Hola familia! I can't believe it's been another week! Time flies by
here, but it's been another great week here. You know on the movie
Holes when Stanley writes home to his family and tells them how awesome
Camp Greenlake is, when really it's terrible and nothing he writes is
true? Well that's not what it's like here ha. I promise I am having so
much fun and working hard here! We're all pretty anxious about our Visas
still though. When Elder Carbee got his we were all thinking we'd leave
the next day, but it hasn't turned out that way. There is good news and
bad news about our Visas. We talked to the travel office this morning
and they said they're hopeful that our Visas will get here soon, but
that means they're going to hold us here an extra week probably while we
wait for them. So, instead of leaving next Wednesday we'll probably be
here an extra week if our Visas don't come. I'll keep ya posted though. I
seriously love my district so much, I wish you could meet every single
one of them! It makes it easier to be here longer with such a fun
district and awesome teachers. I got kind of sad the other day thinking
that I won't be with my district my whole mission. But it's just going
to get better in Peru! I know I'll probably feel the same way about the
people in Peru.
Everyday feels like a week here ha. It's hard for me to
remember what I've told you about already.... Yesterday before our
Tuesday devotional we were kinda bummed that we didn't get to hear from
any apostles. Apparently it's been a couple months since one has come.
But we were sitting there in our choir seats when Elder Richard G. Scott
comes in! We were so excited! We sang "Nearer My God to Thee" in the
choir and it was so cool to sing with Elder Scott there. Our choir
teacher Brother Eggett who is like one of my favorite people ever told
us the story behind that song. The song was written about Jacob when he
was in the wilderness, and the heavens opened and he saw a ladder going
up into heaven. I had no idea that song was about that! Whenever I
thought about that song I just felt sad cause it reminded me of the
movie Titanic ha. Now I think it's such a pretty song and I love it!
During choir practice Brother Eggett taught us that trials can either
make us bitter or better. I really liked that thought. He also talked
about how we are the metal and trials are the fire. The fiery trials we
go through harden (strengthen) us, purify us, and make us malleable and
teachable. I learn so much and feel the Spirit so strongly just by going
to choir. Elder Scott talked about prayer, and how important it is to
say prayers of gratitude. He also talked about how cool it is that the
all-knowing, all-powerful being wants us to talk with him as our Father.
He wants us to tell him about everything going on in our lives, and
it's not because he doesn't know, because he knows everything. It's just
because he loves us! Saying sincere prayers is something I want to be
better at. Elder Scott talked directly to those of us learning a
language, and he said it doesn't matter if our words are clumsy,
Heavenly Father knows what we're trying to say. He also kept
repeating to the sisters how important our mission is, and how it's
going to bless us for the rest of our lives. He gave us an apostolic of
peace, that we'd have the Lord on our side, and that we'd be able to
learn the language. It was a way good devotional!
It's been pretty exciting for Hna. Madsen and I
teaching one of our investigators this week named Jhonatan. I was
feeling like we weren't really getting through to him, and I was so
worried about me, me, me. We invited Jhonatan to watch conference, and
then when we met with him after conference he told us that he loved
conference, read el Libro de Mormon, and wanted to know more. We were
like... YES!! It was so cool to see that change in him when he read the
Book of Mormon and prayed to know for himself. It bore testimony to me
of the power of the Book of Mormon, and how essential it is to teach
with the Spirit. We continued teaching Jhonatan about faith in Alma 32,
and he really liked reading Alma 36 when Alma talks about being lifted
up in his trials and trusting in the Lord. The Spirit was so strong and I
just felt like it was right, so I invited him to be baptized and he
said yes! Even though we're really teaching Hno. Rockwood, it felt so
real and the Spirit was really there. It was such a cool experience. I
learned that the spirit is the teacher and we really have nothing to do
with it. Our job is just to create the right environment and invite them
to come unto Christ. In our last lesson with Jhonatan we were talking
to him about how he can prepare himself for baptism. Hna. Madsen wanted
him to read Mosiah 18, but didn't have anything to write on, so
she wrote on a square of toilet paper that she had in her pocket (we're
all still a little sick) and handed it to him. Jhonatan (Hno.
Rockwood) just smiled and said, "Wow, always prepared Hna. Madsen!" It
was pretty great haha.
We've gotten to be pro speed walkers here at the MTC.
Hna. Johnson even rivals my roomie Keara with her speed walking skills
ha. There's always somewhere to be and something to do, but I love
it. Are you still putting these letters on the blog? I was just
wondering cause I know finals at BYU are almost over and people are
leaving Provo. I'm sending some letters today so hopefully they get to
you all in Provo. If not and you move back home, you can email me at jadena@myldsmail.net.
They let us email friends and give us an hour now. Please keep sending
dear elders!! I love hearing from you all! I'm getting over my sickness
and feel much better now thankfully. Tomorrow we have in-field
orientation almost all day long. They teach us how to be safe and things
like keeping records and stuff. Ha wow sorry not detailed at all, but I
don't really know for sure what we do. Well I love you guys so so
so much! Mom, dad, thank you so much for everything! Write me letters.
Hope everything's good at home!
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