Christian in Africa

Home MTC on the computer Home MTC Friends Home MTC has proven yet again that it is much easier said than done! It looks, however, that Elder Garcia and the other Elders in his Home MTC District have continued to find a way to make it a little more bearable. For those who are reading, or wondering, what the heck Home MTC is...here you go. Covid 19 shut down the entire world in the year 2020. Literally. We went to being quarantined at our homes, to being limited to groups of 5 outside of our homes, that went to then 10, then it grew from there, we were mandated to wear a mask on our face if we wanted to go inside a store. Most restaurants did curbside or drive through only. Church was cancelled. Seriously...we didn't go to church for a long time. We were given permission from the 1st Presidency to have church inside our homes and to administer the sacrament ordinance inside our homes as well! Because of this and so many other things, the leaders of the Church deemed it best to close ...

From: Christian.garcia@missionary.org Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Subject: The District Season 3? Salut à tous! Comment vas-tu?  And so the journey of a lifetime began. I am so excited to be able to bring you along this journey with me as we travel through zoom classes and through planes and, hopefully, end up in west Africa.  This past week, if you can even call it that (3 days), has been absolutely incredible! The MTC at home can be a little challenging but I know that through the spirit of the Lord I will be able to get through it and I will be able to learn what it is that I am needed to. My district, R28-B (kinda sounds like the name of a droid), is so much fun. We are all elders and it's 7 of us so there's a trio for companions. I'm not part of that but I bet it's pretty cool. My companion is Elder Kempe, he hails from the far off shore of Bountiful, Utah, so that's pretty hype. I am the younger companion and in fact I'm the youngest in my di...

Our home is officially the Home MTC again! 6 weeks here he comes President Johnson and Elder Garcia Front porch 'selfie' compliments of photographer Brooklyn Me and my kiddos...2 of them missionaries. How surreal is this moment?!  

Family picture with 2 Missionaries!!! the 'Tag Photo' Elder and Sister Garcia What a fun surprise to have technology and the approval for Sister Garcia to join us as Elder Garcia was set apart as a full time missionary at home tonight. President Johnson was here and I think he was just as happy to see Sister Garcia as we all were. It was fun to have him in our home and to listen as he shared his experience as a missionary as well as in his job now in the service. He shared his love of the Gospel and his testimony of missionary's and the work they do. He acknowledged that Elder Garcia is in for a long 2 years of hard hard work but he also promised that as long as he commits to the Lord and to being on His errand, they will be the best 2 years of his life.  Prior to the setting apart and blessing, President Johnson asked Christian if he had anything he would like to say. He took a minute to thank each of us in the room. Thanked Sister Garcia for her love, friendship, example,...

Elder Garcia makes crepes! Crepes "I'm a professional chef" - Elder Garcia (And super humble....- Mom)  

Sunday, June 13, 2021: Today was Christian's farewell talk Sunday at church. We are back to normal church for 2 hours and no masks so he was able to invite some friends and family to join him. He had a full house of friends and some family stopped in as well. Both Tyler and I were asked to speak along with Christian and in the end, I think it all worked out great. After Sacrament meeting we had a small lunch at the house for those that wanted to join us. I don't have notes from Tyler's talk because he is more of a 'bullet point and go from there' kind of speaker but I wanted to leave my talk below for Christian to be able to re-read or look back on if he ever chooses *********************************************************************************** Good afternoon brothers and sisters. It is sure not the first time I have been up here lately but I am hoping that after today I will have some sort of a breather. I figured after speaking with Kaitlyn and then a few s...

Christian sent me the picture below while I was on a motorcycle trip with Tyler down to Escalante. I don't know what it is about receiving these that makes it scream "IT IS HAPPENING!" We all know it is and Christian has been busy doing all the prep work to get him to this point but it is the actual visual of what he will represent for the next 2 years that is overwhelmingly NUTS!  

Covid is still placing restrictions on some things around here and the temple is still one of them. That didn't stop us from having a special day with Christian as he took out his own endowment. He chose to go through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Mainly because you can only go through the temple that is assigned to your ward currently but also because I think he is most comfortable there. Christian chose Tyler to be his escort and had invited both Grandma and Gary to join us as well. Gary was under the weather or had some sort of doctor appointment and so he was unable to be there but Grandma was and it was good to spend the couple of hours with her.  Christian didn't have many questions going into today and as always, I will be here with open ears to discuss anything perhaps now that he has had this experience. When we were at lunch Tyler asked him if he had any questions and he replied that he was confused on Heavenly Father being called Elohim because he learned in seminary ...