Time Flies So Fast

Dear Familia y Amigos,

Yet another week has flown by here at the MTC. Holy Cow time is going fast. On Sunday I'll be at my halfway point here.

Wed: We went to the temple, which was amazing as always. After we had our personal study time, we went and did laundry and wrote letters. We had a really good lesson in the TRC Wed. night, teaching the second lesson for the first time. Tonight we're teaching it again--then next week the first lesson in SPANISH! One of our teachers was out of town all last week so we had a sub and the one we had Wed. night taught us how to make a language study plan. Boy do I wish they'd taught us that 3 weeks ago. My study has been so much more effective this week. One of our Elders was leaving Thursday morning for the Dominican Republic, so we said goodbye to Elder Patrick. Elder Kinney was also supposed to go, but he'll find out today if he has to go home because of 2 dislocated shoulders. Yes, Basketball at the MTC is dangerous. That night I was trying to write in class and killed 2, yes 2 pens. And if anyone cares I've got a lovely callus on my finger from writing so much.

Thurs: Volleyball and 4-square during gym. That took me back to elementary school. We had a TEC appointment, and we got some good ideas on how to follow up on commitments. We had the RC that night, and I had some really good calls. I took one inbound call from a man who wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ and wants to find a church, so we're sending the video he requested with the missionaries and told him how to go about finding a church. I also had 2 outbound calls, one of which had the missionaries there when I called and another who has recently started going back to church after 12 1/2 years. Our zone got together again Thursday night and sang Secreta Oracion.

Fri: Basketball during gym. Mom, don't worry, the sisters aren't into it enough to get hurt. We went to the tutor for help with some of the conjugations and I think that really helped. I've really been studying them this week and I think I've got them down. We had one of our subs teach us how to do the weekly planning session, yet another thing I wish we'd learned 3 weeks ago. As it was pioneer day, there was lots of talk about pioneers. But it was slightly annoying that the post office was closed, so there were no dearelders until Monday because they're not printed off on Saturday.

Sat: I was so tired, and I don' t know why, but I had a really ineffective study. Hermana Waldrop y yo played frisbee golf with some of the elders in our zone during gym which was fun but I WAY lost.

Sun: I LOVE Sunday! Our speaker in RS was one of the wives of one of the branch presidents here. She spoke on how to apply the covenants we made at baptism (found in Moroni 8:8-10) to missionary work. It was a good talk. We always listen to Music and the Spoken word before RS. The choir sang Come Come Ye Saints, and as I was listening to it, I realized that that song can be applied to missionary work. I sat down that afternoon and filled 3 pages in my journal with missionary applications to Come Come Ye Saints. Then our fireside speaker, the director of the MTCs, did the EXACT same thing! We listened to the MoTab version of the song and he had us think about the missionary application. It was really neat! Hermana Waldrop y yo had a good conversation about the missionary application, then discussed D&C 121 that night. Oh and dad, guess what. I've made another connection with Brazil and when you were on your mission. My branch president, President Peters, was a counselor to President Steuer for the first year he was the mission president. I'm not sure what year that was, but maybe you knew him? Let me know.

Mon: We taught the 1st lesson in Spanish to some Elders in our Zone. It went pretty well, especially considering how little time we had to prepare. Later that day we taught the second lesson in English and it was a total flop. Oh well. One won't learn unless they fail and try again. We only talked Spanish in class and at dinner, so about 6 total hours that day. I actually tried to pray in English during our TEC appointment because the teacher we taught didn't know Spanish, and I really struggled. We found out that one of the Elders in our zone had to leave to go home yesterday because of some health problems, so we got together and sang God Be With You Til We Meet Again that night as a zone. As Elder Phelps gave the closing prayer, I was touched, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. We were all sobbing. Finally I got some mail, after only receiving a wedding announcement in the past week. I got letters from Sisters Pedersen and Meyer (go figure since I asked for their addresses. Now I've got them twice). I also got one from Emily Mower, Grandma and Grandpa and a package and letters from my family :)

Tuesday: We had area conference where we discussed converting with the BOM. It was a way good conference. We played volleyball again during gym, so fun! Our devotional speaker was Robert K. Dellenbach, who gave an AMAZING talk on the miracle of the BOM. He gave some amazing statistics. Btw, did you know that last year there were more Spanish copies of the BOM printed than there were English? That's right, pretty cool, huh? I also had a couple of letters. Grandma, I loved the quote you put in your letter to your missionary grandchildren by Brad Foster. I guess that was a little special to me because he was my stake president up in Rexburg until October.

Well, that's my week in a nutshell. We went to the temple again this morning and I loved it as I always do. There is such a special Spirit that can't be felt anywhere else. Have a most amazing week everyone and keep your eyes on the e-mail for next week :) OH! Cousin Rachel: Congratulations on your baptism on Saturday! I'm so excited for you! I'll be thinking about you that day! You're heading down a wonderful path full of many exciting opportunities as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

Love, Hermana Good

Mom: It sounds like we're going to be able to participate in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication next month, and I'm cheap so would you send me one of my white hankies so I don't have to buy one? I LOVED the picture of Christ Brother Spencer painted. I'm going to replace one of the pictures I brought to put that one in a frame so I can always look at it. I also loved the pictures from camp. You two--especially Kesha--look like you got some real good sun. Devin looked like a stud all ready for his stake dance. But where were the pictures of my puppy I asked for last week? :( Did you take any of him swimming? How big is he now? And he's already lost his first tooth?! Boy oh boy is he growing up! And to answer your question of how many are in our room, there's only 4 with no notice on the door again this week that we're getting any new sisters this week, so until at least next Wednesday there are only 4 sisters. I love you all and am having an amazing time here! I love you all!