Merry Christmas!! How as Christmas for everyone? I hope it was wonderful and great!
Christmas here was great. On Christmas Eve we had a fireside by the MTC presidency that was really neat about spiritual gifts. They also did a really cool thing with the 12 days of Christmas in the MTC. It's dorky, but it went something like this:
12 hours of class
11 loads of laundry
10 new commandments
9 outbound calls (RC)
8 hours of rest
7 lukewarm showers
6:30 wake up
5 hours of gym!
4 chocolate milks
3 new companions
2 haircuts free
and a rock solid testimony
Maybe you'd have to be in the MTC and be easily amused to think that was funny, but it was way fun. Then Christmas morning me and my companion opened our gifts! Thank you so much for your presents!! I didn't get everything before Christmas, but it's all awesome!! Thank you!
After that we set up our little stockings for the Elders and they were way surprised. It worked out awesome. Then we had a "morningside" with Elder Perry and his family. He talked about Christ and the Nativity Story. It was so cool! After the morningside, he ate in the nasty cafeteria with us! It was so cool of him. I sat 7 seats away from him. Haha. We had the rest of the day to write home (which I did, but never mailed the letters, bah, sorry). Then we had a talent show which was pretty fun. My favorites were: a kid techno dancing to the Primary song, "I like to look for Rainbows", an Elder playing the Ukelele and singing rubber ducky and some Elders impersonating bagpipes. It was fun...unfortunately some Elders took advantage of the music coordinator's innocence because a couple Elders sang some songs from "Babylon" like "Wonderwall" and a song by Sublime with slightly changed lyrics.
We had another fireside by Greg Olsen that night which was actually pretty special. I love it when people talk about the Savior. I didn't feel THAT close to Him before I left, but I feel as I study the New Testament and the Book of Mormon that I just can't get enough of reading about Him. I feel like He's become way more of a reality than anything else in my life. I feel so much love for Him, and have such a crazy impatient desire to see Him again. It's really neat what the MTC does to your testimony.
So remember that lady Roberta that I spoke with over the phone in the RC? The one who asked who the Brother of Jared was? Well, I've been talking with her on the phone and been so scared of sharing the gospel for the first time FOR REAL. BUT, things have been so special with her. I really feel like my companion and I are in her life right now for a reason. She likes the Book of Mormon but is struggling with cancer and she's divorcing her abusive husband and is really having such a hard time. She shut down the missionaries when they came to her door because her husband gave her such a hard time for it. But her husband hasn't stopped a phone call. She sobbed while I was on the phone with her today and I could just tell her to pray and know that God loved her and everything would be okay. Even if she never accepts the gospel, I know this poor woman just needs someone to listen to her and make her feel special. It is a neat thing to be able to do, despite my fears of "blowing it".
My biggest challenge recently and above all in the MTC has been alot of self-doubt. I find myself feeling so weighed down about it. But at the same time, I am learning so much about myself and God. My Patriarchal Blessing says that I'll teach others about the true nature of God not being a person who "persecutes those who missteps but rather a loving father who weeps with us through our challenges and rejoices in our triumphs. He loves and lifts and encourages and fortifies His children." I've realized that any feeling beyond that is NOT OF GOD. When you feel like God doesn't love you because you're just too flawed, too imperfect, that is NOT GOD. If you feel down because you aren't good enough, that is NOT GOD. It's easier said than done to just change the way you think of yourself and the Lord, but I'm learning and growing and I know the Lord is building me to be the person I need to be. And He's helping me know who He really is. So I guess that's my take home message today. Heavenly Father loves us and just wants us to be happy and do the best we can to obey. He loves us more than the best earthly parent could love their child. Just feel loved, because it's true.
Oh, so I got a letter from someone in the Eastdell Ward, but I have no idea who it was! It must have gotten caught in the post office conveyer belt because the only thing that made it to me was the front of the envelope with my name and address and the corner of the return address which said "...ily, ...andy, UT...84092." So whoever that was, thank you for your card! Brett and Yun, Grandma and Grandpa, the Wardles and few others also sent a Christmas card, which was really nice!
Well, I hope the family has been doing wonderfully!
Love you all! The Church is true!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Pray for China!!!
Merry Christmas!! I hope everyone is happy and so excited for Christmas! I hope you are seeing the lights, drinking hot chocolate, sitting by the fire, making snowmen, and watching Little Women. For some reason, of ALL the things to do on Christmas, I really just want to watch Little Women. I feel like that is the epitome of Christmas.
Thank you for all the letters and presents and stuff!! I really appreciate it. I'm never lonely here.
So, this week at the MTC has been a rough one. I have a bulls eye on me and Satan is sitting around and shooting me with his beebee gun full of discouragement. The meany. I have just felt overwhelmed with those thoughts of "you can't do this" "you'll be an awful missionary" "why waste your time, go home and get married." But I know that thoughts and feelings like that are not of God. I also know I'm not alone. One particularly bad day, a few of the other sisters got back to the room also saying how they felt strangely depressed and beaten down. It is just hard sometimes. I know things will be okay, but it just takes patience and faith in Jesus Christ that things will look up. The Lord protects and fortifies His servants and I know we'll see peace and success as long as we are patient and endure it well. I know that the Lord will use me to bring the gospel to the people of Taiwan.
We had a really good experience in the Teaching Appointment on Saturday. It was our first week teaching in Chinese. We felt like we were children or something because our sentences were so basic. "I know God loves us. God loves us so he gives us families. God loves families." But at the same time, since we were weak, we were more humble and focused alot on listening to the Spirit. We taught better to this investigator's needs than when we've ever taught in English. In the words of the investigator, "the Spirit was thick." We committed her to pray with her husband and children and read the Book of Mormon. It was so neat.
Yesterday we had a fireside be Stephen B. Allen of the Missionary Department. It was so neat!! He used to produce all the "on the homefront" commercials. He played about 10 of these commercials and compared them to us as missionaries. It was exactly what I needed. There was one called "the practice" that won an Emmy even. It showed a kid playing baseball and a girl playing a piece on the piano and failing but then trying again then succeeding. At the end the message was, "when all else says you can't, listen to that little voice inside that says you can". That was sooooo what I needed and was so neat. Then there was one that showed a dweeby kid with glasses and a pig-tailed girl with glasses that both felt gawky and awkward, but then at the end they smiled at each other and the message said, "don't think of who you aren't, but who you are. And that's pretty great." It was so cute!! The basis of alot of Brother Allen's talk was for missionaries to remember who they are, believe what they can do, and be themselves...because they were called to their certain mission for being who they are with their experiences. It was again, what I needed to hear.
Haha, so I do some crazy things sometimes. So there's this picture developing machiney thing in the MTC bookstore that is really hard to use sometimes. But I swear I figured out its quirks. So anyway, there was a little piece of tape over the SD card slot saying "out of order". But I figured I was smarter than the tape and knew how to work its magic so I peeled back the tape. I shoved the SD card in hard and it sailed right into the belly of the machine. The bookstore lady was not happy and I don't know if I'll ever see that card again which is really regretable since there are pictures of my district and Grant and stuff on there. Bah!
Oh! Important bit of info. I CANNOT call home for Christmas! I will be able to write a quick note, however, so sorry Mom! But I'm pretty sure I can call from the airport on January 28.
So guess what?? One of our Sisters in our zone ran into a Branch President who works with the Church to try to get us into places around the world where the gospel cannot be taught and has some crazy news about China! So apparently China re-wrote part of their constitution/manifesto or whatever to include the allowing of Christian religions. But before it's totally put into play, they want to read Christian materials to see if this is a good idea and if Christianity is something they want in China after all. So China is waiting as BYU Law School translates over 100 Christian works into Chinese!! Isn't that crazy?? That means that in not too long, they could ratify that and we could be IN China teaching the gospel!! WOW!! Pray everyon, PRAY!! Pray all day, every day that it goes through and we can preach the gospel there! Miracles are happening!! It gives me the chills!! Fast and pray!!
Well, I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!
Coley
Thank you for all the letters and presents and stuff!! I really appreciate it. I'm never lonely here.
So, this week at the MTC has been a rough one. I have a bulls eye on me and Satan is sitting around and shooting me with his beebee gun full of discouragement. The meany. I have just felt overwhelmed with those thoughts of "you can't do this" "you'll be an awful missionary" "why waste your time, go home and get married." But I know that thoughts and feelings like that are not of God. I also know I'm not alone. One particularly bad day, a few of the other sisters got back to the room also saying how they felt strangely depressed and beaten down. It is just hard sometimes. I know things will be okay, but it just takes patience and faith in Jesus Christ that things will look up. The Lord protects and fortifies His servants and I know we'll see peace and success as long as we are patient and endure it well. I know that the Lord will use me to bring the gospel to the people of Taiwan.
We had a really good experience in the Teaching Appointment on Saturday. It was our first week teaching in Chinese. We felt like we were children or something because our sentences were so basic. "I know God loves us. God loves us so he gives us families. God loves families." But at the same time, since we were weak, we were more humble and focused alot on listening to the Spirit. We taught better to this investigator's needs than when we've ever taught in English. In the words of the investigator, "the Spirit was thick." We committed her to pray with her husband and children and read the Book of Mormon. It was so neat.
Yesterday we had a fireside be Stephen B. Allen of the Missionary Department. It was so neat!! He used to produce all the "on the homefront" commercials. He played about 10 of these commercials and compared them to us as missionaries. It was exactly what I needed. There was one called "the practice" that won an Emmy even. It showed a kid playing baseball and a girl playing a piece on the piano and failing but then trying again then succeeding. At the end the message was, "when all else says you can't, listen to that little voice inside that says you can". That was sooooo what I needed and was so neat. Then there was one that showed a dweeby kid with glasses and a pig-tailed girl with glasses that both felt gawky and awkward, but then at the end they smiled at each other and the message said, "don't think of who you aren't, but who you are. And that's pretty great." It was so cute!! The basis of alot of Brother Allen's talk was for missionaries to remember who they are, believe what they can do, and be themselves...because they were called to their certain mission for being who they are with their experiences. It was again, what I needed to hear.
Haha, so I do some crazy things sometimes. So there's this picture developing machiney thing in the MTC bookstore that is really hard to use sometimes. But I swear I figured out its quirks. So anyway, there was a little piece of tape over the SD card slot saying "out of order". But I figured I was smarter than the tape and knew how to work its magic so I peeled back the tape. I shoved the SD card in hard and it sailed right into the belly of the machine. The bookstore lady was not happy and I don't know if I'll ever see that card again which is really regretable since there are pictures of my district and Grant and stuff on there. Bah!
Oh! Important bit of info. I CANNOT call home for Christmas! I will be able to write a quick note, however, so sorry Mom! But I'm pretty sure I can call from the airport on January 28.
So guess what?? One of our Sisters in our zone ran into a Branch President who works with the Church to try to get us into places around the world where the gospel cannot be taught and has some crazy news about China! So apparently China re-wrote part of their constitution/manifesto or whatever to include the allowing of Christian religions. But before it's totally put into play, they want to read Christian materials to see if this is a good idea and if Christianity is something they want in China after all. So China is waiting as BYU Law School translates over 100 Christian works into Chinese!! Isn't that crazy?? That means that in not too long, they could ratify that and we could be IN China teaching the gospel!! WOW!! Pray everyon, PRAY!! Pray all day, every day that it goes through and we can preach the gospel there! Miracles are happening!! It gives me the chills!! Fast and pray!!
Well, I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!
Coley
Monday, December 14, 2009
Fond good-byes and Elaine Dalton's visit
How's everyone doing!? How's Christmas plans?? I love Christmas. They have Christmas lights around the MTC which makes it nice and cheery.
Well, I just made a little list of the things I did this week...I'll just go down the list, not in a particular order of importance.
So we have the most amazing branch President here. His name is Liu Huizhang (huizhang is his title meaning president...). He comes on the weekdays and tutors our Chinese (he's from Taiwan). He's seriously the cutest, most humble, caring nice man. The other day he beckoned me to the white board to "tell me a secret". He secretly wrote "you are on your way to..." erase "Chin..." at that point I had a heart-attack because I thought he was going to write "you are on your way to China" but then he finished writing and said "you are on your way to Chinese excellency." He's so nice. He has a lot of faith in my Chinese skills and said that my accent sounds good and not to let the Taiwanese pollute it since they don't sound very good. Haha. So yeah, we LOVE him in our branch. Yesterday we went to Church and saw the Mission President there which was kind of interesting. Then out of the blue, President Liu was released!! All 6 of us Sisters started bawling our eyes out. The 8 Elders in the zone were also leaving which was sad as well. The Lius spoke and we kept crying and crying, which was slightly embarrasing. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. The MTC makes me cry alot. haha. ("Ku" is "cry" in Chinese...so our district jokes around that the girls always go "ku ku ku", sounding much like pigeons. haha.) We're way sad to see President Liu leave. He and his wife remind me a lot of why I love Chinese people so much. They are such wonderful, humble, kind, happy, and selfless people. They are so amazing. I'm really so happy to teach in Taiwan.
That reminds me! Our very first investigator from the TRC (the place where we role-play) who was the REAL investigator...Wang Xiaojie....remember? Guess what?? She's getting baptized in a week!! I don't think our lesson we taught her was the first or the last, obviously, but my companion and I cried (of course) when we found out because we knew that she'd felt the Spirit in our lesson and were so happy that she accepted the gospel.
So we had an interesting mishap the other night. We were all asleep when we were abruptly woken up by the squealing fire alarm and flashing lights in our bedroom. Sister Clyde yelled, "Don't DO this!" haha. We thought it was all a drill so we were pretty bugged. But we wrapped ourselves in our trenches and/or blankets and stumbled out of the building with 200+ other sister missionaries. They herded us into the gym where we huddled in little groups. Apparently a water pipe had burst and flooded the basement and somehow it set off the alarm. Weird. A few days before this happened, something wacky had happened with the furnace in our class building and we were evacuated and everything smelled like tar. All's well now, but it's kind of strange the things that happen.
So He Jiemei and I are pretty excited for Christmas. We're going to surprise the Elders in our district with a mini-Christmas. On Christmas Eve we're going to put presents and "stockings" with candy on their desks. It's definitely not necessary, but if anyone wants to mail some *unused* cheapo nylons to use as stockings...that would be grand. If not, I'll figure something out. :) We're excited for Christmas here.
Elaine Dalton came and spoke to us in Relief Society yesterday. She shared a really neat testimony of the Savior. Then she gave a neat story about how she was running with her husband one morning when he started going up a really steep hill. She said she didn't feel like she could keep up or reach the top, so she told her husband she was going to turn around and get some water from the car. Her husband laughed at her and said, "Elaine, don't you know you never turn around when you're in the middle of a hill?" Then she pushed harder until she reached the top where they had the most amazing view she'd ever seen. She compared that to our lives, how often we're in a "hill" of our lives and it's just so hard and we just want to give up and turn back, but if we keep going then we'll reach the top and have the most amazing view. She said she'd shared that same story to some MTC sisters a few years ago. Then a couple years afterwards one of those sister missionaries came up to her in a restaurant and said, "thank you so much for that story about never turning around while you're on a hill." Then sister Dalton said it was amazing because she'd forgotten her own story and at the time that that sister missionary had come up to her and reminded her, Sister Dalton was in the middle of another hill.
That was really neat. I feel like every week it's a new hill here at the MTC. Then I reach the top and have some amazing experience or grand perspective then I head up another hill again.
Anyway, sorry this is so scattered. I love you all!
Coley
Well, I just made a little list of the things I did this week...I'll just go down the list, not in a particular order of importance.
So we have the most amazing branch President here. His name is Liu Huizhang (huizhang is his title meaning president...). He comes on the weekdays and tutors our Chinese (he's from Taiwan). He's seriously the cutest, most humble, caring nice man. The other day he beckoned me to the white board to "tell me a secret". He secretly wrote "you are on your way to..." erase "Chin..." at that point I had a heart-attack because I thought he was going to write "you are on your way to China" but then he finished writing and said "you are on your way to Chinese excellency." He's so nice. He has a lot of faith in my Chinese skills and said that my accent sounds good and not to let the Taiwanese pollute it since they don't sound very good. Haha. So yeah, we LOVE him in our branch. Yesterday we went to Church and saw the Mission President there which was kind of interesting. Then out of the blue, President Liu was released!! All 6 of us Sisters started bawling our eyes out. The 8 Elders in the zone were also leaving which was sad as well. The Lius spoke and we kept crying and crying, which was slightly embarrasing. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. The MTC makes me cry alot. haha. ("Ku" is "cry" in Chinese...so our district jokes around that the girls always go "ku ku ku", sounding much like pigeons. haha.) We're way sad to see President Liu leave. He and his wife remind me a lot of why I love Chinese people so much. They are such wonderful, humble, kind, happy, and selfless people. They are so amazing. I'm really so happy to teach in Taiwan.
That reminds me! Our very first investigator from the TRC (the place where we role-play) who was the REAL investigator...Wang Xiaojie....remember? Guess what?? She's getting baptized in a week!! I don't think our lesson we taught her was the first or the last, obviously, but my companion and I cried (of course) when we found out because we knew that she'd felt the Spirit in our lesson and were so happy that she accepted the gospel.
So we had an interesting mishap the other night. We were all asleep when we were abruptly woken up by the squealing fire alarm and flashing lights in our bedroom. Sister Clyde yelled, "Don't DO this!" haha. We thought it was all a drill so we were pretty bugged. But we wrapped ourselves in our trenches and/or blankets and stumbled out of the building with 200+ other sister missionaries. They herded us into the gym where we huddled in little groups. Apparently a water pipe had burst and flooded the basement and somehow it set off the alarm. Weird. A few days before this happened, something wacky had happened with the furnace in our class building and we were evacuated and everything smelled like tar. All's well now, but it's kind of strange the things that happen.
So He Jiemei and I are pretty excited for Christmas. We're going to surprise the Elders in our district with a mini-Christmas. On Christmas Eve we're going to put presents and "stockings" with candy on their desks. It's definitely not necessary, but if anyone wants to mail some *unused* cheapo nylons to use as stockings...that would be grand. If not, I'll figure something out. :) We're excited for Christmas here.
Elaine Dalton came and spoke to us in Relief Society yesterday. She shared a really neat testimony of the Savior. Then she gave a neat story about how she was running with her husband one morning when he started going up a really steep hill. She said she didn't feel like she could keep up or reach the top, so she told her husband she was going to turn around and get some water from the car. Her husband laughed at her and said, "Elaine, don't you know you never turn around when you're in the middle of a hill?" Then she pushed harder until she reached the top where they had the most amazing view she'd ever seen. She compared that to our lives, how often we're in a "hill" of our lives and it's just so hard and we just want to give up and turn back, but if we keep going then we'll reach the top and have the most amazing view. She said she'd shared that same story to some MTC sisters a few years ago. Then a couple years afterwards one of those sister missionaries came up to her in a restaurant and said, "thank you so much for that story about never turning around while you're on a hill." Then sister Dalton said it was amazing because she'd forgotten her own story and at the time that that sister missionary had come up to her and reminded her, Sister Dalton was in the middle of another hill.
That was really neat. I feel like every week it's a new hill here at the MTC. Then I reach the top and have some amazing experience or grand perspective then I head up another hill again.
Anyway, sorry this is so scattered. I love you all!
Coley
Monday, December 7, 2009
"My eyes have been opened"
So this week has been amazing. First off, the doctors took 2 Xrays and were positive for a few days that I had Tuberculosis. BUT I was lucky enough to be shuttled out of the MTC gates for a CT scan and was found to be healthy. Phew!
So I never have much time to write, so I'm just going to write about a couple days that were really special to me this week.
As I've been in the MTC, my eyes have been opened to all the holes in my testimony and knowledge of the gospel. I've been praying to know and appreciate the Atonement better since day one at the MTC and I feel like Heavenly Father answered my prayer and I got to feel the miracle of the Atonement. It's come little by little, but I love it so much. First off, in class last week my teacher Brother Money shared a scripture, Alma 13:3 that said that we excerised faith in the pre-earth life. That struck me because I realized for the first time that the 3rd of the host of heaven probably weren't devil worshiping psycho spirits. But they just didn't believe and were too afraid to come down to this mortal existence because of the chance that Jesus Christ would back out and not perform his sacrifice. I thought of how amazing it was, because Jesus Christ COULD have messed us all up and we could have been lost and fallen forever, but he DIDN'T back out.
Then on Saturday we taught a fake investigator the plan of Salvation. Learning about the plan of salvation in this way has been really eye-opening. I've never seen it from the perspective of not knowing it. Seeing it that way has made it wonderful and beautiful to me. When we taught the lesson, my companion and I decided I would introduce the Atonement. I shared Alma 7 and bore my testimony. The Spirit was so strong and I cried and so did my companion. Typical girls, but it was so neat. I just felt so much love and appreciation for Christ. I think we never realize how much we know and love him sometimes.
Then a couple nights ago I was really sad about something specific. I was crying in bed (the MTC has made me such a baby) and my thoughts turned to the Savior. As I prayed I imagined the Saviors hands and feet and felt so comforted and loved and so grateful that there was someone who loved me so personally and knew me so well to have compassion on me.
Then the Christmas message from the First Presidency was our devotional yesterday. Elder Uchdorf's talk about seeing Christ in our lives and not missing Him was so amazing. I imaged how it must have been to live in Jerusalem at the time of Christ, yet be so busy or hard-hearted that I didn't have time or couldn't see Him for who he was. I felt so jealous of those in Jerusalem yet so afraid that maybe I would have been one of the ones that missed Him because I was too absorbed in myself to notice. It was such a neat talk. We had a district "sharing time" about what we thought of the devotional after that and I felt that same witness of Christ that was just so amazing. That night I also realized what a miracle prayer is. It's amazing and such a privilege that we can pray through all matter and space to an omnipotent loving God who will truly hang on your every word and give you His undivided attention. What an amazing thought that is. It was so humbling and has caused me to drastically change how I pray. Praying is alot more meaningful now. I just can't believe we all have this opportunity. Wow, the gospel is amazing. God's plan is incredible. I can't believe I didn't appreciate it until now. And as all good experiences do, the strength of the Spirit of this experience may wear off, but I hope not. I hope it just grows.
Wow, also, everyone needs to go RIGHT NOW to LDS.org and watch the "lifting burdens" video. It makes me cry every time. It's so neat. Also, I challenge everyone to buy Preach My Gospel and read it as a family/together/alone, whatever. It's so neat. It opens your eyes to the little important things in the gospel.
I really love my district. Every single Elder in it. They are such good kids. I just want to squeeze them and give them noogies all the time. Sad, one of our Elders is getting reassigned because he has a cyst on his toosh that will keep him from biking. :( We're hoping he'll get reassigned Mandarin speaking so that he'll stay in our district. The Elders are great. They are good to learn from. They are so cute because they have so much respect for us Jiemeimen (Sisters). When we talk they hush as if saying "Hark! The Jiemeimen speak!" Haha, they're so nice. A couple of them are writing a "rap" about our district. "zuo wei wode diqu" ("do it for the district"). Haha, the're crazy.
Thank you all for all the letters you've sent!! I love getting them. Dear Elder is the coolest. Love you all!!!
Coley
So I never have much time to write, so I'm just going to write about a couple days that were really special to me this week.
As I've been in the MTC, my eyes have been opened to all the holes in my testimony and knowledge of the gospel. I've been praying to know and appreciate the Atonement better since day one at the MTC and I feel like Heavenly Father answered my prayer and I got to feel the miracle of the Atonement. It's come little by little, but I love it so much. First off, in class last week my teacher Brother Money shared a scripture, Alma 13:3 that said that we excerised faith in the pre-earth life. That struck me because I realized for the first time that the 3rd of the host of heaven probably weren't devil worshiping psycho spirits. But they just didn't believe and were too afraid to come down to this mortal existence because of the chance that Jesus Christ would back out and not perform his sacrifice. I thought of how amazing it was, because Jesus Christ COULD have messed us all up and we could have been lost and fallen forever, but he DIDN'T back out.
Then on Saturday we taught a fake investigator the plan of Salvation. Learning about the plan of salvation in this way has been really eye-opening. I've never seen it from the perspective of not knowing it. Seeing it that way has made it wonderful and beautiful to me. When we taught the lesson, my companion and I decided I would introduce the Atonement. I shared Alma 7 and bore my testimony. The Spirit was so strong and I cried and so did my companion. Typical girls, but it was so neat. I just felt so much love and appreciation for Christ. I think we never realize how much we know and love him sometimes.
Then a couple nights ago I was really sad about something specific. I was crying in bed (the MTC has made me such a baby) and my thoughts turned to the Savior. As I prayed I imagined the Saviors hands and feet and felt so comforted and loved and so grateful that there was someone who loved me so personally and knew me so well to have compassion on me.
Then the Christmas message from the First Presidency was our devotional yesterday. Elder Uchdorf's talk about seeing Christ in our lives and not missing Him was so amazing. I imaged how it must have been to live in Jerusalem at the time of Christ, yet be so busy or hard-hearted that I didn't have time or couldn't see Him for who he was. I felt so jealous of those in Jerusalem yet so afraid that maybe I would have been one of the ones that missed Him because I was too absorbed in myself to notice. It was such a neat talk. We had a district "sharing time" about what we thought of the devotional after that and I felt that same witness of Christ that was just so amazing. That night I also realized what a miracle prayer is. It's amazing and such a privilege that we can pray through all matter and space to an omnipotent loving God who will truly hang on your every word and give you His undivided attention. What an amazing thought that is. It was so humbling and has caused me to drastically change how I pray. Praying is alot more meaningful now. I just can't believe we all have this opportunity. Wow, the gospel is amazing. God's plan is incredible. I can't believe I didn't appreciate it until now. And as all good experiences do, the strength of the Spirit of this experience may wear off, but I hope not. I hope it just grows.
Wow, also, everyone needs to go RIGHT NOW to LDS.org and watch the "lifting burdens" video. It makes me cry every time. It's so neat. Also, I challenge everyone to buy Preach My Gospel and read it as a family/together/alone, whatever. It's so neat. It opens your eyes to the little important things in the gospel.
I really love my district. Every single Elder in it. They are such good kids. I just want to squeeze them and give them noogies all the time. Sad, one of our Elders is getting reassigned because he has a cyst on his toosh that will keep him from biking. :( We're hoping he'll get reassigned Mandarin speaking so that he'll stay in our district. The Elders are great. They are good to learn from. They are so cute because they have so much respect for us Jiemeimen (Sisters). When we talk they hush as if saying "Hark! The Jiemeimen speak!" Haha, they're so nice. A couple of them are writing a "rap" about our district. "zuo wei wode diqu" ("do it for the district"). Haha, the're crazy.
Thank you all for all the letters you've sent!! I love getting them. Dear Elder is the coolest. Love you all!!!
Coley
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving in the MTC
This week was really good! Since it was the week of Thanksgiving, Elder Oaks came for our Tuesday fireside. He told us to remember who we are and who we represent. He said he had a missionary ask to take a picture with him once then ask him "can I give you bunny ears?" Elder Oaks was shocked and said he doesn't mind Dallin Oaks having bunny ears, but not an Apostle of God.
Thanksgiving dinner was pretty good. I stayed gluten free and was the only one in the cafeteria who wasn't fed turkey from a can. Haha. They made me a special pumpkin pie which was nice of them, but it wasn't the best thing I ever tasted. It was rubbery. We had an AMAZING devotional from Elder Holland that was SO cool. I want to share what he said because it was so neat. He was really relaxed in his talk and he just answered questions missionaries from the MTC had written a few weeks ago. Here are the best ones:
1) What happens to the sealing when people are divorced or don't keep their covenants, etc.? What happens to me? He said that nothing one person can do, will screw you up forever. So we would still keep our sealing to God, even if a temple sealing wasn't kept. He said, "you're all going to be busy being gods anyway, you won't really care how you're sealed to your parents". He said to just keep the commandments and the sealing promises would still be ours. He said whenever there's something we don't know, cling to what we do. "Don't hyperventilate over some Parley P. Pratt quote you find that you don't understand". Haha. I thought that was hilarious.
2) What if someone says, I'm good with God, I don't need to be baptized? He just said, "who cares if you love God and he loves you? The fact is that you HAVE to be baptized to enter the kingdom of God. And that's all there is to it." And what if an investigator says I was already baptized by Uncle Henry? "Frankly, we don't care about Uncle Henry and his baptism." haha
3) Why is life so hard? Elder Holland says he believes that the natural man is not inherently evil like everybody thinks. He said everybody was born an innocent child and with glory and godhood flowing in their veins. We are God's children so we were meant for great things. We are most like natural resources that are unstable and dangerous, but after the 'refining' though trials, we become precious and valuable and able to do great things.
4) If God can see all time as if it were present, why should I even try? His response was so great. He said, "Why is it that when people think that God can see all time before him that He naturally can see them going to hell? WHY do you guys always think you're going to hell?? God DOESN'T know where you're going. He sees it happening, but he doesn't control or know where you're heading. What he does know is that you're wonderful. You're not a rat, you're not a mess, and you aren't a mistake. By all means, you're going to heaven! Come, on we're on the glory train! Don't assume your'e going to hell. Only you can control that."
Then he said that it was okay that we were homesick because now we know how God feels. He said that we need to make sure that we get God's children home so there aren't any empty chairs at Thanksgiving. And in the best Elder Holland way, he slammed his fists on the podium and said, "The Church is true! I would not devote my life to a fairytale".
It was SO amazing!
Anyway, we did a huge service project for the humanitarian center. I put 2 gauze pads together then passed it to the girls sitting next to me. Haha, I didn't feel very useful, but it was fun.
Thank you all so much for all the letters and packages by the way!! I wish I had more time to write you all personally and thank you. I got a nice letter from a couple friends, which have been so nice! It was so nice!!
Oh yeah, haha, Thanksgiving evening we had another devotional with the MTC president that was a TRAIN WRECK! He had a couple musical numbers then he said anyone who wanted to come up and share something they were grateful for, could come to the microphone. And of course, every immature, dufus missionary who thought he was the funniest guy in the world got up and shared embarrassing comments. My favorites were "HOSANNA baby, this Church is true, Wahoo yeah!" and "People call me rags. Some of you might say my hair is too long for a missionary, but the rest of you think I look like Clark Gable" and "My girlfriend wrote to me the other day about the temple and eternal marriage and blah blah blah..." It was so horrible. Most people had their heads in their hands.
So every Sunday they call 2 missionaries from our zone of 40 to give a spontaneous talk and yesterday, I was called. :( It has to be in Chinese, is the worst part. So I said about 3 sentences then read a long quote from the Book of Mormon. The new missionaries were so impressed because they thought I wrote the whole thing. Haha, nooooo, no I didn't. The Chinese has been a little frustrating. I can understand a lot more than I thought and I have a really good memory for words, but grammar is beyond me. It's SO hard to think in Chinese and reorganize things in your head.
All in all, I am used to things here and really like it. My companion and I have made good friends with the other missionaries. I really love the feeling there is here. I don't think I've ever felt closer to the Lord. The opportunities we have to teach are so neat. I didn't know that I'd love teaching so much, but there's something really special about bearing your testimony all the time. I am learning so much about the gospel I never knew before and things make so much sense. I am so glad I'm here. The Church is true, it's not a fairytale. :) Italked to a lady on the phone at the RC the other day who was reading the book of mormon. She asked what persecute means and what the name of the Brother of Jared was. It was so cute. I just love it.
Anyway, my time is running out quickly!! I love you all and hope to hear about your Thanksgivings! I wish I could write everyone individually. Love you all! Keep in touch!!
Thanksgiving dinner was pretty good. I stayed gluten free and was the only one in the cafeteria who wasn't fed turkey from a can. Haha. They made me a special pumpkin pie which was nice of them, but it wasn't the best thing I ever tasted. It was rubbery. We had an AMAZING devotional from Elder Holland that was SO cool. I want to share what he said because it was so neat. He was really relaxed in his talk and he just answered questions missionaries from the MTC had written a few weeks ago. Here are the best ones:
1) What happens to the sealing when people are divorced or don't keep their covenants, etc.? What happens to me? He said that nothing one person can do, will screw you up forever. So we would still keep our sealing to God, even if a temple sealing wasn't kept. He said, "you're all going to be busy being gods anyway, you won't really care how you're sealed to your parents". He said to just keep the commandments and the sealing promises would still be ours. He said whenever there's something we don't know, cling to what we do. "Don't hyperventilate over some Parley P. Pratt quote you find that you don't understand". Haha. I thought that was hilarious.
2) What if someone says, I'm good with God, I don't need to be baptized? He just said, "who cares if you love God and he loves you? The fact is that you HAVE to be baptized to enter the kingdom of God. And that's all there is to it." And what if an investigator says I was already baptized by Uncle Henry? "Frankly, we don't care about Uncle Henry and his baptism." haha
3) Why is life so hard? Elder Holland says he believes that the natural man is not inherently evil like everybody thinks. He said everybody was born an innocent child and with glory and godhood flowing in their veins. We are God's children so we were meant for great things. We are most like natural resources that are unstable and dangerous, but after the 'refining' though trials, we become precious and valuable and able to do great things.
4) If God can see all time as if it were present, why should I even try? His response was so great. He said, "Why is it that when people think that God can see all time before him that He naturally can see them going to hell? WHY do you guys always think you're going to hell?? God DOESN'T know where you're going. He sees it happening, but he doesn't control or know where you're heading. What he does know is that you're wonderful. You're not a rat, you're not a mess, and you aren't a mistake. By all means, you're going to heaven! Come, on we're on the glory train! Don't assume your'e going to hell. Only you can control that."
Then he said that it was okay that we were homesick because now we know how God feels. He said that we need to make sure that we get God's children home so there aren't any empty chairs at Thanksgiving. And in the best Elder Holland way, he slammed his fists on the podium and said, "The Church is true! I would not devote my life to a fairytale".
It was SO amazing!
Anyway, we did a huge service project for the humanitarian center. I put 2 gauze pads together then passed it to the girls sitting next to me. Haha, I didn't feel very useful, but it was fun.
Thank you all so much for all the letters and packages by the way!! I wish I had more time to write you all personally and thank you. I got a nice letter from a couple friends, which have been so nice! It was so nice!!
Oh yeah, haha, Thanksgiving evening we had another devotional with the MTC president that was a TRAIN WRECK! He had a couple musical numbers then he said anyone who wanted to come up and share something they were grateful for, could come to the microphone. And of course, every immature, dufus missionary who thought he was the funniest guy in the world got up and shared embarrassing comments. My favorites were "HOSANNA baby, this Church is true, Wahoo yeah!" and "People call me rags. Some of you might say my hair is too long for a missionary, but the rest of you think I look like Clark Gable" and "My girlfriend wrote to me the other day about the temple and eternal marriage and blah blah blah..." It was so horrible. Most people had their heads in their hands.
So every Sunday they call 2 missionaries from our zone of 40 to give a spontaneous talk and yesterday, I was called. :( It has to be in Chinese, is the worst part. So I said about 3 sentences then read a long quote from the Book of Mormon. The new missionaries were so impressed because they thought I wrote the whole thing. Haha, nooooo, no I didn't. The Chinese has been a little frustrating. I can understand a lot more than I thought and I have a really good memory for words, but grammar is beyond me. It's SO hard to think in Chinese and reorganize things in your head.
All in all, I am used to things here and really like it. My companion and I have made good friends with the other missionaries. I really love the feeling there is here. I don't think I've ever felt closer to the Lord. The opportunities we have to teach are so neat. I didn't know that I'd love teaching so much, but there's something really special about bearing your testimony all the time. I am learning so much about the gospel I never knew before and things make so much sense. I am so glad I'm here. The Church is true, it's not a fairytale. :) Italked to a lady on the phone at the RC the other day who was reading the book of mormon. She asked what persecute means and what the name of the Brother of Jared was. It was so cute. I just love it.
Anyway, my time is running out quickly!! I love you all and hope to hear about your Thanksgivings! I wish I could write everyone individually. Love you all! Keep in touch!!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Our REAL investigator!
The MTC is great. I really do love it. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed but it's all good. I had a really good experience with my companion this week. We taught in the TRC this week (the TRC is a place where you role-play teaching experiences) and we actually taught a REAL investigator from Xiamen. We taught her about how God loves her and she seemed to be okay with all that. Then when we talked about Eternal Families she seemed really touched and the Spirit was definitely there. It was so neat. I was so excited that she was a real investigator. It made me so excited!
We had a fireside on Sunday by Stephen B. Allen. He is the director of the missionary dept I think. He said there are 4 stages of being a missionary: #1 the honeymoon stage of being happy and loving it all (a stage I never reached...haha). #2 the Hostile stage where you hate everything, everything stinks and you gotta go home now! (a stage I've hit a few times...haha) #3 the Grin and Bear it Stage (the stage I'm in most of the time and the #4 Successful stage. He said the key to getting to the successful stage ASAP is by having your heart in it. He said if our hearts are in "our mom's kitchens, our rooms with our toys or our boyfriend's backpacks" then it's not in the right place. Gulp. I'll need to get my heart back from Grant for just a little bit I suppose. It was a really good talk.
So gym time is a pretty fun time of day. We usually run laps or use the bikes for 20 minutes then spend the rest of the time playing 4square. It's so fun! We have the 4-square usuals that we've become buddies with. Like Elders Scrimsure and Cutler. Elder Cutler is a funny guy who is headed to Morristown NJ Spanish Speaking. He always says girls are "backstabbers" at 4 square so whenever he sees us around the MTC he shakes his fist as if he's stabbing someone in the back. Haha. It's really fun. Four square in Chinese is Si fang square but Elders have nicknamed itSiwang Square
This Thanksgiving is going to be pretty fun. We have aTurkey
We had to have chest/lung X-rays for our Taiwanese visa. I wasn't concerned except that they called me back in for a 2nd X-ray for some reason! :( I don't think I have a problem, but I don't know if I have scar tissue from all the asthma and bronchitis problems I've had. I don't think that would keep me from getting a visa, but I just want to be sure.
Anyway, my time is pretty much out. Thank you so much for all of you who have written to me! You can use Dear Elder.com and it works like an email for your and snailmail for me. It's cool. I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving!!
Love coley
We had a fireside on Sunday by Stephen B. Allen. He is the director of the missionary dept I think. He said there are 4 stages of being a missionary: #1 the honeymoon stage of being happy and loving it all (a stage I never reached...haha). #2 the Hostile stage where you hate everything, everything stinks and you gotta go home now! (a stage I've hit a few times...haha) #3 the Grin and Bear it Stage (the stage I'm in most of the time and the #4 Successful stage. He said the key to getting to the successful stage ASAP is by having your heart in it. He said if our hearts are in "our mom's kitchens, our rooms with our toys or our boyfriend's backpacks" then it's not in the right place. Gulp. I'll need to get my heart back from Grant for just a little bit I suppose. It was a really good talk.
So gym time is a pretty fun time of day. We usually run laps or use the bikes for 20 minutes then spend the rest of the time playing 4square. It's so fun! We have the 4-square usuals that we've become buddies with. Like Elders Scrimsure and Cutler. Elder Cutler is a funny guy who is headed to Morristown NJ Spanish Speaking. He always says girls are "backstabbers" at 4 square so whenever he sees us around the MTC he shakes his fist as if he's stabbing someone in the back. Haha. It's really fun. Four square in Chinese is Si fang square but Elders have nicknamed it
This Thanksgiving is going to be pretty fun. We have a
We had to have chest/lung X-rays for our Taiwanese visa. I wasn't concerned except that they called me back in for a 2nd X-ray for some reason! :( I don't think I have a problem, but I don't know if I have scar tissue from all the asthma and bronchitis problems I've had. I don't think that would keep me from getting a visa, but I just want to be sure.
Anyway, my time is pretty much out. Thank you so much for all of you who have written to me! You can use Dear Elder.com and it works like an email for your and snailmail for me. It's cool. I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving!!
Love coley
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Easy and FREE way to write to Nicole!
This message is to EVERYONE!
Nicole really would LOVE some mail! Here is a great, free and easy way to send her mail.
It's awesome! You type a letter on their website and they will print off your letter, put it in an envelope and hand deliver it to the MTC...FOR FREEEEEEEEEEE!!! And better yet, if you type it before a certain time, it will be delivered THAT DAY!!! Totally fabulous.
So write! No excuses! She'd LOOOOOOOOOVE to hear from all of you!
Nicole really would LOVE some mail! Here is a great, free and easy way to send her mail.
Go to www.dearelder.com
It's awesome! You type a letter on their website and they will print off your letter, put it in an envelope and hand deliver it to the MTC...FOR FREEEEEEEEEEE!!! And better yet, if you type it before a certain time, it will be delivered THAT DAY!!! Totally fabulous.
So write! No excuses! She'd LOOOOOOOOOVE to hear from all of you!
MTC life and Sheri Dew's Fireside
Here are parts of an email we received from the MTC from Nicole.
"My whole district is going to Taipei, which is really neat. Sadly, Taiwan used to have 3 missions, but the Kaoshiang mission was dissolved into the Taizhong mission now. Anyway, so the other missionaries in my district are: Elders (of Zhanglaomen) Sessions (DL), Jackson, Murphy, Knight, Van Wagoner, and Brunson. My companion is Sister Stephanie Hintze, aka He Jiemei, from Centerville, UT. Her dad works for the budget or finance dept in the Church so she's lived all over South America. I really like her. We're perfect for eachother. We're both blue personalities so we stress out and lean on each other alot. The other sisters in our room are also all new, but the they are all going to the Taizhong mission. They are really great. We have fun.
It's definitely an adjustment having an actual schedule. Haha. I've had the most chaotic life the past few years, that I'm totally now used to being so busy or so structured. I've also not been so stationary for a long time, so sometimes I feel like the bird on Rockadoodle, pecking on the walls saying, "we're trapped, trapped like rats!" Haha, but it's good. Good things happen all the time. I feel like a new worry comes up every day, or a new bit of opposition from Satan that kind of freaks me out, but the Lord undoubtedly answers it within 12 hours. I had a REALLY neat experience this Sunday.
I was feeling like I was doubting my desire to be here. But I role-played teaching a couple times with my companion and really pretended I was teaching someone. I then KNEW I really wanted to teach people and really had a desire to spread the gospel I love. I knew that despite the fact that I am sometimes petrified at the thought, I REALLY am excited to share the gospel. For Relief Society, Sister Oaks came and shared a really neat lesson. We also had a Sister Missionary from Jinnan City, China share her conversion story. She said she was baptized in Cambodia. She couldn't figure out why she'd chosen to work in Cambodia, but now she knows it was because she was supposed to find the gospel. She said she knew that because of her missionary service, her family would receive the gospel someday. That made me get all choked up because I love the Chinese people so much. And I'll be able to teach them! And the teaching we do in Taiwan will open the doors to Mainland.
Then our fireside was INCREDIBLE. Sheri Dew taught. She's my favorite person in the world. She said, "Now, if I were Satan, there are 3 things I'd want to do to wreck your lives and your missions. So get out a pen, because I'm going to tell you how I'd wreck your lives." Haha, it was really awesome. What she said were all the things and the opposition that I'd felt the past few days from Satan myself.
She said, 1) Satan would confuse you about your identity. In the scriptures it said the strong, diligent and faithful are the ones held for the last days. The noble and great ones. Don't think for a second that YOU are not one of those. But Satan will try to make you think you are nothing, weak, and not able. But you are!
2) He would try to keep us from understanding what the Savior did for us. She related to us that she had almost gotten married in her 30s but it hadn't worked out. She was devastated. But she said she studied the Atonement more than she had her whole life and was amazed at the healing comes from the Atonement, not just the forgiveness.
3) Satan would try to keep us from receiving personal revelation. She said that like those of us learning literal foreign languages here in the MTC, it takes learning the language of the Lord to understand the Lord's words and revelation towards you.
It was so amazing. I had the strongest conviction of the gospel at that minute. I knew that if all of us missionaries could learn those 3 things, we'd be unstoppable!! With our testimonies, convictions, and the Lord on our side, how coule we fail?? With THAT kind of knowledge of our true identities, the Atonement and hearing the Lord's voice in our lives on a constant basis, would could NOT fail. The gospel is true. I want to preach it to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The Church is so amazing. The gospel is true! I feel like this is such an amazing work. 18 Months suddenly doesn't seem like enough time at all. I am so excited!
Anyway, please tell me how you all are doing!! Write to me!! :) I love you and miss you all like crazy!!
Love you, the Church is True,
Sister Poohface, AKA Deng Jiemei!"
"My whole district is going to Taipei, which is really neat. Sadly, Taiwan used to have 3 missions, but the Kaoshiang mission was dissolved into the Taizhong mission now. Anyway, so the other missionaries in my district are: Elders (of Zhanglaomen) Sessions (DL), Jackson, Murphy, Knight, Van Wagoner, and Brunson. My companion is Sister Stephanie Hintze, aka He Jiemei, from Centerville, UT. Her dad works for the budget or finance dept in the Church so she's lived all over South America. I really like her. We're perfect for eachother. We're both blue personalities so we stress out and lean on each other alot. The other sisters in our room are also all new, but the they are all going to the Taizhong mission. They are really great. We have fun.
It's definitely an adjustment having an actual schedule. Haha. I've had the most chaotic life the past few years, that I'm totally now used to being so busy or so structured. I've also not been so stationary for a long time, so sometimes I feel like the bird on Rockadoodle, pecking on the walls saying, "we're trapped, trapped like rats!" Haha, but it's good. Good things happen all the time. I feel like a new worry comes up every day, or a new bit of opposition from Satan that kind of freaks me out, but the Lord undoubtedly answers it within 12 hours. I had a REALLY neat experience this Sunday.
I was feeling like I was doubting my desire to be here. But I role-played teaching a couple times with my companion and really pretended I was teaching someone. I then KNEW I really wanted to teach people and really had a desire to spread the gospel I love. I knew that despite the fact that I am sometimes petrified at the thought, I REALLY am excited to share the gospel. For Relief Society, Sister Oaks came and shared a really neat lesson. We also had a Sister Missionary from Jinnan City, China share her conversion story. She said she was baptized in Cambodia. She couldn't figure out why she'd chosen to work in Cambodia, but now she knows it was because she was supposed to find the gospel. She said she knew that because of her missionary service, her family would receive the gospel someday. That made me get all choked up because I love the Chinese people so much. And I'll be able to teach them! And the teaching we do in Taiwan will open the doors to Mainland.
Then our fireside was INCREDIBLE. Sheri Dew taught. She's my favorite person in the world. She said, "Now, if I were Satan, there are 3 things I'd want to do to wreck your lives and your missions. So get out a pen, because I'm going to tell you how I'd wreck your lives." Haha, it was really awesome. What she said were all the things and the opposition that I'd felt the past few days from Satan myself.
She said, 1) Satan would confuse you about your identity. In the scriptures it said the strong, diligent and faithful are the ones held for the last days. The noble and great ones. Don't think for a second that YOU are not one of those. But Satan will try to make you think you are nothing, weak, and not able. But you are!
2) He would try to keep us from understanding what the Savior did for us. She related to us that she had almost gotten married in her 30s but it hadn't worked out. She was devastated. But she said she studied the Atonement more than she had her whole life and was amazed at the healing comes from the Atonement, not just the forgiveness.
3) Satan would try to keep us from receiving personal revelation. She said that like those of us learning literal foreign languages here in the MTC, it takes learning the language of the Lord to understand the Lord's words and revelation towards you.
It was so amazing. I had the strongest conviction of the gospel at that minute. I knew that if all of us missionaries could learn those 3 things, we'd be unstoppable!! With our testimonies, convictions, and the Lord on our side, how coule we fail?? With THAT kind of knowledge of our true identities, the Atonement and hearing the Lord's voice in our lives on a constant basis, would could NOT fail. The gospel is true. I want to preach it to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The Church is so amazing. The gospel is true! I feel like this is such an amazing work. 18 Months suddenly doesn't seem like enough time at all. I am so excited!
Anyway, please tell me how you all are doing!! Write to me!! :) I love you and miss you all like crazy!!
Love you, the Church is True,
Sister Poohface, AKA Deng Jiemei!"
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Nicole's address
If you would like to write Nicole, her address at the MTC is:
Nicole Anne Dowdle
MTC Mailbox # 107
TAIW-TAI 0128
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
Nicole Anne DowdleMTC Mailbox # 107
TAIW-TAI 0128
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
She will be there until January 28th approximately. She would LOOOOOOOOOVE mail!!!
The MTC!!!!!!
Danny and Rachel (Nicole's sister and bro-in-law) took Nicole to the MTC on November 11th, 2009.
Walking to the MTC...typical Nicole look!
She'll love me for this one!
Nicole and her sister Rachel
She was very nervous and incredibly excited to be there!
Strike a pose, Coley!
With the new MTC drop off rules, we did just that...drop off. Though, it was more of a dive and roll while the car was still moving. We seriously had 3 minutes to say goodbye before she was whisked away.
We'll love and miss you!!!
Walking to the MTC...typical Nicole look!
She'll love me for this one!
Nicole and her sister Rachel
She was very nervous and incredibly excited to be there!Strike a pose, Coley!
With the new MTC drop off rules, we did just that...drop off. Though, it was more of a dive and roll while the car was still moving. We seriously had 3 minutes to say goodbye before she was whisked away.
We'll love and miss you!!!
The last breakfast
A few hours before Nicole entered the MTC, we had breakfast at IHOP for anyone who wanted to come. Nicole's best friend Grant and his parents came along with her sisters Rachel (and her family) and Brittany.
Officially a Missionary
Nicole was set apart as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on November 10th, 2009. She bore a beautiful testimony to all of us in attendance and her setting apart blessing was incredible! We love you Nicole!
Farewell Luncheon
Nicole gave a beautiful farewell talk on November 8th, 2009. After her talk, we had a wonderful gathering for all family at Mary's house. Finished up with yummy ice cream! Thank you Mary for a beautiful dinner!
Finished with delicious ice cream! Thank you Mary for a beautiful dinner!
Finished with delicious ice cream! Thank you Mary for a beautiful dinner!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
An Introduction to My Missionary Blog
This is the first official entry to my mission blog. My great sister Rachel will be updating this blog with my weekly emails home. Before my mission to Taipei, Taiwan, I'd like to just say a couple things that have been on my mind.
How I Decided to Serve a Mission
My testimony and desire to serve started when I was a child, being taught by good parents who bore their testimonies to me often and taught me the gospel. It really was just like the Army of Helaman, "I did not doubt that [my parents] knew it." The great lessons and examples of Church leaders in the Harmony Park Ward and the Granite 11th Ward built further on that, strengthening my love for the Church of Jesus Christ. A big moment in my decision to serve a mission came when I was 16 in Nauvoo, Illinois with my brother Michael and my parents. Sister missionaries were EVERYWHERE and I felt this strange excitement when a few of them spoke to us, looked at me and said "a mission is the best thing you'll ever do. Maybe YOU'LL serve one day." Then when I was 18, I was wandering Temple Square and had another one of those "that will be YOU" moments when I was speaking to a sister missionary companionship. In Ukraine (July 2007), I finally decided I would pray about it. The thought came to my mind that I had been given witnesses earlier in my life that I should go and that I knew my answer. I decided then that I would go, but with the turmoil that was going on in my life at the time, I just couldn't pull myself to do it. Through the events that were going on, I felt a HUGE trial of my faith--but eventually, my testimony that had been planted as a child won against the thrashing of the devil. I feel like I was able to exchange my simple childlike belief to an adult love and hope in the Savior and his Restored Gospel. It was such a blessing!
...Regardless, it still took me a while to finally just have the faith to go. I had been feeling this huge void and emptiness in my life, like something was seriously amiss. I couldn't put my finger on it. One day I was talking with my good friend and roommate JP (now serving a mission in Maceio Brazil) and said, "I don't know why I feel so lost right now, like there's something wrong" then, words which were NOT my own, blurted from my mouth saying: "I really need to serve a mission." Instantly that void was filled and I felt the purpose and direction I'd sought so hard for elsewhere. I could not deny that feeling. I KNEW my place. I started my mission papers shortly thereafter.
1. I feel like I've been commanded to go. Even though it's optional for girls, I know I have to go. And when God tells you to do something, you JUST DO IT.
2. I love the gospel and am excited to actually have time to sit down and study it for a long time.
3. I am so excited to see the gospel work miracles in people's lives! My Mom is a convert to the Church and I remember her testimony of the mighty change it made in her life when she was taught by the missionaries. I've always wanted to witness that first hand.
4. I love the Lord! I really want others to know this. I feel like knowing that there is someone out there that loves and cares for you so unconditionally is vital and that everyone should know it!
...Regardless, it still took me a while to finally just have the faith to go. I had been feeling this huge void and emptiness in my life, like something was seriously amiss. I couldn't put my finger on it. One day I was talking with my good friend and roommate JP (now serving a mission in Maceio Brazil) and said, "I don't know why I feel so lost right now, like there's something wrong" then, words which were NOT my own, blurted from my mouth saying: "I really need to serve a mission." Instantly that void was filled and I felt the purpose and direction I'd sought so hard for elsewhere. I could not deny that feeling. I KNEW my place. I started my mission papers shortly thereafter.
Why I am Serving a Mission
I'm going to be honest, deciding to serve a mission hasn't been the easiest thing I've ever done. I started dating a wonderful man named Grant Keaton. He's been my best friend and the thought to stay home for him has come to mind often. On top of that, all the exciting fun things I could be doing instead (going to school, playing with friends, getting married...haha, traveling) continued to tempt me. But through countless MIRACLES, Priesthood blessings, answers to prayers and undeniable impressions, I am still goin'! Because the reasons I'm going outweigh the reasons I'd stay. The reasons I'm going are the following: :D1. I feel like I've been commanded to go. Even though it's optional for girls, I know I have to go. And when God tells you to do something, you JUST DO IT.
2. I love the gospel and am excited to actually have time to sit down and study it for a long time.
3. I am so excited to see the gospel work miracles in people's lives! My Mom is a convert to the Church and I remember her testimony of the mighty change it made in her life when she was taught by the missionaries. I've always wanted to witness that first hand.
4. I love the Lord! I really want others to know this. I feel like knowing that there is someone out there that loves and cares for you so unconditionally is vital and that everyone should know it!
My Testimony
I know that Jesus Christ lives, loves us, and died that we may become perfect through His Atonement. I know God loves His children --ALL of them-- even the deepest darkest sinner. He loves His children so much! Even those who have never, or will never, have the opportunity to learn of Him. I know that Joseph Smith restored the true and full gospel of Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon translated by his hand is a real document that bears testimony of the Savior. I know that there is a living prophet by the name of Thomas S. Monson. I LOVE the temple and the Spirit and promises in there. It is a beautiful and special place and I feel so close to God when I'm there. I know that there are blessings uncountable from living the gospel and being close to the Lord. I love this Church.
In Gratitude
I feel like I've already been WAAAAAY long winded and sappy, but I just want to say that missionary work can't fail when you have sooooo many people backing up a missionary. I am so grateful for the support and love and financial help I've received from COUNTLESS people!! Good friends like Pasha and Denny, Morgan, JP, Lindsey, Emily, Jenna, Raley, and SO many others!! Family members like Aunt Gaye, Uncle Mark, Uncle Eric, Aunt Deanna, Bev, Mary, Carolyn, Grandma and Grandpa Dowdle and all my immediate family members, especially ones who let me crash on their couches. My parents for teaching me to love the gospel! !Members of the BYU 83rd ward and the Eastdell Ward!!!! ALL of them have given so much, financially and spiritually!! Family friends, like Tracy Cutler, the Lomus, and many others. My amazing and wonderful friend Grant. My adorable little sister Brewy. Strangers who put money in my hands just because they heard I was preparing for a mission, especially those kind individuals who patroned the Provo Farmer's Market. Employers and friends from ILP and Qwest and Family Link. The Paulsens, Sorensons, Dowdles, Andersons, Dahlquists, Jensens, Keatons, Twedes, Michaelsons, Gunnells, Robbins, to name just a small few. I have so many names and faces of kind amazing people that have helped me swirling in my mind that me that I can't possibly mention them all, and for that, I apologize. Just know that I have appreciated and been so humbled and touched by the help that I've received. I love you all!! I feel so blessed!!
And here I go! Onward to serve God and the people of Taiwan! [High-pitched, panicked-yet-excited squeals]
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