Hair Ties are not Disposable?

Hola! ...? This salutation dedicated to my Peruvian cousin, Derick! Welcome home soon!

I am so thankful for a wonderful family! We are practicing with "progressing investigators"(that means teachers who act as if they are real investigators with histories pulled from their real life experiences of people they taught). Two of them didn't have a family group growing up, they were raised in a communal environment without parental figures. I am thankful for the foundation of Love, kindness, charity, morality, responsibility and hard work that I learned from you, Mom, Dad, Aidan and Ian.

Bwahhha! I loved Aidan and Dad's email today. I only wish I could read them over right now... 'cause we're not allowed to go to the temple when we're sick, so we don't cough on people, so we're holed up in our room. Good thing we're BOTH sick, or this would be even more boring! Other missionaries here are calling the weather bi-polar--beautiful, then freezing, then hot--we never know what to expect!!! I hope it's nice for women's conference for Mom!

I need a packet of hair ties sent to me while you are here, Mom. You know the ones I usually get, brown, blue, white, black and another box of Corn Chex. I want to take a box of Chex to China. You will probably be amazed at how much stuff I just sent home to Brian (Sorry, I couldn't remember Ian's telephone number--it's saved on my cell phone!) I drop the box off and someone calls him and he picks it up somewhere in Orem and it's all free! What a blessing for a plentiful packing person like myself! (nice alliteration). I've decided to purchase whatever extra I need in Hong Kong.

I appreciate the General Conference talk, but I actually get to access LDS.org -- so it was so funny--I had just printed Elder Oak's talk when you, (Mom) dear eldered it to me!

Tell Ian that if it is his white mission handbook that he is waiting for, the WAIT is over! It's in the box and he should go over and get it and dig through it and get the handbook and get his interview! I heard that he is waiting for his new bishop next week. Transition time at BYU at semester end is chaotic for everyone!!

Thanks for the letters and the updates, except for Derick's welcome home date. I WILL MISS his little face. Sorry for such a pathetic letter, but... I got nothin'.

Oh yeah, I'm sick! Sister Farr's mom sent me GF Brownies this week! She is so nice. Mom, you could meet her at Women's conference since you will be working in the humanitarian aid booth.

I am so ready to be out doing the work. I know there is a plan and purpose for all things, but that assurance doesn't help with the impatience. I'm counting down the days to Hong Kong and I love each and every one of you who are such a strong family support.

Do, please, have a Special and Happy Easter thinking of our Savior and His Love,

My Love, love, love, Sister Dia

Lizards and Baby Dolls

Dear Family,

I just thought I'd drop you a quick line to show you that the stickers you sent are being well used. So well in fact that I am just about out.

See postcard front-------------------------->

It seems that the MTC is the official sounding board for the General Authorities speeches for conference--Elder Kearon, Sister Dibb and someone else whose name escapes me momentarily, all come first to the MTC to practice talks on us. No kidding! We can't decide if we should be flattered or not. We're an easy crowd.

So y'know Tin Guy, our frog finger puppet? We love him so much that our teacher bought us a panda finger puppet to practice our language skills--if you are wondering, YES! We've been here too long.

Please pray for me to have more success with the language and more patience and love for my companions. I am too often too selfish and thoughtless.

Thank you, thank you, and tell the ward thank you for all the cards and prayers and letters! I love them!!!

Love, Dia, Sister Bai

P.S. One of our new Elders going to Kong Kong is a 22 yr old Marine. He just got back from his tour in Afghanistan. He is profoundly spiritual and he has great stories of faith.

Goin' Coconuts

Dear Aidan,

You are Awesome and I love your face.

I will tell you a story: Today, whilst doing laundry, Sister Farr and I met some Tongans. Sister Farr let it slip that her mom had sent her a COCONUT last week in a package (with a mini-hammer, no joke). Said Tongans got super excited and since Sister Farr and I had little motivation ourselves to conquer a coconut, we went and got it.

The Tongans broke it open with their bare hands! (On the floor in the laundry room.) It was terrifyingly awesome. All island craziness broke loose. Coconut juice flew everywhere and everyone started singing "Cabin Fever" from the Muppets Treasure Island and dancing around.

Wait, no that was a dream I had... Anyway, he so didn't need our puny hammer and everyone there got to eat coconut!

Yet, sad story:

It made the all the Polynesians homesick.

Love, your best sister on the planet, Dia

P.S. (Three Chinese characters that we have no hope of duplicating here.)

Aidan chooses to believe that it means:

"You, wonderful little brother, are keeping the parents from freaking out without me. Thanks, I owe you big time."

Religion in the Restrooms

(from early letters transcribed later)

Dear Family,

In the MTC, the potty is the only private place one can go to be completely and totally alone. The rest of the time I am companioned (and quite nicely I assure you). Yet, there are times when a conversation alone with the Lord happens in the restroom--which is why it is a room of rest.

FromThe Gift of Prayer by Richard G. Scott: Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer

Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father. Actually, because He knows how desperately we need His guidance, He commands, 'Thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.' D&C 19:28

It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer."

Everything in the sister's residence hall, by law, (I'm still looking for it in the white handbook,) is sparkly cute, clean, efficient and adorable. The signs in the bathroom that tell you to pick up your stuff are dye-cuts from patterned paper, the cleaning check sheets are filled out in pink gel pen, the vacuums are named Shirley, Sandy, Susan and Yolanda. No kidding, there are names taped to the back of the vacuums--probably so you can know which to avoid when she spits up laahp-saahp (trash) all over your floor!

Poor segue Mom, but tell your temple teacher, Luke 24:49. At the temple yesterday, the Provo Temple President says it's all about the temple! And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

While I am executing bad segues, we also have Ugandan Elders, (we call them huge, because they are at least 6'3" and over 250 lbs for sure,) who are leaving next week. We are terrified of them, even though they are really nice. We tread lightly through their district hall.

Anyway, anyway, back to the topic of prayer. I am learning like Abraham Lincoln, who was driven to his knees by his overwhelming conviction that he had nowhere else to go, that man's desperation teaches him (in my case her) humility for the Lord.

And I am convinced that the MTC keeps their restroom floors pristine clean for just this reason.

Crazy Scripture Talk

(old letters transcribed from early in the mission)

Dear Family,

More about branches, zones, districts--all words that confuse and confound me.

My branch President is Pres. Miller, and from large to small, I am in the MTC, Second District, 5th Branch, D Zone. Our district right now has fourteen missionaries and including branch presidency and wives, makes it twenty.

Anyway, President Miller is a wonderful man. He is quiet,very kind, very understanding and an excellent, humble leader.

(This is not a photo of my mission president, but Elder Gines' in Peru.)

Our mission president explains and aids us in rules, especially helping us understand the reasons behind the rules. He is always very concerned for our welfare and grateful for our presence here.

There are two Oklahoma Elders in our Branch, Elder Smith is from Moore OK and is going to Manchester England, and a convert of only 1 1/2 years (YAY Boomer Sooner) and Elder Beams going to Uganda. (Not a Boomer Sooner! -- but as no sport nut, I can't remember what the alternative would be.)

The mind cannot absorb what the seat cannot endure--old MTC proverb.

While thinking of people here who are rapidly becoming my friends... (good segue or what?) I am reminded of my best friends. And included in those near and dear to me are my scriptures. Why are my scriptures my best friend? Filled with my notes, they act as half diary, half history and serve as a tangible reminder of my on-going, ever-improving relationship with God. My testimony is strengthened by my margin notes that detail the answers I have received from His holy writ. My scriptures act as my best friend because they do what the best of friends do: that is to remind me of the best person that I could become (and have had glimpses of in the past.)

My new mission scriptures, tiny and immaculate, look very different from my hard-worn, work-torn seminary scriptures, but once you know them deep down like true friends, they are ever the same inside.

(Dia responds to the family's query about how is she adjusting to the long haul and what she needs Mom to stop writing about to mitigate the potential homesickness.)

Okay, the thing that makes me most crazy is when you write about food you've been making! It's like dangling a cheese enchilada right in front of my nose! I WANT IT! I mean, they make great food here for celiacs and you'll never hear me complaining, but it's NOT Mom's!!!

Thanks for all the great details on the new baby, (that family has now named two children after me, Lia and Eliza--Yup, they love me,) I love hearing about the camping, all the conversations with Brian, Ian, Matt, Aidan. I love all the updates.

Ian can totally bring his musical thing--Karina, Hannukah... whatever that flute-y thing is (ocarina) to the MTC! Some kid has a harmonica that he plays at night--that kinda makes it feel like we're in jail, though.

I am blessed to be here representing both the family and God. I know you will be pleased if I "honor" the family name, but I also know you'll be even more proud if the people I am working with will forget the name "Darcey," yet always remember Christ and his love for them.

Love, Sister Dia Darcey

Italian Language Lessons

Me familia,

I'm sitting at a picnic table outside listening to Italiano discussions while I write. I am so glad the tape, pictures and memory card arrived. Did Dad's letter and Aidan's postcard get there too? I can no longer remember what I send, and when. Could you please date your letters, so it's a little easier to know the time frame with which I'm dealing? I'm so separate here that it's hard to remember things are happening outside.

I'm working on being more positive in my emails--thirty minutes is not enough time to present, discuss, and resolve angst! I'm stuck glossing over the difficulties and therefore left with being happy. I really don't have many issues very often: I'm usually so happy. It is nice to have a purpose in life--the one I've chosen is posted on my wall (in two languages!)

(The blog admin has tried to install this photo aligned correctly, but not possible no matter what gyrations she makes! It wants to be tilted wrong! So be it!)

Let us begin with awesome Chinese jokes. How do you ask someone to answer the door in Chinese? Say Ding Dong. How do you say masculine formal wear? Bow Taai! The second joke is actual--for real that's how you say bow tie.

Still no address from Ian: I'm seriously considering sending him a postcard via Brian to say thinks for the great packages. Also, in order to RETURN with HONOR, He has to DEPART with HASTE. Tell him to get his papers in!

Speaking of packages, Ian! Thanks! The list of enclosed items is as follows:

1. Thanks for sending my old 2009 drivers license and for finding it in the pocket of the camel bac that I took on the 2009 Cousin Trek to Southern Utah. I knew it wasn't gone--but it was hard to explain to every policemen who pulled me over that it was not gone for good, just lost.

2. Q-Tips! How did you know?

3. Tin Cup, Frog Puppet is the best!!!

4. Ginger Lemon tea/juice I have lots of packets left, but now I can share with the entire MTC!

5. Thanks for the Plan of Salvation puzzle--great teaching tool.

6. I love the missionary stickers.

7. Lotion yay! Smelly, but nice.

8. A blarney stone -- after St. Paddy's hmmm. But Sis Farr and I kissed it nonetheless. Each on the opposite side of course. Need all the luck for blarney we can get!

9. Wintergreen altoids and smelly lotion. Are you trying to tell me something?

10. Mentholatum--My friend.

Thanks everyone for writing me. I am keeping each and every note and card in reserve to read on days without mail--particularly Fridays and Saturdays which are the longest and hardest. By Saturday evening, I admit, I am beat up and frustrated with language, self, MTC, teachers, even my dear companion.

We are saved by our MTC crush. You ask, what is that? Well, when Sister Farr and I were interviewed we were asked an odd question, "Heard of MTC crushes?" We laughed, "What? like, for a 19-year old?" but Sister Farr and I are beginning to look a little more critically on Elders who pop out of the woodwork, take our trays, asking for our addresses, and want to take our pictures... Sister Farr and I are learning slowly that we should be a little less effusively friendly.

Despite our best cautions, we do have a crush. There is a guy who has stolen our hearts. Brother Tyler. He leads the sister coordination reporting meeting on Tuesdays at 9:10 and he is about 72 years old. We love his advice. His most recent: "Our father in Heaven is lively, good-natured and jovial person. How do I know, That is how I feel when I am full of His Spirit."

He also told us that when General conference was first being televised, the lights were so bright that many of the General Authorities seated in the back wore dark glasses-- which," he said, "facilitated secret naps during boring speakers."

Two fabulous mission scriptures: John 21:3 and 5 reminds me that I must work BEFORE God can direct: he can't guide my steps if I’m sitting DOWN.

Matthew 9:11-13 (Moroni 8:8) about the physician being sent to those who need a doctor.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Repentance, change, and progression hurts--like straightening a broken bone or removing infection. God loves you--right now, which is why He offers help to heal. He knows infection rages unabated if a patient is unwilling to endure the trials of lasting healing. The Savior is the perfect doctor, having suffered all the pain of every malady himself. He is our healer.

My part: God is willing to go to all and knows that every child is precious--my challenge is to see through his eyes, to see my purpose, to see his children as he sees them. I can't expect others to look past my exterior--that's why I have to shine my shoes, etc--but treating others His way helps them see the point of my message, the whole reason I'm here talking to them: God loves you as you are. Right now and He has sent me.

Enjoy conference! We will be! Love your daughter, friend, sister, cousin, Dia

Week 5: If It Gets Any Better, We May Get Twinkled!

Hello, dear family and other lovely people!

Ahhh, so much to say. Firstly, I s'pose, we had a devotional from Elder Costa on Tuesday. I almost told him I know Raquel Call (All Brazilians know each other, right?) but I got too nervous. He stood up after his wonderful wife spoke and said (picture it with a sweet accent), "As you can see, my wife seems to be absolutely perfect. I, too, used to think-ed my wife was perfect" (*laughter*) "Let me explain. Every time I travel I find notes in my luggage. My wife is very good at fitting lots of stuff in little space, so she packs my things. One notes say, I love you, one say, come home soon. She is so nice to me. One time I find a note in my shaving cream! I unfolded it, and it said, YOU ARE HANDSOME! ...now I know she is not perfect, because now I find her eyesight is not so good. I took her to the doctor and got her glasses, and she never left that note again. With her glasses, though, she IS perfect!" Teee heeee.

In other news, my hair's getting darker, my washcloth finally stopped smelling like play-dough, two SEPARATE people at gym yesterday asked if I ran cross-country or track because, "your calves are... massive! I've never seen calves like yours!" ... thanks...?, I tried to help a sister just in from China understand that she could borrow my towel but she only spoke Mandarin and my Mandarin is super rusty (not that I EVER knew how to say "borrow" or "towel" anyway) (it was kinda depressing because I realized Cantonese is... less useful than Mandarin. Unless you're in HK!!), our older district left for HK on Tuesday and we cried.

I fell asleep with my nametag on and accidently took my scriptures with me to the bathroom, Sister Farr and I were interviewed (again, but for something else) on camera for a missionary documentary, our teacher got engaged to our (pretend) investigator in the most confusing and awesome Saturday of our lives (we walked into our teaching appointment on Saturday morning, asked our investigator in Cantonese, 'how's your week been' and he responds in English, 'Great! I'm going to ask your teacher to marry me tonight! But you can't tell her!' and we went... '...WHAT?!' Then our other teacher, Brother Jackson, ran back to our room and chastised us in Cantonese for not focusing. It was pretty hilarious), Mountain of the Lord is the best movie I've ever seen and the language is awesome. Speak Your Language has been hard because I'm a little more... dedicated to it than my companions (I'm sure just because it's naturally a little easier for me... it definitely has nothing to do with my level of spirituality :P).

One Month in the MTC! Well, one month and one week, but whatever. I like thinking about what has been different. When was the LAST five weeks I spent without touching a cell phone, without wearing jeans, without driving a car or watching TV or getting on facebook or touching a male? A month of never being alone, never listening to an ipod or typing an essay, or lying on the grass or taking a nap. A month without buying groceries, without buying gas. A whole month of not cooking! A month without calling Mom, without getting one text from an athlete, without working out with Ian. A month without sleeping in! A month without opening a novel. A month without taking a bath (I DO shower), without jogging outside, without swimming, without radio and google and Cami and Ian and Dad and news and wasting time and weather reports and dating and midnights and green smoothies and Aidan and Brian and Kamas and Harold B Lee library and...

I wish I could give up more--I wish it'd been five weeks without guile. A month without anger, without apathy, without mistrust and impatience and sarcasm. I want a month free of lust and vanity. I want a month without doubt, a month without pride, without anguish, without fear. I want to spend a month without competition and frustration and judgment. I wan a month of the Spirit's constant presence, of purity and love, one shining in the light of Christ and singing in the ways of the psalmist and basking in the warmth and constancy of God's love. I want a month of consistent scripture study and personal prayer, a month of charity, gratitude, commitment and hope.

One month turns into two, two into six, six into a year and finally I will have a joyous life to live and love, to look back on in confidence in God and joy in the work He's given me.

I GOT MY PACKAGE OF JOY FROM IAN! Sister Farr and I refer to it as "Christmas." We had the best time opening everything in it. The frog puppet is our new favorite. I bonked Sister Farr on the head while she was sleeping with the blarney stone in hopes that it would make her talk LESS. (just kidding, sister farr). We went into a sentence-forming frenzy with the magnetic words when we figured out our bunk BED is magnetic! Ian writes the best letters in the world.

Mom's letter last week was also pretty wonderful, although her boring ones DO make me a little less homesick :) Sister Farr and I are turning into the same person... And I'm not even going there with Elder Smith. I love my companions!

I'm rationing the St patty's day family cards, and reading them one a day.

I love you all so much! Your prayers help so much, I know. Thank you so much! You are wonderful and I love you!

Sister Darcey

Dearest family, friends and perusers of all kinds,

I have a stalker. I mean sometimes coincidence is an OK excuse, but seriously--it's been three weeks. She's ALWAYS AROUND--every time I look over my shoulder, she's there... without fail.... I gotta figure out how to shake her...) She even sleeps in the same room...

Her name is Sister Farr and she's the bomb--together, we think we're the bomb! It's bad, we're funny... others think we're not. At times our teachers offer mercy laughs, but mostly just roll their eyes. :D Our favorite new phrase comes from the movie "The Testaments" which is a really good film-- but the romance in it is HILARIOUS.

[They let us watch church movies on Sunday nights--the ones with any kind of love story are especially hilarious--picture 1,000 girl-deprived 19-year old young men cat-calling when anyone holds hands on the screen. The scene where Emma sees Joseph for the first time in the JS movie--totally got out of control bwahahaaaa.]

We quote, "You are a specter from the gods!" (which the bad guy says in a creepy harsh murmur) every time someone does something expecially awesome. I'm beginning to see why the 12-week missionaries get a little bit wacky by the time they leave this place...

I had my very first up close and personal contact with a urinal this week. YAH! Don't ask. Every Tuesday morning we get janitorial jobs as a service activity--and you all know how much I love cleaning. Truly, it is my next favorite activity after scripture reading. (NO JOKE, NO SARCASM!) Cleaning bathrooms is actually a great break from the class-gym-eat-class-eat-class-sleep daily grind (I know, GLAD to clean toilets even URINALS? Class must be pretty bad :).

Often we forget which meal is which and have to check watches to see if we're eating lunch or dinner. Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are our favorite because Sundays and Tuesdays we have devotionals/firesides from wonderful speakers with wonderful music and Wednesdays are P-day. Friday is the hardest day--a LONG day, with no breaks, and usually with no mail (Dear Elders don't come over the weekend, so we get about 100 on Monday night and 0 Tuesday-Sunday) (If anyone wants to send me a little note on DearElder on Fridays especially, it would be so appreciated).

Sometimes we also receive a rude awakening as to how old the Elders are. They seem about our same age until we realize they graduated in 2010... or when they make some genius comment like, "Wouldn't it be cool to be able to fart on demand?!" Yeah. Then I feel about 80 years old and start looking around for my arthritis medication.

We sing Called to Serve quite a bit. I'm beginning to think it's one of the only songs the organist knows or something...

I should stop since Cantonese doesn't have a tone for sarcasm. Bwahahaaa.

ANYWAY!

I really do love it here. I love gym time (when I feel like a real person, as opposed to an accessory to a desk), I love singing in and learning Cantonese, I love studying the scriptures, I love God's love that I feel here for others, I love the spirit of msisionary work that helps me be more humble and teachable.

The only time I've felt homesick so far was when I thought about Grandma Bezzant--please let her know I miss visiting with her and love her so much and I need her address. At times I do feel a little dumb being here dealing with 19-year old boys instead of hanging out with a 24-year old man at home, but it IS worth it and usually is just FUN :)

Speaking of Brian, seriously use his resources for Aidan's Mandarin training!! He's not busy at all now since he's only a part-time student (just KIDDING, Brian). Being at the MTC has helped me realize what a GREAT Chinese teacher he is--he used lots of the same techniques as my teachers use now (all chinese all the time, using gestures and other chinese words to help us guess meaning). Get him to Skype and explain some of the enigmas of Chinese-- like no plurals, no conjugation, STPVO etc (all the same as Cantonese). Oh, and invite him to the St. Patrick's Day party!!

I'll miss you family so much and I wish I were visiting the slot canyons next week.

The best part about being here is becoming more aware of the every day MIRACLES! I experienced the most beautiful miracle yesterday--feeling the Spirit while speaking Cantonese. Our teacher challenged us to speak ONLY Chinese AS FAST AS WE COULD for 10 minutes straight. The point was to realize how many sentences we could make with what we thought was pretty limited vocabulary. Surprise, we COULD say much more than we thought we could--and I experienced a beautiful tender mercy. As I was working to put together a sentence I realized how much I believed what I was saying--how fervently I believed it, how desperately I wanted to share my testimony of God's love and the fullness of His gospel with others. I said, "When I pray, I know God loves me and my family, and that we can be together forever even after we die."

I was practicing with Sister Farr--and at "even after we die" we both started bawling. Our teacher thought we were crazy, I'm sure, but it truly was a miracle, a tender mercy that gave me a strong feeling of affirmation. God loves us and is helping me learn!

"The cavity carved out by your sorrow will become the receptacle for your joy."

2 Sam 22 And he said, The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer.

Why A Mission?

Bishop Richard C. Edgley of the Presiding Bishopric

"I don't care what your background is, you are a missionary and the mantle rests upon you. You are only the receptacle for the Spirit, you are not alone. Each of you is going to the second best mission in the church and you'll have the second best mission president, (the first was mine.) "

The presiding bishopric build the buildings of the church -- actually we go to the meetings and others build them. Pres Hickley was in Manhattan, and it was very expensive to buy land there. I told him when I served there on my mission we didn't have even one baptism in 15 months. Pres. Hinckley responded, "Well, now we have better missionaries."

Meeting at the MTC is Bishop Edgley's his favorite meeting (and he goes to a LOT!) He was once asked by an African delegate: How do you get your people to serve missions?" The delegate needed more volunteers to help with the AIDS epidemic.

He answered, "They are converted and are compelled to serve by a power greater than mine."

From a Mother's email letter to a mission president: "I have a very important request."

She had a son who was at college on a football scholarship. After the first semester, he called and said "I'm joining the Mormon Church! She said "You get home now! He went home, he insisted and she disowned him.

The next message was "Mother I'm going on a mission for the Mormon Church!" "No, you aren't, this family doesn't send Mormon Missionaries!"

Shortly thereafter two missionaries tracted to her house (as they do on occasion) and she asked them, "What are you doing in this city? Why are you here?"

They responded, "Ma'am, that's exactly what we wanted to talk to you about." They gave her the mission president's number at the MTC. She asked him, "How are you brainwashing these people?"

He responded, "Let me get someone to help you." She was asked to come to the MTC in her city where she talked to missionaries, they took her into a class, and took her to the huge lunchroom. At the end of the experience, she again emailed the Mission President and said,

"So, this is my request. In two hours, my son will get off the plane and come into your mission, when he does, please wrap your arms around him and tell him it's from his mother and she is so sorry."

"I promise if you share your experiences with your family, you will go him and see a change, even--no especially--if they don't understand why you are doing this now."

Feeling a little like Frodo

March 2, 2011

Dearest Wonderful Family and Friends,

Thanks for all the letters, notes, boxes and pick-me-ups. It does make me feel picked up!

Please tell Ian to hurry up with his mission papers-my entire zone can't wait to hear where my huge, genius, skinny, GF, martial master brother is going!! Ian, that had to be the funniest letter I've received yet and we all read and laughed together. So awesome. I especially liked the poem from Star Wars and the HILARIOUS puns. Tell Aidan thank you for his awesome part of the dear elder letter--I am so glad he's praying for me and the language! I'll pray for him and the language. It's great to be learning Chinese together. Tell him that the first aquarium is NOT in Moses--check out the second half of the BOM for the answer. He will have to wait until next week’s email if he needs more help. Tell Steven Mitchell congrats on his baptism!! I'm so excited for him and I thought about him all that day and night.

This is a interesting place. I've never laughed so hard or so often in my life--not always in joy, but sometimes in disbelief (Two thousand 19-year olds running around is like a constant circus). The MTC experience is inimitably awesome, more so than anything I've ever experienced--this week I made friends with President Brown, played piano for Sacrament and then accompanied a hard musical piece with zero practice (miracle!), got called as branch music coordinator (how unfortunate for them that they thought I was good at piano... I TOLD them it was a miracle, but no luck), learned more Cantonese, listened to Bishop Richard C. Edgley and Stephen B. Allen (chair of the Mission Board and a hilarious man), studied scriptures for about ten hours, taught a shoe-shining seminar, contacted in the lunch line, sang in choir, ate great GF food and BYU ice cream, ran a mile in 9:48 (don't laugh), taught 5 lessons and 7 investigators, cried a little, indexed notes, marked scriptures to my little heart's content, oh, and testified that God loves His children (Sahn ngoi keuih ge jing leiuh) to everyone who would listen. I also experienced the beautiful miracle of reading 2 Ne. 31:20 in Cantonese.

Eight sisters left our branch this week. Our room is now empty of the 8-foot-tall, gorgeous Sister Pitts (a ballerina for Utah Regional Ballet and known as our beloved "snoring sister"), Sister Wilcox who had the deepest, cutest dimples I've ever seen, hilarious Sister Hanney and Sister Stacey who alternately loved and loathed one another--it's just Sister Farr and me. We woke up one morning to empty beds... and dried our tears quickly as we realized that we had about 3x as much room to get ready for the day in :) bwahahaa! (dang participle)

Yesterday I was considering moving to the other side of the uppermost bunk (where my head was on the other side) so I could use the top of the wardrobe next to the top bunk as a shelf, . The only minus is there's no fall-out-bar on that side of the bed. Sister Farr replied, "If you fall off and die, I WILL KILL YOU. I can't learn Cantonese by myself!!"

At times, this great adventure feels akin to Frodo and Sam's parts in LOTR. Aragorn and Gandalf are actively battling the forces of evil---they can see the foe, yea look it in the eye while they battle the hordes of black and blood before them. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam fight a much subtler battle. Slowly, inexorably, the faces of loves ones and friends fade as day after day they swallow lembas, trudge over gray rocks, walk, eat, rest, walk, go to the gym, service, study, study, study, learn and all for what? To accomplish a work that is so much beyond--even their own imaginings. No faces plead with them to stay the course and an unwieldy burden drags their every footstep.

Why continue? What is the point of all the discomfort and effort and weariness and work? No city is saved at the end of the day, no grateful praise sounds at the end of their quiet battle, nothing urges them onward, but faith.

Faith. That's why I persevere, faith that obedience and hard work will teach me humility and grant me the ability to see the Lord’s Spirit convert others to His Truth. And when I am finished, the shire awaits and in the end, the world is better

The MTC from scripture

When Dia heard about the KSL article on the MTC, she sent this scripture of what the missionaries do there: Alma 17: 9-17

9And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren... to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

10And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.

11And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

12And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah [and daughter of David], and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth to declare unto them the word of God.

13And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.

6Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah [and the daughter of David] had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption.

17Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and power of God which was given unto him.