Family!!
First off, i just want to say that
there will be a lot of mistakes in this email because i only have a
limited amount of time... so I can;t go back and fix everything. and i
have a lot to say...(:
The MTC is AmAZING!! I love it here, the spirit is
always here and everyone is always so happy and nice. it seems like the
only thing we do here is eat though. Eat and study, eat and study. And
the food isn't that great, but by the time we eat we are always so
HUNGRY. and i know why... well, i think i know why. haha. So Do you
remember when joseph smith was visited by angel moroni in his sleep
three times, and then the next day he was so exhausted? and when the
brother of jared saw gods finger and was totally exhausted? it was
because it takes alot out of you when you are in the presence of a
"higher being" (for lack of better vocab)... so... I have decided that
even though we dont really do anything during the day except study and
study and study... we have the constant companionship of the holy ghost
which takes all of our energy, thus..we are starving and we don't really
do anuything. except study(:
I am so blessed to be a memeber of this church. I am also so blessed to be a woman and be part of the relief society! On sunday
the spirit in the room and on this campus is beyond words to describe. I
could instantly feel it when I got here, but it hit me so hard as i
sat in my chair in relief society. Seriously, i coun't stop crying, i
should've brought tissues. I coun't stop my eyes forom watering and my
heart was so warm and big. Yes, the spirit makes your heart big just
li9ke milez says.
The special musical numbers made me cry... the speaker made me
cry... the spirit.. AHH I just love it! i serioulsy needed to feel the
spirit, and i am so grateful and thankful.
So
during the sacrament... WoWzA. so get this! there are 5 long tables of
the bread and water... each elder tat passes gets 2 trays each... there
are 8 elders per table so thats 5x8=40x2=80!! 80 trays get passed.. it
takes just about 20 minutes to pass and receive the sacrament. and this
is just a small fraction of all the missionaries here at the mtc. and
guess what!! ANY elder they ask to pass or bless can!! how simply
amazing.
only three minutes left.....
I need stamps... and tic tacs... and a watch with an alarm on it, like a sport watch.
and all missionaries LOVE GETTING MAIL>>>>.. so WRITE ME.
serioulsy, getting letters is such a great pick me up especially
since the language gets me down easily... is it so hared.... ugh.
okay I love you all!!! I mean Palangga ta ka!!!
Pagpalangga,
Sister Young!!!
Write me. I love you all. Write me(: i have a minute left.. i was in the broadcast on sunday..
did you see me? i was sitting on the side of the men in the chior... i
was wearing a pink sweater thing... and my hair was down. look for me(:
haha I love you!
Just kidding, I have 30 more minutes.
Okay, so my companion and I have been teaching a progressing
investigator. All she speaks is Ilongo, which is what we are trying to
learn... it is so difficult to teach with the limited vocabulary we
have. We can say a simple Pagpangamuyo, (prayer) and a simple
Pagpamatuod, (testimony)... So we just go in there, pray for the spirit,
teach her the barely-understandable lesson we have prepared and then
testify... the second lesson we asked her if she would pray, and she
asked us how cause she didn't know.. It was amazing how the spirit works
through us. we were able to kinda tell her how to pray, and then she
did! it was amazing. the next lesson though, we were so stressed out and
we didn't really prepare as much as we should've and we taught her,,,
but you could tell we didn't teach with the spirit. so the next lesson
wereally focused on bring the spirit with us. it went well. Then
yesterday, we taught her about the book of mormon and of Christ, and
asked her if she would be baptized. She said yes, although, I think it
was only because she saw how much we were struggling trying to explain
to her that her baby didn't need to be baptized.... haha, but its a
start, right?
All the class rooms here are small.. really small.
There are 14 desks in our class room that is about the size of the wash
room at Grandpa and Cc's if you took out the washer and dryer and the
wood shelf thing. It gets old... but we can study outside if we want
to. The dorm that I live in have 3 companionships in it... and is so
small. The first night the other sisters were unpacking ALL of their
bags... I'm so thankful for you mom, and for helping me pack so I would
only have to unpack my carry on and part of my little suitcase. Now i
wont have as much to pack and be all stressed out like everyone else!!
It was so hard to leave all of you at the airport on wednesday,
but I received a great welcome on the other side. There had to have
been at least 20 missionaries all sitting there waiting. We got on the
plane and i sat next to this lady who was reading a book.... she looked
kinda mean at first. but before we could leave the ground, she started
talking. Casually asking me if I was from az and what I was on the plane
for. So I told her I was going on a mission for the church of Jesus
Christ of latter-day saints. She had no idea what that was. .. so I
pointed out all the other missionaries and ten talked abouyt the MTC a
little bit and told her about where i was oging. She asked how okd i was
and she was flabbergasted when i told her that i was 19. (: ahha. the
whole hour and 15 minutes i got to teach her about the restoration of
the gospel, the plan of salvation, of repentance, the atonement, of the
book of mormon, of baptisim, and of Jesus Chirst. It was scary at first,
because i thought that I wasn't going to be able to do it. But I know
that the spirit helped me. She was so accepting of the Gospel, and she
wanted to learn more... she actively asked questions, and i was able to
anwer them. It was amazing. she also said that maybe she has seen
missionaries walking around in here town... and i asked if they were
waear ing suits and she said yes, so i excitedly said, well.... GO SAY
HI TO THEM!! haha she said she would.
Pamilya, kabalo ako nga matuod an ebangelyo. Kabalo ako
nga matuod ang libro ni mormon, kag it pagbuynag mga pamilya. kabalo
ako nga propeta si joseph smith, kag JesuCristo si Manluluwas.
kabalo ako nga palangga kita sang Dios, kag kilala kita sang JesuCristo.
(Family, i know that the gospel is true. I know that
the book of mormon is true and that it blesses famiilies. i know that
joseph smith was a prophet and the Jesus Chirst is the Savior.
I know that God Loves us, and that Jesus Chirst knows us.)
Simple.. the gospel is simple, it really is. and it is
simple to live it, and to love it. I challenge all of you to read the
Book of Mormon and if you are really good, have it done in 5 weeks, like
i will! I promise you that I will bless your life, i know it blesses
mine, and it will bless the people that I teach and invite to take it
and live it.
I love you all, and i am so thankful for all the
support and sacrifices that you have all given me so I am able to serve
the Lord.
I'll keep you informed on how things go, remember to write me... and send me stuff... cause thats were its at!(:
Till next week, God Speed!
With all my Love,
Sister Young(:
