Week 6

Kumusta!!

Mom, I just wanna tell you, you're the best.... I love you!!

So this week-
We are all getting pretty restless at the MTC, my Elders and I do not work well with routine and we have been trying anything to change things up. We like to tell funny stories in Cebuano and turn to random scriptures and try to interpret them in Cebuano...its helped a little but we are definitely getting antsy to leave.

Wednesday-we brought in our new District, they are nice-not as fun as the old one but we get our younger Cebuano district today 2 sisters and 2 elders all going to Tacloban, Philippines (that's how you spell it Dad ;) ) and we get 12 new English Elders so our Branch is definitely going to expand!

Thursday- we had our first FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano. We did pretty well, except I accidently told our investigators that I had 6 kids!! haha. But don't worry I sorted it all out after many suprised and horrified looks...haha.

Sunday- Now one of the most nerve racking things is to get called on the spot to speak in sacrament meeting. I know, good practice for later in the Mish, but I got called on and had to give a 5 minute talk on obedience, I almost wet my pants. I was shaking soo bad, but I did fine and the Lord took care of me, telling me what to say. My Elders thought it was hilarious too. haha.

Monday- So like I said our district is going a little crazy, meaning some companionships are not getting along. Elder Seupule got a little too fed up with Elder Shenk telling him what to do and the Elders said that there was a big confrontation Monday night. They were afraid Elder Seupule was gonna kill him, but everythings fine now. Moral of the story don't get on the wrong side of an angry Samoan.

Tuesday- Elder Seupule went in for surgery on his shoulder, he hurt it before he came into the MTC in Rugby. He was on the Samoan International Team. So I've been praying that he will leave on time. They say he should.
So we have been having this Elder that wants to go home in the English District. During Gym I had the impression I should go and talk to him, so I spent the whole Gym trying to convince him to stay. I said he would regret it for the rest of his life if he left and that he would be depriving his family, himself and the people he was supposed to serve of many blessings. I don't know if anything is getting through to him though, I've been praying for him a lot so hopefully it gets through to him. Pray for him.

So there's this thing at the MTC called English fasts and thats when Elders and Sisters who are learning a new language give up English for a certain amount of time. Now I think this is rude. B/C others feel dumb when you are trying to talk to them and refuse to speak English, especially missionaries not learning a new language. Our teacher told us not to do it, he said speak your langauge but either translate or speak to your district in it, because it makes otherts feel bad. So I have been frustrated with all these other missionaries who speak Spanish and come up to me not speaking English. So I usually Ignore them but yesterday they wouldn't stop trying to speak to me, so finally I told them that they were very rude and told them that I would refuse to talk to them unless they spoke English to me. haha. So yes I hate these English fasts!!

So things are continuing to go well, I feel my testimony grow everyday and I have learned soo much. Especially from my two Elders, they have taught me soo much and I love them for everything I have learned from them. I know we were supposed to be together, because there are things we needed to learn from eachother and as excited as I am to leave, I now hate to think that in a couple weeks we will be separated.

I cannot explain the change I feel in myself and my testimony. I always thought I knew the Lord and appreciated the Atonement but that was all such a small understanding. The Book of Mormon is literally tangible Evidence of God's love for us. Something that we can hold in our hands that allows us to develop a relationship with the savior and feel the scars on his hands which made that sacrifice for us. I love this Gospel and everything I have learned, every single person who has the opportunity to go on a mission NEEDS to go b/c its more important that I could have even realized before. I love you all for everything you have done for me that has helped me get here. Gugma ko Kanamo!!!

Love,

Cari