MTC Week 6 Tears with Gummy Bears and Skype

In a handwritten note home: That is so cool you saw a picture of me hosting! That sister is going to Cabodia -- Thank you Heavenly Father for not sending me there, Have you SEEN that language?!  
(referring to an upcoming trip of her parents to Japan) Soooo Tokyo is STUFFED with people! Holy Cow! You should bring an air horn so people will move out of your way while walking down the street haha. Just kidding. They would judge America. And we don't want that. 

Helloooooooooooooo world!

Lets start with Sunday night. It was the last night with the Croatian Elders. They were lowkey nervous and everyone else was excited for them. Then came our last moments together. On Sunday night before it was time to go back to our residences the whole zone sang together (its a thing we have been doing every special occasion or Saturday night) so of course we sang 'God Be With You Till We Meet Again' as a closing song. As we sang it-all emotions broke loose. One of the elders was crying, most of the sisters were in tears and some were quiet. Its just crazy to know these elders for 40 days, become a real family unit, then have to say goodbye. It's not a sad goodbye because the people in Croatia need them more than we do but it is still sad. PLUS we were all attending the waterworks festival because reality is setting in that SOON we will be the ones to say goodbye!   Once my companions and I were back in the residence Sunday night we just sunk to the floor and were crying but making fun of ourselves so we were just 3 hot messes on the floor laughing in tears. We went over to the Polish sister's rooms and we all cried together because we are either scared, nervous, sad, or happy for the Elders leaving and for ourselves. So we all just sat on a bed and ate gummy bears until we were all comforted once again. 

Sister Lee (our old roommate going to Brazil) left the MTC! YAY! She unfortunately did not go to Brazil. She is a visa waiter in Oregon! She will do grrrrreat! I love and miss her. Im not too sad because I am currently on her weekly email list. No tears here!

If I am remembering right I told you how now in class we are teaching each other, acting as someone we know back home? Well when I taught "Preston" I felt the spirit soooo strong. My favorite moments are when investigators realize everything is a part of Heavenly Father's plan or when what the Spirit directed me to say is what they needed to hear. I love being an instrument in the hands of the Lord! Mosiah 27:36 baby!

I SKYPED PEOPLE FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC YESTERDAY! How was it? ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! I skyped B and J. Their 10 year old twin boys were also there some of the time and doing funny things in the background of the camera haha. They were so sweet and it was SO COOL to be understood by someone AND to understand what they were saying. I'll be honest though, there were a few times Jan was saying something really nice and on point (I think) but I just kept nodding my head and smiling. What else can a sista do? They were so kind and they were FB messaging the teacher who sets up these skype appointments and B said she loved me and wants me to teach her each time we do skype!     ---I used an analogy of the temple in my lesson with them so for a little we got off topic onto temples. They told me when the Frieburg Temple was dedicated they went and Gordon B Hinckley was there to dedicate it! J said he got close but was too afraid to shake his hand! So I then whipped out a commitment to him. I can do that because I am a missionary. I said "J! you just got close? Okay...when there is a temple in the Czech Republic, will you shake the president's hand? (president of the church at the time of this)" and he said he would! It was sooo fun skyping. My whole district was high on the spirit afterwards.

Which brings me to my next point. Yesterday it was brought to our attention that we will be getting our travel plans in 8 DAYS. Next Friday people. We all buckled down and created a language study plan with our teachers and effective ways to make sure that specific studying gets done. Please pray for my zone so we can feel alright leaving the MTC soon! 

We got 10 newbs yesterday. 8 Sisters and 2 Elders. They seem like a fun bunch and I am really excited to get to know them in interviews and such. Oh yeah, I am the new sister training leader! I didn't know the MTC presidency sends you a letter saying good job on becoming a STL and other encouraging words, so I opened my email and saw an email titled "New Mission Assignment" I flipped because I thought my call was reassigned. Nope! Just a nice thoughtful letter. 

Last thing--after a wonderful devotional Tuesday night Starší C said something that I can't get out of my mind. He said, "It's okay to love ourselves before we are perfect." Remember that folks. It is true, we should always be striving to be better. If we don't feel like we have done enough, just love yourself because if you have a positive mindset you pretty much become bulletproof. 

Pictures: The Croatian Starší on our last temple walk together.

Choir - Can you spot me?