Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Week 11

Um well as always less time then i think i'll have. Si ya um any questions? 
we went shopping today cleaned the car ate food and we're going to a zone activity this afternoon
to do some sports and stuff. um ya just so you've got it in writing, best talks ever : "look up"- "forget me not"
and the other talk is elder gonzales last conference during beginning of this year.
 
um other then that more next week :-)
 
thanks everyone for the christmas wishes!!!!



Pictures ... 


MTC Comps

My comp Hermana M and I!

I think I'm missing a wheel ... (its getting replaced)

Good thing we have a car for now!

Hermana M & Hermana O



Monday, December 19, 2011

my weekly email is lame


sorry friends and family i have to go already!!!! but texas is great my companion's name is sister M. the mission is great more next week!!!

ps. The border is like within five -15 min away so half our branch lives in mexico and the other half work there... or something like that :-) They had a wonderfully awesome branch party that started at 7-7:30 cuz apparently everyone starts late and we didn't eat until like 9 and such!

oh other funny part is well after the mtc i had to jump into a culture of always hugging the sisters and giving them a kiss on the cheek! let me tell ya i'm still working on it! ppl probably think i am super stiff cuz i was giving them handshakes! that's what i was used too!!! (crazy how time changes things)
 
its definately missionary work :-) haven't been without something to do yet

Hermana O.
 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

CHISPAS!!!!! (Dec 8, 2011)


SSSSSNAP!
I AM LEAVING THE MTC IN T MINUS 4ISH DAYS? LOCO
Anyway on a more dignified note I am ;eaving soon and it will be so great. last night I was writing in my journal just to see if I could remember all the things I have been blessed with here, like things I have learned and such. So ya pretty much the MTC has been  a blessing. I know its difficult for some but I am thankful for the chance to have learned welll lots of things.
 
I do want to give more credit to the Elders that I am blessed to see here. I know everyone got here with their own story and I know that it isn't easy getting here. I am thankful for those Elders that have literally blessed me when I was weak and given me kind words when I least expected it. Elders of the church can be the best ever: diligent, trying to be eaxctly what God needs them to be. We were talking this morning about the fact that some Elders don't get it apparently they exsist? Well our Zone has been able to try really hard and set a great example I am so glad to have been placed in the Zone I am in.
 
I am so thankful for the letters. I love when I find an old letter or get one that day that is just a small pick me up when I need them.
 
Well this week's news besides that is that we said goodbye to the 3-some that are heading to the Peru MTC. They left Wed morning. Then we got two new districts of Elders. 19 Elders! No Hermanas. :-/ Oh well my goal is to know all of their names before I go. So far.... not so good but hey by Sunday I hope... Its just so they feel like someone is aware of them now that they are here and going to be one of 2000 or so Elders.
 
So this morning was the last morning of temple work that I'll be able to do for 16 months. I tried to soak it all in. I am glad we were able to do some service in the laundry room after and such. Um....
 
Interesting happening with the Progressive Investigators: One that we got recently has been dificult, he is older and doesn't know how to read and he tells us about his dreams and such... so well um we told him we'd be sending the Elders... so we dropped him? It was hard becuase my Hermanas were feeeling uncomfortable and I was kind of like how can we help him still!? He's very slow learned our teacher had to explain to us... and well the fact that we felt uncomfortable was part of how it is sometimes you know? We could have brought a member... I think we are on Saturday, but yeah kind of a taste of the future having to be aware of the Spirit and try and follow the rules and well everything!
 
THANK YOU FRIENDS AND FAMILY I LOVE AND PRAY FOR YOU!!!!

~ Hermana O.

Weeks 7-8 (Dec 1, 2011)


Theme song for the week be thou humble
 
So everyone that hasn't lately please read Ether 12, its grand!
 
So I wrote down the funnies for the week so I would remember them now.
 
1 in a lesson i said "mucho gusto" insteqad of "me gusta"
 
2 i put the seat of my chair up and on my way back i forgot it was up and then when i sat down I kind of crumbled. it was funny i kind of still have a bruise... ish
 
3 D&C 58:37-38 instead of D&c 58:21... and it was a new person and we were laughing at me and he thought we were laughing at him.... oops his dad still got baptized.
 
4 We did this expereince where the missionaries come in and meet as a group and we (my companions and I ) were chosen to try and be the model teachers... well not really just get to know them so the new missionaries could teach them. The first lady actor person she was from New Jersey and she had this accent that was great. She was being funny and such and then i guess she transitioned to more serious tones and she was explaining all the people that she had talked to and what the different churches taught her. So she was listing off churches and asked "Do you have Quakers here in UT?" and I said "Just the oats kind" I was trying to be funny like she was and well she didn't laugh but everyone else did... :-D  Overall it was good. I hope you all laugh at this it made my night!
 
So this week was good. There was a memeber of the 70 who came and taught with his wife and they had great broken english talks. they had just come from Japan like 4 months ago and well if they can learn and communicate in a language after 4months I can too!
Spanish is good I like what someone observed the other day, we feel like we're communicating really well like the 3/4th week then after that we realize there is so much grammar we are missing that we realize we sound silly but its all good. I'll get it eventually.
 
Being coordinating sister is interesting hearing about everything. People act a lot more strong then they are sometimes and other times I am just amazed at how strong people really are and how they lead. I am thankful for my Branch President he really started us on a great note either tuesday or sunday with going throught the 1st vision. It was inspiring then we go and sing it for the choir number (joseph smith's 1st prayer) for the devotional this week. It was great. Also, this week I have been able to think through a lot of my conversion in t he church. I realized how much of a difference every pattern of church attendance, missionaries like the Gs, or YW from the ward in CO head out too.... just being around so much good has been such a blessing.
 
Thanks everyone!
 
Thanks family for always going to church!
 
I know this church is true and I know that there is so much good to be done. I know after the storm/night comes the morning and bright sun. Adversity is only as much as Heavenly Father would allow for us to learn from.
 
Love the people I'm with I'm going to try and send pictures.
 
 
Love you all!
 
Ciao- Hermana O. 

Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias (Nov 24, 2011)


Well hello family and friends!
 
Happy Thanksgiving from the MTC just had Thanksgiving dinner for lunch and got our thanksgiving sack lunch dinner for later. Funny huh?
 
Well we've got Humanitarian project later where we'll be making 8000 or so kits. for 2000 missionaries that shouldn't be too hard.
 
Guess who was the devtional this Tuesday? Elder Christofferson! And guess who was here today? Elder Nelson!!!!
Sigh if I had to be in the MTC I'm okay with having a holiday like Thanksgiving cuz pretty much we're spoiled. Its great. My companions were bummed about the food situation and were getting kind of home sick but I'm all good for now. I love my family and friends and I pray for y'all! Thank you for the time and service and love you've given me in my life and please remember you're loved and remembered!
 
Well I learned a few things this week.... I am overly dramatic sometimes. Who knew? Here's the story the has been labeled the "Agua Story"
We were teaching a teacher who was being an investigator named F.. He invited us in "his house" which is actually just a classroom. He said he didn't have much time but would you like to come for some water? We said sure and came in sat down and he hops up and says some water then? So he gets back up and goes to the window in the classroom and fiddles with the blinds pretending to glasses of water. We sit there and since I have two companions he trys to balance three imaginary cups over to us so I hop up to help bring over my cup cuz if it was real water i wouldn't sit and let him struggle. So my companions and I are already prone to giggles when we teach this teacher one time he pretended to be a woman and had this high voice he did and we almost as my companion would say "peed our pants" laughing. So it didn't help them that I actually was you know acting like it was real. While we were talking to him and I would take sips of water... just cuz in real life I was super thirsty and if it was real water I would totally take sips of water. Eventaully my companion was cracking up and was like Hermana stops sipping your water. So I put in down in my hands again and then I feel bad so I put it on a desk near me... All this while one companion is giggling and the other is trying to keep a straight face and listen or speak. Pretty much it was great but they all obviously spilled their imaginary cups of water so when F. said he had to go he came to get their cups and they just handed them over. I felt bad for him I got up and couldn't decide if I should make him struggle to carry three cups again or not so I just took it back to the pretend sink at the window sil. The only probalem I realized would be if the kitchen in a real investigators house had been in a different room my comps would have had to come with me.
Anyway!!!! That the agua story with my thougts.... porbably less funny then we think but hey its always good to have something to laugh about.
 
Two last things:
 Elder Christofferson and Elder Nelson both talked about how the presidency is thankful we are here serrving and what not but also they both talked about how the 12 realies on the seventy.... I don't know I just realized the importance of the quorums of the 70 more. And Elder Nelson said "if you remember one thing from today remember to write home and tell your family thank you!"
 
Thank you everyone! Thank you family, from Elder Nelson himself.
 
-Hermana O.
 

Hey Wide World! (Nov 17, 2011)


Well I realized lately the world is a lot bigger then I think and at the same time it seems so small with all these people here.
 
There is a new district in our zone and my companions and I welcomed them in with candy. One Hermana from Samoa came late, she had to sleep overnight at the airport in LA all by herself!!! I'm glad I didn't have to do that 
:-/
 
People have asked about how often we go to the temple, its once a week except I believe next week its closed for Thanksgiving and I hear we're doing a big service project that day. I'm excited! With 2000 plus missionaries its gonnna be great!!!
 
Tithing was the topic at Sunday's fireside. It really rings home that the little things bring a testimony and remind people that they are a part of the true church. Also this week has been emphasized on recieving revelation through attending church. its so true we have a pattern that builds slowly and almost invisibly a foundation and many different fortifications against temptation and evil in general. How blessed we are....
Oh and tueday's fireside was literally all about the Apostacy. Wow can I just say the little things like God didn't take the church away the people rejected them themselves and then God didn't want to bring the gospel back until the people were ready. I'm so appreciative of God's mercy in giving me this time to live and have the people around me thatbear their testimonies and brighten my days. Endure to the end how cool is that!!!!
 
So I decided I needed to be more entertaining in this part of the email. I don't know if I've explained it yet but officially the entire district and almost the entire Zone knows that to "Hermana O" is to smile reallly big and huge and ya.... Thank you Bishop R. for the help. :-D But in pictures and stuff we "HermanaO-it"
Something else funny.... At gym for some reason I always get hit in the face... The volleyball and me are normally on good terms but once it starts to not like me I just keeps coming 3 times yesterday. and one was almost bad from this elder that has a killer spike. Who am I kidding its always a killer hit... As long as its not so hard I tear up I can keep my dignity.
 
Love you all sorry I'm boring!
 
Para las familias. Para Jesucristo!
 
-Hermana O.

Nov 10th Email


I am re-learning how to be teased. Because I am not good with sarcasam everyone is just like why Hermana? Why you take things so literally, its not even about me but i try to defend ppl when I don;'t need to... I guess its auto correct.
Anyway... I still am trying to learn how to balance being friends with the elders and keeping a distance. My hermanas are really good at being friends with everybody but i just kind of hang in the background. shoot any help? its a bit difficult.
I got the assignment to be coordinating sister for our zone. The zone currently bascially have me and my companions, so its SUPER HARD. jk
I haven't done much yet but go to meetings. The Branch pres talked to all the hermanas and me and was like "i don't know why but hermana o. is going to be the coordinating sister", he said any of could have been it but for some reason it was me... When he said he didn't know why the thought came to me its because I need to be humble I feel like I will leanr a lot, or least it will help me practice looking out side of my self and help others. It will be great...

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Weekly Email... week 3? errr 4?

Dear World!
 
First great story of the week. The people that are here long enough start talking to the  ceilings. Its true they have literally gone crazy :-)
Well that's not true they haven't gone great but they do talk to the ceilings. The ceilings have the loud speakers that double as microphone. I didn't believe it i thought it was just a joke that people talked to other people... but i finally gave in and spoke once it didn't help the lady on the other end but i felt special briefly.
 
BEST RELIEF SOCIETY EVER. Sunday Sister Dalton YW General President came and spoke to us. We were front row slightly off center it was so great. She brought it home when she reminded us that we all grew up together. She has been in YW as long as we have. How special is that? She called us her daughters and she wanted to impart her last words of wisdom before we head to the field. She shared one thing I used the very next day. When you are half way up the hill, don't stop and turn around finish at the pace that you can but don't stop! She had her husband take her hand and help her up the mountain, I got to give my gym buddy a hand while we were doing a 10 min work out and we almost gave up half way. And Christ is the one that will always reach his hand out to help us reach the top. Sister Dalton talked about how she got to see the most beautiful sunrise ever. I believe it; and I got to see the benefit of finishing a work out and feeling so awake and happy the rest of the day. I know Christ helps us through trials. It is all worth it in the end, and the view is great.
 
Something else that I've been loving hymns!!! "Heaven's view" is the line that caught my attention. I have been able to see little glimpses of heaven through the service and love and unity here at the MTC.
 
I love you all take care!
 
-Hermana O
 
PS Thank you all who have written me :-) It makes my day. Thank you Echo Ward YW for your wonderful letters I read one when I need a pick me up! ANd to all who write I'll write back eventually! Its a promise :-D

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Week number... no se... 3? 2.7?

Week number... no se... 3? 2.7?  Oh well!
 
We sit around a ton.
 
Yup that's it...
 
Oh ya then we learn a ton!!!! We have a different schedule every day but the schedule is the same each week. So like mondays are the same and what not. We have three square giant meals a day. I get whatever looks good, a salad, and a desert or just chocolate milk. two cups of water and a fork knife and spoon. Sound exciting yet? :-) Its really not that much diffeent from the cannon and a byu dorm lifestyle wise. We have gym everyday excpet today thursday (p-day) and sundays. We have gym after meals and it varies on what time of day. We have class which is a mix of language leanring with a teacher and we have it for three hours straight. We split the hours up by language learning and progressive investigator learning and MTC/spiritual learning. The teachers are great and we laugh and learn and its way fun. we also have at least two hours a day of personal study which is our time to study in english any topic and i have used it for Book of Mormon reading and reviewing for lessons. Something one of the teachers said that sums up all the studying we do. The more we are focused on the purpose as missionaries and how we can help our investigator the studying will be guided. In other words as I study for myself-ish, it is ultimately for the investigator. Its like a double inspiration, I learn and grow in my life while I get to apply the same principles for the people I want to learn and grow in their lives. Its good. Oh ya and we have a Language study hour which is our own study of the lang and then an hour at the TALL lab that is computer program with studying the language stuff.
 
So this week Elder Stephen Hallstrom of the 70 spoke to us and it was great. He talked about becoming the missionary that we can be and letting a mission really be the best thing in our lives. It was great and his wife spoke about exact obedience and it was grand. All good stuff! Someone spoke on Sunday and it was good too, but i don´t remeber who. I am sure it was good. On tuesday at choir we sang precious savior its a great song.
 
Not so great news: two elders from our zone left yesterday. Its sad but true.
 
Well friends and family ciao and write if you have any questions! My goal is to write back anyone who writes me!
 
PS I see missionaries and random ppl I know everywhere its fun
 
with love and prayers,
Hermana O

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The MTC experience


So I realized I grossly under described the experience called the MTC. Or CCM for us spanish speakers. So here I go again with only 16 minutos to do it justice.
You get throw in right away getting your bags to your room get your picture taken then off to class. My teacher wasted no time literally He spoke in Spanish pretty much 2/3 of the class and only english near the middle end. Is good though. I know my bro in law said that just hearing it helps and it does. Things start clicking a little faster if its well... shoved down to your brain. However, there is plenty I have to study. Obviously!
 
A little about my district. 9 ppl currently. 3 hermanas (my companions) and 6 elders. All but one are going to Texas McAllen. The odd ball is leaving in two weeks for Spain's MTC for Spanish Mission... Barsalona?
My companions are great: one from sandy one from bountiful. We;re teaching an investigator which is really our teacher but we weren't really suppose to know? Its kind of a new thing and its pretty cool cuz we will be teaching him for another week or so before we'll ever meet him as our teacher. for now he is our investigador.
Tuesday we had our first devotional guess who came? Elder Richard G Scott. He was amazing and I was in the choir so I got a great seat. Hermana H. from my old BYU ward was a  soprano with me while mis companeras were altos. But ya its great. He taught a ton but the things I got were: I am in my own place at this time and I get the chance to become better from where I am at, the censure? or correction comes from the spirit and to be a better missionary I am trying to find the areas where i can improve spiritually. Its all bout being converted myself. How powerful a truth that is! First seek to obtain my word. It was great. He also did he usual pl;ug for missionaries to keep in mind the goals after a mission of marriage and how this mission preapres for that and diligently seeking an eternal companion will be good, it may not be right away but it will be good. So ya as always he was great very down to earth.
There are some great leaders and teachers here at the MTC so many that challenge us to strech our selves and then others that give us the chance to be ourselves and feel the spirit work through us. All of it is amazing.
One last thing,.... everyday sorts of things. The weather has gotten cold at night and in the morning so we are lucky our classes and dorms are in the same building. Meals are good always eat plenty and listen to my stomach :-)
At gym time I go outside as long as its not a super cold morning. I have played volleyball literally every gym. Outside in the warm sand like around mid day is perfecto! and then the one time I played inside i did one forward dive and my knees got skinned up and raw in two small circles so its hard to kneel. But i love having fun with my zone and the other zone that is outside with us. Hermana S. is my dorm neighbor (she was my roommate in college) so that's cool.
We all sing in the shower after gym and my companions now have labeled me as the one that loves to sing and they love it when I serinade them! ha! all my family members that hate it when i sing a ton ha! well i don't sing all day just during service, showers, and apparently my companion hermana h. heard me singing in my sleep last night! oh well!
Well everyone I love you and good luck where ever and with whatever you are up too!
-Hermana O

First email from the MTC ...


My companeras is hermana G and H. ellas es simplicato? nice? egh anyway a little overwhelmed. the language will be good and i know i will have help will just take time. Ciao ask me some questions. um food is good

and well if you put this on the blog there is an elder that reminds me of elder orton nick. he is obsessed with sports and has a similar face and everything just that that was funny.
I have seen pretty much everyone i might know in the last twenty four hours and it was ppl i knew were here and ppl i had no clue were serving. Go sister missionaries. they are awesome! tis the season to serve :-)
Love you all.
I think I may miss you? hahaha I miss you guys. but I don't give much time to missing ya if that makes sense?
Nos vemos!
Hermana O



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Entering the MTC!

Sister O was to report to the MTC on October 12th at 1:10pm.  The morning began with delicious french toast from Kneaders, and continued with some last minute shopping and a pedicure with her mom and older sister.  Then everyone went to meet up at JDawgs.  We ordered our jdawgs, and were waiting for one last sibling to arrive, when he called.  He had been in a car wreck just a block away.  We woofed our food, and drove down 800n, and immediately saw a fire truck and ambulance ... and our brother's car smashed up.  It was 1pm, just 10 minutes before Sister O was supposed to be checked into the MTC.  Our brother was very blessed to be injury-free.  It felt like forever while we waited for paperwork to get filled out, and the other driver loaded up for a trip to the hospital (she said she felt "stiff" - we are hoping and praying that she is okay.)  


We finally arrived at the MTC just before 2pm.  Sister O was greeted by two Elders, who grabbed her bags.  We exchanged last-minute hugs, and then left as she headed to the building.  It was a crazy day!


So, Sister O is officially in training as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  She will be learning Spanish over the next 9 weeks, which should be interesting!  She would also like everyone to know that she LOVES letters!


Sister O's mailing address (through December 12th)


Sister O
MTC Mailbox # 275
TX-MCAL 1212
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793



If you need help spelling her name, leave a message with your email, and we'll get the correct spelling to you!




The family

Driving up to the MTC

Sister O's "host" Elders

Saying "see you later" to 5 month old niece


with little sister

Family hugs

With Mom

Sister O



Bye Sister O!



Sunday, October 9, 2011

Hermana O

This evening Hermana O. was officially set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  



This blog will be kept up to date by her awesome big sister ;-)


Hermana O. reports to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah this wednesday.  She'll work on learning espaƱol.


She would like me to ask for donations ... of letters!!!


Address will be posted in the morning.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Intro

Hi!  I'm Sister O.

I have been called to serve in the McAllen, Texas mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  I report to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on October 12, 2011, and will be serving for 18 months.

Learn more about my church here:  http://mormon.org/

I hope to keep this blog updated (with the help of my sister), for family and friends to follow while I'm serving!