Letter - July 21, 2010

7-21-10

Hey There Family!

It sounds like you’re having an enjoyable summer! Wow, school starts back up in a month. And goodness sakes, Dallin’s off to Kindergarten! It’s unbelievable how fast those kiddos are growing. I received a post card from Mark & Marily and the fam from their California trip. This postcard was really neat since the San Diego Temple was featured alongside the other pictures of LaJolla. Marily explained that Dallin and Adam had Mac & Cheese “at 2 restaurants, 2 nights in a row! Heaven!” HA HA HA. That would be heaven for kids! I also thought it was adorable that she mentioned that “Owen loves wet sand”. I could just imagine him playing with it. : )

In addition to the postcard, I received a large envelope from “Noel Griffin & guests”. I just knew that meant they were up to no good. I opened it and lo and behold, I find a half dozen pictures drawn with crayons and markers of the oddest things. I snapped some pictures for you since I will kindlasti (definitely) post these ugly things on my wall. Noel must have hosted a shindig at her place because I had artwork from herself, Kristin van Leuven, Heather McRae, Laura McRae, Todd Decker, Devin Grimes, Rachael Griffin, Spencer Griffin, and a nice letter from Papa Griffin. I know it’s early in the mission, but I cannot think of what could top speshul-ness of that magnitude. Seriously. I hope the photos I took do them justice. They really look like a bunch of 2^nd grader drawings, but they’re more like art masterpieces to me. J I know I’ll always have a laugh or a smile when I look at them. I love my support group!

Lately, Sis. Aitken and I have been arising earlier in the day to try out the 6 A.M. exercise classes. Step aerobics, yoga, toning, pilates, kickboxing, etc. It’s a little difficult getting out of bed before the crack of dawn, but I’ve been enjoying it. Now the question is if I’ll keep doing it most mornings until I leave the MTC, ha ha.

Yesterday afternoon, Sis. Aitken and I were feeling rather snackish. Over my time here, I inherited a box of Wheat Thins, a chocolate pudding cup, a granola bar, some licorice and a banana I brought back to class from breakfast. The previous day, we both had the random notion that bananas, wheat thins, and chocolate could be like a S’more substitute at the MTC. So we used the wheat thins, banana, and pudding (I had no spoon so there was no other dignified way to eat it) and we made these odd sandwiches. The sweet and salty taste was actually decent and our little concoction made me feel like a kid again. Obviously, we need to find a better outlet for our creativity and curiosity.

Last night, my branch president, President Thorpe, asked me to be the new Coordinating Sister since Sister Herde is leaving with the rest of the older Finns on Monday. Yay for more responsibilities! Now I get to give tours to the incoming missionaries and go to meetings where I report on how well the sisters in our branch observe Quiet Time and lights out. Thankfully, we had 4 sisters leave today and the older Finns are leaving on Monday so I will only have to worry about the 3 of us left since we won’t be getting some more for at least another week or two. I’m going to miss the older Finns. I feel so blessed to have been their roommates for half of my stay here because now they’re MTC veterans, plus very sweet, and they’re all so hilarious. We’ll definitely keep in touch throughout our missions since it’ll be fast enough to send mail from Estonia to Finland. J Oh, and mail from the U.S. and Estonia may be faster than I mentioned before. That’s comforting!

The soon-to-be trainers for Sis. Aitken and I actually sent us a small package of candies from Estonia last Friday, which happened to be our one month anniversary. The chocolate was sooo delicious. I’m afraid where most of my monthly allowance might end up…. : D Ha ha ha!

Over the weekend, I browsed through the revamped Mormon.org. It’s so fantastic! There are featured clips of all sorts of members sharing about why they joined the Church, what they do and love about life. This rendition of Mormon.org really puts the focus on people and it allows members to post profiles for people worldwide to read and connect with through blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I think this makes it easier and more comfortable for members to share the gospel through the Internet. I started to make my own profile, but it’s incomplete since I can’t upload a picture yet. Who knows, maybe it’ll come in handy to refer to Mormon.org while teaching in Estonia. I think they’re fond of technology so this is a great resource.

Yesterday, Bro. Conway prefaced his lesson with “Remember July 20^th”. I think he wanted us to remember that day as the day we could capture the vision of what Heavenly Father wants for us to do as missionaries. He shared with us several scripture passages of the amazing miracles of missionary work in the Book of Mormon. He told us to work like we’ll convert thousands like it says at the end of Alma 26:22. Bro. Conway admitted to us that when he left Estonia a few years back, he felt that his work there was preparatory for future missionaries like us. I know the Lord is preparing the hearts of the people. My work as a missionary is to help them draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so that they can do the converting, bring about that “change of heart”. Dallin H Oaks called the change of heart the greatest miracle of all.

I feel my capabilities and potential growing a little each day. Heavenly Father has some amazing things in store for me during the mission and after. Gotta make sure I’m workin’ to earn it! Thanks for raisin’ me right, and for all the love and prayers. I’m curious to see how those “long-distance blessings” turn out. ; )

Armastusega, (with love)

Courtney

PS (on back of envelope) – Correction to my story about my friends! Heather hosted the party. Noel probably had her fam write some things before she mailed the envelope off. Also, I’ve seen Gregory McDowell here but have yet to approach and see if he remembers me : P

Sis. Aitken chowing down on the gourmet fare.

Glamor shot of the wonderful new culinary creation

Nothing goes to waste here!

Email: Surprise, your Father - July 21, 2010

From: Courtney Smith
Sent: July 21, 2010 8:51 AM
To: Fred
Subject: Re: surprise, your Father

Armas Isa! (Beloved Father)

So nice to hear from you! That's so fun that they went camping! It seems like you're all enjoying your summer. Jessica was just over, going camping, having sleepovers, etc. Sounds like a perfect summer compared to being in a classroom most of the day :P We try to take a leisurely stroll around the campus to get our clear our minds almost daily. Tomorrow, we get to teach our entire first lesson about the Restoration in Estonian, WOW. I can't believe it's already MTC week 6. I'm halfway done with this place. It's just coasting from here now, (except not quite such a break since there's still so much to learn, haha!) My Finnish roomates keep reminding me that some little birdy is going around saying how talented I am at the language. I try to be humble about it. I've been slacking a little the past few days on learning more vocabulary so that's what I plan to do with most of my preparation day.

I happened to see Brian Gashler while doing my weekly service early Monday morning. My job was to replace dirty erasers and wipe away all the chalk dust in all the classrooms in one of the buildings. His class was having personal study at the time and I knew it was one of the German classes so I kept my eye out and when I spotted him, I whispered "Brian..?" and then we talked for a minute or two before I had to move on with my work. I'm happy he's enjoying it here so far. What a good kid!

Monday afternoon, Sis. Aitken and I had an appointment with an ENT doc in Payson, just 30 minutes south of Provo. A service missionary volunteer, Sis. Zollinger, was our driver. She was a sweet elderly woman, however, Sis. Aitken is convinced that if we weren't missionaries, we probably would've died. Thankfully, I kept myself occupied by chatting with her most of the way and tried to not focus on her driving. We counted our blessings that we made there and back safely. Sis. Aitken has a fungus in her left ear, real fun stuff. Apparently it's something that's been sorta going around here at the MTC. The doctor said that it should go away soon with her new medications, but we have another appointment on the 6th of August.

Yup, Tilly's living the normal dogs life. Sometimes I see people walking their dogs when I'm out at the missionary field across the street and it makes me miss my silly dog ;) Goodness Dad, you sure are on top with your Estonian info! If I had normal access to a computer, I'm sure I'd be all over that too. Must run in the genes

I don't think I have much more to report on for this week that I'll have to write home about. Things are just cruising along and I'm itchin' to get to Estonia even though I know so little. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much with my companion, roomates, teachers, branch presidency, etc. It's like they were handpicked, just for me. Thanks so much for the prayers. They're obviously working!

Armastusega,

Courtney

Letter - July 15, 2010

7-15-10

Kallis Perekond,

Well, of course I find my pictures I wanted to send home merely an hour and a half after I mailed that letter >_< Doh! I didn't notice that I hid them inside my journal so they wouldn't slide around in my bag. I think I'll have to print some extras for me to take a few to Estonia if I do send that 2GB card home. I'm still wondering how I'm going to fill it up...I think I can fit some 200 more pictures on it! Anyway, enjoy the photos. Some turned out great, and some are a little wiggedy wack, but, what else could you expect from me, HA HA HA. Love you bunches!

Courtney

P.S. Our teaching assignment went so well tonight! Now it's onto Estonian-only lesson. I'm just focusing on trying to invite and keep the Spirit like we have been doing so well recently. :)

My name tag looks cool, yes?

Heidi Anderson, Aleni Rasmussen, Lindsey Herde, Courtney Smith at the Provo Temple

Courtney Smith and Nikaela Aitken

The Estonian MTC class room. I told you about the shirt I ordered at the MTC earlier. Just showing what it looks like.












Aw, what sweet looking sister missionaries!
Sister Aitken and Sister Smith

...
Sister Aitken and Sister Smith

Baked with love ~ <3>

Leslie Jordan (friend from Mesa singles ward, going to Budapest, Hungary), Courtney

Courtney


THE MTC GAVE ME RABIES!!!
No, I kid. My sample size toothpaste was especially foamy, I couldn't help myself >D

Letter - July 14, 2010

7-14-10

Alooooooha Tere Family!

It's time for this week's LETTER˜♥ Ok. I was really bored and thought that would look cute, teehee! Anyway, following up on things I missed in this week's email (cursed email time is so short!). I really did have an enjoyable time cleaning the Provo Temple. Now I understand why people always talk about how they love scrubs, hahaha! We waited for instruction in the Baptistry Chapel, which I noticed had an entire glass wall looking straight into the baptismal font. What a neat touch! I'd love to see the whole thing while it's occupied but I'm guessing that I'll only be doing regular temple sessions once it's back open. Oh well. It was still cool.

For last Sunday's fireside, Jenny Oaks Baker, daughter of Elder Oaks and renowned violinist, came to share her talents with us. She related some experiences that lead into the themes of the songs she chose to perform. I think Grandma Smithson and Aunt Carol gave me a CD of hers when I was a young teen but I only listened once or twice. Silly me ;P Her performance was gorgeous and flawless. Her nephew, Jared Oaks, accompanied on the piano and he played just as beautifully. A very lovely evening, indeed.

Estonian is coming along well. Next week, we'll be teaching the first lesson about the Restoration entirely in Estonian . I think we've got grammar down, I just need to sit myself down and learn the new vocabulary for it. I was never one to just study vocab for a long time, but I'm afraid of what may happen if I don't put in the effort. Sister Aitken has always been a perfectionist with her school work so she doubts her abilities in the language too much. She really does just fine, so I'm trying to remind her to just relax. Oftentimes, it's not the words that matter. Knowing that the Holy Ghost is present is the real focus. He will carry the message into the hearts of our investigators. :)

I think Sis. Aitken is mostly back to her normal self except that her jaw still hurts from the infection. We went to the MTC health clinic to schedule an appointment with the ENT doc to just check on it, and they've decided to just shuttle on down to his office in Payson, UT on Monday! YAY! FIELD TRIP!!! Unfortunately, the trip is due to Sis. Aitken's condition, but it'll be even nicer to take a drive 30 min. south rather than a 5 min. drive to the drugstore! I consider myself lucky that I've been able to travel off campus so frequently. It's refreshing to observe life outside. :D

I can't really think of things I need at the moment. Some of my tights and knee-highs are showing wear, but I believe they sell some in the bookstore and there's the new dress code that is to be announced on Sunday. There are trade offs for nylons. They are a pain to put on and fidgeting with several layers of clothing is a bit cumbersome, but they are perfect for covering up my white and (sometimes) prickly legs :P

Sooo...that was a bit TMI but it's true! One day this past week, Sis. Aitken and I were chatting with the Finns (we sit with 'em every meal) about some of the cookies they serve here. We started talking about oatmeal cookies and I mentioned how my family make a bomb batch of oatmeal cookies. Would you be so kind as to send a few for them to try out? I'm wondering if plain oatmeal or Ryan's deluxe-style oatmeal cookies would be better. Meh, I'll leave that up to you :) Please don't feel obligated to make a lot. I still have most of the candy that Sis. Aitkens' mom sent me. Plenty of snacks for me!

I'm happy that Jessica is staying over for a bit! Way too many fun memories from the past! I actually received her letter today and a letter from Noel and Heather on Monday. Lots of replies to write! That's why I'm a bit glad I don't receive much more mail than I do. I think I get the right amount of love from home :) Sis. Aitken usually gets at least 2-3 DearElders a day and she's having a rough time keeping up with the replies.

It's MTC week 5 now (by the time you get this, it'll almost be 6). Nearly half-way through already. Shoot. In a month and a half, I'll be in Estonia. Boy, that's crazy/nerve-racking/exciting to think about. I really am looking forward to it, even though I'm sure I'll be smiling and nodding for a few months straight, ha ha ha! Nah, it'll be rough at first, but I seem to catch on quickly with the language so far. At least we'll be leaving the MTC to the Baltic mission in a group of 20 missionaries, half of which are Russian-speaking (5 Latvians, 3 Lithuanians, 2 Estonians (REPRESENT!)). That should make our travel plans more fun! People stop Sis. Aitken and I all the time to ask where we're going. Our name tags look so different with the "õde" on it. I would hope that those people feel special talking to one of the two persons out of 2,000+ missionaries that are learning Estonian at the moment (lolwut, prideful much? LOL).

Brian arrived today, but I probably won't have a chance to see him until the weekend since new missionaries have so many places to go the first few days. I'll keep my eyes peeled though! I've been lucky to come across everyone I know who's here!

Bro. Conway is such a squishable teddy bear. He cries more than a girl, of course that's because he bears his testimony so powerfully. :) I need to take a picture on day so you can see what I mean. He's so animated when he teaches, I love it. Plus, he's very in tune with the Holy Ghost. Sometimes, I feel he can, like, read my soul. I'm working on having the Spirit with me more. This week, Bro. Conway shared Jeremiah 16:16 with us which talks about God sending forth "Fishers" and "Hunters" (missionaries). He said that some missions are places where missionaries can just cast their net and pull up many fish. In Estonia, however, we require the skills of the Hunter in order to "hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." I have to learn to speak to everyone and overcome fears. For fishers, the hard part is trying to pull up the net with so many fish :) . People may say I won't find much success in Estonia, but the Lord is preparing His Elect all throughout the world. My work may just require more finding, but I know there are people waiting to hear the truth of the Restored gospel from me.

Noh! (well!) I really thought I could try and squeeze this week's new on 2 pages, but I'm sure you just loooove hearing about all the excitement up here. To be honest, there aren't too many exciting things to talk about, but I do notice small joys and blessings every day. It's these little things that make this MTC experience worth it. I hope the pictures will keep you satisfied for a while. These are pretty much the best pictures I have for you so far. I know I must repent and snap some more for you!

I just remembered that Pioneer Day, the 24th of July is coming up. It'll be interesting to see how mad it gets here in the center of it all. I heard some folks say it's bigger than Independence Day. SAY WHAT?!?! Ha ha, I wonder what's in store...

Oh, I finally met Elder Coolbear. Elder Coolbear is a cool dude after all, haha! Aaaaand that's about all I have to report on this week. Writing all this makes my hand cramp up. So I can't wait to use a normal computer in the field. Then I could attach photos and sound clips! Väga põnev (very exciting)! At least I hope that's possible out in the field. You shall find out by September!

Thanks for the hugs, kisses, and prayers! For tomorrow nights TRC, I get to show off pics of the fam, so excited for that :) I am so grateful I've been raised so well and have so many loving family members! Sometimes I think to myself, "What have I just committed myself to?!" But then I quickly remember who's supporting me and why I'm really doing this. To bring souls unto Jesus Christ and prepare them to return to the presence of their Heavenly Father. That, and I think "If [so-and-so] can do it, then you better believe I sure can!" :) But in reality, it's not my mission, it's the Lord's mission. I love you all immensely!

Love always,
Courtney

P.S. Ok, so somehow I misplace the photos I was gonna send home and don't have time to go look so I can get this in before cut off. SORRY!

Email: From Sunny Mesa - July 14, 2010

From: Courtney Smith
Date: Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: From Sunny Mesa
To: Leta Smith

Hey family!

I just got finished cleaning the Provo Temple for 3 hours. Loved it~! I did some vacuuming and detailing (cleaning with q-tips and toothpick, awww yeah!), and Mom, I'm sure you're proud to hear that I clean just a bit of the baseboards too. It really was kind of nice because we were all decked out in white scrubs and they had a central vacuum system, something I had no idea existed! All you gotta do is plug the hose in the hole and SHAZAM!!! Vacuum power!! Somehow, I find an odd sense of joy in vacuuming. Dunno why. I think the temple will be back up and running in about 2 more weeks. It's been hard waiting, especially since I was cleaning today. We've had some cloudy skies which made me happy, but NO RAIN. That makes me sad Usually it's the opposite, right? Not when you're from Arizona!

I am so happy for Rebecca! When I first met her, I actually thought she was a member of the church already! Oh, she's going to be such a great missionary I think I did meet Elder Carroll already, but I forgot to check his name tag and introduce myself as a friend of Sally Sue's. Oops :P I ordered some picture prints, so I'll mail some for this week's letter. I figured I'd order some to keep you satisfied for now since I don't take too many pictures and plus I some of the pictures are kind of random, ha ha. I don't have a July Ensign, but I may be able to get one from the bookstore or something. Maybe I could ask the Branch Presidency's wives about it. They are so so so sweet! It's kinda nice having a mother/grandmother figure to check up on us and bring us nice things like flowers for our bland dorm rooms! Most of our Finnish roomates will be leaving on the 26th, and they've been talking about using a pay phone in the airport to call home for a bit. There are no rules on the matter, so whaddya think? Would you like to hear from me at the end of August? ;) Sundays sometimes don't feel like Sundays since we have meetings scattered all throughout the day. At the moment, we have 10 sisters, which is amazing. The other sisters, besides us Finns and Estonians, are going to North Carolina and one is from New Zealand so her accent is tight. We probably have about 30 missionaries. To kick off Relief Society, all the sisters gather in the gym to watch Music and the Spoken Word and then a talk afterward. Then we go to lunch, then an hour for Sacrament meeting, and then a district meeting (think Sunday School) and then we usually walk to the temple at 3pm. Then it's back for dinner, a wee bit more of free time, and then a fireside in the evening and optional church films after that. We finally got to see the ending of The District 2 on Sunday. I've never been so excited to see the conclusion of a church movie before! I just got so excited watching these missionaries in San Diego teach people and experience the joys and hardships along with them. Much better that District 1, ha ha ha!

Rumors have been floating around that there's a new sister dress code, and I think it's finally going to be officially announced on Sunday, HALLELUJAH! It may still be up to some missions, but now bright, happy colors and patterns are encouraged and nylons are optional! Oh, and knee-length skirts are ok, as long as it covers the knee when you sit. We're still waiting to hear the official proclamation, but this is a long overdue improvement. One that probably should have been done at least 5 years ago. ((Why couldn't they tell me sooner... xP)) SHAUNA, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS?!?!?!??!

Aww, I wish Jessica could've stayed before I left, but alas, 'tis not so. I mailed her a letter over a week ago, so maybe now she and Stacey will finally write me something

Much loves fam!

Courtney

Letter - July 7, 2010

7-7-10

Dearest Family,

It was so fun to hear you had an eventful week. It didn’t feel quite like the 4^th on Sunday, but then again, I wasn’t with family and it’s a little irreverent to party hard on a Sunday . Sunday morning was actually a wee bit nippy and overcast, which is a strange occurrence for me on a summer morning. All the sisters needed sweaters and coats. Most of our meeting rooms are cold anyway. Usually, I associate the 4^th of July with sweltering hot weather, no matter where I’m at. Well, half way through the day, the sun finally decided to shine and it was gorgeous the rest of the day.

Like I told you in the e-mail, Carrie Underwood was performing at the Stadium of Fire on Saturday night. We heard the instrument doing their sound checks in the afternoon. That was a little odd hearing loud guitars and electric violins. However, no Carrie Underwood concert for missionaries! We had a mandatory musical fireside to attend which included a video with MTC staffers/senior missionaries playing roles like Paul, Martin Luther, Ben Franklin, etc., and led up to live actors portraying Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and the Angel Moroni (played by the MTC President. Odd). These portrayals were interrupted every few minutes by musical numbers by the choir, soloists, or congregation. It was a good program, but I do admit it was hard not to giggle a little at some of the costumes. I believe the whole congregation chuckled when the Founding Fathers came about. Their wigs were the most lol worthy. Benjamin Franklin looked like a woman, teehee ahem But, really it was a good program. Afterward, all the missionaries watched the fireworks from the south end of campus. As the show was happening, Elders kept starting up various songs which was fun at first, but got a little annoying when I just wanted to enjoy fireworks in peace. Oh well! Jolly good. Good show. Jolly good show!

Soooo, that was pretty much my weekend. I finally got Mark & Marily’s letter on Tuesday (the post office here decided to take a day off). I’m glad I have yet another picture to show off my presh nephews! Thanks again, Shauna for that photo book. I like showing it off. I was reminded by my roommates that we had a little pig out session on Sunday night! They were kind enough to print a few extra photos so I could have some! I was about to head for the shower (hence the towel and robe) and then I found them on the couches on our floor. Sis. Crowther’s mom sent a bunch of goodies for Independence Day so we decided to put it all out. Don’t worry, the mess was a little exaggerated for the photos, ha ha? It was totally perfect that I arrived with my robe on. Sister Rasmussen has the pink socks, Sister Herde is wearing the Finland tee, and Sis. Aitken has the “Run Forrest Run” shirt.

On Thursdays, Sis. Aitken and I have our TRC nights. To be honest, I don’t know what the “R” stands for, but basically, we prepare to talk to Estonian speaking volunteers for a few minutes and then teach a lesson such as the Restoration or the Plan of Salvation. Last Thursday, Sis. Aitken was feeling especially sick and didn’t think she’d be able to teach or contribute at all since her jaw was hurting so bad. This meant that I probably would have to do the whole 45 minutes or so by myself. I felt quite inadequate and all I could do was hope the Lord would help me out somehow. While Bro. Conway went to go check to see if our teaching room was ready, he asked us to look for short scriptures that would summarize the Savior’s Atonement. After several minutes, I began wondering what was going on since he didn’t return. After 10 minutes, he finally came back to our prep room and asked if we had prayed that we didn’t have to do TRC that night. No volunteers had showed up and he couldn’t find the coordinators anywhere, so we were off the hook for the night! Perhaps Heavenly Father answered a secret prayer in my heart. I loved Sis. Aitken’s exclamation “God really DOES love me!” What a relief! But now that means I have to prepare extra for tomorrow night. I do feel more at ease about it now though.

Yesterday, Bro. Andre and Bro. Conway had Sis. Aitken and I portray investigators while they taught us the Plan of Salvation. They obviously know how to teach so well with the Holy Ghost because I felt it so strongly. They’ve had 1000x more practice. This is the 2^nd scenario where I’ve been in this investigator position and after every time, I feel so good. I wish everyone could experience it. Our teachers remind us that we missionaries are the ones with the mantle placed upon us to teach. I’m sure one day I’ll be able to teach like that, hopefully sooner than later!

It’s been apparent that Heavenly Father is stressing the importance of the Book of Mormon to me lately. It’s all I’ve been hearing about since the weekend. Once we realize how miraculous it is that we have it and of the truthfulness of it, then everything else must be true, it falls into place. I’ve learned about all the convincing information that proves the Book of Mormon is tangible evidence that Christ’s church is restored again. It’s been a very enlightening experience and has renewed my determination to glean from its pages. The D&C and Pearl of Great Price are not yet available in Estonian so the Book of Mormon will be my main tool.

I got Shauna’s letter through Dear Elder later this afternoon. I think they print ‘em around 4ish. Happy to hear from ya, sis! The kickboxing wasn’t like hardcore self-defense, more like cardio and aerobics, but it worked me pretty good. Now that Sis. Aitken is improving, I think we’ll try going sometime within the week (that is if we want to get up a 6 - lol).

Ok, so random time now. I have yet to meet him, but there is a new elder in our branch named Elder Coolbear. No joke. Elder Coolbear. The Finnish elders met him already and say his name fits him. Stay tuned for Adventures with Elder Coolbear.

It’s a tad disheartening to think that people who arrived here the same day I did are already in the field now. Of course, they went to English speaking missions, but now they’re off to the real deal, where it really counts. I guess I’m grateful that I can try to understand this language in 70 – 80 days. I mean, last night we had an Emeritus Seventy, Robert K. Dellenbach, tell us that they practically dropped him off in Germany with no language training back in the 1960’s. Oooh, that’s rough.

I saw a sister using a mini tape recorder to mail home her voice in addition to letters. That’d be much more efficient and easier to do than writing a long letter and having my hand cramp up! My MP3 player has a voice record function, I believe, but I wouldn’t be able to rip the audio on the computers here. Perhaps I could try in Estonia. Mail takes so long to get there so I might be able to put audio clips on e-mail attachments… ooh hoo hoo, that’s something I’ll have to try out. They do sell mini tape recorders here, but c’mon, that’s such dated technology! And mailing them would take too long. I hear it’s 3 weeks from the U.S. to Estonia and maybe 4 from Estonia to the U.S. Guess I’m buying Christmas gifts far in advance this year. That could be dated info, but it doesn’t surprise me too much. It’s such a small country.

The portions for meal time here are fit for Gigantor. I’m doing a little better now that I’ve tried most everything I want to. I’ve got quite a sweet tooth.

I’ll be on the lookout for Brian Gashler next week. I’m able to check e-mail anytime on Wednesdays, so please send e-mails early Wednesday morning or Tuesday night. I won’t check earlier than 9, so by then would be great! Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Courtney

Courtney Smith, Amanda Lusk, Shayda Robinette, Melany Buchanan, Elise Reynolds, Lindsey Herde, Heidi Anderson, Aleni Rasmussen

Marsali Crowther, Aleni Rasmussen, Courtney Smith, Heidi Anderson

4th of July feast!

Courtney, Sis. Rasmussen, Sis. Crowther, Sis. Herde, Sis. Aitken

Email: Happy Wednesday - July 7, 2010

From: Courtney Smith
Date: Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: Happy Wednesday


Great e-mail and thanks for the updates! Due to some issues this morning with my password, it ate 10 minutes of my e-mail time and 5 minutes to read your e-mail so now I have 15 minutes, argh. Oh well. We are going to try to see if we can use the Referral Center computers next week since Sis. Aitken's brother (now in Scotland) tipped us off on that this week. We'll ask our teachers about it.

What's the voltage in Estonia? Apparently my curling iron has dual voltage so it can switch from 120/240v.

Sis. Aitken is finally doing a little better. It's definitely noticeable in her countenance. Today, Mama Aitken sent a package and even included a bag FULL o' goodies, just for me for being a good sport. Sis. Aitken says she thinks her Mom just may love me more, HA HA HA!

I met yet another sister going to Mesa on her mission and she's from Australia! I gave her the house phone, maybe thinking about the Charles'.. Who knows if she'll be in that part of the mission, but I hope that's ok :P Her name is Sis. Naulu and I think she's of islander heritage. Yesterday, one of my teachers asked what our family heritage is because he seems quite amazed that my pronunciation is pretty spot on for only a few weeks. He swears there's some Estonian blood in me. I just told him I like languages and I like to imitate what I hear (i.e. random accents moments at home)

As far as pics go, I think I'll just have to print some and mail them to you. I'll try to remember to send some next week! We did watch the fireworks after a musical program about the protestant reformers, framers of the constitution, and restoration of the church. Methinks that was so we didn't listen to Carrie Underwood's performance at the stadium a few miles away, hehehe.

Expect a letter by Saturday.. I won't get it done by today's pick up time, oops.. Now it's off to do laundry! WHEE!

Love you all immensely!

Letter: Sister Aitken - July 1, 2010

7-1-10

Dear Mom,

Could the family please pray for Sis. Aitken to recover quickly? She’s been sick since last Friday and she hasn’t improved. We’re hoping tomorrow’s doctor visit will help. I’m fasting today.

Thanks for all you do. Must be fun hearing from me so frequently this week! Looks like I need to buy some more stamps. :)

Love,

Courtney

Letter: Kallis Perekond (Dear Family) - June 30, 2010

6-30-10

Kallis Perekond, (Dear Family)

I think I did a bit better about answering questions and responding to most everything for this week’s e-mail! Hopefully, that means this letter will not be as ridiculously long as last week’s.

Did my thermals arrive? I think it’s because Provo is a college town, but I see so many scooters and motorcycles whenever I’m out near the entrance of the MTC! It makes me want one even more. Although, I’m sure Utah is a safer place to drive one.

Did I already tell you that one of the new Finnish teachers is actually a native Estonian? Sis Luik is a student at BYU learning to teach English and now she teaches here part-time. Now aren’t we lucky! She is so very sweet and is so excited for Sis. Aitken and I. She has such faith and confidence in us. She served a mission to Finland which is why she’s not teaching her native tongue, but she pops in out class occasionally to say hello and ask if we have questions. I think what I love most about her is her laugh! It’s so funny and cute ! I’m excited to get to know her and learn from her over the next 2 months.

Leslie Jordan leaves for Hungary on July 5^th! Mostly when I see her now, she speaks to me in Hungarian so it’s a bit of a guessing game to communicate in those brief moments. I’m usually pretty bad at it, hehehe. I’m super-excited for her! I hope we’ll keep in contact throughout the mission. We bid farewell to the Cali-bound sisters in our branch this week. It’s sad that I only knew them for about 2 weeks but it’s been really fun. Sis. Reynolds is definitely my homegirl and it was fun sharing little ghetto moments. I think Shauna and Stacey would understand that. I believe the new sisters coming in to replace them will be heading to North Carolina and on e is from New Zealand? I can’t wait to meet them later!

Sis. Aitken and I ordered some shirts with a few Estonian facts and the flag on it. Now I have another shirt for gym time or sleepy-time. Yay! Cheap too! Like $7 plus tax (thank you missionary discount!) Are there any materials, books, etc., you want me to buy and send home? I thought I’d ask in case anyone wanted to brush up on their mission language, learn a new one, or whatever. I get my weekly allowance of $8 tomorrow! Elders only get $6, ha ha ha! I think that’s so they don’t spend so much on vending machines!

While at the MTC, I think it’d be much more efficient to answer my questions through DearElder.com, that way my weekly e-mail sessions can be more focused on answering your questions and responding to your updates! I’m just trying to think of ways to get the most out of that short period.

Here are some interesting facts about the Estonian language: To say you have something, you literally say “The [object] is on me”. For example, “I have a book” would be “Mul on raamat”. ‘On’ is just a conjugation of the verb “to be” for the book and the “l” at the end of “mul” or “minul” determines that the object is on the subject [I]. Wow, that sounds so textbook, LOL Now for some more funny things I’ve learned. Mark, your names means “stamp”, haha. “Kool” means school (too ‘kool’ for school, ehZ) “Torm” somehow lost the “s” in storm. Sheep are now apparently “lammas”, “Everything but the kitchen sink” now has a new meaning (‘sink’ means ‘ham’). A tie is now “lips” and a duck is now “part”. Child is “laps” (children sit on laps , grandchild is “lapselaps” and great-grandchild is “lapselapselaps”, interesting how it builds up, huh?! Ha ha ha! Nii (so), I think my new favorite word is mascara. Ripsmetuss. Methinks it’s pronounced “reep-sme-toosh”!

Now for some more spiritual things. As I mentioned in the e-mail, there were 8 apostles at last Friday’s special devotional. Elders Nelson, Bednar, Scott, Holland, Christoferson, Cook and Andersen, were seated on the stand and Elder Oaks spoke. His topic pretty much summed up the first lesson in Preach My Gospel, but of course spoken with that strong Apostle testimony and conviction! His talk focused on Christ, defending his divinity, and that he is the reason for our missionary work, not just to baptize people into the church. We are to invite them to come unto Christ, and then if they do that, the rest will follow. He also mentioned that we have a living prophet, making us the only true and living church on the Earth. The last thought I’ll share from him actually leads into Sis. Elaine S. Dalton’s (General YW Pres.) talk from last night. Elder Oaks reminded us that our actions from our pre-Earth life influence our present lives.

Sister Dalton said that we defended the Plan in the pre-mortal life because of our “exceeding faith” as mentioned in Alma 13:3. She spoke highly of us missionaries because she knows we were held back for this time and now we have to press forward with the same faith we had before this life. “Pressing” forward implies opposition because Satan too, knows what we are preparing to do. She admonished us to have confidence in ourself and confidence in Christ. Confidence, she taught, is derived from 2 Latin words. Con (with) and fideo (faith). Faith is a power, and therefore requires action. Sis. Dalton told us how Joseph Smith first prayed to Heavenly Father to know which church to join, not which church was true. That shows that he was ready to ask on his faith.

Another great spiritual experience was last Saturday when Bro. Petty, a Hungarian teacher here, substituted for the night. He taught Sis. Aitken and I the importance of listening to investigators in order to build trust and allowing the Spirit to guide the lesson. To learn this, he made us act as if we were investigators and he came to teach the first lesson. He shared many of his own personal experiences which helped us to know and trust him. When he asked us questions, he was patient even when I took a long time to put together my answer or question. He taught so fluidly with the Holy Ghost and my heart was so touched. I just hope that I can learn to do the same so those I teach can feel that goodness in their heart. I’m learning so much about myself and what God sees in me. My Patriarchal Blessing does not mention a mission specifically, but it does say that I was born to touch people’s lives and hearts and help them become more righteous and that I will especially help those who lack the knowledge and understanding of our Heavenly Father’s Plan. It also says I’ll be blessed with an excellent knowledge of the scriptures, which I’m working on now. I just need to remember that these blessings are conditional upon my faithfulness!

Well, that’s just about all I have to report on for now! This is a random observation, but Utah folk sure do love their Café Rio. I swear I hear about it at least once a day, ha ha ha! Did you watch Toy Story 3 yet? If not, you should. The first 70 minutes were fun, fun, fun.

Stacey. Shauna. You know you’re my research team, right? I need you to check my Facebook to see where Rebecca Crowe got her mission call to and when she’s coming to the MTC. A quick update on Morgan Palmer’s blog would be nice too. I’m just a curious one, aren’t I?

It’s so nice to know you’re all doing so well! It’s a little cloudy up in Provo and I wish I could send a little better weather your way! Have a super Independence Day! I’m excited to hear about it. Y’all are easily the bestest family IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!

Love ya oodles ‘n oodles,

Courtney

P.S. Skirts w/ pockets are so fab. Just sayin’

Email: News From Home - June 30, 2010

From: Courtney Smith
Subject: Re: News from home
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 1:12 PM

Howdy howdy!

Sorry I forgot the phone code! I didn't really know how to take it off. The shoes are great! Who made the cookies? Very delicious! Sis. Aitken wants the recipe I didn't talk to Dallin Larson yet, but I did manage to see him at breakfast when we went a little earlier than our time this morning. I forgot he was going to Armenia! They're just on the opposite side of our floor where our classroom is at so I'll have to peek in sometime! Same with the Lithuanians too! Suzanne Tutt is going to Rome, Italy (I think!) Yesterday night, she came up to bear her testimony to me in Italian. So fun!

Both of my instructors did serve in Estonia. Brother Andre has only been back for a year, and Brother Conway has been home for about 3 now I think. Brother Conway looks kinda older than he really is though. He said that he lost some of his hair from learning Estonian, ha ha ha! He keeps reminding us that we'll never speak as poorly as he did. He must have been REALLY bad. As far as pictures, I'm trying to take some, but I need to remember to bust out my camera more than just on Sundays when we go walk to the temple. Too bad it's closed for the next few weeks, but I just found out that our district is supposed to help clean it on July 14th. That should be great I think I can order prints of some pictures if you think I should mail some home sometime. I'm just using the 2GB card that came with the camera and it only holds 300 or so, so maybe I can mail it back before I'm done with the MTC. 2 months from today and I'm outta here, haha!

That's so nifty that Sis. Peterson had that DVD! I definitely read a bit about that when looking up Estonia's history. They've constantly been conquered so I need to make sure I show 'em lots of love!

This week has been quite rough on Sis. Aitken. Rather than being bothered by Estonian, she's suffering from some really bad ear infections. We started going to visit doctors on Saturday (got to go off campus to the pharmacy! WAY EXCITING, and very odd at the same time x) She hasn't been improving so we're finally going to see an ENT doc on Friday. Because of her illness, we've had to ditch a few things here and there so she can try to rest herself, which has given me some extra hours to write letters, write in my journal, and study a bit more. I want to be able to help her more, but there's not much I can do except be patient and loving. That's great you want to get fit! I need to do the same. I sometimes play sand volleyball, but I want to start using the exercise bikes when the field is closed in the early morning and we can only go to the gym. Last Friday, I tried out the Sisters-only exercise class they offer at 6am every morning. Friday's specialty is kickboxing. I've never been so grateful for Techno music in my life!

Last Friday was also a special devotional for all the new mission presidents. 8 apostles in attendance! I'll write to you about that later when I have more time. Oh and last night we heard from Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the Young Women's President. Very excellent talk which I'll tell ya more about I've met several missionaries that are going to serve in Arizona soon. It makes my heart soar every time I meet a new one. Best time of the year to go too! (NOT) Provo is getting a little hotter. How hot does it get here? Ma ei tea (I don't know). Enjoy some fireworks this weekend! We might be able to catch a little of BYU's show from our dorm window!

Hugs and kisses!

Courtney

Letter - June 28, 2010

6-28-10

Dear Mother,

The Kensington Laurel class had a lesson on writing missionary letters recently, so to my surprise, I received 3 mini-letters last Thursday. Not all of them included their own addresses. Would you please forward these notes onto them? I thought it was sweet of them to write such nice notes that I took the time to reply, especially since I found myself with some extra free time these last few days. I also wrote a thank-you to Bishop Andrews which I’m mailing separately(found his address on his stationary :) What a pleasant surprise that was! That copy Jesus the Christ is much smaller than the versions I’ve seen around here!

Thanks for the package of goodies! I still have some cookies left and they are oh so scrumptious . I feel so loved and blessed every single day.

Love always,

Courtney

PS Dr. Pepper does exist here, but in caffeine free form, of course.

Letter - June 23, 2010

6-23-10

Dear Family,

I’m quite saddened I wasn’t able to answer all of your questions! I know you were wondering about my schedule. First of all, I’m in residence hall 17M, the LeGrand Richards building. I believe most of the sister missionaries reside there and we have to use little blue access cards to get in. Now that we’re on our 2nd week, we finally have a regular schedule. It’s tweaked a little bit everyday, but it’s usually wake up at 6:30, personal study at 7, breakfast at 8, companionship study at 8:30ish, the class at 9:30 until maybe 1 when we have lunch. Then usually more class for 3 – 4 hours, maybe a little Missionary Directed Time, daily planning sessions at 9:00 and after that, then it’s time to get ready for bed. 10:15 is quiet time and then 10:30 is lights out. I usually only have time to write in my journal during quiet time and I almost never finish what I intended to write. Perhaps I should carry my journal to class when I have person study or MDT. By the way, just about everything at the MTC is shortened to initials. Rather funny I think, but whatever. : )

Honestly, our schedules change a little bit everyday, but I’ll have the same weekly schedule for the next 8 or so weeks. Gym periods for us are usually first thing in the morning or in the evenings. Because of Daylight Savings, having it be 9 and still seeing sunlight kinda throws me off. Last week, 2 days after I arrived, I received a package from Heather and Cherish full of smooshed candy but it tasted like love. I was so surprised to get something so soon!

And yesterday, I got a card from Grandma and Carol that sang “I Say a Little Prayer For You!” when opened. That definitely made my day! For some reason, that song always makes me giggle! I thought it was an epic card. : )

Did the girls set up a blog or are you just forwarding e-mails? Or both…? You know, e-ail time should be the most enjoyable time of my week, but it’s actually the most stressful! As soon as you log on, the 30 minutes starts ticking down. Not cool. I think I only had enough time to skim through your 3 e-mails you sent me, reply to 2 and only have a minute to spare! Not to mention the particular keyboards we were using were retarded. : P The enter key didn’t work and the period key always put 2 periods instead of 1. We’ll try some others next week. I hope in the mission field, I’ll have more adequate time to reflect and write to you. Snail mail in Estonia takes several days. :\

Oh yes! Estonian Studies! I think they’re going great so far. My companion keeps saying she’s terrible at it, but we’ve only been learning this language for a week. Brother Andre is being an EFY Counselor this week so it’s just us and Brother Conway, but that’s okay. Brother Conway is already my favorite! He makes learning fun plus he’s mastered the ability to invite the Holy Ghost and testify with conviction. I hope to learn a lot from him. Apparently we’re learning much faster than our Finnish roommates did. They are all so much fun, thankfully. My companion, Sister Aitken and I have, have already learned how to testify and pray simply and we started to learn how to contact in Estonian yesterday. It’s a bit shaky since we still have to use notes, but knowing how to do all that within a week is oh so exciting! Väga põnev! (Very exciting) Now I’m just wondering how long it’ll be until I start complaining about it, hahaha! We shall see!

I hear so much Spanish spoken around here, and most of the time, it’s just terrible. The other day, I joined some sisters walking around the field who were only speaking in Spanish since one was leaving to the field in a few days. I explain, in Spanish, that it was ok since I studied some. Sadly, I think I spoke better, more confidently, and actually tried speaking with an accent. Most of the missionaries don’t try hard enough, but oh well. It’s not for me to judge. I guess I’m just spoiled with a couple of years of study and coming from AZ with tons of Spanish-speakers. :P It’s kinda fun getting some of that practice here anyway.

I’m surprised I’ve seen all the people I knew would be hear. Leslie Jordan, Suzanne Tutt, and Dallin Stone. It’ll be fun to see Brian and Chaz over the next few months. The food here is ok, but certainly can’t come close to Mama’s. My taste bugs have been spoiled, ha ha! The salads are actually pretty good, and if nothing else seems appealing, there’s always cereal. I think the menu rotates every 2-3 weeks so I wonder if I’ll have it memorized by the end. I want to go to Estonia right away now. Brother Conway and one of the Latvian teachers keep talking about how awesome pretty much all the dairy products are from sour cream to ice cream. YAY.

I do apologize that you have to read so much of my handwriting. It kinda hurts my eyes to look back at it all. (my eyes: @_@ ) This letter is extra long since we have several extra hours this P-Day since the Provo Temple is closed for cleaning for 3-4 weeks. It’s a little bittersweet, but I’ll have time to get acquainted with it! Somehow, I got a stuffy nose over the last few days, but I think I’m getting over it no. And no, it’s not from crying. : ) I do miss you all terribly, but I can’t get myself to cry. At least not yet. : ) However, Sister Aitken, Brother Conway and I had a flat-out bawl fest on Saturday night. My companion already had frustrations over the language and so Brother Conway switched to the Preach My Gospel part of class and eventually started testifying about the great work we are going to do for the people and the land that he loved. By the end, we were all bawling and in hysterics, laughing for how ridiculous we must look. A very tender moment. :D I’m in for the LONG HAUL here at the MTC, so I’ll need those little fun moments to keep me going. They do say time starts to go faster after the first week. Let’s hope so! I’m a wee bit envious of English-speaking missionaries since they’re only here for 3 weeks. But they don’t get to learn Estonian like me! Then again, I’m learning Estonian…a supposedly difficult language…Well, time will tell! Hahaha!

Every day, I learn how to be a better teacher and exemplar of Christ. Inviting the Spirit to teach in our lessons is vital. We’ve already done a few practice lessons and evaluate ourselves afterward. I need to remember to use more scriptures and personal experiences when I teach. Because Sister Aitken had struggled a little with her faith in the past, I think her stories of doubt and how she overcame them leaves an impression on the hearts of our investigators, even if it’s just mock situations. We’re trying our best to treat them like real life investigators, and we’ve made some goals to improve on that. Being at the MTC has definitely taught me a think or two about schedules and planning! It makes me a little sad knowing just about every minute of my day is scheduled out, but then I don’t have to wonder what’s next. Having only 30 minutes in the morning to wake up and get ready is still rather short. :\ I’m sure I’ll have the kinks worked out by the end of all this.

Well, I think that’s all I have to report on right now. My brain seems to get a little fuzzy after lunchtime here. Time for me to leave some personal notes for ya’ll and then I’ll write to you next week after I see some General Authorities! (Technically I’ve seen a Seventy member last night and former RS president Bonnie D. Parker J ) Thanks for the prayers. I’m sure I’ve seen the blessings every day. : )

Love always,

Courtney

Email: 1 week already - June 23, 2010

From: Courtney Smith
Subject: Re: 1 week already
Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 9:22 AM

Holy cow Mom!! We're on the compy at the same time!!!!! Oh, and Happy Belated Father's Day to Dad! I feel so so so bad for forgetting to mail a card! That's terrible about the forest fires :( I never realized how beautiful Provo is. The mountains are just right there and so great to look at whenever I'm outside or need to stare out the window for a bit to remind myself I'm not in prison. Ha ha, I kid, but sometimes it feels like I'm stuck inside too much. Gym time happens 5 days a week for about 50 minutes or so. Sometimes we do intense ab workouts that our Finland-bound roomates taught us or go outside to the field to enjoy the weather while it's fabulous. I'm really glad to have my roomates and companion. The Finns are hilarious and bring me smiles and laughter every day and I'm excited to have Sister Aitken as my companion. She's from North Ogden, Utah, but she's not quite the typical missionary material, which is a good thing.. She has great personal experiences that enhance our teaching scenarios. I'm running out of time so I have to speed this up!!! 30 minutes a week is WAY too short :'( My last day at the MTC is August 30th and the last day of the mission is December 11th. DearElder.com is a easy way to send me mail. You should try it sometime! Big news this week is that new mission presidents are coming in for training this week, that means there should be General Authorities about! I'll tell you about it next week.. The computer is about to kick me off, so love ya oodles!

By the way, random stuff that popped into my head: Did you ever get Tilly ear cleaner stuff and some chew bones to get the plaque off her teeth? Could Stacey or Shauna check my FB to see where my pal Rebecca Crowe got called to? Did amazon refund my camera?

Courtney's First Email 6-16-10

From: Courtney Smith
Subject: Tere from the MTC!
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 7:33 PM

Hi family! I only have a brief moment to type this e-mail. The branch presidency just wanted to make sure we write home real quick on the first day just to let you know we're ok. I got here just fine. It's been such a busy day, I can't wait to finally get back to my residency hall and go to sleep. Been looking forward to that all day long, ha ha I hope everyone is doing all right and that you did something fun to cheer you up. I only get 30 minutes for e-mail time, just so you know :)

Love y'all oodles~

Courtney