Wow. Can you believe it? I made it to pday! The minute you walk into the MTC people offer their "free" advice...haha and tell you everything you need to know. The first thing everyone says that if you can make it to Sunday then your Pday, you can make it through anything. As weird as that sounds, it's pretty true. haha this week has been way intense as I'm sure you know you RMs. IT is physically, spiritually, and emotionally exhausting but very worthwhile. Each day it gets better and I get stronger.
I want to thank you for your love and prayers. I feel them. It is the strongest feeling I've ever felt. I literally feel your love and I want you to know that I'm praying for you as well. I feel so blessed and comforted. I don't know how I got so blessed to have an incredible family. I have received a package/letter everyday so far. And my district is starting to get annoyed...haha but seriously. They have saved me. YOu have no idea how much letters and news from home means to me. You are my world and in my heart and I think of you all day. Know that you're always in my thoughts and prayers. Always. And you're in my heart.
So I'll give you a little rundown of what's gone down so far since I've been here. ps Loge I'm keeping a list of things you'll want to know when you come.
So right when you dropped me off I ran into my whole high school. Nate Back, Jake Garlick, girls from HS and college and HT. The MTC is bouncing right now and it's very comforting. My companions are incredible. Soeur Lefrandt is my sister from Alpine. She's the one I knew would be my comp! My other sister is Soeur Smith from Alaska. She has an incredible heart and spirit. We immediately all got along the minute we met. We are all actually Facebook friends and talked before we got out here. Tender mercy! We all have a drive to work and we have a desire to be exactly obedient. It's helped. They don't speak a lot of french but it's been super humbling to become a teacher and help. I know there's a reason that I came here and didn't leave in the fast track. The rest of my district is incredible. Elder Stucki from AF is here with me. And some other kids from around the state. We get along well and have fun.
The spirit is very strong here and I can already feel my investigators. I love them and think of them all day and how I can learn better french for them. It's been a powerful experience.
I was also blessed to be in the MTC for conference. Wasn't it incredible!?? we were all writing notes like nobody's business here. Everything applies. I thought of all of you during conference and it made me miss ya. I imagined you all sitting around the family room watching and dad drawing some animals like horses that really liked like dogs...haha missed ya. But I loved it! IT was so powerful to be in the sea of missionaries during this. I don't know if you had the chance to watch the program inbetween? But it was powerful. A lot of the people featured were in the room I was in and the spirit was SO strong. This literally is an army. I wish you could see it here. When we came in we had like an orientation and we sang the army of helaman. they changed the words to "We are NOW the LOrd's missionaries to bring the world His truth." There were a lot of tears around me. This it it. IT's our time to rise up and proclaim His word. We also got to watch the YW broadcast and I thought of you EM:) IT made me miss you a lot. Also VOCAL POINT came to the MTC on Sunday night for our devotional. Thought of you Just. IT was so fun and a nice way to take our minds of things. IT was cool. They all talked about their missions and we sang hymns with them. The spirit was very strong.
Thanks to the great advice of Jess, I keep a list of things I want to tell you in my planner. I don't have a ton of time to write them all on the computer so I will write a hand written letter to you today as well. I woke up early to finish laundry so I could spend the rest of the day writing. Jess your package made my day. You have no idea. Thank you for my "kit". IT was much needed last night and it meant the world. All of you are so thoughtful and kind and I appreciate you so much.
So the second day we got here, we got a french investigator named Christopher. We teach him each day in french. It's been so neat. My companions have to write out word for word what they'll say and they are struggling with that. But each day we go in, they get a little better. IT's been fun to watch them improve. Yesterday though, I had my first experience with the gift of tongues. We prayed our hearts out to know what he needed to here and we got specific guidelines for what to say. We prepared a lesson and my comps were pretty nervous. We went in the room and I put my notes away and spoke from my heart. Words came to my mouth and we spoke to each other forever. I translated for my companions and the spirit was so strong. I understood him completely. Every word. I Know that it was all from Heavenly Father and I am so excited to speak french. I quoted the first vision in french and I have never felt the spirit so strong when saying it. Loge, memorize it before you come! Also memorize the purpose. I'm making a list of stuff you can do, especially when you're on the fast track? That is SO cool! I'm so happy for you. You'll love it here and I keep picturing you around here. IT'll be so fun for you.
Mom I've been able to eat healthy ands stuff which has been a blessing. and guess what? no sugar for a week! How're you doing with that? We can do it together. The food isn't ideal, but I've had a year's worth of salad, wraps, vegetables, and fruit. haha I'm excited for french food. 19 year old boy food gets a little old quick:) but it's all good.
Man I just want to thank you again for your package. It meant the world. And your hawaii rock with the picture of Christ mom? I keep it with me at all times and hold it when I need a pick me up. Your letters were so amazing and were exactly what I needed to pick me up.
The MTC isn't easy. The mission isn't easy. But the more I"m here, the more I realize that this has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with my investigators and how I can sacrifice and live for them. It's been humbling and I'm learning more each day. Time is finally starting to pick up a little bit. I realize that I have to make each day count. Have both feet in the mission. And be exactly obedient. I can't just go on a mission. I have to become a missionary. Time is super weird here and I feel like I've been here for 6 weeks, but at the same time I feel like I just got here.
I'm excited for you Loge. I keep thinking of you and how incredible you'll be out here in a few short months. Prepare as much as you can. I"m not gonna lie I keep thanking Heavenly Father for Madame. Me and Elder STucki have the change to teach our class when our teacher is gone. He took AP french as well. We tutor and help everyone and that's been awesome. Also I keep thanking our mission prep stake class. Wow. It's prepared me so much. Most of my district hasn't even taught before. But the lessons we've learned there have helped so much.
I"m sorry this letter is so scattered. I"m almost out of time. But I'm sending you letters today with more details. Loge I'll tell ya about the schedule and stuff. Em I have some cool stories for ya. Jess and Just Mom and DAd I have stuff for you too.
REal quick though, I had an interview with my branch president on Thursday night. I was struggling pretty bad and missed you a lot. BEfore that we all got up to bear our testimonies and tell why we were out there. I bore my testimony then we had our interviews and he asked me why I had such a strong testimony. I told him that the greatest missionaries I have in my life didn't actually serve full time missions. They have served a lifelong mission. They've taught their children the gospel and what's right. They've sacrificed and worked so hard to build a home of happiness and strength. Of courage and peace. I told him about you mom and dad. You've given me the opportunity to be a missionary. And I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are my heroes. You are my two pillars of strength. I know that I can do this, because I was raised to trust in the Lord. You are "my missionaries". And I love you so much. Thank you for all that you sacrifice and do for all of us. You mean the world to me.
You all mean the world to me and I hope you know that I pray for you every hour. I'm excited to hear how everyone is. Thank you again for your prayers and packages and letters. I look forward to them so much and they help me more than you know. Let me know how everyone is doing. How is school coming? Senioritis yet loges? MOm how's Barratt? Dad your calling? The chickens? haha Just how's school/ work and Shan? Jess how are the little ones at Barratt and such? Em how is school and the guitar? learned any new songs? Let me know. Love getting your letters! We get them after lunch and can't open them until we get to our rooms at 9:30. IT's pure torture sometimes. haha But I'm healthy and happy and doing good and have so much peace knowing that I"m where I"m supposed to be.
Je t'aime beaucoup!!!!
Love,
Your Soeur Cameron
be expecting letters within the next few days. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!
All is well. All is well.
No comments:
Post a Comment