Mi marvilloso familia,

So good to hear from you all again this week :) I love you all so very
much and it's so fun to hear all your personalities in the way that
you write.

This week has been hard but great again. We had miracles and a lot of
funny moments too. I think I've told you a little about Victor, our
investigator, who is the nephew of another investigator, Rosalinda. It
is a miracle that we found him because he is SO prepared for the
gospel. Heavenly Father has completely prepared him for our message,
it's amazing. And, he is hilarious. He is in his mid twenties but he
is like a happy little kid in an adult body. I wish you could all
speak spanish (actually, I wish I could too) and see him because I
won't even be able to describe how funny he is. The first time we
taught him, we were teaching about prophets and there's a box in one
of the pamphlets we asked him to read out loud that says, "when people
reject the prophets, revealed truths are lost". After he read that, he
said, "ooo, i love that! can i read that again?" and he read it again.
It was pretty funny because usually that's not the part of the gospel
that people get real excited about.
He is the happiest, funniest guy in the world. I don't always
understand what he says but it is so much fun to teach him because
he's so hilarous. The other day after our lesson I remembered that
we're supposed to ask everyone for referrals. It's sometimes hard to
ask everyone, because usually people say no. But, I asked him in
broken Spanish if he knew anyone who could benefit from or be
interested in our message. To my surprise, he told us that next time
we met he would make a list and that he had about 30 people in mind! I
started laughing because he was just so happy and matter of fact about
it all. We still haven't seen this list, but it made my day.
Victor is so ready to change his life around and he knows the
importance of making and keeping committments. Every committment he
makes, he keeps. He has so much faith that the Lord will bless him for
being obedient and he loves feeling the spirit. Every time we bring a
member to a lesson with us he tells them about how good he feels when
we come over or when he reads the Book of Mormon. He asks, even though
we've answered this question a few times, "why do I feel the spirit?"
and they tell him their thoughts. He is so fantastic. He is getting
baptized this sunday!!We were worried yesterday because he was late to
Sacrament meeting, but he made it. He wears lots of cologne to church
and a really shiny suit and it makes me so happy because we know he's
dressing up to look his best for church. When we taught him about not
drinking alcohol or smoking, he asked us if it was ok to wear perfume.
We told him it was ok :) He's awesome. He's so excited to get baptized
and we're excited too!!! Probably more than him. Last night after our
lesson, he reminded us on the way out, "Don't drink coffee!" Hahaha.
Oh, and he also wants to come to Canada and visit after our missions.
I told him that you'd all love to meet him!

This saturday there was a baptism in our branch of a lady named Maria
:) She and her husband and their 11 year old daughter have been being
taught by the missionaries and the husband used to be a really bad
alcoholic but has changed his life around. The 11 year old daughter is
so proud of her parents. The baptism was quite the event. Sister
Lawrence and I were to hold the towel for Maria by the stairs of the
water and we invited her daughter to come stand by us so she could
have a better view of the special moment. It was Elder Deborah's first
time baptizing someone and he was a little nervous but everyone loves
him because he is mexican. And awesome. Victor loves him. Anyways,
Elder Deborah said the baptismal prayer and then immersed her in the
water, and then she came up out of the water sort of but then kind of
laid limp in the water and fell back a little. She fainted in the
water and Elder Deborah was holding her up in the water and her little
girl thought she died (I did too for a second) and started bawling and
crying her name, and I had to hug her and comfort her while the rest
of the branch tried to figure out what was going on. It was like 1 or
2 minutes before Sister Losano, a big lady from Argentina, burst into
the little stairs room we were in and hiked up her skirt and charged
into the water to help Maria out. Maria was still limp and the little
girl was still crying and then more ladies came into the little room
and the curtains of the font were closed and Sister Lawrence and I
went out - everyone asked us if everything was ok and we had no idea.
The service carried on and later we found out that everything was ok
and that she had fainted because she had felt the spirit so strong and
it had just come over her! It was like a Book of Mormon moment - we're
just glad she didn't faint for 3 days! Hahaha. I was just worried for
her poor daughter who may never want to get baptized after seeing
that! Hahaha. It was quite the event. But she was given the gift of
the Holy Ghost the day after and it was beautiful. I went up to the
couple after sacrament meeting and in broken spanish tried to tell
them about how their daughter was telling us all about how proud she
is of her dad and the changes he's making. He got tears in his eyes
and told me they were doing it for her. It's so amazing how much the
gospel can change hearts and lives. It makes all the rejection and
hard times worth it to see these changes.

Sister Lawrence and I are still having a lot of fun together. It's not
always great or fun, but we sure get along great and she has such a
great sense of humor - it's such a blessing! The other day we were
talking with one of our potential investigators out on a bench and
this man sped past us on his wheelchair scooter thing. He sped past us
back and forth a couple times before stopping right in front of us
really fast and saying "In case you didn't know.. HOSTESS IS BACK!
Twinkies, hoho's and wonder bread! I'm going to the store right now to
get some!" And then he sped past us again. It was awesome. And then
the guy we were talking to was like, "He's weird. He rides by here all
day even at 4 in the morning, but he walks fine, I see him walking
sometimes, I don't know why he has that scooter" hahaha. It was
awesome! Hermana Lawrence got some twinkies and has been loving them.
We keep quoting, "Hostess is back!" in his awesome voice.

Also, we got to learn a bit about family history in our training this
week - everyone should go check out the new family search website! It
looks so great! Gran is either loving it or hating it loving it.

Spanish is still hard but I'm getting by. I do a lot of smiling and nodding. :)

Rachel, thank you for your big long email! You are so great. Thank you
for your testimony and for making me laugh. I love picturing mom and
dad "leaping to the windows" to see the pelicans! I miss those
pelicans! When we run in the mornings I sometimes see some Canadian
geese and it makes me happy :)

I'm so excited for Madeline this week going to the Temple! Give her a
big hug for me and Tyler too!

Aaaand, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE MARY LOU!! I got lots of your letters
these past few weeks and I looove them. You're the best missionary
supporter in the world. Love you lots and lots.
Monica, you're wonderful and I miss you lots! I'm so proud of you for
helping so much with the flood stuff. I got your letter and loved it!
Short ones are fine!
Tara, I'll reply to your letter soon! I often think of how you're such
an amazing missionary and I'm so inspired by you and so proud of you.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I hope you're doing well!
Scott, I got your package this week :) thank you soooo much! I loved
it. Hope work is going well!!

And I'm glad the family week went well. Tell all the Hills that I love
them! I'm sad I missed it but I know this is where I'm supposed to be!

Well, I'm out of time again :) but I love you all very very much. Dad,
I got your letter this week with the journal of Jennie and Byron. It's
so great. Thank you so much! I have the best family ever and I am so
blessed.

Until next week and lots of love,

Sister Vance :)

Oh how I love hearing from you all.  I got to hear from my Sisters!!!

Emma - I loved how you said mom "made" you write the letter :) I hope you have such a wonderful week at Tie Lake - say hi to all the cousins for me and give them all big hugs! Enjoy the sugar cereal and alphagetti :) I love you so much and I always tell people I meet with kids about my little sister and how wonderful and sweet you are. Write me a letter about what you do at Tie Lake! Love you lots!

Rachel - The way you write letters always makes me SO happy hahaha you are the best. My favourite quote from your note is "haha loverrrrsss" hahahaha. You're awesome. So wait, I'm confused, is it the Vance family reunion or the Hill one? I wish I could be there with you too and we could be friends but alas I am helping save souls :) It sounds like you're doing great. I heard you got to go to Moroni's Quest! Tell me all the details! Who was in your group? I love you!!!

Mom, I wrote you a seperate email, and now I'll write to you and dad and the other people who read my letters :)

So, it's July 15th, which means, I have been on my mission for 2 months today!! It's crazy. I can't believe it! 8 more of those and I'll be finished. It's a great reminder that I really need to give the Lord everything and work as hard as I can. He is so patient with me because I am so full of weaknesses and make mistakes daily, but I know that repentance and forgiveness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. Even for the little things - I am so grateful for daily repentance and for the chance to start over each day!

We had another great week. Lots of miracles and blessings from the Lord. He is truly pouring out blessings upon us, and sometimes I am almost shocked at how many blessings we are recieving, especially when we are full of so many weaknesses! But it's just another reminder at how this is His work, these are His children, and I know he is preparing them to recieve the gospel. It's our job (and I say our job, because it's not just the full-time missionaries) to help and invite them.

This week we picked up 4 new investigators and we are so happy! The Lord continues to bless us with unexpected miracles - for example, we went to knock on the door of a former investigator and when we found out he didn't live there anymore, we asked to share a pamphlet with the man at the door. We were able to go back and leave a blessing on their home later, and last night we taught them about the Restoration. This man's name is Miguel and he has truly been prepared by the Lord. He is very humble and has so many questions in his heart that can all be answered by the gospel! I am amazed at how merciful and kind the Lord is. I am almost surprised each time I can see a change in these people or they tell us the feelings of their heart because they can truly feel the power of God as we help them come closer to God. The power of the Book of Mormon and this message is real.

Hermana Lawrence and I are working very well together and we love each other a lot. She is such a wonderful companion and I believe the Lord is blessing us for not having contention in our companionship. Since we are both very new, we are helping each other learn new things each day and I think it is stretching us both in wonderful ways.

AND this week we found out we are using facebook several times a week as a missionary tool! So Monica, sorry but I have to deactivate my facebook at home and make a new one! I am so excited for the opportunity to use Facebook for missionary work! I truly believe that this will be an amazing missionary tool! I am so excited to be a missionary at this incredible time.

The members are so awesome and funny. I love Mexicans :) The last photo is of all the missionaries in our branch (yes we have 9!) at a members home after dinner. They were cracking me up. It was fantastic. I wish I could just share every awesome moment with you all!

I got the package mom - thank you thank you thank you!!! My companion is so happy too - she's converted to Canadian candy!

Love you all so much and I wish I could write more but i'm out of time!

Love,
Hermana Vance

Ps. Are we related to any Vances in Meridian Idaho? My companion's dad has an Aunt who is a Vance from there :)
Pps. Mom, our investigators are Miguel, Rosalinda, Victor (who came to church!!), Megan, Alexis, Tony, and Mary. Thank you!!! Love you lots.

Sounds like it's been an eventful week at home!!! I've been praying for all of you and mom I've been worried about and praying for your health all week, even before I knew about what happened! I'm glad that I opened the dearelder.com e-mail because it definitely contained a lot of info I wanted to hear! I'm so glad there were so many blessings this week. I'm still praying for you and I hope that things only go up from here.

 

I might be a few weeks behind on the latest but this week I got letters from mom, dad, and grandad about the flooding and all that everyone is doing there - I was so touched to hear all the amazing stories and service that is being given especially by members of the church in calgary. What amazing opportunity to bless the lives of others and show the world Christ's love! Thank you for sending all those details. I hope everyone is ok! I didn't realize how bad it was until I got more details! Wow.

 

Madeline sent me an email about the wedding - I'm so excited for them and wish I could be there so badly! I hope all the planning etc is going ok!

 

Rachel, did you have a good birthday? Did you get my birthday letter? Emma, how does it feel being 11? :)

 

This week was a week full of hard work and unexpected miracles! We have been working hard to get tons of contacts so that we can find more people to teach in this area that was just split. Although none of the people we contacted have become investigators (yet), the Lord blessed us with two new investigators that were placed in our paths by miracles! Victor lives at his aunt's house who we are also teaching and when she wasn't there we asked if we could come inside and teach him. It turns out that he has been taught by missionaries before and has stayed in contact with them and has been watching church videos and attending the English ward by himself although he doesn't understand much. It was amazing! We got to know him a little bit more and he committed to read the Book of Mormon and to be baptized on July 27th! The Lord has been preparing him for awhile now and it was a miracle that we found him.

Another blessing was that while we were visiting a member of our branch, their son's girlfriend came over and they invited her to sit down and listen. It turns out that she has a lot of sincere questions about the church and really wants to learn more. After answering many of her questions, we gave her two pamphlets to help her learn more and a Book of Mormon. Afterwards we were worried we gave her too much to read, but we texted her the next day and she said she had read both pamphlets already! She has a soft and teachable heart and is truly searching for the truth. She felt the spirit when we taught her and I am so excited for her. We are meeting with her on Friday to help her understand the Book of Mormon better and to help her understand how it can bless her life. It is such a blessing that we can teach her in the home of members who she is so close with!

 

I hope I didn't sound too negative about tracting last week - it's still hard but it's getting better and the Lord has blessed us so much for our work and for stretching ourselves. We also had lots of fun this week and I wish I had more time but I'll just give a few tidbits :) On 4th of July (Rachy's bday!) we went to an English members BBQ - a lady and her Asian husband who is so cute and awesome. He was taking pictures of us and saying, "ready, set, cheeeese!" it was fantastic. Last year apparently the Mongolian sisters had a water balloon fight and so they casually tried to get us to have a spontaneous one too, but it didn't really work haha :)

 

Also, we had "break the fast" yesterday with a bunch of old people from the english ward, one of whom was in charge of everything and kept giving us compliments in this manner: "How was the dinner?" "it was fantastic, thank you so much for putting it on!" "No, YOU'RE fantastic!"

or

"I love general conference, it's great." "Did you just say general conference was great?" "Yep!" "No, YOU'RE great!"

 

Haha anyways, I'm doing well, I love it here, I love my companion and I love you all!!!! I'm praying for you all and thank you for your prayers too.

 

Xoxoxo

 

Hermana Vance :)

Letter's

Becky didn't receive any letter's on her first week in the field and she loves mail.

Here is her new address:

Sister Vance

1260 Trower Avenue

Napa, CA

94558

U.S.A. 

or you could e-mail a note to me and I will get it to her.

I love it here! :)

Love you all!!

I'm doing so well :)

It's hot but supposedly not this hot.

Sometimes I feel like I'm in Cambodia, sometimes I feel like I'm in California, and sometimes I feel like i'm in Mexico :)

Ben

Sorry for the delay in forwarding these letters...(from the MTC etc)

Week 3

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.  

 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 awhile 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 Tue

sdays (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 in the 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've thought a lot about Grandpa Hugh and Grandma Colleen's here and it has touched my heart. I am so grateful for our heritage and I know that that they love us and are helping to lift us up. 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!!! 

 

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 :)

Week 4

I've been getting excited to email you! It's been another great week, but not always easy of course. My companion was struggling a little, but this week she got called as the Sister Training Leader (like a Zone Leader for sisters) and it has worked wonders for her mood, her spirit, and our companionship! She is way happier. The spanish is coming along, although I need all the help I can get. I really need to rely on the Lord because I don't have a very good memory :) I can't remember conjugations to save my life! We've been teaching our two "investigators" in Spanish and it's hard to get our thoughts out in a way that makes sense, but even harder to understand them, AND pay attention to the spirit, because the spirit is the one who knows exactly what they need to hear and what God wants them to hear. Sometimes it's discouraging because we're focussing so hard on teaching the doctrines of the lessons, or our spanish, that we forget about what the investigator needs, especially here in the MTC when the investigators aren't real. I have been praying for charity and love for my investigators because when they know that we care about them, they will also be able to feel how much God cares about them. I know that God lives and that he loves us SO much. He has a plan for each of us and He will help us discover that plan when we turn to Him in prayer, humility and obedience.

 

I was looking back in my spiritual journal and remembered feeling the spirit of comfort strongly in a hymn, hearing these words, "Why should this anxious load press on your weary mind? Haste to your Heavenly Father's throne and sweet refreshment find." and "Come, cast your burdens on the Lord and trust His constant care." Although people and things aren't constant, God is, and our Savior Jesus Christ is. He wants us to come unto Him and cast our burdens upon Him so He can lift us up. I am so grateful that God sent His son to suffer and die for us so that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven in joy and peace.

 

Thanks for the mail this week :) Especially to Michelle Davy (your letter was beautiful, thank you), Tara, and Uncle Rob (for your email)! And thank you so much for the package Teals and Ashcrafts! I feel so loved :) Oh, and Mom, I got your package too with the Canadian candy and my driver's liscence! Thank you! My companion loved how she got one of everything too, and she's now hooked to Canadian candy! :) Yesss.

 

So, funny story that happened last Friday night... (you can take this out if you want dad) I lost my little card that we need to swipe to get into the Cafeteria, and so my name was on the Front Desk list on a TV screen. Me and my companion went to the Front Desk and this lady proceeded to lead us down a different hallway and I was wondering why my card was in some other room - we got into an office, and I realized it was President Nally's office, the MTC president. All of a sudden I was being guided into his office and then my heart sank because I realized I was meeting with the MTC president, and I thought "You only meet with the MTC president when someone has died..." Out loud, I slowly said "oh no..." and then went slowly into his office and started to cry as I was waiting for him to tell me who had died - I thought for sure I had lost my Dad two weeks into my mission. President Nally realized what was going on and said "Oh, you don't need to worry!" and I realized then that he wouldn't say that if someone had died, and so I had to completely change my mindset and I was so confused and still crying and I had to collect myself, and he asked if I needed a tissue, and got me one haha and then proceeded to tell me a confusing story of how my dad had written the MTC about how I was sick that one night and politely suggested they get on-call MTC nurses...I was worried he was going to tell me to tell you guys not to send mail to the MTC haha but all it was was that he likes to write back to any parent who writes to the MTC, and he wanted to meet with me to tell dad that he met me and that I was a great missionary. Haha so anyways, it was so kind and thoughtful of him and I was so impressed that he would take the time to do that for each missionary and their family. But boy, did he scare me to death and I was an emotional rollercoaster for the next hour thinking about how awful it felt literally thinking one of you had passed away. It was awful, but it did cause me to think more about  my faith and my faith in God's plan of happiness. Anyways, haha that was exciting :) I'm glad you're all safe and sound and I want you to know how much I love you!!! I know that even if one of us did die, we'd all get to be together someday. Thank goodness for that. Dad, did President Nally email you? I'm excited to hear your side of the story. Oh, and by the way - that pain/sickness was a one time thing and it hasn't been a problem at all. I couldnt remember if I told you that last week or not! But all is well :)

 

I love how in your short letter I got yesterday you said, "As you've probably heard, we..." and then proceed to tell me everything I had no idea about!! Haha you're the only one that would have told me these things :) I'm glad you're all having fun! I'm excited to hear more about it, and I'm pretty jealous!! I had a smile on my face and a jealous pit in my stomach as I read that letter.

 

Oh, and someone pleeeease tell me more about Tyler and Madeline's wedding! Madeline sent me a letter this week with a package from Jenny (thank you!!!) and it had some great details. It was awesome! However, I have no idea when or where they are getting married!! I'd love to know some more details :) I'm so excited for them. I'm pretty sure everyone at the MTC knows about how my brother is getting married and how I'm getting an amazing new sister-in-law, especially since she and her mom spoil me with cookies!! It's awesome.

 

I'll send photos in a few hours! :) I love you all!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Vance

 

Ps. We got a new district this week and two Hermanas are coming to Calgary! Oh, and there's a "special event" which we think is a worldwide mission leadership training something or other that we're in a choir for on June 23rd - i dont know if you're watching it or can, but look for me!!

(new letter)

Como estan!? How are you?

This week was wonderful :) So much to talk about, so little time! By the way, please write me as long of letters as you want, I just wanted to let you know that I have little time to read and write so that you know why my letters aren't as thoughtful as they maybe could be, or why they might take a few weeks or months longer for me to reply - but please keep writing long ones! :)

 

This week was kind of historical at the MTC - we had our first ever devotional in the Marriott Center at BYU instead of at the MTC because there are just too many of us! It was really cool. We all walked over there in a big line and people were taking pictures from their cars haha it made us feel all famous. It was kind of weird being on BYU campus, but I feel like I have a different life kind of so it wasn't hard or anything, and no one was really around. Hermana Cornwall's mom found an article online with photos of it and found two with us in them sitting in the seats with tons of other people from far away so you can go on a scavenger hunt if you really want :) I just thought it was so cool that missionary work is expanding so much! There is always such an amazing spirit being in a room with thousands of other missionaries and leaders whose goal is all to sacrifice to bring others unto Christ to experience the joy that we have felt in our own lives! It's amazing. Also to show how much this work is expanding, we got two new districts this week -- usually a zone only gets one (of like 8 or 10 people or something), but we got two,  so 18 new missionaries! Last night we had a meeting with them to introduce them to the MTC and they all bore their testimonies and shared why they were here. It really reminded me why I'm here and how wonderful this work is. Also, Hermana Cornwall got released as the Sister Training Leader and I got made the new Sister Training Leader! (usually you stay in for only a week). So I'm the leader over 20 Hermanas in our zone, and then another 4-6 this wednesday too! The worst part is that I'm SO bad at names, but the best part is another chance to serve and try to be more christlike. Some of the new girls look a little nervous and homesick, so that will be a challenge discovering exactly how to help and comfort them during this big change in their lives! But they all seem awesome.

 

Also, we got to host new missionaries this wednesday - so we got to be the welcomers on the curb and watch all the families say their quick goodbyes and take the sisters to their residences and classrooms. It was actually a lot of fun. It was so nice to be moving and working in the sunshine, talking to people, etc. It's still so crazy to think that I've been here for over 4 weeks and that I leave to Santa Rosa in 11 days!! I'm nervous but really excited. Pray for my Spanish and my motivation to keep working hard!

 

This morning I got to go to the temple again and it was just wonderful. The temple is such a beautiful, amazing place where I feel so close to Heaven. Again I was grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a wonderful life with amazing parents, and to have the opportunity to have the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life! I know exactly who I am - I daughter of God - I know exactly where I came from, and I know exactly where I'm going. I have a loving Heavenly Father who answers my prayers and wants to bless me when I do what He asks! He knows we make mistakes so He sent us our Savior, Jesus Christ to make up the difference for what we can't do ourselves. We have to try our very best, but our loving Savior makes it so that we can return to live with Heavenly Father again.

After the temple, I ran into a lady in the Cafeteria who told me that she lost her husband of 34 years last year and that she missed him dearly. I could tell how much she loved him and she told me what a good man he was. I was sad for her, but with tears in her eyes she said "I felt so close to him in the Temple today." I again was reminded about how lucky we are to have this gospel of Jesus Christ and how comforting it is! This woman knew that she would see her husband again and she knew that God's plan of Happiness for us is real. She had hope and was able to get through such a huge trial because she knew! I know too, and anyone can know it for themselves as they turn to the Savior and follow His example and plan by being baptized. Baptism is so important because it is what opens the gate to a Christlike, hope-filled life.

 

Now, to thank everyone who has made me the happiest, luckiest missionary alive this week!! I am seriously SO lucky!! I have the best family and friends in the world. Auntie ML and Monica (I saw your writing on the package!), thank you so much! My companion loved getting things too :) (mom, don't worry, she gets things all the time too and thinks we are so nice because you always remember her!)

Mom, Rachel, Dad, and Scott - I got your package last Friday in the evening and it was too late to thank you but I got it!! Thank you so much for the scarf rachy!! Oh, and Rachel, I got your dearelder that night too, and I told everyone "It's from my Sister!!!" when I saw that you wrote me. I laughed so hard at your letter. You have so much personality in your letters and it makes me so happy. I'll write you a handwritten one back today :) Mom, THANK YOU so much for the photo book! I LOVE it. Thank you for including photos of so many important people in my life! It is perfect. Thank you for the time you spent on that!!  Oh and dad, I got the shirt and the father's day card - hint, hint :) hahaha. Thanks for the shirt! It's great! And thank you for reminding my whole district that Father's Day existed. I'll say a little father's day note at the end here.

 

Oh, and just so you know, I get dear elders at around 6:00 each day, so if you want me to get something before I email, send it Thursday morning!

 

Clawsons, you are the best!! My district loved eating those donuts - they were devoured so quickly! Everyone is my new best friend because I have the best friends who send me the greatest packages! And I LOVED the drawings from Sophie and Elle - they gave great advice too. Thank you! The only bad part is that I don't have a return address - Scott, can you send me their address please? :)

Madeline, you are the best future sister in law in the world! That cupcake was amazing!!

And Scott, you blew it out of the water. Wow. Thank you SO much!!!!

Also, thank you so much to Rob and Tammy and their kids for the letters from everyone in your family!!! That was so sweet and thoughtful of you all. I love hearing about all that's going on and seeing the sweet pictures from Ellie and Max. I LOVED those letters!!!

 

My only fear with thanking everyone is that you'll all think I'm too spoiled and won't write me or send me anything else ;) Because I seriously am the luckiest girl in the world!! Thank you thank you SO much!!

 

Alright dad, a quick note for Father's day - I love you. You are the best dad in the whole world and I am so lucky to be your daughter. Thank you for always being there for me and being one of my best friends. One of my favourite memories is reading your mission journal before I left. You are wonderful. Thank you for being proud of me and for raising me so well :) I love reading your letters and I can't wait to talk to you when I go to the airport!

 

Adios Familia!

 

Love,

Hermana Vance

 

ps. Let me know about the triathalon! Go team!!!

Hola Familia!

 

So it's my last week in the MTC! I'm getting excited and nervous for the Spanish. We leave from the MTC at about 5;00 on Tuesday morning and our flight is supposed to leave at 8:30 am. I'm allowed to call quickly for about 10-15 minutes if it's possible, so be ready for a quick, early call anywhere between 7-8am :) There's a good chance it won't happen, but I hope it does! Especially so I can wish Emma a happy birthday!!! I hope their school is either over or doesn't start earlier than that. There's a lot of missionaries who will be at the airport so I might not get to use a phone, but that's how it will happen if it does. 

I can't believe I'm going to California this week!!

 

Also, for this sunday, I will be wearing a turquoise shirt with short sleeves and a bow at the front, and Hermana Cornwall who will be to my left (your right) will be wearing a royal blue shirt with long sleeves :) Look for us!!! I'll be singing extra good just in case ;)

 

So, I've had another wonderful week! Today's my last day as being the Sister Training Leader and it has been wonderful. It's been crazy because there are 22 Hermanas in our Zone and I've been trying to look out for all of them but be a missionary at the same time. The MTC can be really really hard for missionaries, especially the first few days, and so I've been trying to help those struggling. I was really worried about it because I've never felt like someone who was good at talking to people and helping them with problems - I make it awkward sometimes :) - but the Lord really blessed me, especially as I prayed for each Sister and tried to follow the promptings of the Spirit to reach out to those struggling. One Hermana in particular was having a really rough time and when I asked her how she was doing it seemed like I chose the wrong time and that I made it so she was really closed, but later she really opened up to me. The Lord is so merciful to us, especially when we are simply trying our best to do what we think He wants us to do! God truly does answer prayers! I know that He especially answers them when you are praying for others.

 

So this week I've had a lot of wondeful experiences and insights. In particular, I've thought a lot about Fathers (as it was Father's day), my wonderful Daddy, and how Heavenly Father loves us so much. Me and Hermana Cornwall have realized a lot that everything in the gospel relates to God, our Heavenly Father, and the fact that He loves us. I used to wonder why we taught about apostacy and dispensations, but it is to show people that God has loved us for all time. Even though people have chosen to reject Him and His prophets time and time again, He brings back prophets to the world to direct the people and help them in their lives. Today it is no exception - we have a Prophet who leads and guides us and is God's mouthpiece on the earth! We are so blessed to have a prophet. Everything in the gospel also relates to Jesus Christ and His atonement - and Heavenly Father is the one who created this plan and sent His beloved Son to the world, knowing that He would be rejected and persecuted and killed by people. As I thought about my Daddy and how much he wants the best for me and would do anything for me, I thought about how huge of a sacrifice this must have been for Heavenly Father. Yet, He sent His Son for us, because He loves us. Read John 3:16 - it's simple but powerful.

 

I know that we lived with God, who is our Heavenly Father, before this life and that He sent us to this earth to learn and grow and love and to show our faith and dedication to Him. How will you show your dedication and love for Him? He loves us even more than we can comprehend. He knows us personally and wants to bless us. He blesses us when we excercise faith and do what He asks, and turn to Him in prayer. Like I said before, I know that prayers are answered!

 

I've said before that we can catch a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father loves us by the way our earthly Fathers love us. Like my Daddy on this earth, Heavenly Father is constant, kind, and giving. Our fathers here aren't perfect (but almost,:) right dad?) but I am so grateful for my sweet dad and for his love, friendship, and support. I felt bad last week because I only had a few minutes to write something for Father's day and I wanted to express my love and how I felt for you dad, but the words just didn't sum up how I felt. In the devotional on Sunday we watched some old Mormon commercials and we watched some about Dad's and their little girls and I shed a few tears thinking about my wonderful father and how much I love him and I know he loves me. Dad, I thought about when you used to blow dry my hair and sing me songs :) I have the best dad in the world and I am so lucky to be your daughter. I love you daddy.

 

This week I was so glad to hear from Auntie ML, Tara, Scott, Dad, Tyler, and the Fowers (I LOVED Noah's picture of the Temple and I'm so glad you're loving Fort Collins!). And Jenny, you are an angel. Thank you for the banana bread (which the Elders can't stop raving about), and the strawberries and sugar!!! I never thought i'd be able to get my favorite treat in the mail!! You're the best, all of you!

 

I love you and am so grateful for all of you! Hopefully I'll be able to talk to you on Tuesday, but if not, I'll email you when my next P-day is from California!!

HAPPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!!! (and Tara! and Sarah Mullen!!! :)

 

Adios! Con mucho amor,

 

Hermana Vance

Ps. Rachel, also on Sunday in RS we had a counsellor from the new general YW presidency come and she is AMAZING and so cute. She has a Southern accent and you are going to love her. I'm so excited for you :) I thought about how much you would love listening to her if you were here. Love you Rachy and Emma!!

(New letter- California)

I made it to Santa Rosa safely and I get about 15 minutes to email you :) It was SO wonderful to talk to you all and hear your voices. I'm so happy that worked out. It made my whole week. I love every one of you and I can't wait to talk to you in exactly six months at Christmas! Did Emma have a good rest of her birthday?

After the plane ride (I wrote in my journal mom, thank you for the reminder!), we landed in Oakland and were picked up by President Alba (who is AMAZING), and the three Assistants to the president as well as a senior couple. We drove in big vans for an hour and a bit to Santa Rosa to the mission home which is sooooo beautiful. It was foggy and rainy that day but so green and beautiful and the rain was like mist! I love it here. It is amazing. That's when we met Sister Alba who is adorable and so sweet and happy, but yet so strong and powerful. She made us the most delicious lunch of my life and they spoke to us and told us about our amazing mission. I'm convinced for SO many reasons that I have the best mission in the entire world. We are doing so many amazing things here and we are committed to being the most obedient mission in the whole world. I love it! I thought we were going to meet our companions right then and be thrown into the work, but then they told us that all the new missionaries would be sleeping at a HOTEL for our first night. Each companionship got a room to themselves b/c we're not allowed to share beds. It was heaven. THEN they gave us an hour and a half to rest and nap because we had to wake up at 3:30 in the morning. I was so astonished and so happy. Me and Hermana Cornwall got all snuggled up in our beds and just giggled and enjoyed our one last nap in sheets of white! I couldn't even fall asleep at first because I was just grinning my face off. It was hilarious. Don't you worry, after the nap they had us working hard teaching us and doing a bunch of roleplays, and told us more about the mission. It was great. I had a fantastic sleep and an even better shower - my last long shower :) and this morning we all packed up and went to transfer meeting! After sitting and being given instructions and then meeting a bunch of missionaries and doing more sitting I was getting a little antsy to actually get going. After President and Sister Alba spoke to us, we got assigned our new companions!! My new companion is Hermana Lawrence - she is adorable and I love her so much already! We are both Elementary Ed majors at BYU and the same age. She is short and so cute and wonderful - we are a lot alike and I feel so blessed! She has also only been out one transfer (6 weeks) so we are going to be learning a lot together. We are in the Napa area, which just got split so we are going to be doing a lot of finding. We went tracting for an hour this afternoon and it was awesome! We went and talked to this one lady who was getting groceries out of her car and it turns out she was already baptized and just got deployed and lost track of the missionaries and everyone - we got her information and are going to get the Elders in contact with her - it was in English but then I asked her if we could come inside and meet her mom, who we already had an appointment with! She seems awesome. She spoke spanish so that was very intersting but I got by :) I didn't say much. Anyways, it's been a great day so far and I love my companion and this area. It is so beautiful, the people don't rush around, and I even cooked myself some chicken and made a delicious salad! :)

Again, it was so great to hear all of your voices. Let me know if you're still safe and doing well! Please pray for me and the work here and I will continue to pray for you all as well.
My P-day is on Monday so i'll email you then and my new address is 1260 Trower Avenue, Napa CA 94558 -> send things there please :)

Talk to you all soon!!
All my love,

Hermana Vance

Ps. Scott I got your package but haven't looked at it all yet - thank you!!
Pps. emma, did you have a great rest of your birthday?
Ppps. Mom, I sure love you. Thank you for your love and for being so wonderful on the phonecall! I've been thinking of you lots!