Week 6

Hola familia,

 

Another week gone and past. There are getting faster and faster.

 

First things first, Dad I owe you apology because I thought you wouldn't write me last week but really the problem is that you think my mailbox is another one is it 216. So when you put the right one i get it faster and then I not accuse you injustly of not writing me. :) Thanks mom for the socks if anything maybe black socks but I think I have enough I think. That you for them, they make my feet alot less stinky. Portland sounded great, Martin I'm sure was a stud at baseball. Also I loved you story about Edgar. So great. I shared it with the hermanas in my room. They also agreed that it was great. God is great like that. He blesses his children, even if sometime you don't think you should be blessed 'that' way. God knows best. Why are they laying people off? That is scary. Dad there actually have been a few people that have asked about my last name. One looked at it asked about it and had a really confused look on his face. Funny. 2 Turtles??? Have you named it yet? I know Alison and Stuart are really good at naming things if you need some suggestions. Whitey, Spring, Lucy! I laughed when I read about your pikes peaks experience. I could totally see the whole situation going down. I'm glad you made it home safely. God was watching over you for me... since I pray for you every prayer which is a lot of praying. Grandma, I am so sorry that you have been sick. I hope you recover quickly and grandpa as well. It was nice getting your letter. I send my love to you and my prayers as well. Kellen sounds as cute as ever... does he still have parents? I'm starting to really doubt if he does. And lastly remember when dad gave me earplugs on the way up. BLESSING!!! Someone in my room snores.... really really loud. The other night I work up in the middle of the night, thought quickly, put my hand in my bad pulled the orange ear plugs that I have seen since I was a little girl but never used them, and put them in my ears. Delightful! And now I sleep with them ever night! Kena you would be proud!

 

No questions this week sooooo onto things that happened this week.

 

Our district is awesome. But really I love all my elders in my district. They actually act like missionaries and not 19 year old boys. Okay sometimes 19 year old boys but for the most part awesome. But one thing that they do is have corrdinating tie days. Saturdays es el dia de corbata feas. (ugly tie day) They are pretty hideous. I love them. Also color days and high priest tie day. It funny. Oh the entertaining things of missionaries.

 

Okay I absolutely love missionary couples. They are great. They only stay for 2 weeks i think so we see many many pairs. But they are awesome. The dedication that they have is inspiring. They are old, they left their families, they are tired yet there are here. I'm sure they are so overwhelmed, just as overwhelmed or more as us but they are here. Some of them this is their 2,3 missions. I'm can't wait to drag my husband on a mission when we are old. So excited.

 

So relief society here is different. It is a guest speaker so every week we get to hear from someone spectacular. And before rs starts we listen to music and the spoken word. Love it. Anywho this week was Mary cook the second counselor in the young women. Awesome lady, awesome message about our light and the power of the atonement. It was great. For sunday night devotional we have mark jensen who is in charge of training here. fact of the week 800 teachers at the mtc. Lots!! He talked about focusing on our purpose/the doctrine of christ. Helping people come unto christ through basptism, repentance, holy ghost, fe, and enduring to the end. It was great. After we watched a address by elder bendar from a while ago about following the spirt. AWESOME. Basically if you are doing wha tyou are supposed to, following the commandments, keeping your convenios, being a good girl and good boy, the spirit is always with you. You aren't going to get fire of a slap in the face saying do this or do that.When yyou use your agency bueno then the you will not go amiss. He shared some really good stories about personal revelation in his owe life including the one about elder packer in german.

 

I have been learning alot about the espiritu santo this week. That is the theme and a neon sign form heaven. EMILY learn more about this!!!! HAHA okay fine :) So since my companion loves music I am dragged to choir. Okay dramatic, I actually really like singing and going to choir. On tuesday we sung behold the wounds in Jesus Hands. Love this song! Look up the lyrics, beautiful. One of my favorite lines was.... behold the wonded hand and feet come touch and see and feel the wounds and marks that you may know his love for you is real. Then as you fall to worship him and wash his feet in tears your savior takes you in his arms and quiets all your fears' We sung this for the devotional with elder anderson!!! About time we got a current general authority. We have heard from what feels like every emertius authority ever to live. But they are great too. Since tuesday was our prophets birthday he talked about saying of the prophets and how we should follow our prophets. I was expected a pulpit pounded awe-inspiring talk. Not that but still really good.

 

Anywho thank you for you support. I am chuggin along. Only two more p-days. I can't believe it has gone so fast. I love this gospel and am grateful for the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father and bring people to feel the same joy that I feel through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I love you all!

 

-Hermana Iroz

Week 5

Hola familia,

 

Well another week has passed. It seems like they are so long yet so short all at the same time. I am officially done with my 5th week here at the MTC and am on the downhill slope to going to Chile. Only two more P-days. So thanks again to everyone who has been writing me. I absolutely love getting letters and hearing for you. I say this every week but it is true. Sometimes I forget there is a world outside until I receive letters for you. So thank you. Speaking of letters.... is my brother dead? I know i didn't write him that much but really. Also Dad? I waited for your letter this week, but I guess pikes peak is the ganador this week. How did that go by the way! Mom that is awesome you ran 2 miles! Beast! My loan isn't due till next fall like 2013? Weird. Tender mercy I guess. How is the Kellen thing still going. He sounds adorable like always.... although I only hear this through mom becuase I'm pretty sure hank and kate died. Thank you mom for the invisible socks they are fabulous. Now my feet don't stink as much. Also the one little bitty information I get in the MTC is a rumor about an iphone 5?!?! True yes or not?? are you getting it mom, we all know how much you loves apple :) One request, no really necessary but would be nice, little blank cards to write thank your or sweet notes to my district? Simple cute...

 

Okay questions... well question.

My feelings on the MTC- I really do like the MTC most days, and then there are other days when I walk out and realize there are mountains and sunshine and I miss the outside world dearly. The walls of my classroom are quickly becoming a prison. I requested to take fieldtrips outside to help me not so crazy. But I really do love them MTC. I am thankful for it, because I am learning so much. I have had some hard hard investigators and although they might not be 'real' i am almost certain that I will meet people in Chile that are real and have the same needs and lukily for me I will know what to do. It is a good preparation. I have less than 1 month left which is crazy insane, I am starting to get excited about getting to Chile!

 

Things that happened this week.

-I recieved a blessing from my elders. I was just having a rough week, and so I asked for a blessing. It was a sweet experience sitting in the middle of 6 elders ready and willing to serve and who honor their priesthood. I am thankful for the elders. Sometime I do want to strangle them... not the ones in my district but others... but then I see them bear their testimonies and I see what awesome missionaries they are going to be. The church is true because 19 year olds teach the fospel. but seriously miracle. My district is awesome, a few converts and most of us have family who aren't members or aren't active. Elder Runyan's dad is a baptist and thinks he is going to hell now, but Elder runyan is incredible. The strength he has and is testimony is an inspiriation.

-My new favorite thing to do it talk to the natives. We have natives in our zone in the advanced district and we love talking to them. they are so patience and helpful. One elder Elder Lara is our favorite he is from mexico trying to learn english. We have a system we speak spanish he speaks engligh we help each other. He is in a zone with only international missionaries learning engligh. His companion is form tahiti they are quite the pair. But the natives love us. And they always tell us that we have good spanish which makes me feel good. Also in that same international zone is chinese missionaries for mainland china. I talk to them and hear their conversion stories and am blow away! They are incredible. Most internationals are because they aren't very founded in the gospel. Just incredible faith and an ispiration.

-So Maria... well we taught her this week, well went to teach her and found out she moved. to mexico. I wanted to cry and in her place was regina a mother of a little boy juanito who was killed by a gang. Yeah try teaching the gospel to her. But in all actuallity it was a powerful lesson about God, and trials in our lives and the agency of others. God is always there for us, even if we are mad at him, he will still be there. I really like teaching regina. Life is hard but with god nothing is impossible, the atonement is for everything not just sin but sorrow and doubts too. Read Luke 22, the beautiful examples that God will always love us and just wants us to return and do anything in his power to get us back.

-I have learned a lot this week about God and his plan. Every investigator is being prepared for us. God knows exactly where his children stand and exactly who and what can bring them back to him. It is incredible to think of this especially as a missionary because I literally get to be the hands and words of god to his children that he loves so much. It is incredible.

-So everyday hermana burns and I have a 'tender meries' moment. it helps keep things possitive and remember that we are actually doing something right. One from this week is a random elder was walking back to gym and saw us he stopped and said 'sisters thank you so much for serving. Sisters are underappreciated sometimes but there are people that need you. You can teach people in a way that no one else can' It was so sweet. He went on to tell us about how he was a convert, and sisters taught him. It was a good reminder that yes sisters are needed and we are appreciated.

 

There is nothing left on my outline so I will type untill time is up.

 

I love being a missionary. I love seeing the joy in people's eyes when they know that God still loves them. This week someone said that we are yoked with Christ. I am literally yoked with Christ. I wear his name over my heart to show the world that I am His, I represent him. I am honored to be able to worthy enough to serve. I am nothing but when I am yoked with Christ, I have the power and authority to do his work. It is an incredible blessing in my life. There have been many times where I have seen the authority and power that I actually hold, when I recieve the inspiration that my investagator needs of when I testify with power of the truthfullness of this gospel. Everyday as a missionary I see the hand of God in my life. I see how much He not only loves me but He loves all of His children. I see how much he wants to hear for them, for their pains and doubts to be taken away. I know with all my heart that the only way is through this gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we put our trust in him everythin else is taken care of. It is a miracle and a blessing. The best part is that it is for everyone. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, what you have done all you need is that desire and faith to follow Christ. As a missionary we invite all to come unto Christ, because Christ loves and wants us all. I am so grateful for this gospel. I can't express the gratitude that I have. Thank you for all of your support. I love you all.

 

-Hermana Iroz

Week 4

Note from the Editor (haha).  I humbly announce that I didn't post last weeks message.  So in four weeks, she's just halfway through the MTC--sorry Emily.  Sorry Readers.  Hope the next, you know, 17 months will be prompt.

Hola Familia.

 

Well I have officially finished a month here at the MTC and have a month left! i will leave september 10th i believe. So you better stay by your phone mom, even if you have school! Times flies when you aren't waiting. So questions for everyone who reads this. How was your trip to Glenna's house? Dad how was pikes peak? Mom you can wait a little longer on the loan. It should come through the mail but if not you can log on to my account online. Information is in my mission folder. mom orientation sounded great. Nicole you are a rockstar! I love your letters. I love everybodies letters. They make my week. Special thanks to Aurelie and Mother for packages this week. I love Eliza and Alison's drawing. I showed them off to everyone.

 

Questions to answer:

I am feeling better luckily! Still a little something but I don't feel like I am dying and I'm not coughing to bad.

 

My cinnamon rolls were delicious, my elders love me... and you! I also love you! Everytime I get mail my elders complain mostly becuase I am loved... and I love it! So thank you!

 

This week I experienced my first fast sunday. It was hard. I actually had to fast because I actually had to wake up at 630 in the morning. I was grumpy and hungry for the majority of the day. And tired. But it actually was a really great day. We had mission conference, which is like stake conference expect for missionaries and every fast sunday, then we had sacrament and lots and lots of time to study. Nicole, usually on Sundays we study gospel and language. They are a little mixed, I usually don't study grammer but since I study in spanish it is an automatic studying in both things. We also have assesments on the computer that we take every sunday. Things like grammer skills, attribute assesments, doctrine and principle assesments, and then speaking assesment.

 

mom the micillans are the couple I met. They are super nice. I liked them alot.

 

Things that happened this week

 

My companion is always late. It drives me absolutely nuts!!! But seriously late to everything. I don't understand why it take so long to get ready, or why she doesn't care. I am trying to be patient but sometimes I just wanna yell and remind her we are missionaries, this is not our time but the Lords! Stop wasting it, but then I remember I should be christlike. So I just say that in my head. But I really do love her there are just things that drive absolutely nuts and that is the biggest one.

 

This week was good but I think there were more rough days then good days. I got a new investigator.she is a paid actor for the MTC. Her name is Ivelisse and we have a love-hate relationship. I love her. I feel like she could be the sweetest person ever if she wasn't bible bashing. The first lesson we had with her, she told us that 'she didn't want to talk to no one about nothing' (loose translation) That made for a great impression. We tried to get to know her, we asked about her life and her family... her response, and this is not an exaggeration 'bien' It wasn't if the right answer to our question. We talked about the restoration and gave her a folleto. She hinted that catholism is mejor to any other mission. In case you were wondering Jesus Christ came to the earth to establish the Cathlic church, and Pedro established the Catholic church. Anywho next lesson, we are praying outside with all our hearts she walks out sweetest lady ever, we start teaching.... and the bible bashing starts. It is lucky that i know my bible stories, I also know scriptures but it didn't matter, it was the gospel according to ivelisse. The first scripture she pulled out was in exodus 32 or something about no man being able to see god.... yeah... that was just the beginning. We tried to use scriptures to testify of the truth of Jose smith and the BOM she wasn't having any of it. There was a point were I just wanted to cry. It was so hard. It is hard to teach something that is so prideful and unwillingly to listen. There is some good to the lesson though. We did leave her a book of mormon and tesify of the truth of it. oh at one point i pulled out the sermon on the monte about byt the fruits of their labor you shall now them..... to ivelisse fruits are tangible soooo the book of mormon does not testify of Jose smith. It was just hard. We talked to our teachers and one of them said.... oh she is a bible basher... just don't bring your bible!! Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that, so that is our stragegy next time because that was the first thing she did is ask for my biblle. Anywho hopefully the spirit will humble her just a little bit... or a lot... I'm praying.

 

Ivelisse is at the TRC, training resource center. We teach her twice a week and then on fridays we go to the trc to teach members. TEahcing members is a lot less stressful. We basically just practice our spanish and share a spiritua; thought. It is great.

 

So we play this game in our district called nativo. One person tries to be a nativo that day and not speak english. Monday I spoke so much spanish that everyone thought it was me even though it wasn't. OH YEAH i'll that cool and then the rest of the week, spanish hated me and I hated it. But that same day I actually meant to say something in english and said in spanish.. Oh yeah!!! My brain kinda is starting to get this language. So funny thing about this week. Yesterday we were teaching about the law of castidad and I was saying that you should be faithful to your bunny. I meant to say spouse but it came out bunny! That pretty much describes my spanish this week. It was funny though. I was laughing yet wanted to cry at the same time. But my Juan thought it was funny.

 

Something I have been trying to work on is humility. It is hard on a mission. I like to use this anaolgy... It is like being stabbed over and over and over again yet you never die, it just hurts really bad. That how I feel a lot of the time. Constitently being humbled because I am nothing, and I know nothing. It hurts, I try to tell  myself that it is good, but somedays I just think to myself why did I even come on a mission, why did this have to be so hard. Don't get me wrong I love being a missionary most days but some days i just don't have anything else to give. I guess that is where the atonement comes in. I am so thankful for that. Because I couldn't do this without the Lord. Anyways I love you all, and I am out of time. Thank you so much for all the support and prayers. I love and miss you all!

 

-Hermana Iroz