Matty's Call Home - leaving MTC

Matt called once at about 7:00 to let us know they were leaving SLC to head to LA. He called then about 11:00 or so. He sounded great, VERY excited to go. He is hoping and praying that he will go to Malaysia. He wants to be out in the jungles. That kind of surprised me. He thinks Singapore sounds great but he said it sounds like a prison, mostly due to the laws such as no spitting on the sidewalks, that it is illegal to eat a certain fruit in public because it smells so bad. My friend Glen Sellars told me about a fruit that smells so bad but tastes soooo good. Matt heard the same thing. Funny. He was in good spirits about the long plane ride, about 19 hours. He should get there about 6:00 tonight. Ugh!! He refused to buy a neck pillow that he actually told me he would do. I am sure by now he wishes he had one, but you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. Too macho to buy a pillow. :-) He was happy to get out of the MTC, food, sicknesses, etc. He said the guy who was the District Leader when he got there and then Matt was given the assignment was kind of a poop. He was offended I guess that Matt took his place. He said he was the most sensitive person he had ever met. Thankfully he went to Indonesia and not Matt's mission. He did have good experiences though. He especially enjoyed President Ughtdorf when he came to speak, and he also got to meet and shake hands with Elder Scott. He said the he is a very small man. He came to about Matt's shoulders. He said he stood in line for about 1 1/2 hours to meet him. He loves the language and is so excited to learn more of it and will be bummed if he doesn't get to use it. :-) It is a cool sounding language. He is fired up and ready to go. I am sure he will do well, but as you all know will have challenges that will test him. He needs to hear from all of us on a regular basis so when we find out when his e-mail day is I will let you know. He will be only able to carry 43 lbs. in his luggage when he travels on airplanes there so that will be his first challenge, what to leave at the Mission Home. He will be leaving his suit for sure. No problem there. :-) Ok, I am trying to remember all that he said, will write more later when I remember. Gotta go!! Love you

Mom