Notes from the Elders & Sisters of Bekah's District to her Family

Sister DeMordaunt is so wonderful. She helped me feel extremely welcome at the MTC when I arrived here last week and jumped into her district and COMPANIONSHIP. She studies hard and is an inspiration to me of perseverance. She has a STRONG spirit about her and I’m very impressed by her depth of faith and hunger for the Gospel. She has a deep love for and desire to share the gospel with the people of Taiwan and that genuine love will be able to reach people in incredible ways. Thank you for letting her serve. Love, Sister Morey

Your daughter is an excellent example of Christlike charity. Sister DeMordaunt has taught me a lot about kindness, as well as faith. She brings light into the life of the district. I am happy to have been called to serve in the same mission, and you should be proud to call her your daughter. Elder O’Brien

Sister DeMordaunt is a power house!! She has such a great love of the gospel and wants to share it with everyone. She is a hard worker and will do very well in Taiwan. Elder Field

Dear Mr. and Mrs. DeMordaunt: Thank you so very much for your daughter’s service. Serving with her is a delight. She is very loving and accepting. She is also obedient and an amazing example of the believers. I know she will do very well in Taiwan. Thanks for raising her the way you did. Elder Maxfield

Dear DeMordaunt Family—Thank you for sending Sister D. on a “mish” (her own word). She truly has an uplifting spirit. Some days I wonder what I would do without someone equally as joke-oriented as myself, but before I even finish the thought, Sister D. has usually said something HILARIOUS!...So the problem goes away! Sincerely, Elder Badser.

DeMordaunt Family, I’ve been with Sister D for 49 days now and it has been incredible. She has helped me through a lot of hard transitions from normal life to mission life. Her faith is something I hope I can have some day. She is passionate about the gospel and its contagious! You’ve raised an awesome missionary. Elder Turk

Dear Sister D.’s Fam: I’m so privileged to have the opportunity to serve with your daughter in the MTC. What I love most is to see her willingness to always try her best. She is always willing to try even when speaking Chinese is hard. It motivates me to have that same attitude. Elder Ostvig (AKA Sundance)

And lastly…I feel very blessed to be Sister DeMordaunt’s companion. When it comes down to it, we are so similar, yet have so much to learn from each other. She has a very tender heart and it is beneficial to missionary work. She is a great communicator and can easily connect with people. Her Chinese has increased SO MUCH since we got here. One time we were teaching and afterwards our teacher told her that she sounded like she’d been in Taiwan 6 months already. I know she is receiving so much help from the spirit as she prepares to go to Taiwan and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know she has a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. I’ve been privileged to share many spiritual experiences with her. She is changing for the better and is such a blessing to see her learn and grow while helping everyone around her to do the same. I know we were put together for a reason. Thanks for preparing and supporting her in serving the Lord. She will bless many people in Taiwan. Sister DeVictoria

Three weeks and counting...

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 davis I can't believe you get home in dec. WHAT!!!

MTC almost halfway pics

"The morning we became 'old.' You know how I love getting older...BUT mission 'old' is sooo good. Early morning pic mind you..."

"Cupcake Party--with love from Mom, Colemans and Cocoa Bean! MMMM"

"Yep...New missionaries at 5 weeks...hmmmm...six more to go!"

"Britt Barney's surprise visit. So excellent. (Note glasses) And yes, Matthew, SO Asian."

"Ohhhhh Flat Stanley--so hot these days!"

...please...someone let Tuffy out...

I love you and I assume you are all tanned and vacationed out. right? Well, welcome back from the vacay great family. From what I heard from both Mom and Liv it sounded fun! Oh and I just got the package of cupcakes today, delish again and thank you! So here we are again. One new exciting thing in my life- I mean besides being a missionary- is that we (sister VS and I) and getting a third comp on Wednesday when the new bunch of chinese speaking missionaries come in. 7 new sisters! Can you believe that?! We are stoked. I must admit I am a smidge nervous about having three of us because what's that saying about three's company or three's a party or something. Well it should be good though, she is going to Taichung also. boom! Ready to dominate the heck out that place. I didn't tell you this last monday BUT last monday (we do the 10 o'clock sesh at the provo temple every monday) and we were walking back and it started to rain and there we were in our skirts and what not running back to the MTC in the rain. It made me SO pumped to get to Taiwan. Apparently we will be getting there at the end of the rainy season. Eek!

Ok so I'm not going to do the rundown again but just throw some stuff out there.

First interesting thought: If the gospel is to be spread throughout all the earth then why did God confound langauages at the Tower of Babel? We had a class discussion this and basically came up with this answer. First, opposition in all things right? Opposition requires more faith, more humility and more obedience. Then what really hit home for all of us struggling to learn Chinese was that when the people of Taiwan see me (us) struggling to speak their langauge they will be grateful. They will see how much the message we have to share with them means to us. Basically it helps us help them know how much we love them. Neat huh?

On that note... We did teach our first lesson in Chinese this last Saturday. It went well, started off rough but by the end it was good, good stuff. Amazing how the spirit doesn't need us to be speaking coherent sentences to help our investigators. WE taught God is Our Loving Heavenly Father (my favorite- if we are allowed to have a favorite), prayer and the Book of Mormon. By the end I was just bearing my testimony about everything and how it is true. And I remember saying something like "I want you to have this book. I want you to read this book. Because this book will help you find happiness because this book helps me find happiness. It answers all questions no matter what." Pretty simple, pretty bad chinese but I think the spirit was there. And when we left we both felt like the investigator felt the spirit, which in the end is all that matters. (oh btw- the MTC is putting a huge focus on that. not so much us teaching by the spirit- I mean that is critical of course but essentially we need to facilitate environments and opporunities for the investigator to feel the spirit. we were told that in the sunday night fireside by the admin director of the MTC).

Last Tuesday Elder Neunschwander (emeritus general authority) came and spoke to us on 7 ways to be a succesful missionary. The first was that we decide/determine the success of our mission. And ya know what, I have really noticed that to be the case. The days I start off by saying "alright today is going to be a good day" really do turn out to be good days. No matter what. We decide and I like that. Sounds like me right? To like a sense of control to life. :)

This last week as a district we have been working on SYL (Speak your langauge) and wowsah what a difference that has made. I go to sleep thinking of chinglish sentences in my head. And as I write you peeps I often times think of a Chinese word before an English word. ha, its real great. Plus SYL-ing is hilarious. So you know how I shorten words in english like appropriate to approp and stuff? well I have started doing that to chinese words and oh boy- my teachers get a real kick out of that. I am determined to take two things to Taiwan- sarcasim and shortening words. they are in for a real treat those Taiwanese :) ha.

So at the beginnning of every relief society a Sister shares her conversion story and HOW COOL IS THIS .... the first sister form Jordan (yes the middle eastern country) shared her conversion story. She is the first sister EVER from Jordan and (EMILY SSSS She will be serving on Temple Square- look for her- she is j'adore) it was amazing. I bawled the whole time. Her conversion story was such a miracle. She and her brother were walking down the street in Amman and picked up a piece of paper from the ground with a telephone number on it and called the number. It just happened to be the branch in amman. So they talked to the man on the phone and he invited them to come to church and they came and now her whole family (minus her dad) has been baptized. Her brother is serving a mission in Brazil and she is here. Whoa! I am getting teary eyed just thinking about it right now. The lord's hand IS in all things. Don't you ever doubt that. Oooo I just love it, yikes! This life is good! Oh so good! Then Sister Jean A. Stevens - first counselor in the primary general presidency spoke to us on how to teach so people become "converted" to the gospel not just baptized. Great quote: "your voice will be his voice to those you teach, your hands will be his hands to those you love and serve."

Alright so item of business... ummm can missionaries vote ABSENTEE? Because of course I would like to vote for my dear dad. Let me know on that.

Shout -outs:

Aunt Chris I got the cookies- they were delicious and such a treat! I need your address to I can send you and the whole family a letter or two!

Kris Pattee/ The entire Young Womens- you spoiled me! I can't even believe it. To get notes from everyone was the best. We are going to have a little "welcome" party for the new sisters on wednesday with the candy, etc. thank you so much.

Quinn & Steph! the package was oh SO perfect! Our room is festive and FINALLY smells good! check your mailbox soon :)

Slace- I just got your letter off today- sorry it is late but it is coming.

Meremeremere- i got your letter, i love you lady. just know that. and of course I am writing you back.

Grandma DeMordaunt: you should have a letter from me BUT I am wondering if you could send a 4 generation pedigree chart when you write back. apparently that helps us get in the doors in taiwan because they are so focused on ancestors.

I love youALLLLL!!! Like I said before this life IS good! We can make it good.

Oh and melissa demordaunt I anticipate seeing you this sunday! woooo!!

New pics...

"Sisters of room 323--We do the 'Ching Chang Chong' nightly. All headed to Taiwan."

"Best Surprise Evers! And cutest BYU co-ed"

"All the Chinese speaking sisters in our zone."

"She is adorable and I'm so Asian. Loves."

"Poop in a bag (required stool sample)--thanks Taiwan Visa Service--it provided a real companion bonding experience in the bathroom."

Seriously So Blessed

HEY fam!

Real quick... did I mention how much I love you! Ok I am slightly jealous of your current vacation status, but don't worry Mere and I will hold down the fort here in Provo.

And another real quick- umm hello Mack Drzayich works at the MTC and I JUST saw him. Hmmm it seems a few of my friendly people did NOT mention that he was working here. thanks. He looked great though, he is tutoring Senior Couples in Russian. Awesome!

So instead of doing the run through I am just going to share some neat things that I have learned this week/weekend. In other words this might be a bit all over the place.

First off, think about this. First think of the time when we all lived in heaven and 2/3 rds of us decided to follow Christ and come to earth. We chose to come here to have trials and hardships but also joy and happiness. then think of all the people that have lived on this earth trillions I am sure, more even. Since Adam and Eve came, all different times of this earth's history. And then think about how we were all born into this, the last dispensation when the restored gospel is on the earth. Think about how many other different periods of time YOU could have come to this earth and then think about this one. the last days. We know that this dispensation will end with our Savior returning to the earth in all his power and glory. Then think about the country you were born in. The freedoms we enjoy here, particularly religious freedom. then think about the family you were born into, for some it was a family with the gospel already and for many others it was not. then think about the importance of the gospel in your life. Think of how the plan of salvation changes your life and the choices you make. How the ability to repent changes your life. How the knowledge that you have a Savior changes who you are and what you know about your self. think about the knowledge that you have that YOU have a loving Heavenly Father who loves you and knows you.

then think about all the people who have ever lived on the earth or who now live on the earth that don't have that knowledge, that has literally changed your life.

think of the responsibility that gives ALL of us to live what we believe, to share what we believe through our example or through or simple ways of teaching or simply loving as the Savior loves. Every person we come in contact to is a child of our heavenly father and he desperately wants them to return to him. How can we not share what we have? I mean really, how can we not. AND then we are promised that if we bring but one soul back to the kingdom of our father how great will be our joy? Our joy? Really! He just continues to bless us.

Ok another thing- a living prophet. With conference this weekend and after teaching the first lesson a few (so under exagerating) times the fact that we have a living prophet on the earth today is amazing. It really is another sign of God's love for us. He wants us to return so badly that he calls men and women to dedicate their lives to helping us and others return to him. they help us find joy and make our way through the difficulties of life but it doesn't stop there they help us reach eternal life (with our families) in the life to come.

Did I mention that this life is good? Oh wait because it is. It is suppose to be hard be those hard times make the sweet times that much sweeter.

On Tuesday for devotional L. Whitney Clayton (Emily S. yes you dated his son, weird oh wait and so did Berit Greene, bizarre) anywho, he spoke about the stone that was cut out of the mountain which will roll to fill the earth. here are a few quotes that I especially liked

"No cause under the heavens can stop the work of God."

"People will ridicule us, people will call us names- don't worry about it. The day WILL come when this miracle will fill the earth."

"What we are apart of (missionary work) is the greatest miracle since the atonemnet." AND the work going on right now is ONLY the beginning. amazing.

D&C 138. I was prepared for this calling before I came to this earth. We were all prepared and taught for the work (not just missionary work- all work, like raising a family, gaining knowledge, supporting friends, being examples to co-workers) we are doing and will do here on this earth. All of us! So get to it :)

So in other news:

The cupcakes were delicious! Mom really, you spoil me! They were such a treat so thank you. We had an apartment cupcake feast :) also, one of the sisters in my apt is majoring in dance education at BYU so she and I have started doing a 45 min ballet class with grand battemas and all. It makes my day! Gramma Lynne would be proud.

Meliss! I got your package and I am wearing the earrings right now! I love them, such a treat. thank you! I'm still trying to get over that Ash saw BROOKE Larson in Prague. What are the chances? (if you don't know what I am talking about read ashley dean's latest blog post).

Peggy! Ok so thank you again for getting that address. It turns out that Elder Randall got a package from Andrew (and wife) before he even got to write him on p-day. a sister in his district described him getting the package and opening it as being "a holy moment for him." he comes from a totally inactive family who aren't every supportive of him being here.

Mom- I was just walking to class the other day and I thought about Janae Neyman and how much I love her. Please text her as soon as you get this and tell her. She is an amazing women, wow.

SARAH GGGG Stinking abrielson! UM I got your dear elder and there was no address SO send it STAT because I have a letter here waiting for you. Quick quick. p.s. you are practically living in Step UP 3. i'm obsessed. i love it.

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.