October 16,2012

Chinese Proverb:

有志者事竟成。
Look for a thing until you find it and you'll not lose your labor.

Moral: Consistently working toward a goal turns dreams into reality.

Mosiah 5:15, Mosiah 4:27

 
Hey Family!

Thank you so much for the letters and packages.  It is a bright spot in our day/week as missionaries to get ANYTHING from the outside world ha ha.  We definitely live in a bit of a bubble here.  So this week has been a bit different from past weeks.  My companion has been really sick since last Monday.  She is finally on the up swing... I think, but consequently it has put us a bit behind.  There are many things you don't think about till your on a mission, such as if my companion is too sick to leave the room... how am I supposed to eat?!  ha ha and definitely no gym time... or class time... and I have begun always bringing a fair amount of study materials to our residence hall just in case I get trapped there.  It is pretty funny.  Luckily, my companion is very tough and she does her best to go to everything she can.  I haven't missed too much and I have had a lot of personal study time.  I even got to work on my tones in the hallway... I think I was scaring the other girls who walked by, but oh well!

Sara's Room
She said they always make their beds!
(A mother's dream!!)

So this week was also fun because I ran into a ton of people I know!  Frazier Olsen is here going to Tulsa Oklahoma. I got pics with Elder Tongish and Elder Crookston!  Both of whom are doing great!  Elder Tongish was so excited to be leaving the MTC and Elder Crookston was preparing to journey out as well.  Elder Josh Wallace (fellow photopoly friend) is also leaving this week, but it's been fun to see him around.  A few weeks here and I think everyone is on fire to begin serving!  Genessa Frampton also left on her mission, I met a few people from BYUH... I didn't remember them, but they knew some of my friends.  I also ran into Steven... from St. George??? He was on the golf team freshman year at BYUH... we ran into his parents at the Marriott hotel that one time... anyways he teaches Korean here!  I also ran into Josh Roxas... I think pretty much just Jill and Kaitlin will know him, but ya he teaches Tagalog two floors above me.  Crazy!  Oh and of course I saw Adam Celaya finally!  He is the best and it was great to see him.  He says they are having tons of meetings trying to figure out how to prepare for the wave of missionaries that will soon be serving.  They are cutting the MTC time and therefore, have to figure out what curriculum to cut out.  I do not envy their position.  

Tell David Welch I say "hi" and welcome back to the US!!! ha ha I hope he feels better and I hope he enjoyed the wedding announcement...  I hope everyone else is doing well.  I was so excited to hear about the puppies and can't wait to see them!  Though... they won't be puppies anymore.  Ha ha Rachy finally got her little friend.  John and I were laughing so hard when she told us about her petshop adventures.  I am glad she didn't have to settle for a turtle which she can't cuddle very well... or a creepy mouse.  Ha ha I love you all and love to hear from you!!!

Our studies have been a bit less focused on Chinese this week and a bit more focused on the spirit.  It has been really neat to have that break and to be filled spiritually.  My language skills are slowly but surely increasing.  I went to my first regular Sunday this week.  Relief Society is really cool.  We are all combined in the room where we have devotionals.  For the first half hour we get to watch "Music and the Spoken Word" Which is fantastic because in the MTC there is a rule that we can't listen to ANY music in our rooms... though I did find out today that talks were ok.  Soo... if anyone has good talks send them my way on CD :)  ha ha

After we watch that we have a guest speaker that comes to talk to all the sisters.  This Sunday we were incredibly blessed to hear from Sister Burton, the General Relief Society President.  She is fantastic.  We also got to hear a conversion story of a sweet Filipino sister from Manila.  She is the first Filipino to serve in the Cape Verde mission.  She has only been a member for 2 years but she has such a strong testimony and a love for the gospel.  Sister Burton talked to us in a very comfortable intimate way.  It was awesome to learn of the lessons she has learned.  She told us a few key things to recognize the spirit and to help us learn from general conference and apply the teachings to our lives.

We also has the opportunity to hear Elder Bednar speak to us last Tuesday's Devotional.  He also spent the whole time teaching us how to study general conference and find the key doctrines, the challenge, and the blessings in each talk.  I am learning more and more how much this church is a church of change.  The spirit speaks to us and encourages us to become better... always!  That is why we have these general conferences, for us to learn how we can come unto Christ.  One thing I never realized before is how it is not just us coming unto Christ, but there is such a brotherhood in the 12, 70, etc.  They all learn just as much from each others talks as we learn.  They are amazing examples to me of diligence and enduring to the end.  We talk about serving our Lord until they end... many of us do... but I have no doubt in my mind of their incredible service!

Well here goes one more week at the MTC.  Jia you!!  I love learning and preparing to serve the Taiwanese people!!!  Only downside... I'm already freezing cold all the time.... it's all good though -I know the Lord will help me with this as well..  One more winter here we go ;P

Wo Ai Nimen!!!

Love,

Wen Jie Mei (Sister Sara Gummow)

Their classroom
Notice the "Happy Halloween" sign
from a mom who loves them!