A new letter

Dear Family,
It was good to get your letters. I think I said this in my last letter, but I wasn't able to write until last Thursday so I'm sorry if I left you wondering what had become of me. I actually didn't get most of your letters until I had already sent mine off so let me reply to some of your questions. Yes, there is a choir here and my entire district has been going to the practices. We sing at every Sunday fireside and Tuesday devotional and those always fill up very quickly, but if you're in the choir then you are pretty much guaranteed a saved seat. I feel great about my Spanish. I really have been blessed with the language so far. I learn more and more every day and I've already had a couple SYL's (speak your language) during lunch that I just committed to personally. By next Friday, our instructors have challenged us to have an SYL and everyone promised to do it, even though a few were reluctant. I'm glad that you had a great trip to Oregon and it sounds like Dad had some great hikes lined up. What's the deal with Bryce doing rugby now? I've had a couple letters from you mentioning that, but who is he doing it with? Anyway, I'm doing awesome here. The time has just been flying by and lot's of days you wake up realizing that things you thought weren't for a couple days are right then. The temple here is amazing! We did a session last P-day and I loved it so much. The temple is the one place while you're here at the MTC where you can actually just sit and ponder about all the amazing blessings you have. We also have had some incredible firesides. Among the speakers we've had are, Richard G. Hinckley, a coordinating director for the MTC, Brother Heaton, and then just this Tuesday we had Elder Jeffrey R. Holland speak to us. It was so incredible! I thought that I was able to get a bunch of thoughts from talks before and that they could all apply to me in some way, but out here, when the speakers are actually talking to 2400 missionaries and are teaching messages specifically designed to help us, then you can feel the Spirit testifying to you so strong and as Elder Holland shared with us, receive "a fire burning in the marrow of your bones to teach the word of God." I wish that I could have recorded all the things that Elder Holland and all our other speakers have shared. It really does put a fire in you to go out and preach! One thing that I want to share with you Bryce and any other prospective missionaries who read this is this. Study Preach My Gospel! The lessons and discussions we learn to teach as missionaries are designed to bring people to Christ and be baptized. But PMG was, as Elder Holland put it, "born to convert the missionary." No matter where you go or how many you teach on your mission, you can know that by studying PMG and by working your very hardest, being obedient to the letter and enduring to the end, YOU at least will be fully converted to the Lord and that is something to marvel at. I love you all!
Elder Bradley Bishop