Dear Family!
I love you! boom and three weeks left, can you even believe how quickly it has gone by? whosah! I can't. first off let's begin by saying once, in a rousing fashion "this life is good." eek! I just love it so much. I can't really handle it most of the time.
So first let me describe what could have been the most exciting/hilarious personal study at the MTC yet. I was sitting on one couch when I:
- saw two elders get stuck in the elevator for a good 45 min. haha. and some worker man came over to the shut elevator door and said "elders just sit down and study and someone will get you out"
-an elder gave me a bouncy ball
-it was kitty-corner to the bathroom and there was an elder sitting outside the bathroom waiting for his comp to come out for I would say close to 30 min AND finally his comp walks out with his head hanging down low and a what bag in his hand (yes the notorious white bag test continues to torment missionaries at the MTC)
-Sister VS has a friend John who works on our floor and he VOLUNTEERED to "sneak" us in In'n'out. I swear we didn't even con him into it, he volunteered. AND of course how could I resist. So Tuesday is the big day- I will be eating In'n'Out- you can think of me then. :)
So that full hour was had me and sister VS in stitches the whole time. We were dying. perhaps this is not funny to you but believe you me after 9 weeks here it was all funny.
On to much more missionary type things:
Tuesday night. drum roll please. Elder Russell M. Nelson came! The first apostle since I have been at the MTC and it was amazing. Wow. So powerful to have an apostle of the LORD speak directly to you about your job for the next 18 months. It wasn't the traditional talk it was more just several things that we need to improve on. Like how important it is for people to understand in the first few seconds we meet them that we follow Jesus Christ. And how important it is to remember people's names. He also (several times in his talk) said "we thank your families. we are grateful to them for sacrificing you." He said "you need to know you follow Jesus Christ. feel it in your heart, who you are and why you are on a mission, and what your message is...your purpose is to teach doctrine of christ and bring joy to those who will eventually follow him" "be armed with righteousness and the Lord will establish his church by your hand" "we need to be like doctors who ask their patiences where the pain is" he also emphasized how important it is to build lasting relationships with our converts. he said "the church cares about people and the blessings their recieve from baptism, those kind of numbers can't be recorded" It was a very neat exeperience.
Lately I have come to a realization. OK so I appreciate you and the encouragement about learning Chinese, really I do. But I have realized two things. First off, Chinese is simply a means to a much greater end. In that getting hung up on my chinese and my ability/inability isn't good because really I can speak but it is the spirit that teaches. Second, that the blessings I received before leaving -none of them spoke specifically about my Chinese and learning Chinese. Which at first was sort of tough, especially when people around me are saying things like "my ____(fathers, setting apart, etc) blessing said that I would master the language" etc. BUT here is the thing I have realized with the help of the spirit. Whoever the Lord is preparing for me to teach and bring closer to Christ doesn't need me speaking perfect or even coherent chinese. (because if I am really honest with you I'm the slowest in my district) but that is so ok. And I'm not like resigning myself to that or something it excites me because I can use other talents and abilities of mine to help the people of Taiwan understand how awesome this gospel is and what a blessing it can be in their life. I love it. I really love it. Bah! See didn't I tell you this life is good!
here is something hilarious an elder (sundance) said the other day in class "people's concerns are like squash. I don't like them but sometimes they end up on my dinner table." (ok clearly there is not truth but it was just funny because we have been focusing on how to better address and understand peoples concerns.
So in other news- the threesome is getting along just great. It takes us like 2 more minutes to get everywhere BUT it is worth it because Sister Morey really adds a lot. She is exactly what Sister VS and I needed in the home stretch. she is seriously awesome, she likes rules more than me, for better or for worse sometimes but still its good because obedience is good. I have the cafeteria menu almost completely memorized. gag me. please. Two lovely friends of mine from BYU arrived at the MTC last week and it has been so fun to run into them every once in awhile. Ok awesome scripture discovery- the book of 1 John is packed with great things. Read it.
Congrats on the Idaho Statesman endorsement, that is awesome. You all are in the home stretch too and I am praying for you!! (jeepers but I am not jealous of you) Dad you have this and Mom you are the best campaign manager ever. Ben/Liv I just got your emails and don't have time to respond today, sorry! But i love you both and thank you for writing. Mere- write me stat. I will look for Jamo on Wednesday it is going to be so great to see him. AND can you believe it has been a year since I got carbon monoxide poisoning how crazy that time goes by so quickly.
Well I love you all dearly and miss you to itty bitty pieces. Please let tuffy out for me. And OH Nana your addition to the Halloween package phew that was the best- leaves plus an army man- I want nothing more in a package. Oh and I got the Ross's package (our home teachers, so wonderful).
the rest of you shout outs: i love you now check your mailbox . and adrianne
No comments:
Post a Comment