We are Half Way There

Hello my loving family,

Here we are again on a loving Dienstag afternoon! Cant believe I am half way through my experience here at the MTC, I am sure I will miss it when I leave but its so exciting to think that I am one week closer to going to Germany. We saw a lot of missionaries leaving the last two day, I think they said around 700 left this week and who knows how much will be getting tomorrow! I have talk to some missionaries that leave at 4 in the morning, wow that is crazy but I would care if it was 2 in the morning I would be so pumped to just get going already! But life is good here at the MTC I sure am learning alot and not just German but what really counts, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To be immersed in das Buch Mormon and Verkundert mein Evangelium everyday is so great for us missionary here at the MTC so we can learn all we can before we go out to the real world! Wednesday was really exciting I knew of a couple friends coming in and so I had my eye out for them when the missionaries started to arrive. We were in our classroom and were studying and I just wanted to go on a walk to see by chance if I would run into anyone I knew. So I said to my companion, lets go check the mail ( even tho I got it before lunch) but thats what you can do as district leader. So we were walking over to the mail building and Elder Jones was the first person I recongized! We just chatted for a minute and he had only been there for a few minutes, we kept walking and I saw Sister Lauren Hafen! Fun to see here and then while walking back I saw Elder Kyndal Orton as well as a couple other high shcool buddies! I would have to say that walk was quite beneficial! It was a great day though, loved it!

The german is coming along and classes are good, we have two classes everyday except Sunday and P-day. It depends on the day some days we have one in the morning and then one at night but other days we have one right after lunch and it goes till supper time and then we have another one right after that till bed time! Ooo that is pretty intense and I know why missionaries gain weight in the MTC, they eat and then they sit and then they eat and then they sit! So this week Elder Nielson (who is in my district) and I decided to do a little challenge and not eat any sweets for a week because they give us sweets every meal. Im starting to think maybe they are trying to but some extra weight on us for something....no its good! So we started out strong but we only last about 3 days, once we got some packages from families and everyone was sharing treats we could not resist! And thanks for the packages, they are great, it is fun going around and sharing with people in other classrooms or in the residance. Hey maybe next time put a couple fresh apples in there or something! The Jerman chocolate sure was delicious so thank you!

So I hear that the wheather is not so hot right now, its kinda strange here because we cant really till, well we can we do go outside, dont worry they dont keep us in all day but we are inside for a lot of the day and so can really never tell what is going on outside. The snow sounds fun tho, I just sure hope its not snowing when I go out to Germany! We did get to go and walk around the temple on Sunday so that was very nice to get out of the MTC and stretch our legs! Well my time have come to an end, man this is probably the quickest 30 minutes of every week but I sure do love hearing from you! Keep up the hard work and I'll do the same on my side! This work is true and I love learning more about it every day and I cannot wait to share it with the people in Deutschland!

Love,

Elder Jason Jerman

handwritten letter from Elder Jerman

Dear Family,

Hey, I've got a little time right now. so I will write to you.  I know how exciting it is to receive a letter so I will return the favor.  We are doing laundry right now and it is about 10:45.  Our morning try at 6:00 didn't really work out.  This place is just crawling with people!

It's great though and I'm getting this new schedule down.  So fun to see the new missionaries come on Wednesday!  The food is good and I've been sleeping well.  Still just me and my companion in our room.  I thought on Wednesday we would get roommates but I guess they haven't figured out yet that it's just the two of us.  Haven't had any weird dreams yet.  The only unusual one was being under ground at a water slide park that was all cement.

Gym is fun!  I run a mile every day and then play 4-square and volleyball.  Both are so fun!

Hey, I just met an Elder here in the laundry room from Arizona and he knows our cousin Jacob Jerman.  How fun!  

 I do believe his 

name

 is Elder Nelson.  Small world.

Classes are great.  We are in there a lot of the day, but I'm learning so much.  The German is coming along great.  I't so fun!  German could be the sweetest language ever!  We'll ta ta for now.

Love hearing from you.  It's so fun to get letters as a missionary!

Love every single one of you!

Keep up the good work and I'll do the same!

Love, Elder Jason Jerman

Oh its Great to be a Missionary

Cant believe we are back to Tuesday and im writing again. Here in the MTC time is quite weird and different, the days feel like weeks but the weeks fell like days! Looking back I cant believe I have been here 2 weeks! Its a funny thing because the Russians have been here 8 weeks and they leave the same day we do! I should not complain about getting out to Germany! We sure did luck out on having our time be cut down! We had some new Russians actually come in this last Wednesday and I knew of two coming in, Elder Nate Back and Elder Jakob Garlick. I have been looking for them all week and finally on Sunday I saw them and they were companions! How crazy, that could have been Elder Allan and I!

Oh but I just love new missionaries coming in! Wednesday are the greatest things ever, highlight to my week! It gets me so excited to see just a rush of missionaries come in! We have only had one Wednesday since we last communicated but it  was just the best day ever and tomorrow it will be just as good! Elder Jones will be coming in and that will be a blast! Its also nice to know that we are not the youngest missionaries now. We almost got to be host missionaries actually on Wednesday because they needed more! But we went back to finish up planning a lesson, maybe this week!

The MTC is quite the happening place right now! Im sure that just a few months ago it was different! We have changed up our schedule just a tad because of it! We get up at 6 o'clock for showers because if you get up right at 630 you will be in a line for a good little while and we have to be in class by 7 so we have no time to waste! Its not too bad tho, I like getting up early! Another thing is the laundry, man oh man! That room is just crawling with people! So today we thought we would be all smart and go at 6 in the morning...well I guess everyone else had that same idea because it was just as busy! We eventually did do it tho, no worries! Lastly, the lunch room is a mess, literally! Okay not really but the lines are as far as the eye can see! Once I get my tray of food I feel like im driving a car because its just a traffic jam in there and if someone stops in front of you, you have to stop just as quickly or you'll make a mess!  Luckily that has not happened yet. Its hard to find a seat but we try and eat as a district and that has been fun to do and we are starting to really come together!

The German is coming along real well! I can understand someone talking really well but its just the responding that gets me! We've had quite a bit of lessons and the one last night I felt really compfident with and I was involved in it! Its great to have a companion that knows German pretty well so I can ask him if I need help in the lesson or classroom! We have Devotionals every Tuesday and Sunday and that is another thing that is always jammed! Its in a big gym that we have and they have seats that come out and it is always filled to the rim!

The Misson life is going good I'd have to say tho! Im learning so much everyday about the Gospel, German and being a missionary! I cant wait to get out to Germany and serve the people the Lord has instore for me! Its cool to think the Lord has prepared both them and I so that one day we can meet! Cant wait to love those great people!

Love you all so much,

Elder Jason Jerman

Ps. Im everyone's favorite being the district leader because im the one to get the mail everyday! Sure is a fun calling!

Our District

Provo Utah Temple

Meine Erste Woche! (1st email)

Family!

Its so good to write to you! I have arrived at the MTC and have survived my first weed! I am well and in good heath! There is so much to tell, hopefully I can tell you it all before my time runs out! We run on a tight schedule here and there seems to be no time but I feel like my time here has been more than just a week! Make sense? Well lets see, where to start? Once you guys drop me off I was taken into the MTC and given my badge and some other papers and such then I was taken to my room to put my things there. Then went to my classroom in another building! My classroom is a pretty small room, it fits our district in there though. We have 10 in our district 2 sister comapnionships and 3 elder companionships. Elder Nate Allan is in my district! We have 2 elders from Finland as well in our district, Elder Lappalienen and Elder Tiits. My companion is Elder Sponseller from Midland Michigan and he is such a great guy! We get along so well and are very similar! I am blessed to have him! He has much more experience with German and so its good to learn from him! Sister Hull is in my zone and she is just a few classrooms down and so I she here often! I also see Elder Pierce as well here and there!

We dove right into German the moment we walked into the classroom! They speak little english if any here! And its so good for us! I can understand mostly everything they are saying by now but the hard thing is to respond. We have already taught 3 lessons in German to an investagator! Its so cool and we feel the spirit everytime! I am learning something new everyday both in German and about the Gospel! I can give a simple pray and testimony in Germand! The first couple days were pretty long I must say but now that Ive got it down its not that bad! Just adjusting those first days into a missionary schedule was a bit tough and there seemed to be no time! You always want to be doing something or studying, there is no time to waste here in the MTC!

The food here is pretty good...you learn what to eat and what not to eat! Its so fun because in the cafeteria I see many people I know whether it be from high school, sports team, or college! I love it! We have gym time everyday and we usually play 4 square or fun or play volleyball! The Germans always dominate 4 square! It is only Elder Sponseller and I in our room! Kinda funny that its just us because of all the new missionaries but im sure we will be getting roommates this next week! We have Russians and Germans on our floor and it has been fun to get to know them all! One I actually was freinds with up at Utah State!

Its crazy how many missionaries are here, especially the sister! I would say its pretty even between the elders and sisters! Its so cool to see how many sisters are here! Well my time has come to an end! We only get 30 minutes so we have to write quick! One more thing real quick! On the second day here I was called to be our District Leader! Very neat opportunity to accpet that call and to serve my District! The Lord knows what I need to prepare myself once I get out to Germany! This is a great work we have on the earth today and what a great opportunity it is to shar and bless the lives of so many in Germany!  I just want to go already! But got to be here another 5 weeks! It will be good! Love you all! Till next week!

Love, Elder Jason Jerman

Elder Sponseller and Elder Jerman 

Our District

Elder Jerman and Elder Sponseller

We're here!

From here to there

1st letter from the MTC

Dear Family, Well hello! Guten tag, wie heist du?  It's simple German but that's where we start.  I've been here at the MTC for about a day now!  They say that once Sunday hits is when you get things down and the time starts to fly.

It's been good though.  The food is pretty good but the lines are pretty crazy.  There are so many people here.  I love it!  It's so cool to be surrounded by so many great young people!

I'll tell ya more on my p-day but just had a little time to say hello and tell you that I am well and everything is great.  It's crazy to think I'm really here at the MTC!

  Love, Elder Jason Jerman

p.s. don't worry, I'll tell you later about my mitarbeiterand (companion) and roomates :)  

p.p.s. they've changed my departure date to March 19th so now my address is 

Elder Jason C. Jerman

MTC mailbox #108

ALP-GER 0319

2005 N. 900E

Provo, Utah 84604