Sept 13, 2009

Dear Wonderful Family,

Wow, it's hard to believe another week has flown by. Things really are moving fast. This past week has been a pretty adventurous one. I think you'll like to hear it.

Monday was a normal boring day of all classes. No big deal. Just normal stuff.

Tuesday started the fun when we got to go to FTX (field training exercise, I think). Which was basically just training out in the woods. We did a whole day of land navigation with a compass, a map and a list of locations. We spent the whole day in groups of 4 walking around out in the trees. Most of the time we were lost. But a few times we got it right and found where we were supposed to go. It was pretty cool.

The Kentucky woods were like something out of a picture. I swear one place we went looked just like the Joseph Smith picture in the Sacred Grove, ha. I just kept looking around. It was amazing.

By the way did I mention I got put as a team leader? ha I think they did it alphabetically and my name just came up. But it's pretty cool. I'm in charge of five other guys. I don't really do anything now but I think when we start breaking into smaller groups, I'll do more.

Anyway back to the week. Tuesday night we did night land navigation. Which was just us lost for about 3 hours, ha. I don't know how they expect us to find our way in the dark, but I had a good time.

That night we slept under the stars. The sky was so beautiful. This really is a very pretty place.

The next day we packed up camp and headed back "home". After eating and stuff we had a combatives tournament. It was platoon against platoon in each weight class. So we had to wrestle our own platoon first to see who would represent our platoon in the final tournament. I did pretty good. I made the first 2 people tap out by putting them in a choke hold, ha. I love that move! The third guy I wrestled man-handled me. He was really good and I had to tap :( But I didn't feel too bad because he went on to win the whole tournament. That day was a lot of fun.

Thursday we had our red phase P.T. (physical training) test. I got 43 push ups, 63 sit ups and 2 miles in 13.39. I didn't do that much better than what I was doing before I left. But I think it's mostly because my muscles are so broken down. If I had a few days to recover I would be bustin' them out like a machine ha. Probably!

Friday we did another obstacle course. I told you about the last one. But this one makes that one look like a kiddie toy. I wish you could have seen this thing. It has a tower that was probably 40 or 50 feet high with platforms every 10 feet or so. We had to work as a team and push each other up each level and lower each other down to the bottom. They also had a wall like at Zions camp. but instead of one wall they had a series of about 6 walls that started at about 7 feet and got gradually taller to about 13 or 14 feet. Just like at Zion's we had to get over them all with just our bodies and minds. They also had a thing that looks like something out of a Japanese game show. They had a series of logs set up on supports that all fell into grooves. In sets of 4 we had to lay our stomachs on the logs and roll ourselves from log to log. ha It was probably pretty funny to watch.

That is only naming 3 of a ton of obstacles. It was an all day event and a really fun day altogether.

Saturday we started working with our M16's. It started with classes. But later in the day we got to practice on this shooting machine that all the drill sergeants call a video game. I did pretty good. I got 4 clips out of five right which is pretty good for my first time. I'm excited, on Monday we get to practice with live rounds.

Saturday night right before dinner, we had a Major "RAPPORT" moment. The whole company (240 people) gathered up in a large group and we were told we would find out if we were finally moving to White phase. The first Sergeant gave us a speech then asked all the drill sergeants, one after another if their platoons were ready to phase. Each one answered "No". I could tell it was all a plan. But it was still really demoralizing. We are all trying hard and it made us all mad.

But I know that this is how it's supposed to be. I plan to just keep working my hardest and getting through whatever they throw at me.

Well that's all the excitement for this week. The next two weeks are focused almost entirely on learning to handle our weapons. So I'm pretty excited.

Thanks to everyone for their letters. They mean so much to me and it's so good to hear from everyone. But I have a request. Tell me more about what's going on there. Tell me all the day to day thing. Remember that I see an average of 3 rooms a day and not much in between. I'm feeling pretty isolated. Tell me all about sports an dance and gymnastics. Tell me about school and work. Tell me about the weather, ha. I know it probably seems boring to you guys. But when your in a bubble like me those boring things are great to hear about.

Well, I'm having a good time here. We do a lot of cool things. But at the same time it's the hardest thing I've ever done. Some days I wake up completely exhausted and while I'm trying to shave with my eyes closed (ha ha) I think "there is no way I can make it through this day" A few times I've wanted to break down and cry and I probably would have if it wasn't for the fifty other guys in the bathroom.

But I'm learning to rely on Heavenly Father more than ever. Usually after I shave I go back to my bunk, put my face down in my arms, and beg for the strength to make it through. Then as the day goes on I find that I have more strength and motivation than I could have before imagined. I know that with Heavenly Father help I can make it through any thing.

I hung all the pictures you sent me in my wall locker, ha. It's fun the way people stop and look and ask who you guys are and say wow you got a good looking family. You guys make me proud. My bunk mate told me to have Lonica call him in a few years. So, I punched him in the mouth, ha. Just Kidding. But everyone is amazed at how beautiful she is for someone so young.

I also put Jalen's Combat Medic picture up and like 5 people have asked if he could send them one of their job. ha ha I told them they don't have enough to pay for a Jalen Original.

Well, I think that's all for this letter. It's Saturday night and I'm so excited for tomorrow. Sunday means rest and peace and smiling faces and hopefully e-mails and possibly some cookies, ha. I can't wait! Sundays get me through the week.

I miss you guys a ton. I think about you at least 50 times a day. I look forward with excitement to the day when I get to see you all again. I don't think I've ever been so excited for Christmas to come. Today I was thinking about things like: The Forgotten Carols, The Muppet's' Christmas Carol, Shovelling snow and a tree and family and all the usual Christmas stuff. Oh man I freak'n can't wait.

A huge part of this whole thing has been learning patience and believe me I've got a lot to learn.

I love all of you so much and know I'll see you soon. Keep praying for me and keep doing good as a family. I know you guys are growing closer together everyday.

Good bye for now. 6 week left.

Your Soldier,
Justin

P.S. Go BYU
P.S. Go Vikings
This is our year, I know it! ha ha ha