Surprise visitor

Hola mi marviliso familia!

 

I have been so excited to write to you all week!!! This is the best and most stressful part of the week because I'm trying to write so quickly and I only have this one chance!

SO you probably saw the video Jenny sent to you :) :) It absolutely made my day to see her this morning!!! It was the best part of the day for sure. She is such a sweetheart and I'm so excited we get to be family. We couldn't talk for long but it was her idea to send the video. Afterwards I wished I would have said more but it's kind of awkward talking to a phone haha. When I was talking to "you" I started getting a little emotional if you couldn't tell just because I love you all so much!! Thank you thank you thank you for all your support and love. I pray for you every day and i feel SO blessed and so loved. I am the luckiest girl in the world. This week, on Wednesday, the drop off day, I went on an eliptical facing the front of the MTC where families were dropping their missionaries off. It was so touching to see the faith and the sacrifices of so many wonderful people. We each sacrifice in our own different ways and this is such a leap of faith, but the Lord knows us and is so proud of what we're all doing (and I'm not just talking about missionaries). I had to stop watching them after a while because there was a family with two little sisters and I immediately thought of my sweet sisters and that really hit home. I love you soooo much Rachel and Emma! I couldn't ask for better sisters. I wish I could be there with you but I'm so proud of you and am proud of your goodness and strength. People look up to you both and you are wonderful girls - remember who you are and always be good! I pray for you often and love you so much :) Rachel, mom and Scott told me that you sang in the Youth Choir this week for Moroni's Quest and told me how wonderful it was. I am so proud of you! I wish I could have heard you :) And Emma, I heard you gave an awesome talk in Primary! What was it about? I bet you did great. Remember that one time when I tried to help you write a talk when Mom and Dad were away but your ideas were better than mine? Did you write it all yourself this time too? ;) Can't wait to get a letter from you both!

 

So we write on fridays but there is so much that happens, especially on Sundays and Tuesdays (devotional days) that I made sure to write a note to myself to tell you about it. Devotionals are THE best. They are a little piece of heaven. Hundreds of missionaries gathered together in one room with a general authority or leader in the gospel to speak to us. The spirit is so strong and heaven feels so near in that room. I forgot to tell you but Mary Ellen Edmunds (sp?) came and spoke our first week - dad, I think you have some tapes of her or something? She was hilarious. AND brought the spirit. It was amazing. She is a neat lady. We've had some other general authorities come from the Seventy and their wives, and they've all been amazing. Like I said, heaven is so close. One man (I can't remember his name sorry) and his wife came on Sunday, and he had planned something completely different but we were watching Sister Monson's funeral afterwards so he felt prompted to completely change his message and go off the Spirit. It was amazing. He talked about death and about heaven. He talked about not giving up on something we've started and to not run away from challenges. Then, we all sang Come, Come, Ye Saints along with a recording of the Mormon Tabernacle choir int he middle of his talk and it was so powerful. Music is so powerful, especially here. These words stuck out to me: "Why should we think to earn a great reward, if we now shun the fight?" It was so profound to me - we need to rely on the Lord during hard times. These challenges won't be easy but the Lord will strengthen us and we will earn a great reward if we perservere.

 

. I wish I could explain my feelings and experiences better but sometimes you just can't because the spirit is so profound and hard to describe. I am so amazed at how close heaven can be when we devote ourselves to the Savior. I need to be a lot better, but the Lord is blessing me so much. I am not ALWAYS happy as a missionary because this is hard and it is supposed to be hard, but I feel so full, at peace, blessed, and loved by God. I am coming closer to my Savior each day which I have wanted for a long time. I feel His enabling power in my life. The spirit is so strong here and I love it. It's hard, it's a sacrifice, but it is going to be so worth it.

 

I bet you weren't expecting such a serious email after last week's one :) I'm glad you all liked my silly stories and caveman spanish translation haha. I didn't believe Scott when he said I'd laugh every day of my mission, but he was right! (as always :)) We have so much fun here - too much fun actually! As a district we're struggling with using every moment of the Lord's time wisely. It's difficult to balance all these things, but we're getting better. Personal study is sometimes hard because we all make each other laugh so much and we all study for an hour in the same small room. But we're getting a lot better, and personal study is THE best!! I learn so many new things and recieve personal revelation during that hour - it makes me so happy.

 

Oh, and I can't stress enough at how much I LOOOOVE mail!!! A big thank you to Tyler, Madeline, and JENNY (she puts Tyler and Madeline on the return address but I know she's a huge part of it) for the AMAZING package this week! Those cookies are amazing. I am now the favorite person on our floor because everyone has been devouring the cookies! Thank you so much!!

And dad, I'm assuming Valerie gets these letters but could you please send me her address?? She sent me the best package this week. It was so thoughtful - she is amazing!! Tell her thank you for me and please send me her address. I met/re-met her nephew, Elder Vance this week :) He's Richard's grandson and Regan's son I believe. AND I met a Sister Vance (no relation I don't think) who is going to Independance daddy! Carrying on the Vance tradition. Oh, and a couple in the MTC presidency (the MTC presidency is amazing by the way) were mission presidents in Independence. I always tell everyone about how you served there when it's mentioned haha.

Actually, I always tell everything random things about my friends and family! I don't know how many people are sick of my "My brother's engaged! To the best girl ever! (have a cookie she sent me)" story :)

And lots of people have asked about my Tara and Monica photobooth bookmark (they know what I'm talking about).

 

I literally do a little skip whenever I get mail - so thank you thank you thank you for everyone who has sent me a letter this week and last - I'll try and reply as soon as I can so don't think you're forgotten! I found out I'm only supposed to write handwritten letters on Pday too so it'll be hard to get them all done but I'll try my best. Thank you all so much! Especially this week (and some from last) to Tara, Monica, Natalia, Brooke, Tressa, and Jenny (Romeril)! If I forgot you, you're a regular writer :) (which makes you more awesome), or I haven't read your letter, or I forgot because I'm rushed :)

 

Mom, your letter that I got two days ago I believe was awesome. I love you. Thanks for the updates. Dad - sounds like the squirrel hunt is pretty fun :) hahaha I loved that. Scott, I love your letters too. I love all the details and I just wish I had more time to reply to everything!!! I'll send you a quick email after this if I have time.

 

So I have the best family and friends ever. Oh I'll try to send photos in a few hours too on a different computer!

 

So like I said, the MTC is great - it is SO beautiful here - the campus is gorgeous and the weather has been great. Oh, and that weird pain from last week is totally gone and it was no big deal. Sorry if I worried you mom - i regretted saying that after I had sent the letter last week. Esta bien!

 

My companion is still struggling a little bit with being discouraged but this week I've learned that service is key. Serving her helps me love her even more and it helps our companionship. She really likes everything scheduled and orderly and planned out (and to be on time - I'm trying!) so we're helping each other out in different ways. Yesterday we taught a lesson to Juilo, one of our investigators, and we had planned to teach The Restoration, but right before I had the clear thought to teach the Plan of salvation. I knew she wouldn't like that at all, esp. since she was already stressed, but I told her and it was a little rocky for her because she likes structure so much, but it turned out to be great. I felt good about it and Julio accepted our invitation to come to church on sunday. And he prayed! It was a great learning experience for both of us. Oh, and did I mention that it was in Spanish? Caveman spanish, but spanish none the less. It's coming along...slowly but surely :)

 

Well familia y amigos, I love you!! Thank you again so much for your support. God is real, He answers our prayers, He loves each of us so much, and He sent His son Jesus Christ to atone for all our sins and sorrows. This church is true and I love being a missionary.

 

Love,

 

Hermana Vance

 

ps. could someone please send me Krista's address - I want to write her :)