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 5th! 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’
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