We Have Arrived!!!!



Right after we all got settled in our new room!
These cute girls are all in a different zone (except for Sis. Maiava) but they're also all going to the Philippines & we hang out with them a lot!  We are all wearing our "DORK DOT" still.
From top to bottom;  L to R
Sister Dennis,  Sister Maiava,  Sister Westerman,  Sister Stromberg,  Sister Allen,  Sister Vickers

 

My 1st District- 2 Day at MTC


 





From L to R, Back to Front
Elder Orth, Elder Hudson, Elder Leasuasu, Elder Daviis, Elder Klein Kin, Elder Mac Millen,  Elder Sasagi,  Elder Edvalson, Sister Maiava,
Sister Allen

                                                                                                                Saturday, October 01, 2011

Kumusta Pamilya?!

Haha...thats about all I know...just kiddin. Actually yesterday I taught my first discussion in Tagalog! To a progressing investigator...that went....interesting!

I don't really know where to start! Life is CRAZY at the MTC! First off..I want to thank you for the package! The food is fantastic here...but if you could send more protein bars my way, I'd appreciate it! I miss them!

Day 1.....got here, Elders were super sweet. First thing out of their mouth was...How are you not married? :) I just laughed...if only they knew! The church is soo organized! You drop your bags off at your room, hurry through a line to pick up all of your learning materials, and then get escorted to get your badge, take your picture and get name tag, and then go to your classroom...which will be my home away from home for the next 9 weeks! Our teacher ONLY speaks Tagalog to us. We got to do an orientation thing on the computer, and then started learning! It was only me and 5 Elders when I first got there. Later I was able to meet my Kasama (companion), Sister Maiava! She is from Samoa! Unfortunately, she speaks Samoan...and not English...like AT ALL! So...instead of at least having a companion to help me out with everything...I'm totally on my own! It was really really frustrating the first couple of days. Like the 2nd day when it took me 2 hours to try and communicate " do you have your immunization card?" and we went to like 3 places looking for it...and it was in her backpack the entire time. The only reason we eventually found that out was becuase, thank goodness, we ran into another Samoan Elder that was able to communicate with her. I lost it when I had to try and tell her to meet me at a building after she was done with her shots, and she couldn't understand. SOO FRUSTRATING!!  I had a melt down at the immunization building. Tears started coming to my eyes, and luckily Sister Morton & Sister Youngberg (2 other Sisters in my Zone) saw me and quickly gave me a hug. One of the volunteer Elders (an older man) just saw me and said I have a lot of extra blessings coming to me. That it takes a special person to handle what I'm being given. Well...keep em comin...keep the challenges headin my way haha :) I'm doing much better now. I've realized that's even more of a reason I need to learn how to speak Tagalog quickly.  But seriously, I get frustrated a lot with it. The thing that keeps us going is the fact that I know she loves the Lord. She has a testimony, and she is here because she wants to help others. We're both here for the right reason, and even though I get frustrated, I love Sister Maiava to death! She is so wonderful, and we've just had to find other ways to communicate. Now that we're learning a little more of the language it's getting a little easier. Our President was talking to us and one of his counselors said that if we are worried about the language it's a pride thing. Well...I guess I've got to work on that. He said seriously if I focus on the Gospel, the language will come and not to worry. So...I'll do it! :)

One thing I am grateful for is this experience reminds me a lot of my old Roommate Assenet. I am grateful for her because I feel like that experience prepared me to be here now. Because remember when Assenet first moved here from Mexico

she didn't speak a lick of english...and I got frustrated because I had to teach her all of her english? At least at that time I could speak spanish a little bit to communicate the basics...now I've got nothin...but it prepared me for her. It's the same thing. I have to be "Mom". Help her pay for things, take her places, communicate things to her again, help her do everything. It's good for me though,by galli the Lord will teach me patience!

Yesterday was really the first day I felt "Mabuti" here! (good) I enjoyed myself. I am loving the Elders and Sisters in my district. Sister Maiava and I have made friends with sister Morton & Sister Funaki, and we all get along really well! The Elders in my district act like they're 10...but I love it too! They are fantastic, and good guys! I actually ran into a few friends here too! It's fun to see them and where they're going. Also...I ran into Bud's nephew! Brother Powell! He is going to Quezon City Philippines, and he has been here 7 weeks. The elders in his district told me he is amazing at the language and catching on really well!

As far as my running goes Kenna, you'll be proud...another Sister, Sister Ycmatt from Bountiful Utah loves to run too! The 2 of us go running...and I've been able to run about 2.5 miles at least a day...kinda keepin it up! :)

Yesterday Sister Maiava and I taught our first progressing investigator! It is amazing...I can already introduce myself, ask questions, say please and thank you, say prayers and bear my testimony in Tagalog! I get frustrated a lot with the language. I just want to learn it faster, and I have so much to learn still in order to communicate effectively! But...I do have to realize I've really only been here for 3 days!!! That's pretty good...I guess!

By the way, I asked my teacher to make sure that "Bahala Ka" means "It's up to you" and he said yes...but in a negative way. haha he said it means like "It's your funeral" hahaha...I just laughed and told him that was the title of my blog at home! He said I should change it to "Bahala Na"...that that was more positive! So here in the MTC I only get 30 minutes to write on P day. My P day is regularly on Fridays, but with conference, this week is a little missed up. I actually don't get a P day! Unfortunately, my 30 minutes is up...and I'm realizing I am very grateful I can type quickly too...or else I wouldn't have even gotten this much down!

Love you guys more than you know!!!! The Gospel is true, and I am lucky enough to share that with others!

PS PLEASE keep the letters comin...I didn't realize how grateful I would be to get them...but it keeps me going! :)