In New York City Harlem New York

Hello family, So to answer your questions, the flight was good and long, I love that feeling of taking off and landing. I haven't been to the apartment but what I have heard about it, it will be pretty nice. P-day's are Wednesday's so that will be the day I will write to you, and will do anything I need to do. The package is here, we get mail on P-day's so anything you send will get to me Wednesday's other than letters and stuff! I am good on stuff you need to send. 

 So my first area on my mission is Harlem 1st ward in Central Manhattan! 

So I am going to go through my day yesterday and today. So on Monday night we were all packing till like 11pm at night, just to make sure we had everything, then we went to bed and woke up at 1:45 because we wanted to shower for like 20 minutes one last time before we entered the field. At about 3:30am we went to the travel office so we could get everything ready so we wouldn't be late. I guess I was the travel leader so that was a shock, but we got on the bus and fell asleep a lot of the trip, because they turned the lights out because they knew that we would be tired, we were all very tired. We then got checked in and went through security and that's when I called you. Got on the plane, and woke up 2 hours later to find that we had like 45 minutes until we arrived in Detroit. 1 hour later we got on the plane to White Plains New York, and it was one of those small planes, not a big gigantic one like we were on before. Got there and meet the president and his wife, they got a lot of pictures with us and we then talked a bit and went to the cars to be taken to the Mission Home.

The mission home was nice, it was built in the 1900's and in 1996 it was made a mission home and was completely re-done. After we got settled in, we had interviews with the president and talked a bit. After all the interviews we had a big Thanksgiving dinner and talked and had fun. It was truly amazing, I love food, so that was just awesome for them to do. Had a testimony meeting afterwards, and went to bed like at 9:30pm! That was the most sleep I have ever got up to this point, I really needed it too! This morning we woke up, got ready, had AUTHENTIC New York bagels. They are better than the bagels we have at home, by far. We got our money cards and insurance card thingy ha. Then we came to this building in White Plains, I think? That's when I met my companion, Elder Wallace, so he will be my Trainer! We talked a bit and got some bodegas and yeah.

I am so excited to be here in New York and I can't wait to get out there and start teaching! It has been raining and snowing all day here, I guess it is the first snowfall of Fall, pretty crazy! I can't wait to teach and feel that spirit that I love to feel, I am actually teaching a couple lessons tonight, which my companion will let me teach like 75% of it, so this will be fun!

Love,

Elder Casper

Elder Casper in the MTC

This is Elder Casper with his District going to New York next week.

Final Week at the MTC!

Hey Family and whoever is reading this! It is really hard to believe that I will be leaving for New York in 4 days... Like what happened? It feels like I have been here for a couple of months, but in all reality it has only been a couple of days over 1 week. I saw Justin on Wednesday morning, He was getting breakfast after an all night shift, but we talked a bit and he asked me how I felt about the MTC, so it was pretty sweet. So we have been teaching investigators here at the MTC, their names are Zach Herzog, and Sam (I'm not sure what his last name is). We have asked them both to pray, read the B.O.M, to go to church, and to be baptized. They have both prayed and reading the book of Mormon, they are thinking about baptism. I love teaching, I used to get nervous but now I can teach without any problems, and I get promptings on what to say to them, so I can't complain.  I can't tell you how much I have learned here, to be honest it's hard to remember all the things I have learned, but when I teach the spirit pulls out things to my remembrance! In a week I will be in NEW YORK! :D 

So my companion (Elder Essler) is from Perry Utah, close to Brigham City. Elder Harvey and Elder Clark are both from Utah as well, Elder Degraw is from Orange County LA so pretty cool. Elder McNatt is from somewhere, I am not completely sure. The food is amazing, sometimes I eat to much so I have to restrain myself most of the time. Exercising is fun, I usually just walk/jog around the track they have (10 laps=1 mile). As Sacrament Coordinator I chose who Passes and Blesses, then I set up the Sacrament. I have to show the new Sacrament Coordinator what to do so he can do it the week that follows. Elder Essler, and Elder Degraw are going to New York with me and Everyone else is going to Chicago West. There are 3 sisters in our district going to NY and 3 going to Chicago. P-day is great, As a district we were able to go to the Temple today, and I felt the spirit so strongly this time I went through! I love to see the temple, I love the Temple so much! P-day is short because all we have to learn but out in the field it is 6:30 to 6 at night. I made the mistake of not washing my clothes last week, so this week I had to wear some garments twice but I washed them today! Life is really good, I will definitely talk to you more while I am out in the field! 

Peace out Family!

Elder Casper

In the MTC

I AM IN THE MTC! I can't say it enough, it doesn't feel real to me. My companion is Elder Essler, my roommates are Elder Harvey, Elder McNatt, Elder Clark, and Elder Degraw. My P-day is on Fridays for one more week, that's why you should use Dear Elder, also the branch president encourages everyone to send mail through Dear Elder. I got your message dad I would love to hear from everyone. When I first got here, it was a hard experience, but I've grown to love my companion and my roommates. You work so hard here, I started out a little homesick, but It has kind of passed. During the interview with the branch president yesterday, I was thinking about home because of the questions I was answering and that just made me miss everyone more. Yesterday I found out that I will be the Sacrament Coordinator starting after Church this Sunday. I am also the senior companion until this Wednesday, so things are pretty cool here. When I first got here I didn't think that I would be a good missionary but after praying a bunch and studying hard I found out that I do feel the spirit more and more everyday, and i feel like I can do this! So I will go through my schedule with you a bit. When we wake up at 6:30, we quickly get ready for the day and go eat breakfast, after that we usually have personal study for about and hour then class for around 3 hours. We then go to to Lunch, which usually lasts about 50 minutes which is better than breakfast. Then more classes and meetings until dinner, then personal study and get ready for bed. Showering at night is way easier because then you don't have to rush in the morning to get ready, so you have more time to sleep. One thing that I was super nervous about was role play's, but now that I have done some of those it has become easier to feel that spirit while I am teaching, I say what I feel which really helps those investigators to learn. I can't testify enough about how true the Book of Mormon is in my life, it truly is important and it gives me a reason to go and teach about this wonderful Church we have. I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon and pray with a sincere heart about the truthfulness of it, when you do that you will feel the spirit so strongly. 

Love you,

Elder Casper

P.S. I forgot to grab the Emails so If you could forward this to mom also that would be amazing, and ask her to write me! I miss you guys a ton but I know I need to be here! Love you all! I also attached some Pictures, Use the ones you like! More pictures next week! :D Sorry for some of the blurry pictures, I will get better as time goes on!

Dropped Elder Casper Off

We dropped Elder Casper off at the MTC on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 12:25 pm.  We took 2 minutes to hug and say goodbye.  And he was taken away into the MTC building in Provo, Utah.