HI!! No it is not p-day but we are going to do a little laundry and stuff before class starts. So I have a minute to email quick! I am feeling better!! Not 100% still, but am doing loads better than I thought I would be at this point. Thanks for the powerade and otter pops yesterday. I didn't get a chance to freeze them yet--the freezer is in the room next to us and I haven't asked them yet! I was so excited to get the package! I still have a nasty bruise on my arm from where they took my blood (I'll try to send a picture Friday-we're not on the computers where you can send pictures) and a sore throat, but am happy to stay in class and such now! I saw Christine yesterday-she left here at 4AM this morning off to ITALY!!! I'm so excited for her and know she will be an awesome missionary!
As for our TRAVEL PLANS!!!
We fly from SLC to Seattle. I am excited about eating Cafe Rio and real fountain Diet Coke:) Seattle-Tokyo with a 2 hr layover in Seattle; Tokyo to Busan with a 2 hr layover in Tokyo
Then the mission president picks us up at the airport in Busan and we go stay at the mission home like I sent you last week! So excited! I am a little overwhelmed about leaving the MTC and going to a whole new place, but know that I can do it! So many missionaries before me have and the only way is through trusting in the Lord!
One of our new teachers--Brother Wade--also went to Busan. He got back like 9 months ago, and he's been getting us super excited about going! We've practiced street contacting, etc. with him. He told us how awesome President Gilbert is, and especially how great his wife is! He said she is a total fireball and that we will love her so much! I guess a lot of what they talk about is opening our mouths and speaking to people-even though we are still not great with the language. Even though I know I'll probably be scared to do so, but I just need to remember that my purpose ias a missionary is to invite others to come unto Christ! I know that the only way I am going to learn is by trying my best, and making mistakes along the way. As you know, I've always had a hard time admitting my weaknesses, but this is yet another thing I can work on and improve while on my mission. The best part of all though is that the Lord makes up for those weaknesses as long as we trust in him and do all we can to be the missionary he wants us to be. I am so excited to see how I learn and grow in the Lord's service!! I loved reading all the Oly letters you send me yesterday and seeing how much all my friends love missionary work, and it gets me even more excited to be a part of it!
I'm SOOOO excited to see Ellie this week!! Sister Ellingson and I were talking about it this morning. We'll both be hosting so we'll keep an eye out for her:) I'm glad you talked to Sky's mom! She is doing so great here and i am so excited to be in Busan with her!! I told her if she had a few things she needed to send home she could stick it with my stuff and her mom can get it from you!
Thank you for EVERYTHING!!!! You are so awesome and I love you so so so much!!!! 6 more days at the MTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crazy! I'm actually doing this!!!
Love, Em
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Oh No, Mono!
Hello! Sounds like you have all had a busy week! Sounds fun though!
So I guess the most exciting news of the week is that I apparently have Mono. I had a cold or something on Friday, so went to the clinic and saw Dr. Brown. He had me go get sudafed and benadryl at the pharmacy, then I took that over the weekend but just felt like I was getting worse. So between that, and a couple elders in my district having the flu, I decided to go in again on Monday, and because of my symptoms, he ran a test for mono and strep throat. Mono came back positive. So I will try to get as much rest as I can for now, and then go back on Thursday and he will test my white blood cell count again. Depending on how it is, he is going to prescribe an antibiotic and go from there. I guess it usually resolves itself over about 2 weeks, so fingers crossed for that since I leave two weeks from yesterday!!! Two of the elders gave me a blessing last night, so I know that will help too.
Other than that, its been a pretty fun week! We hosted the new missionaries last Wednesday. It was the first time that they had ever had more sisters than elders come in! So the sisters got to help greet at the curb which was way fun! It brought back lots of memories of that first day, but was fun to be a part of it. The new group of Korean missionaries came, and it has been fun to get to know them a little! I don't know too many of them (I think they're a little overwhelmed and are still not too chatty) but hopefully will over the next few weeks. There is a good group going to Busan! The new native Koreans got here yesterday, but we haven't met any of them yet. Hopefully today they will get moved into our residence hall.
Lets see what else... Haha so on Thursday, Sister Hilton had to go to the orthodontist to get her permanent retainer re-glued (lets hope mine doesn't come unglued!) and Sister Cheney (her companion) had a few days notice, so she emailed her sister to meet her there with Cafe Rio! Haha totally against the rules but, she got the cafe rio, and the girls next to us have a fridge in their room (long story of how...) so she put it in there until dinner and we warmed it up in the microwave and all ate it that night! Hilarious, eh? We were super excited about it!
I do have stuff I will send home. I guess we'll see how much extra stuff I have once I get packed. Should be an adventure! Its coming up quick! We get our travel plans THURSDAY!!!!!! Also, will you send bug spray? I don't remember if I already asked or not. It was one of the things my mission pres said to bring, but I forgot about it until getting here!
Spiritual Thought... Last night I was reading in my Book of Mormon about the Army of Helaman. I have always loved the story, but as I was reading it this time, tried to relate it to missionary work. I loved thinking about how determined they were, and the trust they had in their Heavenly Father that they would accomplish all that was asked of them. I know we need to think the very same thing as missionaries! We need to be determined to share the gospel by example, and by bold teaching! We need to be excited about sharing our message! Even though things will be hard... harder than I had imagined... Heavenly Father wouldn't have given me this call if he hadn't know I can do it. As long as I trust in him, he will help me along the way! I have probably prayed more in the last 2 months than I have the rest of my life haha. Its a great experience though and I have already grown so much and learned so much about myself! I love being a part of the amazing work that is going on right now! The marvelous work going to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people that was prophesied of all through out the scriptures is happening now! So exciting!
Love you and miss you all!
Em
So I guess the most exciting news of the week is that I apparently have Mono. I had a cold or something on Friday, so went to the clinic and saw Dr. Brown. He had me go get sudafed and benadryl at the pharmacy, then I took that over the weekend but just felt like I was getting worse. So between that, and a couple elders in my district having the flu, I decided to go in again on Monday, and because of my symptoms, he ran a test for mono and strep throat. Mono came back positive. So I will try to get as much rest as I can for now, and then go back on Thursday and he will test my white blood cell count again. Depending on how it is, he is going to prescribe an antibiotic and go from there. I guess it usually resolves itself over about 2 weeks, so fingers crossed for that since I leave two weeks from yesterday!!! Two of the elders gave me a blessing last night, so I know that will help too.
Other than that, its been a pretty fun week! We hosted the new missionaries last Wednesday. It was the first time that they had ever had more sisters than elders come in! So the sisters got to help greet at the curb which was way fun! It brought back lots of memories of that first day, but was fun to be a part of it. The new group of Korean missionaries came, and it has been fun to get to know them a little! I don't know too many of them (I think they're a little overwhelmed and are still not too chatty) but hopefully will over the next few weeks. There is a good group going to Busan! The new native Koreans got here yesterday, but we haven't met any of them yet. Hopefully today they will get moved into our residence hall.
Lets see what else... Haha so on Thursday, Sister Hilton had to go to the orthodontist to get her permanent retainer re-glued (lets hope mine doesn't come unglued!) and Sister Cheney (her companion) had a few days notice, so she emailed her sister to meet her there with Cafe Rio! Haha totally against the rules but, she got the cafe rio, and the girls next to us have a fridge in their room (long story of how...) so she put it in there until dinner and we warmed it up in the microwave and all ate it that night! Hilarious, eh? We were super excited about it!
I do have stuff I will send home. I guess we'll see how much extra stuff I have once I get packed. Should be an adventure! Its coming up quick! We get our travel plans THURSDAY!!!!!! Also, will you send bug spray? I don't remember if I already asked or not. It was one of the things my mission pres said to bring, but I forgot about it until getting here!
Spiritual Thought... Last night I was reading in my Book of Mormon about the Army of Helaman. I have always loved the story, but as I was reading it this time, tried to relate it to missionary work. I loved thinking about how determined they were, and the trust they had in their Heavenly Father that they would accomplish all that was asked of them. I know we need to think the very same thing as missionaries! We need to be determined to share the gospel by example, and by bold teaching! We need to be excited about sharing our message! Even though things will be hard... harder than I had imagined... Heavenly Father wouldn't have given me this call if he hadn't know I can do it. As long as I trust in him, he will help me along the way! I have probably prayed more in the last 2 months than I have the rest of my life haha. Its a great experience though and I have already grown so much and learned so much about myself! I love being a part of the amazing work that is going on right now! The marvelous work going to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people that was prophesied of all through out the scriptures is happening now! So exciting!
Love you and miss you all!
Em
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Good Morning!
I've had another great week here! To answer your questions, I don't know what my favorite part of the MTC is. It has all become pretty repetitive and all runs together. Its good though! I still feel like I have lots to learn before leaving here. We have class for 6 hours each day (broken up in to 3 hour classes with 2 different teachers) along with personal study, gym, language study, meals, and thats basically it. And repeat 5 days a week. They are changing our P-Day to Friday for our last week here because the whole MTC schedule is changing so I may only get 1 P-Day over 10 days. Who knows. I think I will run all out of clothes. I sang in the choir a few times but, practice is weird with my schedule so we haven't gone in a few weeks. We have devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday nights. Sunday is usually someone from the missionary department, and Tuesday is usually some sort of general authority. We haven't had any of the "big ones" come yet though. We have "progressing investigators" that we teach each day. They are really just our teachers though pretending to be someone they taught on their missions. We teach all in Korean. We committed one of them to baptism last week, and the other is coming to church on Sunday and missing school for it, so that's exciting!
There's also this thing called the TRC (don't know what it stands for) but you go each Saturday with a little lesson prepared, and then just try to teach them. They are all members-whether they are from Korea, or served missions there. Its more like visiting teaching where we try to find out about them, and then share a 20 or so minute message. Saturday, some of the Elders meant to share D&C 9:8 about church or something, but flipped open in their Korean scriptures to Moroni 9:8. Look it up. Its hilarious.
So Sunday was a very busy day for me! We got up and went to Relief Society like usual. The speaker was HILARIOUS! Her name was Mary Edmunds and she had us all laughing. She referred to Google as her "google and thumum". She also told us not to touch the Elders. Don't punch them, don't poke them, etc. But keep a list of the ones we'd like to touch after our mission haha. She also said that our district leaders are probably 18 going on 12, which is very true. Anyway. Then we went to lunch and then sacrament meeting. The branch president gave me a calling for music something or other, which I had no previous knowledge about, so was surprised when I stood up. Then we started singing the sacrament hymn and he stopped it and said oh wait. I meant to call Sister Burton not Sister Burgoyne haha so I was a little relieved about that one. It was funny though. Then I ended up having to speak. Everyone prepares a 5 minute talk, and they call on an elder and a sister after sacrament literally 30 seconds before you have to speak. 3 minutes are in Korean, and 2 in English. I was TERRIFIED! But I hope it ended up ok. Then I accompanied 3 sisters when they sang Come Thou Fount. It was just the hymn version, but I arranged the singing parts and piano. I think it ended up pretty well. Then, Sister Scott and I taught our district meeting. So that is like Sunday School with just our district. We taught on Enduring to the End. We broke it up into obedience, steadfastness, and perserverance. I thought it ended up really well. I will send a copy of my lesson home in a letter. Then the rest of the day was like usual (temple walk, dinner, devotional, planning, bed). Christine and I took a picture at the temple that I will send.
Well I think that's basically all for now. Its weird to think that originally I would be coming in tomorrow...I'm glad I already have 6 weeks down.
Love you and miss you all so much! Hope you have a fabulous week!
Love,
Em
P.S. the other picture was when we wore black last Wednesday in mourning of P-Day (what we like to refer to as Pants Day) being over hahaha
I've had another great week here! To answer your questions, I don't know what my favorite part of the MTC is. It has all become pretty repetitive and all runs together. Its good though! I still feel like I have lots to learn before leaving here. We have class for 6 hours each day (broken up in to 3 hour classes with 2 different teachers) along with personal study, gym, language study, meals, and thats basically it. And repeat 5 days a week. They are changing our P-Day to Friday for our last week here because the whole MTC schedule is changing so I may only get 1 P-Day over 10 days. Who knows. I think I will run all out of clothes. I sang in the choir a few times but, practice is weird with my schedule so we haven't gone in a few weeks. We have devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday nights. Sunday is usually someone from the missionary department, and Tuesday is usually some sort of general authority. We haven't had any of the "big ones" come yet though. We have "progressing investigators" that we teach each day. They are really just our teachers though pretending to be someone they taught on their missions. We teach all in Korean. We committed one of them to baptism last week, and the other is coming to church on Sunday and missing school for it, so that's exciting!
There's also this thing called the TRC (don't know what it stands for) but you go each Saturday with a little lesson prepared, and then just try to teach them. They are all members-whether they are from Korea, or served missions there. Its more like visiting teaching where we try to find out about them, and then share a 20 or so minute message. Saturday, some of the Elders meant to share D&C 9:8 about church or something, but flipped open in their Korean scriptures to Moroni 9:8. Look it up. Its hilarious.
So Sunday was a very busy day for me! We got up and went to Relief Society like usual. The speaker was HILARIOUS! Her name was Mary Edmunds and she had us all laughing. She referred to Google as her "google and thumum". She also told us not to touch the Elders. Don't punch them, don't poke them, etc. But keep a list of the ones we'd like to touch after our mission haha. She also said that our district leaders are probably 18 going on 12, which is very true. Anyway. Then we went to lunch and then sacrament meeting. The branch president gave me a calling for music something or other, which I had no previous knowledge about, so was surprised when I stood up. Then we started singing the sacrament hymn and he stopped it and said oh wait. I meant to call Sister Burton not Sister Burgoyne haha so I was a little relieved about that one. It was funny though. Then I ended up having to speak. Everyone prepares a 5 minute talk, and they call on an elder and a sister after sacrament literally 30 seconds before you have to speak. 3 minutes are in Korean, and 2 in English. I was TERRIFIED! But I hope it ended up ok. Then I accompanied 3 sisters when they sang Come Thou Fount. It was just the hymn version, but I arranged the singing parts and piano. I think it ended up pretty well. Then, Sister Scott and I taught our district meeting. So that is like Sunday School with just our district. We taught on Enduring to the End. We broke it up into obedience, steadfastness, and perserverance. I thought it ended up really well. I will send a copy of my lesson home in a letter. Then the rest of the day was like usual (temple walk, dinner, devotional, planning, bed). Christine and I took a picture at the temple that I will send.
Well I think that's basically all for now. Its weird to think that originally I would be coming in tomorrow...I'm glad I already have 6 weeks down.
Love you and miss you all so much! Hope you have a fabulous week!
Love,
Em
P.S. the other picture was when we wore black last Wednesday in mourning of P-Day (what we like to refer to as Pants Day) being over hahaha
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Conference was AWESOME!!!
Conference was AWESOME!!! I actually listened to ALL of the talks (ok maybe for the first time ever...) and LOVED applying it to Missionary Work! I wish we could have seen the KSL missionary special...Sounds Awesome! I guess I get to live it though, which, lets be honest is even better!! I hope you all get a chance to watch the talks from Saturday that I'm assuming everyone didn't see... haha-- I think my favorite talks were on Saturday! I loved Pres. Packer's talk about how faith is a real power, and not just an expression of belief. He also said the most powerful prayers are that of a mother- I know I constantly benefit from those prayers from Mom, as well as my grandmas! I need to remember this when I have down days! I also loved Pres Eyring's talk about how we are still witnesses of Christ today- my role in this is just a little more prevalent at this time! He said that we need to find joy in this- it is the desire of our hearts because of our love for the Savior and his love for us! My perspective on lots of things in life have changed so much over the last couple weeks- I love being able to serve the Lord, and can't wait to get to Korea and begin teaching His gospel to people (even with my limited Korean...) Third, I loved Richard G. Scott's talk saying that when we obey and serve, the natural consequence is power from the Lord! This is just another testament of the power we have as missionaries! I love it and am so excited to be a part of it!
Sunday night, we had our weekly devotional, but they had Vocal Point, an acapella singing group from BYU who won the real life ICCA's (think pitch perfect) perform and bear their testimonies about missionary work and such. It was awesome, and a good break from all the talks!
So then Monday mornings we have service for just over an hour. We lucked out and get to help in 18M-one of the big buildings with classrooms- and not one of the residence halls with bathrooms haha. So I am now pro at moping stairs, dusting railings, disinfecting door handles, etc. Either they're really really particular about cleaning here, or they just have more missionaries than useful things to do, and sometimes we get assigned weird jobs like dusting random things that aren't even dusty...but its fun, and a good break from class...and skirts!! (We have to wear jeans)
Other than that, nothing too exciting has happened here over the last week! Korean is still coming along- I was super frustrated yesterday, not really sure why haha. Our lessons with our investigators are going well, and we're getting to the point where we can ask questions and kind of understand what they're responding without it all written down and using a "script". I know we still have a long way to go though and need to work really hard over the next couple weeks before we fly out!
Sounds like moving into the new school is an adventure--yeah I don't think I would really like moving so close to graduation either. Haha you'll have to send pictures. I'm glad Sar is taking full advantage of my closet! Haha we'll see what's left there when I get back!
Sorry this isn't as long this week--I don't have too much to say! GET ON AGAIN AT 3:30 AND WE CAN TALK AGAIN!!! I figure once I get to Busan, we probs won't be able to do that, so will have to take advantage of it now!
Please enjoy the picture I attached. We think we're pretty legit. Good luck figuring out how we did that one!
Oh and if you do send a package, we're all getting kinda sick of candy, but cookies, etc. are always welcome!
Love you and miss you all! Can't wait to talk to you later today!!!! Maybe print out some pictures of your trip too if you send a package:)
Em (SB)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
"Not English Fast, Korean Feast"
Good Morning! So I know this is SUPER early
today, but now we officially can spend 60 minutes on the computer, so we're
going to send the "official email" this morning then get back on at
3:30 or so after we go to the temple so get on then and we can go back and
forth. If it isn't right at 3:30, just wait because I promise I won't
forget:)
This last week went by really fast
actually! It has been busy, which is good. Nothing too out of the
ordinary though! Korean is starting to make a little more sense, and I am
to the point where I can put sentences together on my own(ish) or with a little
help from the book. There are so many different grammar forms that are
hard to keep track of but the only way to learn them is by using them! We
try to speak as much Korean as possible (and could be lots better). Our
teachers tell us, "Not English Fast, Korean Feast." I'm working
on learning lots of different verbs so I can say more than "I know the
Book of Mormon is true" or "Joseph Smith was a prophet. (If you
wondered, those require "testimony form" and past tense.
#soexciting). I still have a LOOOONNNGGG way to go before I'll feel
comfortable speaking, but that's all part of the fun! We were saying the
other day that when we get back we'll have to watch Lost again and will be able
to understand the Korean that Sun and Jin speak!! Haha
Easter was great. Bishop Gerald Causse from
the presiding bishopric was the speaker. Yes, on Sundays you still get up
at 6:30 and then basically have personal study when church isn't going
on. We end up watching Mormon Messages on the TV in our classroom via
LDS.org a lot of the day. We started watching the YW broadcast, but
didn't have time to finish, and are hoping to soon. I love it every
year. Wasn't the little girl who said the prayer the cutest?! We
were dying. Anyway. Easter. He spoke on the Atonement and
related it to Missionary work. He said that with the Lord's help we can
do this, and love it! It was a combined sacrament meeting with the whole
MTC so the sacrament was passed to over 3,000 people! Amazing! We
sang I Stand All Amazed for the sacrament hymn which I loved of course.
We got there nice and early and were front and center in the meeting with the
whole Korean branch. Then we had a branch testimony meeting and district
meeting, walked to the temple and finally ate dinner. Fast Sundays at the MTC
are long. Especially when its Easter and you just want to eat more
candy...nom nom nom nom
So the other day our teacher Sister Wadsworth
told us a story her brother sent her from Parley P. Pratt's journal from his
mission to Canada. It was about him going to a meeting of people who were
discussing religion and how they needed to find the true church that was the
same as when Christ was on the earth. Parley P. Pratt happened to be at
that meeting and guess who was speaking. John Taylor! Parley P.
Pratt eventually converted John Taylor and we know what happened from
there! One of the Elders in my district said that he was a direct
descendant of Parley P. Pratt, and then I mentioned that I was a direct
descendant of John Taylor. Then I said how cool it was that more than 100
years later, we were sitting next to each other at the MTC preparing to share
the very same gospel to people who are also searching for it in a place they
may have never even heard of! Isn't that the coolest, most amazing
thing! This is when you know the church is true!
I can't believe I'm already half way through
being here at the MTC! Once I get there, I'll only have 16 months
left! I'm starting (slowly) to understand why people say this goes by so
fast! Even though I still have tough moments, I am so happy to be
here and am loving learning more and more about the gospel to get ready to
share with the Korean people!
Don't forget to get on later or I'll be really
sad:) Love you SOOOOOOOOOOO much! Hope you have a fun Spring
Break!
Love,
Em
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