Well, if I get fat here at least it will be from food I actually enjoy eating. =)

Hey y'all hey!
This letter is being written from a little library about a ten minture drvie from our apartment. It's really big and echo-y. But esta bien.

=) At least we have a place to write from.

 Um, we live in an apartment with two other sisters. Hermana G one of my roomies from the MTC and Hermana W. I really like Hermana G. She's pretty cool and Hermana W is pretty cool too. The apartment is nice. We have a washer and a dryer in it so we don't have to worry about going to a laundrymat. We have dish washer but we don't use it. We wash everything by hand. But we don't have that many dishes so it's pretty easy. The apartment isn't actually in our area but is very close. The ward I serve in has something like 426 members but only 100 of them usually show up for sacrament meeting. There are six missionaries that work in the ward. Elder M, from my district at the MTC is in my district here. He serves in the same ward and lives in the same apartment complex.

Hermana P is pretty epic. I really mean it when I say I'm one lucky Hermana. =) She insists that she's not training me. She's just helping me. She had an awful experience with her trianer and she almost told Pres Taylor right before the "get your new companion meeting that she couldn't train me. She's pretty darn legit at Spanish and she knows every single member by name their conversion story and all their kids where they work etc. It's amazing. Granted she has been in this area for her whole mission so far (8 months) But oh my heavens she has so much love for those she teaches. It's amazing. Her family never writes her so really, Josh if you want to write her a whole letter that'd be way cool. Oh and you can send me real letters. I would like that a lot. And packages, if you send any should probably be sent to the mission home. Letters can be sent here, but I'm not sure if I would ever see the package if it was sent to the apartement.

The food. Ok well I've only eaten with one member so far, and it was a huge party thing so it was just sub sandwiches but they had this delicious drink called jamica. It's made some how from this flower and suger and my goodness it's wonderful. So imagine this: we're at a party with the ward celebrating a little boy's birthday. Its about 8:30 (we're there because the relief society pres asked us to be. They want the missionaries to know the ward better) The sun is setting and the sky here is beautiful. It's hot, but not too hot. Your clothes are only sort of sticking to your body. you're surrounded by all these wonderful people drinking jamica eating a sandwhich everyone's talking in Spanish and there's a blow up slide thing off to the side for the kids. Basically, it was a hispanic type party and it was wonderful. Never in a million years did I guess I would be doing something like this. Ah man. I can't even exploain it properly and for that I apologize.

The ward here is really great. They all make fun of me a little bit for my lack of Spanish skills, but esta bien. They won't in a few months when I've conqured (I really can spell) the language. Hermana P says that's when people will respect me. Because I'm white they don't pay attention to me that much but once I can speak the language really well I will have earned their respect. So pray for me. =) I sure need it. A lot of people speak at least a little English espeially the kids. The members are always so willing to go out and teach with us which is really good. A lot of our investigators have been investigating for months now. They've been taught all the lessons and now we're just waiting on them to act. They have baptisimal dates. We have a lot of investigators at the moment so most of our time is speant teaching them. We have done a little bit of contacting where we found two people who wanted us to come back. We do what's called a door approach. Since a lot of people here are Catholic we offer to bless their home them ask them if we can come back another time. It's legit.

We have one investigator Vero and her son who have recieved all the lessons. She's been extended a date but she has onlly come to church once so she can't be baptized. We ate at her house the other day and had these delicous hot dog thing wrapped in bacon. I forget what they're called but they're delicious. =) I also tried my first Jalepeno that night. Oh my heavens. it was just a slice and I even took out all the seeds and I still almost died. =) But it was good and went well with the hot dog thing. We also had this drink called Mazanita it's a kind of soda and is also very yummy. So like I said, if I get fat here at least it will be from food I like. =)

I did not get the bike yet. I forgot about it on transfer day because there was so much going on and no one told me I was supposed to get it then. I called Elder Rogers, the elder you spoke to and he said he'd get back to me about where it is and how to get it. So it's a good thing we have a car. =) Yep, we have a car and it's very nice. AND are you ready for this? I'm the designated driver. yep, I drive us around Phoenix not knowing where anything is. Though now I have finally figured out which way is north and sout etc. And I know the way to the chapel from our apartment. I'm learning.

I had a very interesting experience while finding the other day, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell it. No worries, nothing bad, just interesting. God works in mysterious ways is all. =) Anyway I think it's time to get off now. Sorry there's not anything super spiritual or uplifting this time around. I'm still getting into the hang of things around here. Oh and they don't teach you nothin' in the MTC. It's ain't anything like what it's like to be here.

Get me Ryan's email por favor

much love
Jess

Halo from Arizonia

 Letter written on Sept. 20th

Pues, it's kinda warm here. =) but it's all good. Everything is a little overwhelming pero I will learn. my companion Hma P is pretty darn awesome. I am one lucky hermana to get her as my trainer. Last night I taught my first lesson in which I bore testimony commited and told a personal experience. Latter that night I made my first contact with a referal we were given. We blessed her home and then set up an appointment for tomorrow. The mission pres and his wife are really great and so are the office staff.

Anyway, more will come on my actual P day. Oh and we get to go to the temple once every quarter. =) Yayhoo.

Address is 475 N 43rd Ave. # 104 Phoeniz AZ 85009
Love you all lots!!

Jess

Take my heart, take and seal it. Seal it for your courts above.

Letter written on Sept. 15th

 

Oh my heavens. Have any of you realized that I will be taking my first plan ride in my whole life in three days. CRAZY!!! Everybody makes fun of me because I've never been on one before and all the elders keep telling me all these horror stories sobre plane rides and all the bad cosas that can happen. I just shake my head and laugh.

 

So since this is the last letter from the MTC, I figured I would provide you with a list.

 

First list: Things I have learned about myself

 

1. I love being out doors. I didn't even realize this about myself until I got here and never got to be outside. Even when you are outside there are these over hang things over you almost everywhere you walk so you can't even see the sky then. I miss walking back from class in Logan and standing at the top of the stairs right next to the Spectrum. It's a perfect view of the whole valley and if you get there when the sun's setting it's even better. Ryan, or anyone else up in Logan, will you stop at that spot for me and just take in the beauty of Cache Valley? =)

 

2. I have been blessed with some very just completely awesome Spiritual gifts. =) Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to brag or anything. God has blessed me with them because I have asked or because I could use them to help others. It's been amazing to see and notice them in myself. Things that I didn't even know I had until I got here. Or ones that I've developed since I got here. We read over them in class the other day, or at least the list Moroni gives and the Brinny sent me a quote with some more listed and suddenly I was seeing them everywhere.

 

3. I really can do hard things. Well, let me rephrase that. With the help of God I can do ALL things. No matter how hard they seem. When it all seems impossible, when there is no hope, when I have felt more alone forgotten and full of anguish than I ever have before all I had to do was remember my Savior Jesus Christ and it didn't seem so bad any more.

 

Second list: Things I will miss about the MTC

 

1. The milk

 

2. The excercise time. I did my last 20 laps around the track (two miles)  push ups (I can do thirty now) situps (90) and arm circley things today and it was a little sad.

 

3. The milk

 

4. The firesides and devotionals. Isn't it awesome that we get the chance to listen to real living apostles all the time?!? I love it!

 

5. The milk.

 

6. The people. My branch presidency is awesome. Basically. The end. Their wives are AWESOME!!! Oh my heavens! One day they'll all bemy neighnors in heaven. And believe it or not, I will miss the elders. =) They've all grown on me quite a bit. And they've all grown quite a bit. =) I wish I could be there to see every single one of the continue to grow

 

7. The milk.

 

8. Going to the temple once a week. Oh man. How I love it there.

 

9. The milk

 

Thrid list: Things I am excited for

 

1. I am excited to be able to spend time outside. In a couple of months when it's not super hot outside. =) Though Elder M's brother, who lives in Glendale by the misssion home says it's been quite cool there recently, only 105 degrees. =)

 

2. To have toilet paper dispensers that you don't have to constantly fight with in order to get more than one tiny sheet out. This is such a pain. AND all the rolls come out the wrng way.

 

3. To speak with some native Spanish speakers. Actually this thought scares me a whole ton pero I have to leaarn sooner rather than later. I did work with an elde from Phoenix who is is a Spanish branch down there during our in field orientation and we did the exersices is Spanish. I understood just about all that he said.

 

4. To get out there and teach some people. To really do this. To love those I serve to see them come close to God. To be an instrument in His hands, helping others repent, use the Atonement and go to the temple. Ah! I am so excited!!!!! =)

 

Okay, almost out of time.

 

Ryan, I don't care how many dates you go on, you always have time to write the coolest girl in your life right now, you older sister. =) After your mission one of them can be more important than me, but right now they're not.  =) Be home by midnight. I'm not joking. I am very serious right now. Go to church. Go to all your classes INCLUDING institute. Read pray and read and pray some more. And yes, I will continue to embarrass you in front of whomever happens to read these emails until I get a real letter from you. =)

 

Josh I hope you're well. I'm sending you a HUGE air hug right now!!!

 

Sarah, I still haven't seen these pictures. And I wrote you today so just be aware. =)

 

Jason havve you been practicing you trumpet?

 

Mom, Papa Scott HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ... yesterday. =) Love you both!!

 

 

Please meet me @ right now in room 290 - Batman

Well, this week has been pretty eventful and different and pretty much muy enjoyable.

 

Sarah still waiting for those pictures. Just sayin

 

Ryan I may have misplaced the letter with you email in it...will you send it to me again, please?

 

Jason, enjoying school? Made any new frieds?

 

Dad, Mr Smiles has not turned out. I won't lie, he doesn't look like a smiley at all.

 

Mom, how's school? Classes going okay?

 

JUASHOOOOOOOOOOOOOA!! Love ya dude.

 

There were a lot of different things that happened this week, which was super nice.

 

First....drum roll please...............bdbdbdbdbdbdbd. WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!!!!!! Yippy!! The end of this wonderfully spiritual place is within sight!!! We have to be at the travel office at 5:00...in the A.M. Our flight is at 8:35 and we are supposed to arrive in Arizona at 9:19. YAYHOO!!! It could be worse, I could be like Elder V and have to be at the travel office at 3am going to Canada. =) It was not a happy day for all of us though. Poor Elder H is the only one who did not recieve his travel plans. And Elder S and F made fun of him for it all night long. They even pretended that they went back to the mailbox and found his and gave him fake travel plans. Elder H had a rough day. But he's a ginger so that makes up for it. =)

 

Second, some Hermans on our floor invited us to play soccer with them duriing gym time. So we did. It was SOOOOO MUCH STINKIN' FUN!!! I have not played soccer in AGES!! My team won, even though we don't keep score here in the MTC. =) I definitely want to do intermurals when I get back. Not that I'm thinking about that a lot, but I have made a mental note that hopefully I will remember when it comes times to go back to school. Soccer rocks. Nuff said.

 

Third we hosted like I said last week. It was super fun. I took one sister around. She was super cute and she was going to New York. Legit right there. =) We get to do it again next week! I'm so glad, though it does mean we miss gym and part of personal study that day.

 

Fourth This last Tuesday durning choir before the devotional they were doing all the security stuff they did when Elder Andersen came so we were convinced it was going to be another apostle. Sadly it wasn't, pero it was a memeber of the Seventy who was from Germany. It was legit. They just moved to Utah and his wife told us how she loves to drive on the highways and one day she got pulled over for going too fast. She was so smiley and happy, so confident even though her English wasn't perfect. She was adorable. I learned a lot from her in regard to just being happy and not worrying too much about the language. Her husband who for the life of me I can't remember their last names right now, gave a really good talk about how we must have a testimony of every thing we teach our investigators. That is how Alma and the sons of Mosiah were able to be such good missionaries. They had truly experienced repentance so they could teach about it. It was cool.

 

Fifth An elder in one of the younger districts, Elder A, is someone who not a lot of people really like. He's still young, just out of highschool, just a 19 year old boy. Anyway, people get annoyed with him and judge him a lot. When he first came I talked to him a lot, mostly because even if I asked another elder in his district a question Elder A would answer. But I thought he was nice and he was struggling a little bit with being here at first, I mean honestly who doesn't? So I talked to him always smiled at him and asked him how he was doing etc. So the other day, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself, just wishing for the day I can get out of here, etc when in the lunch room Elder A comes up to me and says, "Hermana you are always so feliz (happy). It makes me felic to see you so feliz all the time." Oh my heavens I wanted to hug the kid...ahem excuse me. The elder. Pero I am a missionary. So I just busted out in the biggest smile I could muster and said thank you. It's interesting to me, that when you make the effort to talk to someone who looks sad or who needs a friend, you think at the time that you're helping them, that they're the lucky one because you listened to that small prompting from the Holy Ghost, that you did this great deed. But then later on you see that you've been blessed. That you are actually the one who's lucky, not the person who you talked to. It's the same with my friend Hermana H. I had seen her crying in the bathroom one day and I decided the next time I saw her I was going to go talk to her. So at gym the next day I did. Yeah, sure it may ave helped her that day, but a week later when I just needed someone there to hug me while I cried there was Hermana H, just hugging me. And she is a pretty darn good hugger. Pretty sure I am more blessed to have her as a friend than she is to have me as a friend.

 

And the last, which is for sure the best one, I got a note from Batman yesterday. As shown above. I just got back to class and there's this paper with Batman's symbol on it. On the other side he asked me to meet him. Pero I am a missionary, I can't meet a man, no matter how awesome he may be so I didn't go. But hey it's the thought that counts. =) Anyway, whoever did it sure gave me a nice long chuckle. =)

 

Anyway love you all!! The church rocks.

 

Jess

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care

Hola familia! How was the first week of school? Fun? Exciting? Make any new friends? Tell me all about it. =)

Sarah. Pictures. ASAP. Need I say more?

Ryan, I'm sorry this isn't sent to your email. I forgot to write it down before heading to the computer lab. Will you ever forgive me?

Joshua, did you like your first week of school? Do you have anymore songs for me? They are always so fun to read and they make me laugh a lot. *knuckles*

Jason, you never said which classes you're taking. You must tell me. =) Or I will smash you/it with a hammer. (10 points to whomever can name that movie. Two hints: Disney. Epic)

Well, today I have two requests for you all. Maybe you could do it for FHE or something. It's super good. Please watch the movie Hubble teliscope deep space in 3D on Youtue (do not fear. Our teacher showed it to us so we weren't breaking any rules.) Then talk/think about it a lot. How did it make you feel? What did you learn about how significant you are in the universe. And I mean REEALLY think and talk about it. Then watch the Josph millett story, also availiable on YouTube. What does that movie teach you? What does it tell you about how significant you are in this universe? What does it tell you about how God feels about YOU as a person as His child? How well does He know you? Then if you so desire please tell me about what you learned. =) I learned a lot about it and then we can compare notes and just be happy. =)

We got new neighbors this week. And the great news is that we will leave before they do!! AHH! It's so exciting. We've gone through two sets of neighbors since arriving here. (yes, we're just that noisy at night they all leave ;) ) No, they've all be English speakers so they come then they go. This time we have some visitor center missionaries which means they're here for four weeks and then on the other side we have Tagolog/ however you spell that word. I can't even say it right let alone spell it. So we leave before them. It's so exciting! Come Tuesday we only have two more weeks here! EEP!! Oh my heavens, I am so excited. Role playing is great and can be really close to the real thing but everybody involved has to take it seriously. Sometimes even the teachers really struggle with that. I'm also exicted for different food. And a sort of different schedule. I feel like Jack in that one episode of SG1 when he keeps repeating the same day over and over and over again. Some days he enjoyed and tried something new and exciting. He had the opportunity to learn many more things than he would have in any other situation but there came a time when he was ready to use the knowledge he had attained to get himself out of the mess. I am in no way saying I am all knowing and am completely fluent in Spanish. I have two more weeks left and I'm grateful for them pero (but) I want to give all this stuff I've been learning a try out in the real world. Hopefully that makes sense. =) And for Sarah and Josh and the rest of you who haven't seen the episode, I apologize. I am a sifi nerd through and through. And proud of it. =)

We got a new teacher this week. Hermano T and Hermano C couldn't make their school schedules work together so we did a teacher swap with the next door neighbors. So Hermano T left. Our new teacher Hermano M is great. He's married and has been back from his mish for 2 and half years and has a one year old daughter. He has a certain level of maturity that we all need. Pur investigator, Matias has also left. It's sad because we got him to commit, sort of, to baptism and we were working on the Word of Wisdom with him, but alas we teach him no more. We have a new investigator named Andres. We have only taught him once, pero I see much potential in him. We just need to figure out how to help him see how the gospel can help him in his life.

We found out yesterday that we're hosting!!! I'm stoked. Hosting is being one of the missionaries that greets all of the new incoming missionaries. The elders pick everyone up at their cars then bring the sisters to u. We then take them to their bedroom, then to get their tags and everything, then to the classrooms. I'm stoked. I said that already but I don't know if you fully understand my enthusiasm. =) One, it's a change of schedule. It's something we've never done before and, two, it's gonna be fun!! Hello!

Steph, I just couldn't wait the whole week or so it would take for your letter to get to you so I'm telling you now. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! That's the best news basically EVER! At least in the Trek world. =)  Long live Janeway and long live the love between J and C!!!! Oh my goodness. I may have actually squealed out loud in front of my whole district when I read your letter. They already think I'm a weirdy, so it's all good. =) Oh I am so happy!!!

Love you all lots and lots. Never forget that you are a child of a loving Heavenly Father. Everything He does is for us, so we may become more like Him, so we can return to Him. Even when it's hard it's for you to become better. Love you all. The church rocks.

Jess