First Email

Hey everyone! I just set up my email account about 5 seconds ago and I only have 30 min to write emails once a week so I might not be able to tell you everything that has gone on the past week. Today is our district's first p-day. It's nice to be in normal clothes again. Everything has been going really well so far. The first day after you guys all left we had an orientation and met our teachers and zone leaders. A couple of elders were late; one didn't get in until Saturday. My district is really fun. Everyone is pretty smart and has good insight to everything we learn. Elder Piiparinen and I have made a pretty good companionship so far. We've taught the first discussion probably ten times already to other missionaries and teachers pretending to be investigators. Gym time has also been really fun. The indoor gym has been closed because they re-finished the floors so we've played soccer as a district. I'm not too bad at it, and no I haven't broken either of my feet yet. One of the elders in our district, Elder Brawner, is a 24 year old paramedic for the military. He was baptized a year and a half ago in Iraq by other soldiers. He is an extremely funny black guy, and he knows a ton about politics and Christian history, so it's good practice teaching him the first discussion when he acts like an investigator because he was one not too long ago. I can't believe it's already been a week! It was funny too see all the new missionaries come in yesterday and now we finally don't have to be the new elders. I hope everything is going good at home! You guys don't need to worry about me here I'm doing great and I've been having a blast so far. I've felt the Spirit more than ever the past week.

Love, Mat

First Letter

Mat's first letter came today! His MTC companion is Elder Piiparinen from Wyoming. He said they are getting along pretty well. The other two companions in his room are from West Valley City and California. His letter was very short, but he says he's doing fine. He should be able to email to his family soon and then I will post portions of his emails on this blog. Stay tuned!

Elder Mat Squires Enters the MTC

We arrived at the MTC around 12:15 p.m and unloaded Mat's luggage. The parking lot was full of missionaries and their families doing the same thing we were.

Mat was one of the first missionaries to park his luggage for the 1:00 arrival. This brother was directing luggage placement. There were senior missionaries everywhere at the MTC and they were very helpful--and comforting!

Mat entered the new missionary door and then we went through the families door. It was so crowded that I couldn't get a good shot without someone else being in the picture.

The moms get to put the name tags on the missionaries. This part is fun for me. Daniel wanted to get in the picture, too.

A final picture before we had to turn off our cameras. It's all smiles here, but later there were tears. It was a bittersweet moment to see Mat walk behind the wall and know we wouldn't see him for two years. We will miss him, but we know he is where the Lord wants him to be and where he wants to be, too. Mat has been preparing for this time for his entire life. He will be an excellent missionary! We can't wait to get his first email from the MTC!!!

A Trip to Temple Square

We traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah the day before Mat entered the MTC and spent some time on Temple Square and then met Valerie and Tyler at The Roof for dinner. We stayed overnight at the City Center Marriott, which is a tradition we started when Ryan left for his mission.



Mat and Daniel both wanted to stand in front of Hyrum, but since Mat is older and Hyrum was older, Mat got to do it. I love this picture.


In front of the Church Administration Building. Do you think Mat is excited about being a missionary?

Happy 19th Birthday, Mat

Mat turned 19 today! It was a very different kind of birthday. Mat spent the day getting his suitcases packed for the MTC. He's ready to go!!!

Family Time

Mat was assigned to speak in Sacrament meeting today before he leaves on his mission.

Fortunately we all got to church a little early because when we looked at the printed program, they had typed in Daniel Squires as the speaker and missionary going to Anchorage Alaska. The bishop had corrected programs printed before the meeting started, but we kept a couple of the misprinted ones. I think Daniel would have liked to have been going on a mission now too! The bishop gave Mat the topic of "the doctrine of mothers" which was very appropriate for Mother's Day. Mat said some wonderful things about his mother in his very well prepared talk and gave a beautiful testimony. The youth speaker was Eric Corpuz, the friend Mat baptized last September. Eric also spoke on mothers and then gave a great tribute to Mat and our family for the influence we've had in his life. The final speaker was Mat's 8th grade science teacher, Karen Nelson, and she also talked about Mat and what a great young man he is. Sister Nelson has been in our ward longer than we have. Her daughter, Catherine, was Ryan's anatomy lab TA at BYU. The Nelsons are great people and wonderful friends. It was a great meeting. Mat's Grandpa and Grandma Borden came to support Mat on this special day, along with his Aunt Lisa , and Valerie and Tyler. It was a fun family weekend! We missed Ryan, though.

The First Goodbye

Mat and Ryan said goodbye at the Las Vegas airport on Thursday, May 7, as Ryan departed for his summer internship in Uganda. These boys have had a lot of fun spending two semesters with each other at BYU. They had an anatomy class together during the second semester and they loved that class. They both got A's! Some of their favorite activities: going to BYU football games, weightlifting at Gold's Gym, Ryan helping Mat use up his dining dollars at the Cannon Center, eating Sunday dinner at Valerie and Tyler's house, studying in the library and the list goes on and on. They went to the Priesthood session of General Conference at the Conference Center in April and also attended the Provo Temple together. They will miss each other for the next two years while Mat is in Alaska!