December 27, 2013

So we had David A. Bednar come on Christmas day and his talk was amazing. He didn't have anything planned. He just handed out 200 cell phones and said anyone could text in a question and he would read them on his iPad and answer the ones he could in what time he had. He REALLY respects his wife! Every other question he said "this is a question best answered by my wife" and she would say some super inspiring and insightful words. I sent in a question but he didn't answer it :( I asked "how can I totally strip myself of pride?" because I'm STILL having people say I'm prideful but those are the people that don't actually know me. I asked my entire zone and none of them think I'm prideful and I don't think I am either.

This next part is for Kelsie. HOLY COW! Sister Pasko IS YOU!!! You two have the same frame, the same attitude, the same.. the same EVERYTHING!!! It's UNCANNY! I can't believe it! Yeah... anyway... I'm seeing people I know in the faces of random strangers. It's really depressing! But the people actually look really similar to the people I think I see! It's like... totes weird.

In the choir we sang a song "Where Shepherds Lately Knelt". SO GOOD! You all HAVE to go listen to it right now! DO IT! STOP READING!!! Have you done it??? GO DO IT!!! I'll wait :) ................................................................................................... done? good! :)

Thanks to all of you who wrote me or sent me packages! That was so wonderful! It made me so happy when I came back from the post office not being able to see over all the packages I got :D my district loved the giant thing of popcorn :) and no, mom. I have not shared any of the delicious Raspberry sticks >:) but I don't think I'll be able to finish all the candy by the time I leave :P

Anyway! I am LOVING it here! It's difficult at times and I get homesick a lot but it's not NEARLY as bad as the first two or three days were! Those were AWFUL! I feel like I'm in a PRISON! There's barbed fences all around the perimeter and when you go to the temple you're practically on parole :P but I got some sweet pictures! I'll have to come back later today and upload them! Seriously... There's gonna be a dozen at least. I really like taking pictures :)

OH! I've been singing songs ALL THE TIME! and I am the official pitch setter at the beginning of every meeting when we sing the hymns :) I'm getting really comfortable singing in front of people and I'm starting to sing Les Mis again :D my roommate Elder Jorgensen LOVES to sing! So I'm always singing with him and he does the extras parts :) usually because I think he's not very confident in his voice.

This is a long email.... weird... I thought I'd be sending super short ones as a missionary...

ANYWAY!

Hope you all had a fantastical Christmas!

Christmas Dinner

MISSY STOPPED BY MY CLASS TODAY!!! :D I'm super happy that she and I have been bonding a ton! :) She has changed SO MUCH!

These two pictures are from our Temple walk :) I was running all around snapping pictures of the temple without getting out of sight of my group. I even photobombed a few people >:)

The first pic is Sister Bane, she LOVES vintage things so her style is a little vintage :P she's in the other district in my zone but she's fun to talk to :) her companion is named Sister Key and is from some of the isles of Britain. HER ACCENT IS EXACTLY THAT OF ROSE TYLER'S!!! AND SHE WATCHES DOCTOR WHO!!! AAAAAAHHHH!!!

Pasko and Sister Gillman. Sis Pasko reminds me of kelsie and Sis Gillman reminds me of Kaitlyn Beard

Add caption Elder Redd (the black guy) and Elder Erickson. Elder Redd is from west Africa and moved to America when he was about 13 years old. He's the only member in his family and he has SUCH AN AWESOME ACCENT!!! Though it can be rather hard to understand him :P Elder Erickson is the classic Hick. He's from Idaho and has a lovely accent :P He played football and his dad was a cop. I don't know why but he just seems like a hick to me :P those two are SO FUNNY together! They always accuse the other of being racist! Elder Redd even read the last verse of 2 Nephi 26 to try and prove that he wasn't XD

 Elder Hurd and he ALWAYS has candy on him and is offering it to EVERYONE! He's super goofy and just hilarious! One of the elders in my zone went into the stall next to elder Hurd one time and Elder Hurd saw his name tag and held some candy under the stall and asked him if he wanted some! hahaha! *FACEPALM!!!*

 the current status of my scriptures :( that happened friday or saturday after coming in and I am very sad :( I've had those scriptures since I was baptized and they finally broke down. I'm just glad it was THEM and not ME :P *baddum tsss!*

pic of our district :) the two sisters that I haven't introduced are Sis Merchant (the ginger) and Sis Knoll (the brunette) they are both SO NICE!!! And the Elder I haven't introduced is Elder Jorgensen. We are both so similar in almost every aspect it's a little creepy. We LOVE science and are both very insightful towards the gospel. We're both the leader types and on the Color Test we both dominate Red. Except he is a little heavier and he compliments more than anyone I have ever met

Missy took my camera

those are party hats for christmas :P my comp is a goof

December 20, 2013

Today has been quite the shocker. My host was going to Japan on his mission so we talked about that and the lady greeting newcomers said I looked very handsome :)

     My comps name is Elder Walgamott... weird... I always forget how to say it :P it's kinda like an asian saying "Walmart" if that helps :P he's about my height and I think he's polynesian but he's adopted so he doesn't know his ethnicity. He's the first in his family to serve even though he has multiple older brothers. They all went inactive so this is a unique experience for him. But he's a cool guy - er... Elder...

     Our roommates are Elder Hurd and Elder Jorgensen. Elder Hurd is my height and weight and Elder Jorgensen is a little taller and about 35 lbs heavier. Elder Jorgensen is a really nice guy and actually served 3 months already. It was more of a test run to see if he would have health problems so he was serving close to his home. When he didn't have health problems he was ok'd to go on a full time mission though they might send him home 3 months earlier. He graduated at the age of 15 and now he's 21 (22 on Sunday).

     So... the food here is USUALLY almost as good as school lunches... but sometimes it's the most disgusting food I've ever eaten... BUT THEY SERVE BYU CREAMERY ICE CREAM ON WEDNESDAYS!!! :D :D :D

     I really miss everyone and it was making me sad but they said to take everything you miss, put it in a box, and set it aside. These two years are to focus on the Lord.

     I've learned that when you're teaching you always have to make sure you're answering yes to these questions: are they coming closer to Christ because of what you're teaching? and is their faith growing?

     I SAW SPENCER LEHR!!! We hugged probably half a dozen times :) I guess I'm supposed to refer to him as ELDER Lehr... meh... I saw him at lunch AND at dinner on Thursday and him and his companion are the only two people in their district! No one else is going to Madagascar speaking Malagasi. His companion's name is Elder Munanira and speaks 4 or 5 languages; he's also from Rwanda. I became friends with two of the sisters in my district, Sister Pasko and Sister Gillman. Pasko is a super bubbly person (kinda like Jessy). She's always smiling and laughing.

All in all I'm loving and hating the MTC :P I feel bipolar! But I'm learning so much! Especially in regards to teaching the Gospel.