Week 3 email

Oct 19 at 9:50 AM

 Wow, I've been here for three weeks. That blows my mind. It is simultaneously the

 quickest and slowest three weeks of my life. To think of the Spanish I know today 

and the Spanish I knew three weeks ago is also mind blowing. It's been a lot harder

 with Spanish this week, because I have already acquired so many vocabulary words

 and only so much grammatical understanding that I don't see the progress quite as 

obviously, but we are still working like crazy in class. It's become more about the

 lessons now, teaching in Spanish rather that simply learning more Spanish. We also

 had our first  Spanish TRCs and that was BRUTAL. It is so frustrating when you know

 exactly how to answer their question, but you don't have the words to do so. 

Our amiga's name is Nicole, and she is very sweet. She is from Mexico and has a pug 

named Noah. She doesn't know much about the church, but she learns very quickly 

and is very willing to keep all of the commitments that we challenge her to, as well as 

praying in our lessons. Our first lesson went better than our second one, mostly

 because in the first one we just discussed faith, prayer, repentance, and our purpose

 to help her come closer to Christ, and we had all the words for that. In our second

 lesson we wanted to focus on the Book of Mormon, and we thought we could until 

she started taking the lesson into lots of questions about Joseph Smith, which I

 couldn't explain. It's also so hard because the majority of talking in our lessons falls on

 me, and I've been trying to talk to Nicole and then translate what she says into simper

 Spanish for HK, and then prompt HK to share something. It's a work in progress, and

 I just try to remind myself that all I can do is my best, and that the Spirit can speak 

through any and all language barriers.

 HK and I had a really amazing gospel discussion this week in companionship study 

about the Atonement. She felt frustrated that she didn't understand it's realistic

 application and so I shared with her some  tender  experiences that I have with

 repentance and Atonement (vaguely) and we had a good cry. The Lord is so good to us. 

Anyway, in our study I felt prompted to focus on scripture. That isn't usually my go to, 

I love general conference talks and interpretation of scripture and sometimes

 it feels like scripture is just the principles, and I'm stubborn enough to

 think that if I've read once, I've got it and I can't learn anymore from it. NOT TRUE. I'm

 working on humility this week, I promise:) Anyway, I know lots of scriptures I like about 

the Atonement, but I wasn't feeling it, and suddenly I thought of Alma 34. I can't even 

remember if I just randomly thought of that number, or if I saw it in the footnotes or what, 

it was really random. So we went to it and read it and I didn't remember much about the 

chapter, and we loved it! I learned so much, we study only a few verses for over an hour. 

It was such a powerful sermon from Amulek (Alma's missionary companion) on the

 Atonement and the need for a Savior. I would challenge everyone to make a goal to 

make a serious study of it if they can find the time, it's an incredible bit of scripture,

 and it teaches you so much about Christ. Anyway, so we read it and loved it. This 

was Monday night, that's important info for later. 

I got so many sweet letters this week, and I LOVE those. This week we 

discovered the missionary field, out in front of the temple. The weather

 has been crazy nice, and so everyday for an hour we head up

 there with our district and it has become the funnest part of my day. We play sand 

volleyball, spikeball, bocce ball... all sorts of stuff.

 I was able to go to the temple last  week, and will get to go again today, 

and I absolutely love that. It's like home away from home. I miss the Boise temple though.

 The Provo temple is super cool, a bit  older, and I think I heard that maybe they 

will soon be renovating it? It was fun to be there as a district. 

The devotionals this week were INSANE! On Sunday night we heard

 from Sheri Dew!! What?!!? I love that lady, she is so spunky:) She shared a fantastic

 message on how we can't reap what we don't sow. It's a simple truth, but if  you think 

long and hard about it, I think it has some pretty profound applications. What do I want 

to reap? Am I sowing the right kind of seeds? Does the way I spend my time reflect

 those priorites? Super awesome talk. 

 On Tuesday we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Quentin L. Cook ,

and oh my goodness. That was one of the coolest spiritual 

experiences of my life. You know how everyone has "favorite" general authorities that 

they really feel like they connect with, or connect and relate with their messages? Well,

 Elder Cook isn't one of those for me... or wasn't. But this was insane. We were all

 gathered together again in the gym like we do for General Conference and all 

devotionals, and there was lots of security so we had an idea that somebody really

 special would be there, and wow. Turns out the high security wasn't just because he's 

an apostle. Funny insert: I don't like to do things in front of people. HK wanted to be in 

the choir and I was not that excited about that idea because they do the camera thing 

like they do for the MoTab, so they zoom in on people's faces, and I'm just not about

 that. So I didn't want to, but we made a deal that I'd go to choir if she'd stop whistling

 haha (I didn't know that about myself, but I can't stand whistling) so we went. So then,

 not only am I in this choir in front of everybody in the first place, now it is being broadcast

 to every MTC in the world. I legit almost peed my pants. So we're singing, and she's

 laughing at me because my face is so red, and I'm looking down at my music because

 if I look up and see myself on the screen it'll kill me (anyone who knows me knows 

I'd probably just start laughing hysterically) and all of the sudden WE MAKE IT ON 

THE SCREEN. I wanted to die. I literally just put my chin to my chest, it was the most

 embarrassing moment of my life, and mama, I think my ears almost melted off. It was

 us and twenty people and then the camera just kept zooming in. Disaster. Then the

 next few days, all the missionaries I know were making fun of me, "Oh, Hermanas, we

 saw you made it on the screen!" and then were laughing. Anyways yeah. Not so fun. 

So now when she whistles you better believe I shut that down real quick haha. We laugh

 hard about it now. Back to Elder Cook: Before he came in, the MTC President came to 

the front and gave us some instruction about appropriate behavior, like standing when 

the apostle entered the room, and no pictures etc. This was also being broadcasted all 

over the world to every MTC, so there were lots of cameras and staff and stuff and it was

 funny, when it was time to start a guy came up in front of Elder Cook and put his hands

 up and counted down from ten to airtime. It was like being on Studio C haha. 

Anyway, Elder Cook was fantastic. The spirit was so strong in the room that it 

was almost stifling. More than anything he said, was the powerful, 

powerful spirit that testified to me again and again, that this man was and apostle 

of the Lord Jesus Christ. The most powerful moment was in his concluding 

testimony that the Savior lives and guides His church. It gives me goosebumps

 just thinking about it! He said, "I testify that, while the majority 

of the revelation given to President Nelson and the apostles is given by the Holy Ghost,

 the Savior of the world is intimately guiding and giving revelation for His church".

 WHAT?!?! So lit. Okay, so not only is one of the Lord's servants testifying to the reality 

of the living Savior and bearing his testimony and promising us specific apostolic 

blessings as Christ's missionaries, but then he pulls up this guy with a briefcase.

 Remember my study of Alma 34 with HK on Monday?? The guy with the briefcase

 (don't remember his name) is the head of the Church's archives, and out of this briefcase

 he pulls out a PAGE OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

 Can we just stop and think about this for a second?!?! The original manuscript was 

kept in a cornerstone of a building in Nauvoo I think he said, and they remained there 

for forty years after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. When they were recovered, very

 few pages were in good condition, and so those that are are extremely valuable. This

 guy brought from the church archives the chapter in the best condition (I can't even 

believe they would travel with those anywhere) and guess what chapter it was. Alma 34.

 I just started laughing, I couldn't even believe it. The Lord was sending me a very clear 

message. Next to me HK burst into tears! on Sunday in Relief Society we had a lesson 

on praying to know the Book of Mormon is true (something you can do more than once

 in your life) and she did it on Monday, and then we studied Alma 34 and then on Tuesday

 we SAW THE Alma 34. It was just straight insane. As briefcase guy displayed and 

explained each artifact, Elder Cook bore his testimony about each. He also had Alma 34

 from the printer's manuscript (entire intact), and an 1830 edition of the BOM. I usually 

feel the spirit with goosebumps, but it comes and goes usually pretty quickly in chills, and

 The ENTIRE hour and a half this went on I had perpetual goosebumps, it's never 

happened to me before. My chest felt like it was going to explode and I wanted to laugh

 and sob with joy all at the same time. It was an overwhelming outpouring of the Spirit,

 unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. I couldn't even focus, and my heart was 

beating out of my chest, and I just thought over and over, this isn't some outlandish belief,

 it isn't some naive need of mine to live the way I have been raised, it isn't just a hope for

 higher power or hope for something after this life, this is LEGIT. 

This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. President Nelson is God's

 prophet on the Earth today and the church is led my the Savior of the world himself, 

whose church it is. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and I know that

 his experience in the sacred grove is a true account of actual events, that God the

 Father and His Son appeared to Joseph Smith in

 answer to the simple question of a sincere seeker of truth. I know he found and translated

 the gold plates by the gift and power of God, and that the Book of Mormon is another 

testament of Jesus Christ. I wish I could do it justice, words don't, but I can testify that 

the Spirit confirmed to me in a way I can neither forget nor deny that the Book of Mormon

 is true. It was an incredible experience and I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father

 who cares about one little Idaho missionary who would allow me such a strong 

confirmation that this is His work. And how blessed am I? I possess the greatest 

instrument for the greatest joy the world has ever known and I have been called by God

 to share it! I'm not the only one though, every member of the church has in their home the

 greatest gift of all time, and do we remember that? Do I treasure and keep sacred the

 Book of Mormon? Do I show Heavenly Father how much I value it? I am courageous in

 sharing with all those I love and associate with the thing that testifies of Christ, and that 

brings me the most joy? I have a lot to improve on. It was very tender when Elder Cook 

shared the idea he'd had for giving us this once in a lifetime opportunity. He said he'd 

thrown this whole thing together only like twenty minutes before, as prompted by the 

Spirit. He said President Nelson had, only a week before, personally requested to see 

this Alma 34 chapter of the original manuscript. Apparently there are very few references

 in the New Testament to the word "Atonement". I can't remember the exact number, 

fewer than ten. And in this one chapter of the Book of Mormon, we find the word

 "Atonement" more that in all the Bible combined. It made me a little bit sad, I've never

 thought the little that the world knows about the Atonement from scripture. Anyway, 

President Nelson wanted to see it because it is such a precious teacher of Atonement, 

and Elder Cook said that the Prophet became emotional and was very touched by 

seeing the manuscript. It was just incredible. And here we all were, given the chance 

to see this same document that brought God's prophet to tears- because he understands

 how sacred it is.

 I know this email is so long, so sorry about that, but really I've never 

had such a powerful confirming witness of the truth of this gospel. I'm about the Lord's

 work, so I'm the luckiest girl alive, and it is a great day to be a missionary. 

Here is a picture of the package I got from Nate and family and the Mosers.  They gathered
 together and wrote a bunch of letters and sent treats for my companion and I to share. ♥