Boom!

Hello lovely fam!!

I miss you all!! And let me just say a big stinking I LOVE YOU!! Oh and go let Tuffy out for me:)

Ok... so this last weeks run down:

Monday: p-day- you received an email from me. Also, mere please confirm that you got my letter sometime this week. I got you mid-week pick me up which was brilliant and delish so thanks to you and your roomie however you said you hadn't recieved my letter.. mmm what? Also, I wrote other lovely people out there and really if I come home with premature arthiritis in my hands- thats why. Because I love you and I write you on Monday. boom. That night we had a lesson on humility in class- the focus of it was accepting God's will in our lives and putting our trust in him. As a missionary this seems to be a major lesson I am here to learn. I am working on it, I suppose that is all I can say for now.

Tuesday: OK I love Tuesdays because on tuesday night we have a fireside and they are always super great. This weeks was Bryan H. Richards who has had a variety of different callings, including mission pres in England. Anywho a few favorite quotes:

"never before and perhaps never again will we(the missionaries in the room- 2,600 ish or so) stand in a group that has all be endowed with a power from on high."

"never before and perhaps never again will we stand in a group that has all recieved a call from a living prophet."

He mostly spoke on knowing who you are and who you represent and becoming the message.

Oh and Tuesday morning (sorry back-up) we had what's called a Large Group Meeting where several different zones of missionaries have a big meeting with one teacher. This week's was on the restoration: a foundation of faith. The teacher shared a really neat quote with us from Elder Bednar on becoming a disciple of Christ "Its not just in the doing and the knowing that leads us back to God it is in the becoming and who we become."

And shout out to Meliss and Kirsten Shelley (whom I LOVE seeing every week- bah! mom she makes me cry every week- I know I have said this before but really.) thank you SO much for the package. The cookies and gourmet carmel apple was delish especially at 10:25 after a long day about on my way into bed. I love it! Meliss- can't wait to see you! Also on Tuesday I decided I am obsesed with the Book of Mormon, folks it is possible. I read it for a full hour during personal study and I swear to you it is not enough. I just love it. Someone should make a real movie about the whole thing, ok not really but I do love it. Read it, seriously. Boom.

Wednesday: I got a bit discouraged about chinese. The language is straight up hard. Don't get me wrong, it is coming, but slowly. And at the MTC they have this theory about first not comparing yourself (which is difficult to get used to because hello we compare our selves everyday in this day and age) and second that they have no real plan as to what you should learn while you are here. It is all about self-application. I want to say- give me a syllabus and I will be on my way. But no, they don't do that. So that I am gettiing used to but it will come. I can teach someone how to pray in chinese so that is good. And I am getting more comfortable with my tones and reading the pinyin. Also I discovered another fantastic quote by Elder Holland:

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead...for those who belive in the gospel of Jesus christ, [blessings] will come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe good thins will come."

It's a good pick-me-up. Also I discovered (i'm sure most people reading this already knew this but...) some people say that 1 nephi 1:20 is the theme of the Book of Mormon. chunk it.

Thursday: Not too exciting. We just practiced extending the baptismal commitment in preparation for our teaching on SAturday. It is so neat to be direct about asking people to accept baptism. I mean- it changes their life and we ask them to chagne their life in one simple question "will you be baptized?" such legit missionary work.

Friday: We practiced teaching seriously like abillion times in prep for Saturday. And we had an intense discussion on obedience in class. There is a learning curve that comes with becoming a missionary and some in our district have struggled more than others so we are trying to work on that. It is nothing intense, just singing "worldly" songs and such. Learning curve for sure.

Saturday and Sunday= the best days of my life in the MTC. Saturday we taught AND we taught the same Chinese lady from last week who is amazing. Seriously so beyond good to us. She teaches us, its out of control ANNDDDD WHAT THE she lived in Japan when we lived there (yes she is from taiwan but then she moved to Japan) she was in the Yokohama 3rd ward. Same years and everything, how bizarre is that? Our teaching went well- we really judge it on whether or not the investigator felt the spirit and not whether or not we felt like we did a good job and both sister VS and I walked away feeling like she had felt the spirit. It was good stuff. this week on sat we have to talk to someone in chinese for 15 min about whether or not they kept their commitments. phew- it is going to be a doozy.

SUNDAY- ok I lied, sunday is the best day in the MTC. Highlight= Brittney Barney absolutely surprised me at the temple. (again let me remind you all that I did not arrange for it so no rules were broken in the process). I just LOVE her. Oh it was so good to see her, eek! She was/is so encouraging. I don't know- someone tell her to write a book about how to encourage Sister missionaries because she has it down pat. Everything she says is good stuff. (BRITT there is a letter coming to you TODAY!) Also our zone leader (one of them) sang this song (my shepard will supply my need) look it up. It is beautiful. And I memorized the first two lines of the first vision in Chinese.

Ok odds and ends/shout-outs!

slace gabe (sarah gabrielson) I need your new address lady! and i hope work is going just fantastic.

Sestra DEAN! save those souls. October 16 is going to be a good day and I love and miss you. check yor mail box in a month because apparently that is how long it will take for my letter to get to you.

OHH all those that live in BOISE listen up: ok there is an elder from new zealand in my zone (elder randall) coolest ever and he is learning chinese and then off to canada, toronto to teach and he has such a thick accent its great BUT he was baptized/his missionary who converted him is from Boise and elder randall wants to find him to tell him he is on a mission: this elder's name Andrew R. Yorgason he lives (or lived) at 5000 fifeshire Place Boise, Idaho. If anyone knows this family please send some contact details for them. This elder randall would love to get in contact with him.

I will look for elder Ryan turner on wed.

Caitlin Davis's homecoming sounded awesome! I want to hear more- tell her to write me or something.

Candice Wood Steele- send me pics. I heard it was beautiful. I love you and I am so glad things are good. I love you!! you married lady (finally).

Weenie- write me and BEN I am writing you back today. Matt I am not asian, i promise, not yet at least. Nana- them's is a good idea and i love you.

And real quick can we talk about how I will be the older district here in two weeks. what? time. gone? crazy!

I love you. all.