June 12, 2013

I am so sorry to hear about Jerold! How is he doing now? is he out of the hospital? that was the sweetest thing about dad and Jerold. I tear up every time I read/think about it. He has been in my prayers.

 

This week has been the best week I've had at the MTC so far. I went to the health center and the doctor told me that I could take benedryll at nights along with my regular allergy medicine so I went and bought some in the bookstore and for the first time in my MTC experience I was able to sleep the whole night! It was fabulous. So I figured out the scriptures that my branch president gave me. Jacob 4:14, 3 Nephi 12:48, 3 Nephi 15:9. So I found out something that works for me. I noticed that some days I was feeling discouraged and super frustrated for no reason. I thought, throughout the day, nothing really happened that would make me feel that way. For the first time in my life I realized that we can choose to have a good day. I know I've been told that my whole life but I never thought that it would actually apply to my life until now. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that you have control over what you feel. I don't wake up dreading the day, I wake up excited! It's such a good feeling.

 

Also another thing I discovered. I am on the Lord's time. just like with the positive attitude thing, It never really clicked until about three days ago. This is the only time I have to dedicate all of my heart, might, mind, and strength to him. So what if I don't like that I can't wear spandex capris while I work out? So what if I don't like how I have to stay inside for hours on end and study? So what if the food here sometimes makes me sick? I can sacrifice 18 months of my 80, maybe 90 years of my life to the Lord because he gave me everything I have, and I will serve him with everything I have.

 

Also every day I try to think of three ways the lord has blessed me, either in that day or in my life. Last night I thought of what a blessing it is to be able to have faith. There's an elder in my district who struggles with the idea of a God. He is just so logically minded and the gospel just doesn't make sense to him. And it's so sad because the spirit stuggles to be in the room when he and his companion teach because he just has so many doubts. But I was thinking about it last night. I am so blessed to be able to believe in what I don't know or haven't seen. I haven't seen God and Jesus Christ, but I have faith that they exist and no, I don't understand completely what happened before my life here or how things will work after we all die, or even why some things happen on this earth but the Lord has blessed me with faith to follow the commandments of God and follow the teachings of the prophet not knowing completely why, but being able to know that it will bless my life. I am so greatful for faith. (JST Genesis 14:30-31 is a cool scripture I found on faith)

 

We read through the chapter of Omni one night in spanish with my native spanish speaker friend Elder Ronco and he had some cool insight on the chapter. Like in verse 5 when Amaron said "the more wicked part of the Nephites were destroyed" does he mean destroyed as in they were all killed, or destroyed as in the wickedness was destroyed and they were baptized? Baptism is a symbol of death. I Just thought that was cool to think about. Also in verse 11 when Abinadom said "I know of no revelation save that which has been writted, neither prophecy" I just thought that it was cool to think about because Abinadom probably wasn't a prophet if he hadn't had a revelation or prophecy, he was a normal man. It just shows that the book of mormon wasn't written by perfect people and you don't have to be perfect to be important in the sight of God. I think my investigators would like to know that.  

 

I've also been reading in 3 Nephi when Christ comes. In 3 Nephi 13:25-26, read it please! but I just love it because my mission call came straight from the Lord. He knows my needs and he knows the needs of the people that are in Santa Rosa. And I am like the fowls of the air, I don't have time to sow nor time to reap, but the Lord takes care of me, just like he takes care of the birds.

 

I don't really know what I would want in a care package. I still have a lot of food left so maybe not food in a care package. And I'm so excited for the food that sister bristol sent me! I'm going to write her a letter today but if you see her make sure you tell her thank you from me because everything looks so wonderful! But I could use more of that aloe toothpaste in about two weeks, I'm about 3/4 through the other one. um, I really don't know. If someone wants to get me a skirt or a shirt i'd be ok with that;) haha! no just kidding, I love letters. Letters are always good. Oh! I do wan't true to the faith, our search for happiness and that other book that I can't remember the name that is an approved mission library book. But I already have jesus the christ so I don't want to buy it at the bookstore here. I also would like a pair of capris for p-days in California because it's kind of warm there and my long pants might be a little too hot. I have a pair in those bags in the closet, but it's kind of a hassle to get those, so I could just buy a pair when I get to Cali. Also do I just send those scholarship papers to the scholarship place or back to you? And could you get me Hawken's address? I want to write him in spanish because it would be great practice I think!

 

I'm so sorry that this past week has been so hard on you. I'm glad school is over for you and you can "relax" a little. I can't believe it's already June and that you guys are out of school! I bet it feels so great! I've almost been here a moth, can you believe it?! I'm only out here for another 17 months! It's going to go by so fast! I'm glad you were able to get my testimony translated by someone more trustworthy that google translate;) I try to bear my testimony in spanish as often as I can so I can practice my spanish and bear my testimony, I get to kill two birds with one stone in a way;) There are 19 of us girls who are headed to the Spanish speaking Santa Rosa mission on the same day and when we get there, there will be over 50 spanish speaking sisters. That's only sisters who are speaking spanish, my mission is huge!! Whereas Hermana Piggott's Roseville Spanish speaking mission barely opened there spanish mission like in January and so far there are only 2 spanish speaking sisters there. We've only met one other sister here who is going to roseville speaking spanish, so when she gets there, there will be 4 sisters. I am so greatful to be going where I am.

 

Yesterday we were able to skype with a girl from Malaga Spain. It was cool to talk to a native speaker. I understood a lot of what she was saying, but it was hard because she's from spain so she uses the vosotros form and a lot of the conjugations that I am not used to hearing. But it was cool! speaking of which, will you tell Jan or John Taylor to tell Adam that I think he's mission president and his wife came this past sunday. President Clegg and Sister Anne Clegg. Sister Clegg spoke to us in relief society and she was amazing! OH! before I forget, I am in the choir for the worldwide missionary training broadcast on the 23rd so go watch and hopefully you can see me on the screen!! there will be a choir of over 2200 though, so just pray you'll be able to see me!! I'm sorry I don't have any good pictures. I don't really do anything exciting, all I do is study. And I try to only send pictures with me in it because I know that's all you really care to see;) haha! I'm kidding but serious at the same time.

 

Well, my time is almost up. I'm trying to follow the rules as much as I can! but I love you! and tell the family I love them!

 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wilcox