Hola querido familia! I have SOO much to tell you, so I hope you are ready for a long e-mail!
So its great being a missionary at the MTC. But I wont lie, its kind of like EFY. I feel like we get to expeierence all these cool things, and hear stories but its going to end in like a week then they will send us home. Kind of like "This is a little taste of what it's like, but you dont really get to go yet. Maybe one day." Yeah, that sums it up good. haha. But I will get to go! So I know you have a lot of questions of how long I will be here. Trust me, so do I. I am currently in the intermediate class which is 6 weeks so I would leave around the 26th. They tested me though for advanced and said I have great Spanish and want to move me up! Hermano Tidwell, Hermano Painter (his helper) and the main guy over the Spanish department has to sign off on it. Hermano Painter has to give his report to the main guy but he has been out sick. So I dont know what's going on. I love my district and zone though and dont want to leave them, even if I am here for another 3 weeks. Also, right now I'm one of the smartest in the class... if I go to advanced than I become the dumbest...haha. But I will just go with wherverever they put me. I will keep you updated.
Some details. I love my district. We are all going to California or Argentina. Hay 4 hermanas y 3 elderes. I have the best zone in the world too! We have so much fun and learn so much from each other. We just got another district so now we have 4 districts in our zone/branch. President Dennis, Bro. Caywood (he served in Sacramento Spanish speaking too) and Bro. Pickering are the presidency. Elder Buxton from the first ward just got here and is in my zone now. Also, there is an Elder Porter from Holladay. He said he played football with Cy and knows all the Holts! My teacher is Hermano TIdwell. He is so great! He served in San Jose so its fun to hear all the California stories. Our district has so much fun with him and he is so smart!
Well last Sunday we had Sacrament meeting. So each week we have to prepare a talk about 3-5 minutes in Spanish on the topic of the week. Everyone prepares but only one elder and one sister have to speak and they don't announce who it is until after the passing of the sacrament. Everyone was telling me I was going to speak because I knew the most Spanish. I thought no way it would be me since I am new. Well sure enough Bro. Caywood goes up and says "Our first speaker will be Hermana Thomas and then Elder Lavell". Everyone was so happy it was me and not them haha. I did alright, I spoke super fast because I was nervous. It was on "Perserverar hasta el fin (Enduing to the end).
So I don't think you understand how much a letter means here. Its like gold. So I have a plan. I set up a little family schedule so you guys can send me Dear Elder's everyday. Find your name and corresponding day please. Monday-Mom, Tuesday-Dad, Wednesday-Tori, Thursday-Kandace, Friday-Glen, Saturday- Joce/Jared and boys. You guys can switch it up if needed but here is a little rough outline for you :)
On Sunday we had Relief Society with all the sisters in the MTC. Sis. Wixom (general primary president) came. She gave a wonderful talk! I loved it mostly because we got to sing like 5 primary songs. She changed the words on one to say, "I'm glad they called me on a mission. Look at me, I've grown a foot or two. I'm ready to be a missionary. To teach and preach and work as missionaries do". It was so fun.
On Sunday nights we get to go watch past talks. Hermana Henrie and I went to an old one by Elder Hollland called "MIssion's are forever". WOW. It pumped me up so much. He said we are apostalic. We can make people promises and perform miracles because of our calling as missionaries. We wont always have this calling so do everything you can now. You only have 18 months to remember for your whole life. It was so powerful.
So gym. Obviously my favorite part the day, sometimes I just call it P.E. It's really hard though since I'm dominating the Elders in speed. Did I have 3 three's back to back? Why, yes. Yes I did. We had a zone volleyball game on Wednesday. It was so much fun. On Tuesday we had service day in the morning. We all are assigned to help keep el CCM (MTC In spanish) clean. So Hermana Sheffield and I were assigned to clean windows to all the doors in 1M. Lets just say that we would spray the cleaner on the door outside and it would freeze. We would be wiping ice off, thats how cold it was haha. It was terrible and looked like 5 year olds did it. The insides looked great though! We sure had fun.
Mom, will you please send me the Barker's, Debbie Miller and the Hougaard's address'? I want to send them a thank you for the packages they sent me! Thank you for the package, I loved it and it made my day!! I didn't get it for a few days after though, so that means I didnt get your letter in it until a few days after. I thought everyone had forgotten about me. You had all my favorite things in it and I loved it so thank you so so much :) The Sandstrom's sent me some great chips and salsa so we have a party with the sisters at night. I loved the pumpkin bread from Kandace and Glen too! I am so blessed to have such a great family that love me and send me things.
We have been teaching Edgar from Mexico (fake investigator). Teaching is a lot harder than I thought it would be. But we have been improving! We set a baptismal date for February 23! (i accidentally said dies y tres... thats weird because that day doesn't exsist. I just got so excited and nervous! haha).
Yes mom, I am feeling good! My leg has been more tired but I am doing just fine. Don't worry about me, I am doing great just learning how to teach and be a good missionary! Good luck on your basketball game tomorrow Tori!
Dad, that is so fun you got to see Sis. Holt! How was that!? Yes the district is a big thing here. The missionaries that were on it are like celebrities. One of the sisters works here somewhere. We watch special clips only for missionaries from it all the time. The devotionals are my favorite, I always learn so much!
I love you all and miss you so much (well ok, I miss you only a little :) Here are a few pics!
Sister Beck and I. She leaves this week for Florida!
My zone left to right (Hermana Sheffield, Hermana Jensen, Hermana Henrie, Me, Elder Pickle (DL), Elder Reynolds, and Elder Decker.
Te quiero mucho! Dont worry all my emails wont be this long again haha.
So its great being a missionary at the MTC. But I wont lie, its kind of like EFY. I feel like we get to expeierence all these cool things, and hear stories but its going to end in like a week then they will send us home. Kind of like "This is a little taste of what it's like, but you dont really get to go yet. Maybe one day." Yeah, that sums it up good. haha. But I will get to go! So I know you have a lot of questions of how long I will be here. Trust me, so do I. I am currently in the intermediate class which is 6 weeks so I would leave around the 26th. They tested me though for advanced and said I have great Spanish and want to move me up! Hermano Tidwell, Hermano Painter (his helper) and the main guy over the Spanish department has to sign off on it. Hermano Painter has to give his report to the main guy but he has been out sick. So I dont know what's going on. I love my district and zone though and dont want to leave them, even if I am here for another 3 weeks. Also, right now I'm one of the smartest in the class... if I go to advanced than I become the dumbest...haha. But I will just go with wherverever they put me. I will keep you updated.
Some details. I love my district. We are all going to California or Argentina. Hay 4 hermanas y 3 elderes. I have the best zone in the world too! We have so much fun and learn so much from each other. We just got another district so now we have 4 districts in our zone/branch. President Dennis, Bro. Caywood (he served in Sacramento Spanish speaking too) and Bro. Pickering are the presidency. Elder Buxton from the first ward just got here and is in my zone now. Also, there is an Elder Porter from Holladay. He said he played football with Cy and knows all the Holts! My teacher is Hermano TIdwell. He is so great! He served in San Jose so its fun to hear all the California stories. Our district has so much fun with him and he is so smart!
Well last Sunday we had Sacrament meeting. So each week we have to prepare a talk about 3-5 minutes in Spanish on the topic of the week. Everyone prepares but only one elder and one sister have to speak and they don't announce who it is until after the passing of the sacrament. Everyone was telling me I was going to speak because I knew the most Spanish. I thought no way it would be me since I am new. Well sure enough Bro. Caywood goes up and says "Our first speaker will be Hermana Thomas and then Elder Lavell". Everyone was so happy it was me and not them haha. I did alright, I spoke super fast because I was nervous. It was on "Perserverar hasta el fin (Enduing to the end).
So I don't think you understand how much a letter means here. Its like gold. So I have a plan. I set up a little family schedule so you guys can send me Dear Elder's everyday. Find your name and corresponding day please. Monday-Mom, Tuesday-Dad, Wednesday-Tori, Thursday-Kandace, Friday-Glen, Saturday- Joce/Jared and boys. You guys can switch it up if needed but here is a little rough outline for you :)
On Sunday we had Relief Society with all the sisters in the MTC. Sis. Wixom (general primary president) came. She gave a wonderful talk! I loved it mostly because we got to sing like 5 primary songs. She changed the words on one to say, "I'm glad they called me on a mission. Look at me, I've grown a foot or two. I'm ready to be a missionary. To teach and preach and work as missionaries do". It was so fun.
On Sunday nights we get to go watch past talks. Hermana Henrie and I went to an old one by Elder Hollland called "MIssion's are forever". WOW. It pumped me up so much. He said we are apostalic. We can make people promises and perform miracles because of our calling as missionaries. We wont always have this calling so do everything you can now. You only have 18 months to remember for your whole life. It was so powerful.
So gym. Obviously my favorite part the day, sometimes I just call it P.E. It's really hard though since I'm dominating the Elders in speed. Did I have 3 three's back to back? Why, yes. Yes I did. We had a zone volleyball game on Wednesday. It was so much fun. On Tuesday we had service day in the morning. We all are assigned to help keep el CCM (MTC In spanish) clean. So Hermana Sheffield and I were assigned to clean windows to all the doors in 1M. Lets just say that we would spray the cleaner on the door outside and it would freeze. We would be wiping ice off, thats how cold it was haha. It was terrible and looked like 5 year olds did it. The insides looked great though! We sure had fun.
Mom, will you please send me the Barker's, Debbie Miller and the Hougaard's address'? I want to send them a thank you for the packages they sent me! Thank you for the package, I loved it and it made my day!! I didn't get it for a few days after though, so that means I didnt get your letter in it until a few days after. I thought everyone had forgotten about me. You had all my favorite things in it and I loved it so thank you so so much :) The Sandstrom's sent me some great chips and salsa so we have a party with the sisters at night. I loved the pumpkin bread from Kandace and Glen too! I am so blessed to have such a great family that love me and send me things.
We have been teaching Edgar from Mexico (fake investigator). Teaching is a lot harder than I thought it would be. But we have been improving! We set a baptismal date for February 23! (i accidentally said dies y tres... thats weird because that day doesn't exsist. I just got so excited and nervous! haha).
Yes mom, I am feeling good! My leg has been more tired but I am doing just fine. Don't worry about me, I am doing great just learning how to teach and be a good missionary! Good luck on your basketball game tomorrow Tori!
Dad, that is so fun you got to see Sis. Holt! How was that!? Yes the district is a big thing here. The missionaries that were on it are like celebrities. One of the sisters works here somewhere. We watch special clips only for missionaries from it all the time. The devotionals are my favorite, I always learn so much!
I love you all and miss you so much (well ok, I miss you only a little :) Here are a few pics!
Sister Beck and I. She leaves this week for Florida!
My zone left to right (Hermana Sheffield, Hermana Jensen, Hermana Henrie, Me, Elder Pickle (DL), Elder Reynolds, and Elder Decker.
Te quiero mucho! Dont worry all my emails wont be this long again haha.
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