Dear family,
Well, 6 days left until I'm in another country. Ok I guess I technically won't be in another country until 7 days from now. I have such a nice travel set up. I've been so blessed. I leave Monday Feb. 28 @ 8am. My flight leaves SLC around noon on monday and arrives in Atlanta, GA around 5:30. They I have about a 2 hr. lay over until I get on a flight at 7:30 pm to fly to Buenos Aires. I'll arrive around 7:30 am there. Only a 10 hr flight, and I'm hoping most of those hours I'll be sleeping. It really isn't so bad. I'm traveling with one other elder that I don't know. Everyone jokes about how it is going to be a real awkward double date. haha...yep. but we probably are flying with other people some of the way, and I have a plan to read the whole book of mormon during my traveling time so i'm not too worried about having to entertain him or myself. It won't be a bad trip, because it won't even be 24 hrs. from MTC to Buenos Aires, because BA is 4 hrs earlier than here. so...yep, not so bad at all. I've almost done that traveling with the team....bah, some of those trips are brutal.
Poor. H. Springer and E. Andreasen they are headed to paraguay and they arrive in Buenos Aires only 20 min. before (or maybe after i can't remember) me but they leave at 4 am monday morning. a little crazy eh? that's cuz they have a lay over in chicago and again in florida and then they make the trip down to buenos aires. and then they are going to have to catch ANOTHER plane to paraguay. a little bit crazy, but at least they don't have to ride a bus to get to paraguay. that would be one loooong drive.
anyway, this week has been fun. Besides getting our travel plans we had some other cool experiences. The first being a devotional where one of the seventy Elder Kevin Pearson spoke. WOW. best devotional here yet. ok, well, there have been a lot of really, really good ones, but i'm glad we got to hear this one before we head out. It was really, really, really intense. Probably one of the most direct, poignant, frank, and loving talks I have EVER heard. It was really sad because right when he got up there and started speaking (he wasn't joking around at all) I saw this elder across the aisle who was sleeping. I felt really, really bad for him because i wanted him to hear this message that Elder Pearson was about to share. So I started praying that this Elder would wake up. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. Finally, I saw him wake up. He probably just got too frustrated trying to sleep in such a loud place (because Elder Pearson was really quite loud...haha pounding the pulpit at times) that he woke up. I don't know if he got anything out of it, but I sure hope he did. I sure hope he understood the message about becoming disciples of Christ. I sure hope all of the missionaries were touched as much as I was. He challenged us to go home and write down characteristics of disciples and those characteristics that we have and that we don't have. Then he told us to pray and ask for help in becoming a disciple. I want to be a disciple. I'm trying my best. My best won't be good enough unless I bring Heavenly Father in, he can help me become who He wants me to be. I sure hope I can learn to forget my cares, and care for His cares. Basically it was awesome. Everyone I spoke with was determined to be better.
Anyway, let's see, what else....um I think this was this past week. We ate lunch with the president again. really kind of weird that we ate lunch with him twice. that just doesn't happen. Hmm...I guess there is something we need to learn from him. He really is a great president though.
Ok, well I'm not feeling super awesome about my spanish skills, but it doesn't matter. Erik said it doesn't matter how awesome you feel about your spanish skills, you are going to get there and not be able to understand anything...so that'll be fun. Oh yeah, also this week I taught a guy (in the TRC) that was in Erik's district what he was in the MTC. he said erik was a clown and asked for erik's number. I hope he called. He said his name was Glen, but I didn't get a last name, and that could have been a made up name, but I don't think so. I think it is his real name. He had some tattoo's and he used to wear gages...if that helps Erik identify who he is. He said he was Erik's district leader. Anyway, some fun small world facts. And he could crochet like none other. Seriously, way fast and really, really, really well. I wanted him to teach me how, but that didn't happen. Sad day.
I don't know what to do about my violin. I'm worried about it getting stolen. And it really will just be a pain, but I don't know. I guess I should just go with my original decision to not take it. That is safer. I'm just going to be sad when an opportunity arise to use it and I don't have it. But I think I feel more peace not taking it, so I guess I won't. BUT haha can I get some jeans? and those sweat pant capri's i've been talking about? I would prefer some lighter colored jeans of mine. and especially not my dark skinny jeans...haha that wouldn't be a good idea. Thanks!!
Love you all!!
Sarah
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Dear Family,
Let's see. I'm getting really excited to go to Argentina. I just get all bubbly inside when I think that I'll be teaching Argentinians soon. I met with the Argentine Consul today. We had to do finger printing (that was fun and something I have never experienced...are reason to get your hands dirty) and he mostly just taught us all about Argentina. i was lucky because he is from buenso aires and so he mostly talked about buenos aires. i guess he said that buenos aires is the 3rd largest jewish populated city in the world. if i remember correctly. I was kind of shocked by that. Mostly because of wwII people immigrated there when they weren't welcome in Germany anymore. But now I realize I will probably be teaching a whole bunch of Jewish people. Something I was not expecting at all.
He also said the mail is terrible down there. He said if anyone tries to send any kind of food or medication through the mail, it will be confiscated. And same with valuable things. so basically paper is the only thing that makes it through the mail. So i guess if you want to send anything, we have to make sure it can be sent safely. he said the safest way is through a private mail like FedEx or something. Usually things can get there fine through that. So that was good to know. Though it'd be some usefull information.
Oh, and when I got my immunizations this week I saw the guy that is in Grandma and Grandpa Yingling's ward again, and a lady named Susan that I guess is in Erik and Aubrie's ward. That was fun. Oh and I learned that a girl H. Springer knows is from Indiana. She knows some Yingling's!!! crazy huh? I've never met anyone that actually knew other yingling's that i didn't know. I guess he lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana and his name is Tom Yingling. Maybe a good phone call conversation for Dad and Grandpa.
This week has been a really great week. We finally were able to help our "investiagator" Marcos recognize the spirit. It was really, really cool to see it just click! we were all so excited. Oh and he is "quitting" smoking. It has been hard, but he is doing it. :) We aren't sure how real that whole word of wisdom experience is...just becuase our teacher isn't really addicted, but I think it is pretty real. he knows because he taught this person.
Anyway, our other "investigator" is Pablo. He commited to baptism this week! that was sweet! Now we are just teaching him everything and helping him understand the importance of church.
This week on Sunday H. Springer gave a talk. That means I will for sure go either this coming sunday or the next. I'm grateful I didn't go, because I didn't feel quite prepared although I was more prepared than before. she gave a really great talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in Relief Society President Brown spoke. We didn't mean to, but we just happened to sit in the most obvious section. Pretty close to front and center. Right where he was looking. He asked all the sisters who had a chance to eat with him at lunch to raise their hands. so we raised ours. he looked at us and said, "oh yes. i remember you two". before he said that i started getting worried that he woudl call on me to do something like he loves to do. but i was trying not to worry. well sure enough, he asked me to stand up and recite our purpose in spanish. fortunately he said h. springer could do it with me too. haha we sounded like robots, but did it correctly. thank heavens hermano concha makes us recite it every single day. i was soooo grateful. because it was hard to remember under pressure. and good thing h. springer was there because she was less nervous than i was. haha i'm such a little dummy when it comes to stuff like that.
anyway, this week was filled with sunshine...which made everything better. we went outside for class one day. sooo nice!
thanks for all your support! i love you all!
love,
Sarah
but speaking of mail, thanks for my package!!!! yay! and on valentine's too! best day ever! :)
Let's see. I'm getting really excited to go to Argentina. I just get all bubbly inside when I think that I'll be teaching Argentinians soon. I met with the Argentine Consul today. We had to do finger printing (that was fun and something I have never experienced...are reason to get your hands dirty) and he mostly just taught us all about Argentina. i was lucky because he is from buenso aires and so he mostly talked about buenos aires. i guess he said that buenos aires is the 3rd largest jewish populated city in the world. if i remember correctly. I was kind of shocked by that. Mostly because of wwII people immigrated there when they weren't welcome in Germany anymore. But now I realize I will probably be teaching a whole bunch of Jewish people. Something I was not expecting at all.
He also said the mail is terrible down there. He said if anyone tries to send any kind of food or medication through the mail, it will be confiscated. And same with valuable things. so basically paper is the only thing that makes it through the mail. So i guess if you want to send anything, we have to make sure it can be sent safely. he said the safest way is through a private mail like FedEx or something. Usually things can get there fine through that. So that was good to know. Though it'd be some usefull information.
Oh, and when I got my immunizations this week I saw the guy that is in Grandma and Grandpa Yingling's ward again, and a lady named Susan that I guess is in Erik and Aubrie's ward. That was fun. Oh and I learned that a girl H. Springer knows is from Indiana. She knows some Yingling's!!! crazy huh? I've never met anyone that actually knew other yingling's that i didn't know. I guess he lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana and his name is Tom Yingling. Maybe a good phone call conversation for Dad and Grandpa.
This week has been a really great week. We finally were able to help our "investiagator" Marcos recognize the spirit. It was really, really cool to see it just click! we were all so excited. Oh and he is "quitting" smoking. It has been hard, but he is doing it. :) We aren't sure how real that whole word of wisdom experience is...just becuase our teacher isn't really addicted, but I think it is pretty real. he knows because he taught this person.
Anyway, our other "investigator" is Pablo. He commited to baptism this week! that was sweet! Now we are just teaching him everything and helping him understand the importance of church.
This week on Sunday H. Springer gave a talk. That means I will for sure go either this coming sunday or the next. I'm grateful I didn't go, because I didn't feel quite prepared although I was more prepared than before. she gave a really great talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in Relief Society President Brown spoke. We didn't mean to, but we just happened to sit in the most obvious section. Pretty close to front and center. Right where he was looking. He asked all the sisters who had a chance to eat with him at lunch to raise their hands. so we raised ours. he looked at us and said, "oh yes. i remember you two". before he said that i started getting worried that he woudl call on me to do something like he loves to do. but i was trying not to worry. well sure enough, he asked me to stand up and recite our purpose in spanish. fortunately he said h. springer could do it with me too. haha we sounded like robots, but did it correctly. thank heavens hermano concha makes us recite it every single day. i was soooo grateful. because it was hard to remember under pressure. and good thing h. springer was there because she was less nervous than i was. haha i'm such a little dummy when it comes to stuff like that.
anyway, this week was filled with sunshine...which made everything better. we went outside for class one day. sooo nice!
thanks for all your support! i love you all!
love,
Sarah
but speaking of mail, thanks for my package!!!! yay! and on valentine's too! best day ever! :)
week 7
Dear Family,
Let's see. I'm getting really excited to go to Argentina. I just get all bubbly inside when I think that I'll be teaching Argentinians soon. I met with the Argentine Consul today. We had to do finger printing (that was fun and something I have never experienced...are reason to get your hands dirty) and he mostly just taught us all about Argentina. i was lucky because he is from buenso aires and so he mostly talked about buenos aires. i guess he said that buenos aires is the 3rd largest jewish populated city in the world. if i remember correctly. I was kind of shocked by that. Mostly because of wwII people immigrated there when they weren't welcome in Germany anymore. But now I realize I will probably be teaching a whole bunch of Jewish people. Something I was not expecting at all.
He also said the mail is terrible down there. He said if anyone tries to send any kind of food or medication through the mail, it will be confiscated. And same with valuable things. so basically paper is the only thing that makes it through the mail. So i guess if you want to send anything, we have to make sure it can be sent safely. he said the safest way is through a private mail like FedEx or something. Usually things can get there fine through that. So that was good to know. Though it'd be some usefull information.
Oh, and when I got my immunizations this week I saw the guy that is in Grandma and Grandpa Yingling's ward again, and a lady named Susan that I guess is in Erik and Aubrie's ward. That was fun. Oh and I learned that a girl H. Springer knows is from Indiana. She knows some Yingling's!!! crazy huh? I've never met anyone that actually knew other yingling's that i didn't know. I guess he lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana and his name is Tom Yingling. Maybe a good phone call conversation for Dad and Grandpa.
This week has been a really great week. We finally were able to help our "investiagator" Marcos recognize the spirit. It was really, really cool to see it just click! we were all so excited. Oh and he is "quitting" smoking. It has been hard, but he is doing it. :) We aren't sure how real that whole word of wisdom experience is...just becuase our teacher isn't really addicted, but I think it is pretty real. he knows because he taught this person.
Anyway, our other "investigator" is Pablo. He commited to baptism this week! that was sweet! Now we are just teaching him everything and helping him understand the importance of church.
This week on Sunday H. Springer gave a talk. That means I will for sure go either this coming sunday or the next. I'm grateful I didn't go, because I didn't feel quite prepared although I was more prepared than before. she gave a really great talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in Relief Society President Brown spoke. We didn't mean to, but we just happened to sit in the most obvious section. Pretty close to front and center. Right where he was looking. He asked all the sisters who had a chance to eat with him at lunch to raise their hands. so we raised ours. he looked at us and said, "oh yes. i remember you two". before he said that i started getting worried that he woudl call on me to do something like he loves to do. but i was trying not to worry. well sure enough, he asked me to stand up and recite our purpose in spanish. fortunately he said h. springer could do it with me too. haha we sounded like robots, but did it correctly. thank heavens hermano concha makes us recite it every single day. i was soooo grateful. because it was hard to remember under pressure. and good thing h. springer was there because she was less nervous than i was. haha i'm such a little dummy when it comes to stuff like that.
anyway, this week was filled with sunshine...which made everything better. we went outside for class one day. sooo nice!
thanks for all your support! i love you all!
love,
Sarah
but speaking of mail, thanks for my package!!!! yay! and on valentine's too! best day ever! :)
Let's see. I'm getting really excited to go to Argentina. I just get all bubbly inside when I think that I'll be teaching Argentinians soon. I met with the Argentine Consul today. We had to do finger printing (that was fun and something I have never experienced...are reason to get your hands dirty) and he mostly just taught us all about Argentina. i was lucky because he is from buenso aires and so he mostly talked about buenos aires. i guess he said that buenos aires is the 3rd largest jewish populated city in the world. if i remember correctly. I was kind of shocked by that. Mostly because of wwII people immigrated there when they weren't welcome in Germany anymore. But now I realize I will probably be teaching a whole bunch of Jewish people. Something I was not expecting at all.
He also said the mail is terrible down there. He said if anyone tries to send any kind of food or medication through the mail, it will be confiscated. And same with valuable things. so basically paper is the only thing that makes it through the mail. So i guess if you want to send anything, we have to make sure it can be sent safely. he said the safest way is through a private mail like FedEx or something. Usually things can get there fine through that. So that was good to know. Though it'd be some usefull information.
Oh, and when I got my immunizations this week I saw the guy that is in Grandma and Grandpa Yingling's ward again, and a lady named Susan that I guess is in Erik and Aubrie's ward. That was fun. Oh and I learned that a girl H. Springer knows is from Indiana. She knows some Yingling's!!! crazy huh? I've never met anyone that actually knew other yingling's that i didn't know. I guess he lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana and his name is Tom Yingling. Maybe a good phone call conversation for Dad and Grandpa.
This week has been a really great week. We finally were able to help our "investiagator" Marcos recognize the spirit. It was really, really cool to see it just click! we were all so excited. Oh and he is "quitting" smoking. It has been hard, but he is doing it. :) We aren't sure how real that whole word of wisdom experience is...just becuase our teacher isn't really addicted, but I think it is pretty real. he knows because he taught this person.
Anyway, our other "investigator" is Pablo. He commited to baptism this week! that was sweet! Now we are just teaching him everything and helping him understand the importance of church.
This week on Sunday H. Springer gave a talk. That means I will for sure go either this coming sunday or the next. I'm grateful I didn't go, because I didn't feel quite prepared although I was more prepared than before. she gave a really great talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in Relief Society President Brown spoke. We didn't mean to, but we just happened to sit in the most obvious section. Pretty close to front and center. Right where he was looking. He asked all the sisters who had a chance to eat with him at lunch to raise their hands. so we raised ours. he looked at us and said, "oh yes. i remember you two". before he said that i started getting worried that he woudl call on me to do something like he loves to do. but i was trying not to worry. well sure enough, he asked me to stand up and recite our purpose in spanish. fortunately he said h. springer could do it with me too. haha we sounded like robots, but did it correctly. thank heavens hermano concha makes us recite it every single day. i was soooo grateful. because it was hard to remember under pressure. and good thing h. springer was there because she was less nervous than i was. haha i'm such a little dummy when it comes to stuff like that.
anyway, this week was filled with sunshine...which made everything better. we went outside for class one day. sooo nice!
thanks for all your support! i love you all!
love,
Sarah
but speaking of mail, thanks for my package!!!! yay! and on valentine's too! best day ever! :)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Week 6
Family,
So I've decided what I want my plaque scripture to be. Mormon 9: 22-23, 26. I don't necessarily want all of 22. Just the part that says, "For behold, thus said jesus Christ, the Son of God....Go ye into all the world (and then the rest of that verse and 23 and 26). I guess just make it sound good. I dunno. And if it is too long, I guess you can just do the first two, but I really like 26.
And, I wanna know what's new with Nick and Sarah. I take it Nick moved out? Or his stuff was moved anyway. Is he still in prison? What is going on with Sarah. Is she still in rehab? I hope they are doing better. I've been praying for them.
Oh my goodness, Shalee and Weston are getting married?! Wow, that is crazy. I was just waiting for that to happen, but I really wanted Weston to get back on his mission. I'm sad that he missed it. I'm glad he served some of a mission though. I know that I've been changed in just this little while, so I'm sure he was changed for the better too. Keep me updated on that. Oh, and I hear that I'm supposed to ask for some pictures of emily being engaged. if you could email some from fb, that would be awesome!!! I still can't get over that.
Funny story for the week. On Wednesday (I think) we saw President Brown (the mission president) eating lunch with some of our fellow spanish learners and I said to my district, "I'm so glad that wasn't us." Mostly because he likes to call on people he talks to at lunch to bear their testimony or something else when he speaks on Sunday (if he does). And then I was telling them how I bet they are all going to write home that they ate lunch with the President. Then I thought, "he is going to eat lunch with us tomorrow." sure enough, he did. haha he sat down right next to me and I couldn't help but laugh a little. Don't worry, I stayed mostly composed. Turns out, I'm doing EXACTLY what i said they would be doing....haha
It was actually a really neat experience. He is cool, because every single day he picks out different people to eat lunch with. Really takes the time to associate and teach us. And he learns about us too. That way he can help improve things at the MTC. Well he taught us a lot about the scriptures. He is known to sit down with you at lunch and then start quizzing you on the stuff that you are supposed to know. Like where to find scriptures on baptizm, where you would go to talk about repentance, where you would go to talk about receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and when you would turn to in the Book of Mormon to teach about enduring to the end. Sure enough, he did just that. Everytime I had a scripture in mind, it was said before I could say it. haha it was funny. but then he got up to talk to somone for a bit and we all put our heads together to start thinking of scriptures. It was really funny. we came up with some pretty good ones, and I finally got to say one so he didn't think I was a dummy. haha fortunately he is really nice too. He gave this talk (I think his first week as president) about being a 100 watt missionary. Like a light-bulb. he probably says this to all of the missionaries he eats with, but he said we were 100 watt missionaries. it has now become our little joke that we should have to eat in the cafeteria with all these other 80 watt missionaries. haha we are totally kidding, because i know for sure he has told the same exact thing to the other missionaries he eats with. because the ones i know, are incredible missionaries.
Another funny thing. I get asked almost every single day where my name comes from and if i'm asian. i always tell them that my biological parents died when i was young and i was adopted my chinese people. they never know how to take it...and everyone thinks i'm a freak when i start laughing and tell them it's a joke. I didn't tell that to the president though...figured I probably shouldn't.
Oh, and I'm trying to find out from my president if I can take my violin to Argentina. I know that I can have it here, but I'm just trying to clear it for there. I hope so. but i'm nervous about it getting stolen. anyway, my district and i are practicing a song and we hope to sing it at a devotional. kinda scary because i have a tiny solo ( at the very beginning) and there are over 2000 people at those devotionals. but i hope we get to. it would be exciting!
anyway, love you! keep writing lots!
Love, Sarah
So I've decided what I want my plaque scripture to be. Mormon 9: 22-23, 26. I don't necessarily want all of 22. Just the part that says, "For behold, thus said jesus Christ, the Son of God....Go ye into all the world (and then the rest of that verse and 23 and 26). I guess just make it sound good. I dunno. And if it is too long, I guess you can just do the first two, but I really like 26.
And, I wanna know what's new with Nick and Sarah. I take it Nick moved out? Or his stuff was moved anyway. Is he still in prison? What is going on with Sarah. Is she still in rehab? I hope they are doing better. I've been praying for them.
Oh my goodness, Shalee and Weston are getting married?! Wow, that is crazy. I was just waiting for that to happen, but I really wanted Weston to get back on his mission. I'm sad that he missed it. I'm glad he served some of a mission though. I know that I've been changed in just this little while, so I'm sure he was changed for the better too. Keep me updated on that. Oh, and I hear that I'm supposed to ask for some pictures of emily being engaged. if you could email some from fb, that would be awesome!!! I still can't get over that.
Funny story for the week. On Wednesday (I think) we saw President Brown (the mission president) eating lunch with some of our fellow spanish learners and I said to my district, "I'm so glad that wasn't us." Mostly because he likes to call on people he talks to at lunch to bear their testimony or something else when he speaks on Sunday (if he does). And then I was telling them how I bet they are all going to write home that they ate lunch with the President. Then I thought, "he is going to eat lunch with us tomorrow." sure enough, he did. haha he sat down right next to me and I couldn't help but laugh a little. Don't worry, I stayed mostly composed. Turns out, I'm doing EXACTLY what i said they would be doing....haha
It was actually a really neat experience. He is cool, because every single day he picks out different people to eat lunch with. Really takes the time to associate and teach us. And he learns about us too. That way he can help improve things at the MTC. Well he taught us a lot about the scriptures. He is known to sit down with you at lunch and then start quizzing you on the stuff that you are supposed to know. Like where to find scriptures on baptizm, where you would go to talk about repentance, where you would go to talk about receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and when you would turn to in the Book of Mormon to teach about enduring to the end. Sure enough, he did just that. Everytime I had a scripture in mind, it was said before I could say it. haha it was funny. but then he got up to talk to somone for a bit and we all put our heads together to start thinking of scriptures. It was really funny. we came up with some pretty good ones, and I finally got to say one so he didn't think I was a dummy. haha fortunately he is really nice too. He gave this talk (I think his first week as president) about being a 100 watt missionary. Like a light-bulb. he probably says this to all of the missionaries he eats with, but he said we were 100 watt missionaries. it has now become our little joke that we should have to eat in the cafeteria with all these other 80 watt missionaries. haha we are totally kidding, because i know for sure he has told the same exact thing to the other missionaries he eats with. because the ones i know, are incredible missionaries.
Another funny thing. I get asked almost every single day where my name comes from and if i'm asian. i always tell them that my biological parents died when i was young and i was adopted my chinese people. they never know how to take it...and everyone thinks i'm a freak when i start laughing and tell them it's a joke. I didn't tell that to the president though...figured I probably shouldn't.
Oh, and I'm trying to find out from my president if I can take my violin to Argentina. I know that I can have it here, but I'm just trying to clear it for there. I hope so. but i'm nervous about it getting stolen. anyway, my district and i are practicing a song and we hope to sing it at a devotional. kinda scary because i have a tiny solo ( at the very beginning) and there are over 2000 people at those devotionals. but i hope we get to. it would be exciting!
anyway, love you! keep writing lots!
Love, Sarah
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Week 5
Dear Family,
Ok, this week was an interesting one. We hadn't had any talks about making sure to talk to your common judge in israel about possible issues and repentance, until this past week. then we had two. in a matter of two days! it was crazy. obviously Heavenly Father was trying to teach us something. anyway, then an Elder in our branch was sent home this week. He went and talked to the president and I guess he needed to go home to sort things out. it was sad, but i was proud of him for talking about it. even though i'm sure his life is aweful right now. it is sad, because he will just be in the "world" more at home, but at the same time, we cannot have unworthy being ministers of Christ. The Spirit cannot work through them the same, and the Spirit is key.
anyway, since then, it has been kind of interesting. it was also cool because a sister in our room was saying that she didn't feel worthy, so then she went and talked to the president. and she is worthy. satan is just working really hard on people, and likes to bring up past sins to make you feel unworthy. it was great to see that she had the courage to go talk and clear it all up. and she was worthy! the speakers multiple times said, "don't judge yourself. you have no right to judge yourself. only a common judge in israel can tell you if you are worthy or not. if you have a question, go clear it up. chances are, you'll be worthy." i hope in the case of the elder, he will be worthy and return out on his mission.
i have been very blessed to have an incredible district. the elders in my district are top notch. always wanting to work hard, and they push my to help my spanish improve faster. would you believe it if i told you that every single person in my district hated the movie TRANSFORMERS. haha they all thought it was a terrible movie. i was so excited...because no one feels that way. the only other boy i've met that hated that movie was Andrew. haha.
my spanish is coming along. i'm getting to the point where i can almost talk all day in spanish. it is really slow still, because i have to think about how to conjugate everything, but heavenly Father has really blessed me because i was definitely the worst in my class. it is hard with intermediate because there are so many levels. and i was a really low level. you wouldn't think that i should be, but just lack of use and poor education in high school has made it so i am pretty much a beginner. i didn't know conjugations anymore, and words...yeah a whole other ball game. But as I pray for the gift of tounges, I have seen it manifest.
For example. yesterday, i taught a whole lesson (not just a memorized lesson, but one where we teach to the needs) in spanish. I think i only said probably 5 words in english because i really just didn't know them. I was amazed. I know it was just because I really wanted to do that yesterday, and so I especially prayed for the gift of tounges yesterday. It was great. Also, Heavenly Father has helped me pull words from my memory (like elementary school) that I haven't used in forever. It is really funny. We will be sitting in class, and somone will say "how do you say__________?" and before my teacher can answer I just say the translation. and then i realize that i haven't even heard that word in so long that i think i made it up. so then i say, "wait, is that even a word?" haha the answer is always yes. it is so funny.
I love the miracles I see. I haven't even been in the field yet, and I see miracles right and left. Seriously. it is incredible. I dont' want to come home just because I will have other cares and things to distract me. This work is awesome. I wish you all didn't have to do anything...and i wish we all had enough money to support us and just serve missions the rest of our lives. best experience ever! that's all i have to say. I guess that is what the millenium is for. i'm learning so much. and i am humbled every day. everyday i learn more and more how we do nothing. everything is done by the will of God. God's love is incredible.
anyway, i love you. and if you maybe want to send dearelders (dearelder.com) during the week, you are more than welcome to. i get those same day unless you send them on sat. or sun. anyway, just for future reference. and it is free! that's the best part! plus mom, if you need to inform me of something quickly...i can get your info!
love,
Sarah
Ok, this week was an interesting one. We hadn't had any talks about making sure to talk to your common judge in israel about possible issues and repentance, until this past week. then we had two. in a matter of two days! it was crazy. obviously Heavenly Father was trying to teach us something. anyway, then an Elder in our branch was sent home this week. He went and talked to the president and I guess he needed to go home to sort things out. it was sad, but i was proud of him for talking about it. even though i'm sure his life is aweful right now. it is sad, because he will just be in the "world" more at home, but at the same time, we cannot have unworthy being ministers of Christ. The Spirit cannot work through them the same, and the Spirit is key.
anyway, since then, it has been kind of interesting. it was also cool because a sister in our room was saying that she didn't feel worthy, so then she went and talked to the president. and she is worthy. satan is just working really hard on people, and likes to bring up past sins to make you feel unworthy. it was great to see that she had the courage to go talk and clear it all up. and she was worthy! the speakers multiple times said, "don't judge yourself. you have no right to judge yourself. only a common judge in israel can tell you if you are worthy or not. if you have a question, go clear it up. chances are, you'll be worthy." i hope in the case of the elder, he will be worthy and return out on his mission.
i have been very blessed to have an incredible district. the elders in my district are top notch. always wanting to work hard, and they push my to help my spanish improve faster. would you believe it if i told you that every single person in my district hated the movie TRANSFORMERS. haha they all thought it was a terrible movie. i was so excited...because no one feels that way. the only other boy i've met that hated that movie was Andrew. haha.
my spanish is coming along. i'm getting to the point where i can almost talk all day in spanish. it is really slow still, because i have to think about how to conjugate everything, but heavenly Father has really blessed me because i was definitely the worst in my class. it is hard with intermediate because there are so many levels. and i was a really low level. you wouldn't think that i should be, but just lack of use and poor education in high school has made it so i am pretty much a beginner. i didn't know conjugations anymore, and words...yeah a whole other ball game. But as I pray for the gift of tounges, I have seen it manifest.
For example. yesterday, i taught a whole lesson (not just a memorized lesson, but one where we teach to the needs) in spanish. I think i only said probably 5 words in english because i really just didn't know them. I was amazed. I know it was just because I really wanted to do that yesterday, and so I especially prayed for the gift of tounges yesterday. It was great. Also, Heavenly Father has helped me pull words from my memory (like elementary school) that I haven't used in forever. It is really funny. We will be sitting in class, and somone will say "how do you say__________?" and before my teacher can answer I just say the translation. and then i realize that i haven't even heard that word in so long that i think i made it up. so then i say, "wait, is that even a word?" haha the answer is always yes. it is so funny.
I love the miracles I see. I haven't even been in the field yet, and I see miracles right and left. Seriously. it is incredible. I dont' want to come home just because I will have other cares and things to distract me. This work is awesome. I wish you all didn't have to do anything...and i wish we all had enough money to support us and just serve missions the rest of our lives. best experience ever! that's all i have to say. I guess that is what the millenium is for. i'm learning so much. and i am humbled every day. everyday i learn more and more how we do nothing. everything is done by the will of God. God's love is incredible.
anyway, i love you. and if you maybe want to send dearelders (dearelder.com) during the week, you are more than welcome to. i get those same day unless you send them on sat. or sun. anyway, just for future reference. and it is free! that's the best part! plus mom, if you need to inform me of something quickly...i can get your info!
love,
Sarah
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