My Last Email from the MTC- Next from Mongolia!

MuHuu Ger Booth, (My Family)

Well this will be the last email that I will send from America...for the next 2 years! How surreal is that?   I feel so glad and privileged to say that my stay at the MTC has been such an amazing time.  I have learned so much about who I am, and who I want to continue to work towards being.  I have had so many spiritual confirmations in these past nine weeks.  I know this church is true, and I know Joesph Smith truly saw God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ.  I know I am protected as a missionary and that my calling is divine.  I am so honored to be called as a missionary to Mongolia.  Adults and Missionaries here in the MTC see that I am going to Mongolia, and their jaws drop.  I can't count the number of times I have heard that there is a certain type of missionary that gets called to Mongolia, so I am hoping and praying I meet those requirements over these next 2 years.  I know the Lord is helping me, and I truly am standing in His place as a missionary.  Even though I can't wear my missionary badge in Mongolia, I know that If I will be the type of Missionary I need to be, the people of Mongolia will know who I am and who I represent by my countenance.  This is truly the biggest blessing.

This past Tuesday we heard from David F. Evans of the Seventies again.  He spoke all about families.  It really rang true to me and I felt so close to you guys when he was speaking.  I am so grateful for the sealing powers that are on this earth today.  I know I can be with you all for eternity if we stay worthy.  There is a quote by Lorenzo Snow, and I am going to butcher it but he more or less said, "The fear of death has been risen from the Saints."  That is such a true statement in so many ways.  I pray that we will all live our lives in such a way that we will always be together.  That none of us will have to go through the pain of seeing a love one not reach the requirements of eternal life.  I love you guys so much mom and dad.  I am so grateful for the way you have raised Matt, Ryan, and myself.   I am so grateful for the temple and the role is plays in our salvation.  Elder Evans said, "Endure to your endowment, then endure to your Temple Marriage.  That is the main reason you came to earth."  I loved that.  It gives you so much perspective on what the two most important things in life are.  Our covenants between God and ourselves, and our covenants between God and our family.  Family can be together forever, this I know. 

Well Mom, I hope I answer all your questions! Here it goes! 

Regarding money for travel and a Mongolian Winter Coat, I think what you put on my card last week will be just fine.  Thanks so much for that!  I will be calling you guys, Matt, and Ryan from SLC and LA.  I don't know if I can talk on the bus ride to SLC, but I will see what I can do. You guys better answer or I will have to leave a voice mail in Mongolian and you will never know what I said!  Our bus leaves from the MTC at 6:00 pm, so I should be calling around 7:30 pm probably, and then again in LA.

Here are our flight plans:

Delta Air Lines flight 635: SLC to LA:      
Departure: 9:45, Arrival: 10:52

Air China flight 984: LA to Beijing:          

Departure: 12:40 a.m. on Monday the 10th, Arrival: 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday the 11th

Air China flight 901: Beijing to Ulan Bator, Mongolia:  
Departure: 11:55 a.m. Tuesday the 11th, Arrival: 2:30 p.m. Tuesday the 11th 

From what I know right now, we will wear P-Day clothes of the plane, not missionary suit and tie or badge!  Sister Sneddon's Visa has been sent to D.C. to get approved and whatnot so we will see when she leaves.  She is definitely going to Mongolia, we just don't know when.

In class we have been doing just a lot of application of the language. Things like giving directions, calling of the phone, ect. The language will be hard when I get there, I know, but I have faith that if I just put myself out there and give it my best effort, the Lord will help me, and the Mongolians will respect this Average White Boy speaking their language! 

Mom feel free to give my email out, but no promises that I will be able to reply to everyone that sends emails. Time is limited, and my family is most important. 

So I will be doing a lot of packing today, and tomorrow, and Sunday.  I will be struggling to make weight with my bags due to the fact that I have 8 pounds of presents that the Mongolian missionaries gave to me to take home to their families.  Oh, well, glad to do it ... you gotta love them!

So that picture with President Clark and his wife in it from last week, he was the previous Mongolian mission president before President Benson.  He was just released like 5 months ago. He is in a branch presidency here at the MTC so we see him all the time.  He is a great man, with tons of helpful insights on living in Mongolia.

Just for you mom.... I have gained like 3 pounds in the MTC.... haha no losing weight here!  As we speak I am weighing in at a solid 198. Rock solid. Maybe. :/

Last night we had Culture Day.  All of our teachers came in and we all wore Mongolian Traditional clothes and we saw all their pictures and home videos!  I really can't even stand not being there already, right now.  It will be so incredible and life changing.  Everything I wanted in a mission....I got, and Aunt Jill is my witness on that!   I love this gospel and I love my purpose.

Next week you will hear from me from the Land of the Blue Sky, and -35 degree weather... MONGOLIA HERE I COME!

Love to you all,

Elder Marc Harris

Cool Chinese elder in my branch.

Elder Lattin who is my assistant zone leader.

Letting out some energy, enjoying a clear day. 

Enjoying a clear day at the temple with the sisters.

Looking dapper in my Mongolian hat!

The sisters and I in our Mongolian wear.

Studying in my Mongolian Wrestling hat.

Sister Hansen and I.

Traditional Mongolian attire.

Another language teacher of mine, Brother Jolley and I.

One of our language teachers, Sister Larjin and I. 

Eating one of my last meals at the MTC cafeteria. 

Studying, hard at work.

Yep, Mongolia! There's where I'm headed!

The sisters and I in front on the world map.