Week 8

Dear Family!

 

Ok well, update for the week... we got another apostle in our devotional.  Elder Nelson spoke to us about the Book of Mormon and gave every single missionary (that's like 2000+ missionaries!) a copy of the Book of Mormon Ensign.  I love it SO much!  Our teachers keep bringing such amazing insights about the Ensign and it's definitely strengthened my testimony regarding the Book of Mormon.  We have designated time in our day to read scriptures with the district (in chinese) which is a lot of fun because you get a lot of insights and revelations.  Missionaries are lucky and get a lot of revelation by themselves, but when you put 12 of them together, it's like a spiritual feast.  We spent an hour reading and discussing Lehi's Dream.  It was such an amazing experience.  the other missionaries pointed out so many cool things to me that I was writing notes the whole time.  My scriptures are covered in notes :) haha.  One of my favorite insights is that in the mist of darkness, there was a path, but no Iron Rod! People tried to stay on the path, but they couldn't because they didn't have anything to hang onto! cool huh? I had no idea! The church is true.  Also, right when they get to the tree, they fall down and then partake of the fruit.  I thought that it's really hard to follow this gospel.  Our gospel isn't a convenient one.  We have to Endure to the End.

 

I wish everybody could stay in the MTC this long! I've learned so many things here from teachers, missionaries, and even some volunteers! I know I always have TRC stories, but it's just because that is the one part of our day where we have no idea what's going to happen.  Sometimes we get people that are assigned to us because we need to help them, but sometimes, people are there so they can help us!  Every time we come back from the TRC, we are so excited about the work and really want to get out to our designated fields.  This last time, we had planned out a lesson about obtaining revelation through reading the Book of Mormon with scriptures and everything.  When we got into the room, we started our lesson, but instead of us sharing those scriptures, the volunteer pulled HIS scriptures out and shared the exact same ones with us.  He shared some new insights that we had missed when we had read those verses earlier.  He then shared stories with us.  He had served two or three missions, I can't remember, he speaks french, german, spanish, chinese, and english.  What an incredible guy!  He has truly magnified all of his callings in his life!

 

Oh I remembered a fun story.  Well, sister Kang's Aunt keeps sending her random Taiwanese food to try to get her used to the food before she gets there. It's so funny to watch people eat some of the food that we get.  The best was the little shriveled dried plums that I don't even like.  She tried some and pulled the funniest face and started to jump around because it was so bitter.  Naturally, all the other Missionaries wanted to try some.  After they had tried a little, they all had similar reactions.  My favorite was Elder Wright ran to the trashcan to spit it out, but the trash can is up against a wall, and he was going too fast I guess. :)  When he was spitting it out into the trash can, he hit is head on the wall and we all laughed at him for a while, but he made a pinky promise to never speak english in the MTC so he couldn't say anything back to us or explain what happened.  Speaking of which... none of are actually sure what he thinks any more... hahaha.  He doesn't talk much.  though he does say shenme a lot... and when he does, he emphasizes the "n" which drives everybody crazy haha.

 

They all say I have a little Taiwanese accent (I don't believe them) and so they always try to make it sound like they have a lisp when saying their "sh"s and stuff.  Our teacher is really passionate about that though.  One day he just went crazy about it (in a funny way of course) and said that he hated when they made Taiwanese people sound like little 12-year-old school girls.  hahaha, they still make fun of me.

 

Honestly, not much has actually happened here.  We get mail, we go to class, we study, we go to gym, the usual. haha.  Sorry my MTC experience isn't too funny but I love it here. :)

 

Oh yes! I keep running into a bunch of people who see mom all the time! There are two foreign sisters from China (I think) that have mom translate the devotional and the temple for them. and then I met and Elder Li who said that she was tutoring him.  They all Love you and think you're the cutest sister in the MTC :).  The two sisters say that you're super nice.  Elder Li told me that you told him not to tell me (WOW weird sentence there... sorry about that) haha, but he told me because he thought you were awesome.  I've been bragging about you ever since. But I brag about our whole family all the time.  The Sisters can't wait to meet you Vicky.  haha.  AND sister Fitzpatrick (because of her foot) is going to stay in the MTC a little bit longer and she'll get to see you!!! cool huh? I thought so.

 

Well, my time is almost up, but I miss you all, but I definitely love it here.  The MTC is one of the coolest places ever! Happiest place on earth.  One of the sisters calls it the double bubble because Provo is a bubble of safety, and the MTC is a bubble within that... plus some of the Elders are going crazy because they haven't seen a girl their age for a while.  Every time we see a girl we get to yell Yo ho like a pirate.  One of the Elders looked up temptation and thought it said yo ho, not youhuo.  hahaha.  It stuck.

 

Well, miss you all, and I'll see you soon! I'm already 2 months into my mission! and I have 3 weeks till I'm gone.  If I have Visa troubles, I might even be able to host vicky though :D I doubt it.  but maybe.

 

Elder Chen

 

Ping'an! :)