Pictures at the MTC

Lance and his district, he is the only one going to Ohio, the rest are leaving for Minnesota.
Lance with Amanda's Friend Thomas Ballard, he has been in the MTC since February. He has already left for his mission in Cambodia.
Lance and His companion Elder Massey

Second E-Mail

So week two was very enjoyable I'm gonna have to say. Oh and before i forget here is my flight information. I have to wake up around 3 am the 27th. To report to the MTC travel office at 4 am with my luggage and everything else. The funny thing is I leave a day before my district and the people in my room have to come with me to the travel office at that time so I won't be alone on the way up and so my comp. won't be alone on the way back. So that's kinda funny. Um...My flight leaves at 7 am to Detroit, Michigan. I don't know how long that flight is but i'm assuming about 3-4 hours. Then I have an hour lay-over. After that i get on a 45 min. flight to CLEVELAND!!!! I'll be there around noon or afternoon depending on the time difference. So the point of that is if you send me a letter probably any later than Friday it may take quite a while to get to me. UM...It's kinda hard to summarize a week here when you do so much in a single day that you and your comp. start thinking the stuff you did this morning you think you did yesterday. Um....A spiritual thing would be Tuesday I had a mock-teaching appointment with this guy named Keith Smith. Well we were talking about the Plan of Salvation. At the first of the appointment I was having trouble getting words out of my mouth that even made sense to me much less the investigator, until I got an impression about the Joy the lord wants you to feel on earth. My impression was that Heavenly Father wants us to always feel the Joy you get when you hold your newborn child. I said I've never done this or else some of you reading this would be grandparents/uncles & aunts/etc. but I've heard the Joy is inexpressible. After that I felt a change in the lesson. Me and my companion just started teaching by the spirit continually. So yeah. The gospel is true. A funny story would be yesterday while I was helping host the new missionaries. I was told to lead around these new Japanese missionaries to their new rooms. I had to go and get their luggage with them from their temporary room and then go drop off their temp. keys at the main desk. What I didn't know was that I already had their new keys so I couldn't had them drop off their luggage in the building to the left. Instead I made them bring their luggage all around the MTC. Also every place they needed to be was on the top floor. Well I'm done for now.
(*)<~Elder Sump.

First email from Lancie :]

Well I'm kinda on a time limit and since I was a bit of a slacker before I came out here I had to set up this e-mail before I started writing. Anyway. My first week was awesome. I've been learning a ton. Oh and just so everyone knows I'll generally be putting what's been going on the mission in my e-mails and not the letters cause despite what i thought I don't have very much time for anything. Well my first day was pretty good. I went to my room after I was dropped off and they didn't even give me time to un-pack. I went straight to meet my teachers. Bro. Adams who went to Kentucky and Bro. Phipps who went to Boston. They are both really really awesome. Adams is amazing at talking in very calm and spirit bringing tones. Phipps is uber knowledgeable about gospel history and stuff. My companion Elder Massey is a really nice guy I'm pretty lucky to have him because some of the guys in my district bother me. Although I have been nothing but nice and usually ignore the snide comments. Um to throw a mission story in there I was walking down the hallway and I saw this Elder walking down the hall with a can of Red Cream Soda tapping it with his key. I Said hi elder. He said hi and then his key like ripped through the aluminum of the can somehow and exploded. This scared him so he dropped it and ran for cover. Also I'm pretty sure my comp. Broke the Iron which i thought was pretty funny.

Anyway I'm having a good time. I know the church is true. Love you all and gotta go.
(*)<~Elder Sumsion

Day 4 the first letter!

We received our first letter from Lance today, his P-days are on Thursday but the first Thursday they did not have a p-day although he and his companion Elder Massey went to lunch early by mistake so they had 30 minutes to do some light correspondance.

He said his first day went really well and he learned quite a bit from his teachers Bro. Phipps and Bro. Adams. His companion is a wrestler and refers to him as a good guy with a good testimony. He end with saying he is having a great time!

Last shots at the MTC April 7th, 2010

Try to get everything packed, Lance wouldn't have been able to shove everything in his suitcases without Cameron's help!

Grandpa Sumsion
Grandma Sumsion
Unloading van
Loading Dads Carat the church and getting a hug from sister Alissa

Loading the car.
Already to go!
Amanda and Lance working on his ipod Day 1
Looking through his Missionary Calender with Cameron and Tyler Howarth Tuesday 6th after his Ordination.
Lance with His cousin Paige Tuesday April 6, 2010

Day 2

It hasn't even been 24 hours since we dropped Lance off and we have had two people see him. Yesterday it was my cousin Teri Pyne today his girlfriend Carrie, she works in the mail room. She said he looked very happy.

I wanted to make sure all of you were aware of dearelder.com, it is a mail service that is free for the MTC. You sign in and you can write Lance a letter that will be mailed to him for FREE by noon tomorrow. There are no strings attached, see you have no excuse to write him, no letters, stamps, etc.

I received a Letter from Lance's Mission President and his wife today. President Darwin D. and Lee Ann Sorensen,they sent me the mission homes address. He would like letters of encouragement and support for Lance when he arrives in Cleveland the first day. This letter is will be given to him the first night of his arrival. Words of love and uplifting testimonies would be most appropriate. This is not his address out there, I will receive that information later after he arrives and I will pass it on.
His current address is still at the MTC in Provo until he flies out to Cleveland on April 27th.
Also no packages to this address just letters;

Elder Lance Orland Sumsion
Ohio Cleveland Mission
2070 West 117th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44111

To arrive on time they need to be at the mission home ASAP before the 13th the Mission President recommends.

Day 1

This morning started with Lance trying to organize his ipod with a balance of church music and scriptures. It took a while but with his sister Amanda's help he was able to finish while eating his blueberry and mango pancakes. Last minute pack was fun, good thing Cameron was able to help him shove the last items into his luggage and pull the zippers shut. With a few quick pics we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Sumsions to say goodbye since Grandma could not make his ordination last night. A few more pics later we headed for the MTC at 12:25pm. We met his Dad Brian and the rest of the family at the church so we could drive over together(they only allow one car per missionary now). Lance was doing good until he talked with his Uncle Dan and text-ed his girlfriend Carrie goodbye. We pulled into the MTC and found a spot to park, we took a few family pic's and then it was time to say goodbye.

It was hard, I actually didn't start crying until I saw the look in Cameron's face and the pain he was feeling at saying goodbye to his brother. The luggage was unloaded and final hugs came, it was emotional but quick. We all loaded into the car as he walked into the MTC doors. I like the new system of dropping off compared to the old days, it is much easier.

Lance has a very strong testimony of the gospel and I can already feel Heavenly Father's comforting presence in our home. He is in the Lords hands now and we need not worry, he will be well looked after. I ask if you send him things that you remember his companion as well, it will cut down on any fights or prevent jealousy between him and his companion. Only send him thing exclusively for him on Birthdays and Christmas.

My cousin Teri Pyne greets new missionaries at the Mtc and her daughter Missy said she talked to her Mom today and she said Lance was so excited when she saw him!!

MTC ADDRESS

Lance will be at this MTC address till April 27th! We will continue to update as we receive emails and addresses! :)


Elder Lance Orland Sumsion
OH-CLE #163 0427
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604