Bryan:
AAWW I am so glad you know about the Creme Soda tree! Haha Sister
Lindsay and I go smell it all the time. We didn't show the new
missionaries it yet, but we will tonight! It seems like you had a great
week! Tons of lessons! I am glad that everything is going well and
speaking the language is getting better! I know the Lord is truly
blessing you.
Family:
It has been SO cold in Idaho. I can't believe they didn't cancel school
for you! It looks like you have some snow too! That's fun. The
mountains down here are gorgeous with all the snow on the peaks.
Here is my week:
It's been great! I love it here. I have learned so much and have grown so much! I can't wait to get out to the field.
On
Tuesday night, Bishop Dean M. Davies and his wife came to speak to us.
He is the 2nd counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. They changed the
closing song to "As I Have Loved You". They sang the first verse as a
duet and it was so cute! All the missionaries were in awe. They brought
so much Spirit with them.
Wednesday
morning, Sis. Lindsay and I got to skip gym to prepare for the new
Sisters coming in. We were able to go to Hot breakfast! Because we have
gym first in the morning, we go to what is called a sack breakfast line
at 6:30 AM. and then eat breakfast in our Residence Hall. During hot
breakfast, I saw Elder and Sister Anderson eating so we got to say our
final goodbyes. They left Wednesday for Mexico City. I sure do miss
seeing them everyday and being able to talk to them but I know they are
doing great things in Mexico City. Wednesday night, the Zone Leaders,
Sister Lindsay, and I were able to do New Missionary Orientation with
the New District. They are all so cute! All the 4 Sisters are going to
Taipei, Taiwan and the Elders are going to Canada (2), Australia (2),
and 1 to New York. There was suppose to be another Elder from the
Philippines come with this district but his visa never came so his
report date has been pushed back. I love the Sisters that came in. One
of them, Sister Gabbitas out of no where was like, "Oh my goodness!! You
are Sister Haacke! Brynn Clarke told me to find you!" (Brynn was in my
apartment my first semester at BYU-I). Sis. Gabbitas and Brynn taught
English in China together.
Thursday
we also heard we were getting 3 new Sisters this coming week. 2 from
Mainland China and 1 from Taiwan all going to Australia. We were so
excited for them to come. Sadly, yesterday during branch council we were
told that their report dates got pushed back.
Thursday
was the first day that snow stuck to the ground here at the MTC. it was
so fun to watch all the missionaries who have never seen snow before. I
just had to laugh and be like, 'this is nothing.' I hope some of them
are going to Idaho--then they will really know what snow is.
Saturday,
we learned our last grammar principle from our grammar book! So, we
graduated! Well, that's what Bro. Chia kept saying. I definitely don't
have all the grammar principles down but they are slowing coming.
Kind
of a funny story, Saturday during lunch, I was sitting next to Elder
Diepeveen. (He is 6'6" and has like awesome posture). Anyways, we were
talking about how all of our eyes are like bloodshot. And out of no
where, Elder Diepeveen just said, "Mine are always like this. I'm on a
thinner oxygen level than you." It took Sis. Lindsay and I forever to
get it. And then we started laughing so hard. (it's because he is so
tall). Elder Diepeveen is a huge example to me. He is so obedient and
everyday striving so hard to come unto Christ. But, his funny side
finally opened up!
Saturday
night Sister Lindsay also scared me SO bad. I walked into our room from
getting ready for bed and Sister Lindsay wasn't in there. So I just
figured she was showering or something. Sis. Allen was using Sis
Lindsay's scissors and was cutting some cardboard. she asked me if I
knew where Sis. Lindsay's scissors went and I was like, "Yeah, they go
in her carry-on underneath our bed. She asked me to put them away for
her. As I went to pull out her carry-on and all of a sudden this head
pops out and yells at me. I screamed SO loud. They all started laughing
so hard. It reminded me of the time when we were at girls camp, and mom,
you were up there with us and you walked back from brushing your teeth
or something and Ashlee Steele scared you so bad you like fell on the
ground. (Do you remember that?) Do you also remember Lindsay Pearce?
(I'll attach a picture) On Sunday, I was walking up the bleachers from
the New Sister Dress and Grooming Meeting (Sister Training Leaders get
to go if they have new Sisters going from their Zone). Lindsay Pearce
comes running out of the media room and said, "SAM!!" It was so good to
see her! I haven't seen her forever! She is such a sweetheart. I guess
she has been working at the MTC for the last 4 months. We were surprised
we hadn't seen each other till then.
This week has also been full of Spiritual Experiences.
Sister
Lindsay and I had a pretty stressful week with interviewing Sisters and
realizing that we only have 2 more weeks left at the MTC. Friday I got a
Priesthood Blessing. Sister Lindsay and the three Elders in our
district went into a separate room. We all said our individual prayers
before I got a blessing. Elder Smith said the prayer and it was so
simple but so profound. I was so comforted. There are not words to
explain the feelings we all felt. When the prayer was over, I looked up
and Sister Lindsay was just crying. (She never cries. She holds it in SO
well). She stood up and just said, 'Thank you so much for being worth
priesthood holders. The Spirit was so strong during that blessing. It
was like you were all glowing.' One of the Elders said, 'You looked at
us?' Sis. Lindsay said, "yes I had to peak! It seriously looked like you
were all angels. You were all glowing." It was one of the coolest
experiences that we I have had while being here. I absolutely love my
District. They are all amazing. We found out this week that Sis. Moe is
going to be leaving a week early, on November 25, and it makes us all
really sad. We have come so close but know that we will all meet up
again after our missions.
Sunday
night's devotional was also amazing. We sang Sis. Nally's arrangement
of Called to Serve again for prelude and it was amazing. The power that
1600 missionaries have when we all sing is phenomenal. Brother Richard
I. Heaton, the Administrative Director here at the Provo MTC spoke. He
talked about the power of the scriptures and how important it his to
create a firm anchor in Christ. His cute son, Russell, got to walk
around and choose missionaries to read assigned scriptures. Russell has
down syndrome and was the cutest little boy! When he went up to get the
microphone from his dad, they were wearing matching ties. Brother Heaton
turned to him and said, "Russell, did you get this tie for me for
Christmas?" and Russell said, "No dad! I got it for you for Father's
Day!" Brother Heaton said, "Oh that's right, it sure felt like
Christmas!" He just smiled all big! It was the cutest thing ever!
Last
night at devotional, there was a special musical number from an Elder
and a Sister going to the Philippines. The Elder sang and the Sister
played the piano. It was an arrangement of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
and I Know my Redeemer Lives. It was their own arrangement that they
did together while they have been here at the MTC. It was so powerful.
The speaker had them come up before he started talking and bear their
testimonies about Christ. It was so neat.
Thank you all so much for writing to be and keeping me updated on everything! Dad, thanks for the quote and message you shared at the end of the family letter. It strengthened me! love you all and I miss you all like crazy! It seems like you are doing amazing!! I hope it warms up for you a little bit at least!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Love,
Sister Haacke
Snow!
Lindsay Pearce and I.
Some of the Sisters from my Zone at the temple yesterday.
Elder Butler's birthday is this coming week so we 'had a party for him.'
Took a picture, and then sent all of the party supplies to him in a box
with some gifts. :)
Sis. Moe told me to smile big. So I did. :)
Some of our Zone yesterday at the Temple.
Sister Training Leaders and the Zone Leaders.
Sister Lindsay and I, Elder Liston and Elder Matua. (All of us are going to Taipei.)
No comments:
Post a Comment