Week 9 in the MTC

OMG they moved up our departure date!!! We are leaving NEXT WEEK!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

Ok, ok--April fools!  Hehehe. I had to get you mom.    

I’m still leaving on April 9^th.  How are things back home?  I hope everyone is healthy and happy.   The weather is getting cold again, which we are not too excited about because we were ready to pack up our coats and send them home.  I guess we will hang on to them for another week or so.   Thank you for all your letters and the slippers!  I love the purple, you know me so well. :)

Well this week there were a lot of neat things that happened but I'm not sure what to start with.   So yes, I will be singing in Conference this Saturday during the afternoon session.   I'm in the soprano section and I'm wearing my pink shirt that I wore on the first day to the MTC.   But who knows maybe you'll see me :-) It would be “neato” if I could see all of you.  I'm super excited for conference though.   Every day in my journal I write about how blessed I feel to be here at the MTC at this specific time.   My companions and I truly got the best of everything.  We've heard from 3 general authorities (Elder Holland twice) and will have someone come visit on Easter Sunday.  Our branch presidency wives tell us that usually general authorities come here and there but we have heard and will hear from them 5 times in 2 short months.  Plus we also get to listen and be in conference and then when we go to Thailand in TWO WEEKS we get to be there for the New Year.  It will be a huge culture learning experience.   I hope that we can do a lot of work on those three days because it's like the equivalent of the New Year in Mexico.   So anyways, when we get there we'll just be soaked in the water people throw at us.  haha

Elder Oaks came last Tuesday and spoke to us for the Devotional.   I left my notes upstairs in our classroom.  It's second nature now that being without my companions is weird.   Not that it happens, but the thought of it is weird.   Usually it would be easy to say at home I’m going to go upstairs and get something and have no one come with me.   Such is missionary life!   Elder Oaks talked about how to recognize the spirit in everything we do.  His wife also briefly spoke and I loved what she said.  I'll send you home a letter today when I have my notes with me.   I just remember feeling the love that comes from the general authorities.   It was the same when Elder Holland and Elder Nelson came that as soon as they spoke it was a comforting soothing voice.  It's nice to be able to sit so close to them and shake their hands.

So we "baptized" both our investigators this last week.   We've been working with them for quite some time and even though it is a situation with teachers and volunteers here I feel like I’ve grown a friendship with these people; who are actually investigators our teachers taught when they were missionaries.   One investigator was so perfect; he was willing to give up anything to learn how to follow Christ.   I think we could have baptized him earlier than we did.  The other was a little harder because she had a lot of questions about why we do certain things and also getting her to keep commitments.  We pray for her and that she'll understand and do.  

Another thing we do in class is culture moment.    Our teacher Sister Wongwiraphaab (which sadly had her last day yesterday) she told us about the creatures in Thailand.   Hmmm NOT excited at all!  The most common are called Toogee which are basically red spotted lizards.   They are ugly and sound horrible because in Esan, the north part of Thailand, I believe they have tons of them!   The make noises and just hide.  They really are just creepy because of their red eyes.   Bleh.... but it's ok.  Then, there other random things of course but what places doesn't have bugs.  

This week we ate some real Thai food.   It was fantastic!   One of our noogthais (the younger district) parents owns the Thai restaurant at the Riverwoods.  Anyways, her brother-in-law works here at the MTC and brought her food.  Although, they are not supposed to eat in the room you could just smell it.   So, during dinner time we brought it to the cafeteria and ate some rice and curry.  Soooo good to have something other than the usual food, which we don't mind but eating is more so a routine now.    I have no complaints though because it does keep up energized and such.   P.S. I'm happy to report [cough, cough Travis ;-) ]  I have not gain a single pound in the MTC!   haha I actually lose weight every now and then.  I drink so much water and eat fruit and vegies at every meal.   So, I feel good and keeping that in mind for the two coming weeks before we ship out.    AHHH it's so crazy that it's just going by so fast!  I'm just savoring every moment trying to learn and become converted myself. 

Oh I feel like I forget to mention this every week but on Sundays we have study time and often we spend time on our online study portal on lds.org.   If you have time, check out the Mormon messages! :-) You just go to the home page and scroll all the way to the bottom.   There are some really powerful, moving ones there.   It so motivating to hear different people's stories and how they really are faithful in the gospel.   Oh and before I forget forever, can you ask Travis if he know Gavin Rodriguez?   He served in Taiwan, same mission same time as Travis.   That's my companion’s older brother.   Anyways, just curious. 

Well with two weeks left I know I mentioned it last week but I'm going to try and send home everything next P-day.   I think I will send it all in one box.  Just clothes and letters and books I want to keep for after.   My companion said that they have a special mail system that it cost like a dollar or two to send packages.  I think that is something that you mention as well mom but I'll try to figure that out today.  Also as far as calling home when I get to the airport, I don't have a specific time yet but I will get my travel plans this Thursday so I will copy them and send them home to you (I'm sure you'd like to have that as well)   I think we stop in Hong Kong because that's where our Phiitays stopped over.   I'm not sure on weight but I might need more vitamins and the Sensodine toothpaste please?    Just as a personal request can you find the fine point Sharipes and "TUL" pens.   I've used a lot of my writing utensils in the last two months and the pens here are kind expensive-ish.   But if not I can get them here.   They are the skinny kind of sharpies and with a super thin point.   I'll attempt to draw you a picture in my letter.   And the pens are black and silver.  Travis might know what they look like.   Sorry, I feel like I make too many request and hopefully this will be the last.  

The time is spent but I hope you look forward to conference and hearing from our prophet as much as I do.   We are so blessed to have someone to guide us because even as member of the church we still need guidance and clarification from a true source that never leads us astray.   Yesterday in our Book of Mormon study we talked about 2 Nephi 33 and the study was guided to what we what to be able to say at the end of our missions and my goal is to be optimistic and love the Thai people and learn to be exactly obedient.  One of our elders said that his was to be forever changed.  I knew it was something that we have heard so many time here at the MTC but it's true.   The mission will be the foundation for my life so in 16 months when I come home, it won't be something I check off a list but rather something I continue to build off.   I guess we will see when the time comes.  I remember reading a quote in the ensign that said something to the effect of "If I was the devil I wouldn't get the saints to commit a big sin, I would just keep them busy."   It’s so true.   It easy to get caught up in being busy but something we are not productive.  There was a really good talk given about that a year or so ago in conference.   Which is why I'm loving being on a mission, study the gospel all day; which should always be the first priority anyways but I can wake up every morning at 6:30 a.m. and say my only responsibility today is to study and preach the gospel. :-) Love it!

Well I love you all and I hope you enjoy and are richly edified by conference this weekend :) Love you all!!!! :D

Love Sister Yeo