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1/31/2012

Week One At The MTC


Dearest Family,

Ah, I have so much to tell you and only 28 minutes to do it in.   First off I got the towel, bed sheets, immunization records and all the wonderful letters.   Thank you very much.   The MTC has been great.   So much has happened in just a short week and I hope I can fill you in with as many details in the time that permits.  Oh and mom they gave me an "MTC" card, it's what we use to get in and out of every building and there is 8 dollars that they give us every Wednesday night.  We use it for meal and other things.   As far as shots, they haven't charged me for anything or given me shot at all.   At some point today I am going to go to the office and check on what I need to do.

So Day 1:
As they hoisted me away from the curb, the Elders brought me to 17M aka “my new home.”   Sister Kent who is a coordinating sister met me and she helped bring all my stuff to my room (333) and showed me the ropes-ish.   She is going to be serving in Korea and she is super helpful and so nice.   They brought me to the room where we dropped off Travis 5 years ago and gave me my badge, :-) took a picture and gave me my MTC card.   I re-met Sister Kent, after which we went to 2M aka the bookstore and got ... well books.   They weren't kidding--they really do give you 20 pounds of books.   The Elder in front of me was going to a English speaking mission and he got 2 or 3 books and then when they asked me where I was going, the response "Oh Thailand!”  (*Proceed to lift a HUGE blue bag with a multiplicity of books!!) My eyes were probably the size of gumballs.   I hope I have time to send you some of those pictures.   She dropped me off at my classroom in 18M where I met my teacher, Brother McKonkie and basically just threw us into the language.   It wasn't too hard to understand since before I left for the mission I had some people teach me Thai, etc.   Oh and my companions are Sister Rodriguez and Sister Stolworthy.   They are they best!  We have so much in common, we laugh a lot but we also work hard AND we all have a goal to be prompt.   We wake up at 6:20 a.m. and we are early to every meeting/class by 5 minutes.  So the first day wasn't too bad like everyone said.  In the evening, I felt really appreciated as a sister missionary because we met with our zone leaders as a group.   Basically, at every meal they take our trays and are very considerate about opening doors.  The zone leaders just gave a little speal (sp?) about how sister missionaries are awesome for choosing to serve a mission.   Oh yeah and earlier in the day, we watch “the district” videos.  In that moment, because everything was such a whirlwind, I truly felt that this is where I am suppose to be: serving a full-time mission.  It was just this amazing confirmation from the spirit and I was so grateful!

Day 2 was probably longer for me.   As I mentioned previously, I woke up with a sore neck as a result from sleeping wrong.   Definitely put a damper on my day but still doing great and was happy all day.   Class was fantastic learning how to bear our testimonies in Thai.   Then more technical things like getting shots so on and so forth.   We had a workshop on studying our purpose as missionaries and guess who was the teacher?   (Dad probably know him) Brother Steinagel from our stake.  It was nice to see a familiar face.   As a side note, for all those friends who said I know everyone while walking on campus or things like that.... I will humbly accept that now.  I never thought I would know so many people here at the MTC.  It makes me feel comfortable here.   Well I think the Lord has much more for me to learn here at the MTC other than Thai.  In the evening, we met with our branch presidency and their wives and got to know each other.   Then we did personal interviews.   The branch president called me twice; I thought I was in for it because I wasn't wearing stockings.   Well it turns out he wants me to serve as a coordinating sister for our zone.   I was touch that he would extend the calling to me because I think my companions are great and far more qualified than I am.    This week I've been trying to really find ways to serve in my calling the most effectively while also balancing study responsibilities but in my personal study the Lord is always sending me little tender mercies reminding me that He will help me if I ask.   I read 2 Nephi 32:3 yesterday and just absolutely needed that because it was a hard day.   For the rest of the night we took a tour of the MTC, which was interesting because while I was taking it, I was also giving it as I was recently called as coordinating sister.

Day 3 and 4
(I'm running out of time) but lots of class time and teaching our investigator Sister Soy.   She is amazing and her Thai is beautiful.   She just has a soft voice and really listens with her heart.  I'm picking up the language and it's amazing what you can do with the spirit.  I am loving it!!  My district and district D ask me all sorts of questions cause from learning Chinese, I find it easier to learn how to learn a new language. Sometimes I just tell them, I honestly don't know.   At other times I want to answer in Chinese because we are on the same floor as all the other Asian languages and other Elders will pop in sometimes to say hello.  Anyways, we did some service on Saturday.  

Day 5: In one word: MEETINGS!!  With this new calling, I had a total of 4 1/2 hours of meetings on Sunday minus Sacrament and Relief Society.   It was rewarding because there's so much spiritual power from our leaders.  A talk was given my Brother Stephens at the Sunday fireside and he talked about companionships.   (They stress it A LOT here at the MTC).  He said, God knows me and God knows my companion so there is a reason why we were put together.   I believe that because the more I spend with my sisters they more we find out how much we have in common.

Well P-day was P-day not much to report other than getting things ready and an awesome temple trip.   I want to send you some pictures so I will talk to you next week.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE you all and thank you for your support.  You are the best and I know I am blessed to have you

Love,
Sister Yeo

p.s. I sent a letter to the squirt I hope she gets it soon and mom its funny typing your email address cause I think ... hey that’s me too!

For the blog ... sorry to friends I didn't get a chance to write back (yet) the MTC is busy and I don't have many addresses.  But still love you all.

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Well just kidding about the pictures, it won't upload so I'll try to print some or ask my zone leaders how to use the desktop function here. 

Love you all!
Sister Yeo :)

1/25/2012

MTC Drop-off Day

Okay, after all the tears have dried and the emotions are under control (somewhat), here's what transpired today.

We went to the Olive Gardens for lunch.  This has become a tradition of sorts, with Travis just before he entered the MTC 5 years ago, and now Traci.  She had a baked Ziti but couldn't finish it because she was feeling a little "ancy" about going in to the MTC.

We got done and had some time before she needed to report in at 1:20 p.m. so we drove to the Provo Temple to snap some pixs.   There were many others who thought and did the same thing.  When the time came, Traci drove (with the rest of us as passengers) to the MTC.  We got a little "kick" out of it at the gates.  I'll see if I can get the video uploaded soon.  This new format of dropping missionaries off at curb-side is different but efficient.  There were a whole bunch of Elders who were "hosts" for the day that greeted her at curb-side.  They welcomed her, helped with her luggage, gave us a moment for goodbyes, and then hoisted her away.

We were able to get a couple of pictures taken.  Then, after some final hugs, she's off with them.  What a bitter-sweet feeling!  Knowing that she's off doing what the Lord wants her to do and yet not being able to see her for the next 18 months.  I'm sure many of you who are her friends might feel the same way.

BTW, thanks to all for coming to her "farewell" and/or then, over to our house.  She had a wonderful time!  I hope you did too.  I'm waiting for her to send pictures from her camera and will upload them when I get them.

Set Apart

My dad said I could write about my experience last night.   Now that I am officially a missionary I keep asking my family "am I allowed to do that?"  I guess as my last few thoughts, I want to share how everything really does come together.
Last night an hour before I was to be set apart I finally got nervous.   Really nervous.  I paced around the house, washed the dishes, put things away, sat down, walked up the stairs and back down and just tried to get all the gitters out.
My stake presidency shared their testimonies and thoughts with me before setting me apart.   It was definitely a great way to invite the spirit and get in the right mind set.   As soon as my dad, my brother, President Bell, Bishop Bilbro and Bishop Lunt placed their hands on my head, a huge wave of peace washed over me and every bit of nervousness and anxiety went away.   It was confirmed to me in that moment that this is what I'm supposed to be doing in this time of my life.   I'm so grateful for the blessings that I was given and so blessed to have such an amazing and supportive family.

The gospel is amazing and such a great source of happiness.

I'm heading for the MTC in just a few short hours but again wanted to thank everyone for their kindness, good examples and support.

Love,
Sister Traci Yeo 

1/23/2012

Thank You!

Thank you so much everyone for coming and for supporting me.  You all mean so much to me and I'm thankful that I know you and have such great people in my life.  I love you all! 

(sorry I didn't catch all of you) 






































































See you all in 2013!!! 
xoxo