Sunday, July 21, 2013

7/19/2013 From Sister Pehrson

Greetings! This is the first email from Sister Pehrson. She has been called to serve a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Brazil Fortaleza Mission

Minha Familia!!!!!!!
Words cannot express how excited I am to finally be emailing you!!! My p-day is Friday, obviously. Since I got here last wednesday, we didn't have it (a preparation day) Friday. man was that a long wait! I hope you got my letter though.
Before I tell you anything else I want to let you know we get letters every night, so if you write me I will get it before p day!! Also, dearelder.com is amazing, you should use that. because I would love to hear from you more than just friday. if you write on dearelder.com, I can get the letter that day. Ask Julie how she did it, she sent me one!! By the way if you are reading this Julie, thank you!! I love you and miss you all so much!

The MTC is seriously AMAZING!!!! I feel like I have a million things to tell you all but I only have an hour to type. Good thing I'm a fast typer! The language is coming along really well! Better than expected. I know that the gift of tongues is real. So I'll start off by telling you about my companion, She is so awesome, and seriously the perfect companion for me! She's hardworking, but fun, but really spiritual, and just laid back like I am. We're basically the same person but she motivates me to always study as hard as I can. The thing about being in the MTC is that time ends up going so fast. If you waste any time, you immediately regret it! I heard this really cool quote in the devotional on Sunday. "The worst suffering a missionary can experience is regret." I know I don't want to have ANY regrets when I leave the MTC or leave my mission! 

We live with 2 other Sisters. We all get along so great! we're all in the same district, 8 elders and 4 sisters. BEST DISTRICT EVER. seriously we get along so well and it's so much fun being here. Our district is the perfect balance of having fun and working hard. I love love love my district. When we are not studying, we are constantly laughing and just having a great time.  

So an overview of what our schedule is like...6:30 we wake up, shower, get ready then go to breakfast at 7:15. Personal study starts at 7:45 and goes til 8:45. Personal study is when we read the book of mormon. then at 9 we have either class, teach lessons, or companion/language study. Class or whatever we are doing lasts until 12 and then its lunch. at 12:45 we usually have TALL. That's language study on the computer. Then at 1:45-4:45 we have either class, lessons, or comp/language study! That goes til 5. 5 Is dinner! Then after dinner we usually have a gym, or more study time, or class. Then at 9 we plan, come home at 9:30, get ready for bed, go to bed at 10:30. It's a very strict schedule but it's nice being busy because that leaves less time to miss home and all that stuff! 

We have devotional every Tuesday and Sunday. This Tuesday, Gordon B. Hinckley's son and his wife spoke!! SO GOOD!!! They just talked about having the spirit with you at all times. Sister Hinckley talked about honoring our forefathers and how we can be more like the pioneers. There will be hardships, but we will endure them.

Sunday is amazing because we have relief society with all the sisters in the mtc. The speaker this week iwas an anchor for a TV station. She had soo many amazing stories but I'll just share one that I thought was awesome. She flew to Madrid Spain for the opening of that temple. On the flight she was sitting by this man who was the husband of one of the motab singers. On the last day of the open house she was able to take the tour of the temple and as she came outside she saw this man from the plane standing outside of the temple just weeping. She went up and asked him what was wrong. He told her he had served his mission in spain years ago. He worked so hard but no one was receptive and he was unable to baptize anyone. Over the last few days, he had been visiting all the towns and villages he taught in. He had met sons of the people he had taught who were now bishops, and seen how he had not baptized anyone, but he had planted seeds that grew into enough membership to have a temple built!!! I just thought that was so amazing and reminded us how it doesn't matter about the baptism statistics we get. We are planting seeds and someday we will surely see the fruits of our labors!

Every day here is so inspiring. I wish I could just record everything and send it to you! But another cool quote I heard from my teacher, but she told us this quote "everything that happens in the conversion process must happen to you before it happens to them." That's what we're really working on here in the MTC. We work on our own testimonies and scripture knowledge and become true converts to the gospel.  Being here is the best experience of my life so far!!

Everyone said "make it til sunday, it's gonna be so hard until then"  but me and my companion didn't feel stressed at all the first few days. we are really just soaking everything up and we love it!! Sunday is definitely the best day here though.

My teachers served in Brazil and in Portugal

Every day here I experience new growth and learn so many new things. I  feel so blessed that I am retaining all the knowledge as well! I'm so glad to have such a great family supporting me as well as friends. It would be so difficult if I didn't have that!

What else is new on Camano??  2 people who came the same day as our district did have gotten there visas!! so that gives us hope. 

As far as stuff I need: a regular toothbursh. i'm going to send you guys my electric one. we don't have good plug ins here so it'll be easier to just bring a regular toothbrush.a soap holder, i forgot mine and its in a plastic bag...gross. my coral pants for p daythat's it i think i will let you know if i think of anything else.

Grandma Pehrson has been sending me letters. I got 2 of hers this week, they were great! I am so blessed to have her! Please send me uncle d and aunt b and grandma jane's email!! 

I love you all soo much. I am doing great here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!!

Sister Pehrson

1 comment:

  1. Aww its so good to hear from you em! We love and miss you ,<3

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