Kumusta Pamilya ko!!! (Hello my family)
So in our lesson, my companion was explaining that prayer is so important. And she was saying "Sombre mahalaga, sombre mahalaga". I knew it was "Sombrang Mahalaga" but I figured she was pretty close and in the moment, I couldnt really remember what it actually was. Sombre sounded close so I figured she was right. HAHA. After the lesson, our teacher told us, "Sombre" is envelope. We were dying. PRAYER IS ENVELOPE IMPORTANT. We were dying. good thing we can laugh at funny stuff, because funny stuff happens all the time and we mess up SO much.
Things are still so great here at the good ole MTC. Seriously, I love it here. People are so anxious to leave, but I'm not. Not yet. I'm sure I will be when it gets closer, but maybe I won't be. Change is hard, and for some reason, EVERY time something is about to change, I always doubt that what is coming can't beat what I already have. For example: When I graduated high school. I thought, man. I love high school. I am not ready to move on and start over. There's NO WAY college could beat how great high school was. I moved up to SLC, and what do ya know. After a couple of months, I was loving it. and I laughed at the thought of me thinking "it just couldn't beat high school." Next example: When I was about to leave on the mission. Life was so good and I had so many things going for me. I thought, man. There's no way that the MTC can beat what I'm doing right now. BUT... low and behold, I love it here. I wake up every day just so anxious to learn more and to soak up all the wisdom here. Now we're to present time. I am getting ready to leave the MTC, and I just don't want to leave. I am comfortable here, and there's no way that what's about to come can be better than now. I know I'm about to get proved wrong, and I can't wait for that. I just gotta keep preparing for the people in the Philippines the next 2 weeks, because there are people there that Lord has been preparing for years.
Sorry if the order of my letter makes no sense, I just kind of look at the list of things I made from my journal and write about each topic and check it off the list.
I saw Olivia her 2nd day. She looked dang good. Her companion seems super sweet and cool.
We were talking about what names are in the Philippines, and our teacher said they are so weird. But that there are a million variations of Mary and Rose. Mary Rose, Rose Mary, Mary Rosie, Rosie, Maria Rose, Rosy Marie, the list went on. I'll fit right in with Abbey Rose. Holla!!
Our last two lessons (me and my companions) were so sweet. THEY WENT SO WELL. We taught about the Godhead, because our investigator James doesn't know anything about religion or God, so we had to start from square one. We told him how to feel the spirit, how to pray, and who Jesus Christ was and is, and what he did here on Earth. We bore testimony about how no matter what is is in your life, Jesus Christ understands. Every time. It was so cool to just share testimony and read scripture with him. We asked him to pray and he said he would. The next appointment he said he just felt so happy as he prayed. He said that the worries of getting money, his family, and everything just felt like it was being taken away as he prayed. We were soooooo happy for him. Now. Don't sit here and read this thinking I'm an idiot, I'm aware that these investigators are not real. Our investigator is my teacher, for crying out loud. BUT. They're acting like the James he met on his mission and taught. And maybe it's silly, but I pray for our investigators constantly. I LOVE THEM. so much. I seriously feel the spriit when we testify and it's so incredible how much we can understand when they express their concerns and worries. The hard part is knowing what to say back. Our other investigator, Jonabelle, is catholic and we have taught her that we can communicate directly with prayer. She accepted the invitation to pray and said she couldn't believe how happy it made her. We taught her the entire first lesson, all the way through Joseph Smith. It was so cool to be able to tell everything from God is Our Loving Heavenly Father, He Blesses Families, Christ's Ministry, The Apostasy, and how God restored the gospel again through Joseph Smith. It' s amazing how much we have learned.
We are blessed here as missionaries. SO BLESSED. There's no way we could learn this quickly anywhere else.
Anyway, we got coached last night by a subsititue guy, and he said our "investigator" can ALWAYS feel our love in the lesson. They can tell we have passion behind our words and that we love them as people. But our extending commitments is weak. We worked on that and it was AWESOME. We knew he was going to say that was what we needed to work on. I'm usually the one to extend the commitment, and I start out loud and confident, but then my voice gets really quiet and I shrug my shoulders. It's so scary. I Seriously hate it. Haha. But we practiced last night (in english) and it still scared me, but we figured out things we want to change. I just need to be confident in the fact that it's my calling to extend commitments to people- it's the first step to repentance.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I realize I have a lot to work on though- teaching is hard. Even putting the language aside, I didn't realize how hard it was to teach the gospel. I thought I knew it but it's nothing like having a deep conversation with your best friend about a gospel topic. We have had to learn how to teach people in an organized way and that has been so good for me.
I'm playing another musical number tomorrow for the Relief Society program- we played it for our zone today. Oh man it was so good. I'm playing the Be Still My Soul duet as a solo, and we changed the middle part to a minor key. IT IS SO COOL. The music lady here at the MTC is the MTC Presidents wife- all her daughters play violin like professionally, she plays herself, and she has perfect pitch. When Meg and I auditioned, she had some things to say but was mostly impressed and loved the piece. THIS TIME... when the key changed, she sat up in her chair, looked at my pianist (Sister Sirrine in my district) and her face was very confused. She has DEFINITELY heard this arrangement before but was probably thinking sis sirrine missed some sharps- NOPE. We modulated and changed the entire middle part to minor and when we finished, she came up and said "Okay, now I've heard this piece SEVERAL times.. but what did youdo in the middle?!" We explained what we did and she FREAKED out and LOVED IT. Seriously. LOVED IT!!!! She was so impressed. It was so awesome. She got us on the program ASAP. It was so awesome. sister sirrine and I love playing together and are doing a really special number with our district and me on the violin the week we leave. I'm stoked.
The devotionals are always STELLAR. We had the 2nd counselor of the Presiding Bishopbrick a couple tuesdeys ago and he was incredible. We've had emeritus 70's, and Janice Kapp Parry I think was her name. And not to mention, just like ALL of the apostles our first sunday here, NBD (that means no big deal for all you oldies).\
My District is so close. We are family and I love it. We play District Speed at gym time, and today we played four square during pday free time today. Other people from the zone joined us and it was soo fun. We just love each other and it will be SO SAD to leave. We help each other and just get along, unlike a lot of districts here. We never put each other down and are always helping each other. It's been so good. I love it.
OH MY HECK BEST SURPRISE EVER- the Chalmers sent me a dozen krispy kremes!!! SHOUT OUT TO THE CHALMERS!!!!! Seriusly, my district was IN LOVE. And so was I. Also I loved the package from Hood (Heidi) and from you momma! Getting mail is so fun and I love hearing about what everyone is doing- and I also take time to write every one back, because I want you to know that I am so appreciatve of the support- I am so lucky. My Sister Training Leader's parents arent very supportive of her being on a mission, and I seriously cant imagine how that would be. I love you guys. I am so lucky and have the best family and friends- seriously. SERIOUSLY!!! How many times can I say Seriously. SERIOUSLY though. Haha.
Thanks for everything, EVERYONE. I am happy and that is the truth. Aunt Jennifer said in her card to me, "You have 18 months to serve a mission and a lifetime to think about it." I have never forgotten that- I think someone told her that on her misson. They aren't kidding when they say the days go by like weeks, but the weeks like days. Time is flying- but yet moves so slow sometimes.
Ingat po (take care)
sister hafen
Sister Pace giving me a foot massage. She is so Christlike I love her.
Our substitute teacher giving us a lesson on using a pot to go to the bathroom. Also how to wipe without hands. SWEET.
Donuts from the Chalmers family!!!!!! Seriously what a great surprise. I love them. and my district loved the donuts.
Elder Hall, Me, Elder Poulter. Love these Elders. Love my district.
Another outfit. Love love love!
ME AND MY GSHOCK.
G shocks. our teacher has one too. we'll get a pic all together.
Temple!
Sister Nosler, Me, Sister Meinzer, Sister Pace. Temple Walk on Sunday. Temple is closed now for sessions :(
Me and Sister Pace.
Just bein a champ going to Tuesday devo.
Holy missionaries (haha literally.)
The district.
Dave and Janiel Moss, Me, Virgil and Alice Steel
Message from Alice Steel: Just got out of the big Relief Society Meeting. Sister Abbey Hafen played the most beautiful violin solo, brought tears to my eyes. I was so proud of her. I wish I could have taken a picture of her and send it to you but I didn't have anything with me. It has been so fun running into her regularly She looks so happy. Relief Society mtg was fabulous! Carole Mikita spoke and told of her family's coversion. So good!
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