Hello all,
Happy Friday or Saturday
when ever you get this! It has been another crazy but wonderful week
here at the MTC or CCM as us spanish speakers like to say. So much
happens daily and weekly here that if feels like lifetimes before I
write to you all again. Thank you so much for all of your love and
support and I am so grateful for those outside my immediate family that
have taken the time to write me. It is so Wonderful. Thank you
espeically to Janice and Sis. Terrill. I love you all so much and it
means so much to me that you support me while I am here.
So, A little bit of my comings and goings: Thise week
has been so great. Last Friday ended with a substitute teacher that was
actually one of my previous Home Teachers at BYU. It was so fun to see a
friendly face. He is the one in the picture that I sent the first week.
His name is Hermano Vargas and it was fun to kind of change things up a
little. I felt so smooth in Spanish being able to understand and speak
on a basic level. I feel so blessed to have the gift of tongues but it
is easy to lose the gift as well. The next day was a good old Saturday
which always tends to be a peak of being tired and stressed. It was a
good day but ended with a lot of frustration with the language because
it was 8:00
at night and we all just felt like we couldn't do it anymore. I think
it is the Lords way of telling us that we are limited and that we need
to be ready and alert for all that comes or we won't be worhty of his
help. We also have to ask for it all the time because if not he could
just take it away. One of the most stressful things on Saturdays is
preparing our talks for Sunday for church in Spanish. It is defintely
not something that you can just wing and be okay and we are all worried
about the day that someone in our district actually gets picked.
Sunday was great as normal. I love the opportunity we have to receive revelation at anytime. All of Sacrament I was scribbling thoughts that the Lord had given me to really help me feel good about serving a mission:
For our Sunday night devotional we had Stephen Allen and his wife speak to us. At the beginning of his talk he came to the pulpit and told us that he was not going to speak on what he had prepared. He was leaving his notes aside and was going to speak to us for 40 minutes on whatever the Spirit felt like we needed. It was amazing experience to be so nourished for the exact things we needed. He said some great things, but the most impactful part was when he brought up the song Come Come Ye Saints. He said that it is a perfect missionary hymn and I would have to say that I agree. What he had us do was to first watch the MoTab Choir sing and then the second time we would sing a long. The song was so powerful with just the choir but when hundreds of missionaries sang aloud the second time it was amazing how the words touched and I was amazed by the comfort that came when we sang the words "All is Well, All is Well". After that we watched Sister Monson's funeral. It was so nice to really be able understand what was going on and see her memorial services. What an amazing lady. We were all a little worried about President Monson and there are a lot of prayers coming his way from the CCM. I know it is weird but I have always liked funerals because they are a celebration of life and make us really contemplate the happiness that comes with Plan of Salvation. I am so grateful to be a part of this gospel and understand our purpose here.
Sunday was great as normal. I love the opportunity we have to receive revelation at anytime. All of Sacrament I was scribbling thoughts that the Lord had given me to really help me feel good about serving a mission:
- If I can ask myself everyday. "Have I done all I can today to progress?" If I can give a shaky, "Yes" then I don't have to feel discouraged about the work I am doing
- Once I can do this work comfortably then nothing can stop me
- Humbling does not equally being broken apart and giving up
- If I have a testimony how can I not share it
- I have to enjoy this or it is going to be miserable
- I have some unknown purpose in the next 18 months and the Lord knows what I can handle and his hand is in everything
- I tend to put my whole heart in things and so if I put my heart in this work completely it will be natural to accomplish everything and do my best.
For our Sunday night devotional we had Stephen Allen and his wife speak to us. At the beginning of his talk he came to the pulpit and told us that he was not going to speak on what he had prepared. He was leaving his notes aside and was going to speak to us for 40 minutes on whatever the Spirit felt like we needed. It was amazing experience to be so nourished for the exact things we needed. He said some great things, but the most impactful part was when he brought up the song Come Come Ye Saints. He said that it is a perfect missionary hymn and I would have to say that I agree. What he had us do was to first watch the MoTab Choir sing and then the second time we would sing a long. The song was so powerful with just the choir but when hundreds of missionaries sang aloud the second time it was amazing how the words touched and I was amazed by the comfort that came when we sang the words "All is Well, All is Well". After that we watched Sister Monson's funeral. It was so nice to really be able understand what was going on and see her memorial services. What an amazing lady. We were all a little worried about President Monson and there are a lot of prayers coming his way from the CCM. I know it is weird but I have always liked funerals because they are a celebration of life and make us really contemplate the happiness that comes with Plan of Salvation. I am so grateful to be a part of this gospel and understand our purpose here.
Now on Monday
I had a companionship break-through. It is funny how easy it is to get a
little off at each other. Not to be mad but not to be happy either. This
was such a day, but it was amazing how when we truly said our feelings
it made all the difference. Hermana Vance is amazing. She has done so
much for me and is so supportive and helpful. I love her with all my
heart and I wouldn't have it anyother way. Each day our relationship
grows more and more. We learn the language we teach the investigators
and everday brings us closer together. It is amazing and I am so
grateful for all I have already learned about companionship. Also, I have
the nicest Elders in my Zone. They really care about us Sisters and are
always there to love and support us in our role as a missionary no
matter what we are doing or where we are. We are seeing off another
district this next week which is sad but I am excited for them to do the
work out in the field. We have not gotten any new districts but we hope
to next week.
Back to Monday - in the evening Hermana Vance and I met a new Investigator Pablo. He has a belief in God but does not believe in one church having the truth. The amazing things was that Hermana Vance and I both had the same impression to share that this Gospel of Christ has the fulness of the truth and we are so excited to teach him more about it in our next visit.
Tuesday was good day. We have this program called "Tall" that are grammar lessons for the language and I jist love. I love being able to gain more knowledge about the language. Later in the day we participated in the Teaching Resource Center where members of the church come to volunteer and we teach them whatever message we feel they need to hear in Spanish. They are fluent speakers and it was so nice to just be there and let the spirit guide us. We have no preparation and we only have Spanish scriptures, but it was amazing. I felt so blessed by the language and also very directed by the spirit. It was a wonderful and strengthening experience. Our Tuseday devotional was with Elder Zwick. He is a very powerful speaker. He was able to give the love of the 12 and First Presidency and he talked about building Christ-like attributes. It was wonderful as always. Then afterwards we had a testimony meeting with the district. They are so awesome and I love being surrounded by them everyday.
Wednesday was an amazing day because I got my package. It felt so good to get some home-baked cookies and love from home. Thank you! Also, I love the Hermanas in my district they are awesome. We love to hang out and it is so great. We got two brand new Sisters in our room and it was fun to welcome them and be the experienced ones with answers. They are speaking Spanish as well so it will be a fun little adventure.
On Thursday I had another interesting day. First it started out with a mini salon session. The other Sisters love that I can braid and do hair and they are taking advantage and it is really fun. Also I have learned that you always need to write impressions down. I get impressions for our investigators daily and hourly and if I don't write them down I can't use them. Also we have two investigators now, Julio and Pablo. We have only taught them once so there will be more to come in the future.
I must say that the work gets hard sometimes. I was feeling relly discouraged on Thurday about not being as good as I could. Some of my fellow district members were having fun singing and it just made me want to be better and have complete dedication to the Lord. It is easy to get discouraged with yourself when you want to be perfect. When one gets discouraged about anything Satan starts working really hard. He likes to make me doubt being here and miss you all lots. So, some days are harder than others to be here because I love you all so much. So, I encourage you to keep to the faith because it is the only true and righteous way.
Back to Monday - in the evening Hermana Vance and I met a new Investigator Pablo. He has a belief in God but does not believe in one church having the truth. The amazing things was that Hermana Vance and I both had the same impression to share that this Gospel of Christ has the fulness of the truth and we are so excited to teach him more about it in our next visit.
Tuesday was good day. We have this program called "Tall" that are grammar lessons for the language and I jist love. I love being able to gain more knowledge about the language. Later in the day we participated in the Teaching Resource Center where members of the church come to volunteer and we teach them whatever message we feel they need to hear in Spanish. They are fluent speakers and it was so nice to just be there and let the spirit guide us. We have no preparation and we only have Spanish scriptures, but it was amazing. I felt so blessed by the language and also very directed by the spirit. It was a wonderful and strengthening experience. Our Tuseday devotional was with Elder Zwick. He is a very powerful speaker. He was able to give the love of the 12 and First Presidency and he talked about building Christ-like attributes. It was wonderful as always. Then afterwards we had a testimony meeting with the district. They are so awesome and I love being surrounded by them everyday.
Wednesday was an amazing day because I got my package. It felt so good to get some home-baked cookies and love from home. Thank you! Also, I love the Hermanas in my district they are awesome. We love to hang out and it is so great. We got two brand new Sisters in our room and it was fun to welcome them and be the experienced ones with answers. They are speaking Spanish as well so it will be a fun little adventure.
On Thursday I had another interesting day. First it started out with a mini salon session. The other Sisters love that I can braid and do hair and they are taking advantage and it is really fun. Also I have learned that you always need to write impressions down. I get impressions for our investigators daily and hourly and if I don't write them down I can't use them. Also we have two investigators now, Julio and Pablo. We have only taught them once so there will be more to come in the future.
I must say that the work gets hard sometimes. I was feeling relly discouraged on Thurday about not being as good as I could. Some of my fellow district members were having fun singing and it just made me want to be better and have complete dedication to the Lord. It is easy to get discouraged with yourself when you want to be perfect. When one gets discouraged about anything Satan starts working really hard. He likes to make me doubt being here and miss you all lots. So, some days are harder than others to be here because I love you all so much. So, I encourage you to keep to the faith because it is the only true and righteous way.
I love you all so much and here is a little Spanish for you.
(I can't write accents so it may be a little off but I just wanted you to see a little of what I do everyday)
Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro salvador y mi hermano.
Yo se que el sufrio y murio para usted y para me. Yo se que Jose Smith
was un profeta y que el restaurado el evangelio de Jesucristo en la
tierra. Yo se que Presidente Thomas S. Monson es un profeta y el
profeta. Estoy agradecida por la oprtunidad estar aqui a ensenar le
evangelio. Gracias por todos su aman. Yo se que la iglesia es verdadero.
En el nombre de Jseucristo Amen.
Con Amor,
Hermana Cornwall
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| Model Missionaries at the MTC Laundry |
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| District Temple Trip |
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| New Sisters |
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| Birthday Card for An Elder |
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| The Traditional Pointing-At-The-Map Photo |
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| Hermano Hepworth... |
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| The View From Our Window |
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| Guess Who I Ran Into? (Rachel's old companion Erin Petersen) |
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