'd really love it because i couldnt really read the address that she wrote on the letter.

We get to go to the temple today and i'm way excited. The temple is a place where we can go every wed. and its just like a re-charge for the entire week. The Language is coming along. Elder Sellers and i did our first practice and contacting a teacher in spanish the other day. we struggled to say what we wanted to say but we did manage to make our point in Spanish back to him. I just asked him about his family in spanish and then tried to tell him how important family's are to our eternal lifes and than i bore testimony to him about my love for my family and that i know that we will be together forever because of Christ gospel.

Next thursday the 21st at 730 my flight leaves for the D.R. We fly on American airlines and have a couple of lay overs in Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and then finaly the DR. i cant believe my time here in the great state of Utah is coming to an end for a couple of years. I'm very excited and nervous at the same time and cant wait to be able to speak the language.

Yesterday was a great day. We heard from a member of the 70 and his name we elder Gary Cloleman. NO it wasnt the actor it was a General Authority. Lachelle and mark will understand. It was really good and he strengthend my testimony a lot on my work here for the lord. Well my time is starting to run out onthe computer so i'll Talk to you next week. Love you all so much!Elder Lopez

Letter home (dated August 6th, 2008)

Dear Mom and Dad,
Well a whole week is gone now, I can't believe it. It was a very long week though, I'm not going to lie. There's been so much going on I can even describe in words. The feelings that I get here everyday are amazing. I love the comfort of Holy Ghost.
We definately have a lot of classes in here, and there's so much info given in all of them, that it's hard to remember it all. The language is coming, not as fast as I'd like, but it will come along eventually. I'm praying in Spanish now at least, and I'm working on bearing my testimony in Spanish. I could use your prayers on helping me with the language. I know you're praying for me and thanks!
My companions are all great. I told you about Elder Sellers already, he's my comp. and the 2 other Elders in our room are great too. Their names are Elder Slade from Riverton, and Elder Twitchel from Heber. We all have a great time rooming in the residency, a.k.a. "The barn." Hopefully in the next letter, I'll be able to send you some pics.
Thanks you so much for all the letters and packages. I think I got enough candy and food to feed the entire MTC. Everyone's getting a little jealous. I'm definately winning in the package and letter competition. The Baseball State ring is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! Thanks so much for sending it so I could get to see it for a bit.
My birthday was good. My whole district found out and sang me Happy Birthday. Elder Sellers gave me a tie that was orange and wrote "The Birthday Tie" on it and made me wear it the entire day. Elder Slade gave me a tie too, and wrote me a little note on the back of it. It says "si se puede" (yes we can). That's our little saying. He's having some family problems at home, so if you could keep Elder Slade in your prayers, that would be great!
Sorry it's been a while since I've been able to write, they only let us write on Wed. So that's why it's been a while. I have gotten all of your letters and mail too, just so you know.
I've seen Bishop Heap's son in here a couple of times & Alan's sister. They're very friendly and it's always nice to see a familiar face. Thanks for all the baseball updates. Sounds like this last part of the season is when the cream is going to rise to the top. Please keep on keeping me posted.
Right now I'm doing my laundry and then later on today, we get to go to the temple. Dad, don't get any ideas please!!!
Yesterday, we got to take phone calls from people that see adds on tv about the church. I was a little nervous to speak with real people about the church but it ended up being a great experience. I bore to the lady I talked to, my testimony, and I asked if she would read Moroni 10: 3-5 in a B.O.M. I'd send to her. And she said she would. Surprisingly, she sounded really sincere about it too. It was a great feeling!
Anyway, what those missionaries (the mish. you met on the plane) said about the first week was right. I think the hardest is in the past now, at least hopefully!
Well I gotta go finish my laundry then change to go to the temple. Until next letter, I love you and tell the fam. I love them too! Thanks so much for your letters! The Church is true!
Love,
Elder Lopez

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, it was Elder Paramore that spoke on Tuesday night. I just remembered Dad asked in one of his letters.
Oh yeah, one more thing. You can get on DearElder.com and type me a letter and it gets to me the same day and they're easier to read...HA. I guess you just type a letter and they print it off here, and put it in my mail box.
I love all you!!!

MTC life (email dated August 6, 2008)

Well I already wrote you a letter today telling you mostly evreything that I can think of, but now I have 30 minutes to email each week. So here's a little more.
Thanks for all the support that you guys have been giving me out here. I love to recieve your letters. I sent you Ryan's and Cory's birthday cards cuz I didn't know thier address. If you could send that, that would be wonderful.
Classes here in the MTC are very long, but it's weird cuz I never feel like it's enough time to get everyting I want to get in. All the days just sort of blend into one big long day.
Now that I look back at the week, I can see that I actually did learn a lot in one week. I'm giving some really simple prayers in Spanish. It reminds me of listening to little Brooklyn say a prayer, cuz they're short and sweet, just like hers.
The food is pretty good, but I feel so worthless at times cuz all I do is sit and eat and then go sit in class for 4 hours a day.
This week we were lucky enough to start our gym period. I can already tell that I'm going to be looking forward to gym a lot. It's the one time where I feel like I can be normal for a little bit.
My two teachers are Hermano Anderson, and Hermana Stevenson. Hermano Anderson is really a good teacher and went through an example of the 1st discussion yesterday. It was amazing. Hermana Stevenson is also a good teacher, but I think she's a little more hard to follow. That's alright though, cuz I'll catch on sooner or later. Hopfully sooner rather than later. In my district, we have 8 Elders and 4 Sisters. We're pretty lucky I guess you can say, cuz we're the only district in our whole zone with sisters. They're good to have in class cuz it always seems like they're giving the inspirational thoughts.
Anyway, my departure date for the D.R. is on Aug. 21!! That's only a couple of weeks away, so I got my work cut out for me the next couple of weeks.
Well my time on the computer is running out, so I'm going to try and send this before I lose it all. Hopefully I send it to the right email address...
Love always,
Elder Lopez

Bret's first letter home

Dear Mom and Dad,

Wow, my 1st day is over now, and I'm just taking a little bit of time before I go to bed to write you. We're only supposed to write on P-days, which is Wednesday, just to give you a little heads up.

The Spirit that's here in the MTC is absolutely amazing! Everywhere I go, I can feel it and I'm loving every moment of it. My companion's name is Elder Sellers. He's awesome! He's from the Bay area in Northern Cal. He got called to be our district leader tonight and there's about 12 missionaries. There's 8 Elders, and 4 Hermonas. Today they just showed us around and how to get mail and lunch and things.

I just met Elder Carter. He's in my zone and is a ball player. He's from the Fresno area. I just let him know that Fresno State won the College World Series. He left the day before the championship game and didn't know who won. So I helped update him on everything. Everyone is so friendly here in our zone. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with the schedule, cuz right now I'm all mixed up. I guess you can call me the "greeny" of the MTC. Anyway, it's getting to the time where I gotta turn the lights out. So I'll write you again soon. Love you with all my heart!

--Elder Lopez

Saying goodbye is the hardest part

Bret arrived at the MTC on Wednesday July 30, 2008. Saying goodbye is the hardest part, but we know in two short years, we'll be able to see him again! He'll be an excellent missionary and we are so proud of him! Scott and Steph, and Mark and I weren't able to make it to the MTC, but I hope Bret knows we were there in Spirit! We love you Bret!

Look at that handsome missionary!