Letters from The MTC

So the mom is a little slow at posting mission updates. I apologize now but have been hesitant until I realized you were all waiting to hear how the Missionary is doing and this is the only way you would know. On that note, I begin sharing...

April 16, 2013

I found out I can write letters during personal time on Tuesdays and on P-day. I can on Thursdays as well. I only have 30 minutes so bear with me. :) Dear Elder has been really great for here at the MTC. So, if anyone is looking to write me, that would be the best way. Plus, it's free for letters.

The MTC has been really great. Everyone said "Make it to Sunday". But, honestly, it hasn't been too bad. We have been teaching an investigator in Espanol and that has been quite the experience. I can understand her mostly but I don't have a big enough vocabulary to share my thoughts with her. I have felt the spirit so strongly with her. I feel so much love for her even though she is already a member. Today, we are teaching the third lesson to her especially baptism. She wants to know more. I can't comprehend now that I will be able to speak Espanol but it will come.

I know why people say make it to Sunday. We watched Music and The Spoken Word which was great as always. For Relief Society we have quest speakers and it was Mary Ellen Edmunds. I have never heard of her but when I get back I will be looking up her books and talks. She was hilarious yet she answered a lot of questions I had about me serving a mission. Sacrament was good. We have to prepare talks each week and might get called on. Luckily I wasn't picked. :)

We went on a temple walk which was great! It is so close! I ran into Elder Elliot, Hermana Bues,and Elder Kunzler. It was nice to just get out. That night we had a devotional. The speaker did a great job! He is the director of media for the church and he shared some statistics of the church. The Lord's work is hastening and I am so glad we call all be a part of it. Make a Mormon.org profile soon!

We watched Legacy afterwards which I haven't ever seen that I remember. I have seen the Joseph Smith movie but this was slightly different. The spirit was so strong and no I didn't cry. Well, a little. It was the perfect recharge I needed.

Yesterday was quite the day. After breakfast, I started not feeling well. My back was hurting so bad it made me sick to my stomach. I did everything I could do to stretch my back and use essential oils. It wasn't getting any better. At dinner when I was blessing my food, I asked Heavenly Father if I was suppose to ask for a blessing to make the pain worse. I know that doesn't sound like a good idea, but I had the thought come into my head I needed a blessing. I am too stubborn to ask. During dinner Heavenly Father answered my prayer. The pain increased 10 times. I was getting dizzy. The nurses office was closed so I knew what I needed to do. Mi compenara and I found the zone leaders and asked how we went about that. I asked an Elder in our district. Wow, the Priesthood Power is real. Elder Boekweg said everything I needed to hear. It was truly inspired. His blessing reminded me a  lot like when Drew S. gave me a blessing. He paused and waited to let the spirit guide him. It brought us as a district closer together. There is only 7 of us which is really small compared to our zone. Me, mi companera, Hermana Oldroyd (Trujillo), Hermana Jensen y Reed, (Nashville) y the Elders Cunningham, Leavitt, y Boekweg (Trujillo). By the time it was time to head back to our residence hall, I felt SO much better. And today, I am just dandy. The power of prayer and Priesthood IS REAL. I am doing well. I miss you guys and my friends. It is just taking some getting used to.

Don't worry about me, I am fine. :)

Love you all!

Hermana Joslyn

April 18, 2013

Yes it is 5:30 a.m. and I am writing. Haha we get up at 5 to do laundry so that's why I am here. 

Remember what you send me, I have to try and fit in my suitcase to go to Peru :) I am having a good time. I am tired a lot but not tired at the same time. I have only 30 minutes so on Tuesday's so I am going to write what happened over the weekend then Thursday I will email pictures and more info :) 

  

I miss a coke. Haha don't even joke about it. Sprite does not suffice my desire for caffeine  But it will do until I get to Peru. Crazy things happen here at the MTC, you become less picky haha. I am worried for when I go to Peru and I won't have the option of ANY American food. But until then, I will eat like a Queen :) No, I am not going to gain the average 15 pounds here at the MTC. Haha you would have to be eating everything in sight then sitting during Gym time and I do not haha. The food is pretty good, they have BYU creamery ice cream which is good. But nothing compared to Aggie ice cream :) 

  

So on Tuesday's we have a devotional and no one knows who it is. They line up like crazy and run in to get a seat so you don't have to go into the overflow building. We lucked out, it was Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve. He mostly talked about prayer but when he got up he said "I think I have died and gone to Heaven". I have always loved his talks because he is so sweet but his talk made me love him so much more :) He talked about how much he loves sister missionaries and that those speaking a language have been called of God to learn a language and He did not call us to fail. He really made me feel so good about my mission. He told us how it will bless us for the rest of our lives as mothers and wives, very comforting haha :) He sat down but after the closing song he stopped the girl that was going to pray and said he had more to say. He re-stated a lot of what he had already said but the fact he got up to say it again was great! Then..... He gave us a double thumbs up, I loved it :) 

  

If I get my visa anytime, I will be shipped out just an FYI. Our district has 5 missionaries going to Peru and one got his visa yesterday and he is leaving this morning. He is scared but excited. I haven't met any Peru Lima South as I have been here at the MTC so.... We will see how that works out haha. The Lima MTC I think it would be great for my Spanish  I am struggling with it but I know it will come in time I just have to rely on the spirit to testify of what I can't say.  

  

About the happy happy happy shirts, I love mine haha. My roomie Hermana Jensen has watched Duck Dynasty and she saw us when you dropped me off and then she asked me if it was me. Pretty great, feliz feliz feliz! I love my companion! She is great! We get along really well and we have come to understand each other so much in the last week. I am so grateful to have a good companion for my first one :) 

  

On Sunday, they had the sister missionaries that have come in in the last two weeks, it was nearly half. It was truly incredible. I am so grateful for the ability and opportunity I have to be helping hasten the work for the Lord. If you are even thinking about a mission, GO! Seriously I can see the blessing it is providing for me, even in a week! The spirit is strong here and there is like an excitement within all of us. It is truly a beautiful thing. 

  

 I didn't get very many good pictures because I forgot to :) oops haha so bear with the pictures this week. I have seen I think everyone from the Tremonton area that is here. I love seeing everyone, it makes me so happy :) It is great! Has anyone else got their calls? And is anyone coming here in the next couple weeks? My departure date is May 22nd but of course that is visa pending. 

  

Dear Elders are the BEST way to get a hold of me. I can write back on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I get them that day so if anyone wants to reach me, that would be the best way. Anything is much appreciated :) 

What I have learned is that I am the same person I am now as I was before the mission. I still say "What'er", "Oh man oh man oh man", "interesting" and all of the other phrases I used to say. My heart is changing from the experiences I am feeling but I am still the same :) 

  

With love, 

Hermana Joslyn