Feliz Navidad!!

Hola mi familia!!

 

Quirero compartir que aprendo este semana! (I would like to share what I have learned this week!) Well, first I will tell you that I got the box you, Mom, sent me and my Elders wanted me to tell you, Mom, that they love you! I even had a few of them tell me that they want to meet you! So just to let you know that you are spreading happiness throughout my district! One of the Elders is going to my mission wanted to know if you would send him food while he's on his mission. I told him if he was in my district in Chile I would share my spoils! I also shared with the District the chocolate covered almonds and chocolate toffee bars. They ate both entire containers in one day. I was pretty impressed with us! I told my companions that the Thacker family doesn't mess around for the holidays in the  food department. It's a marathon of stuffing your face and sleeping it off, then starting all over again the next day. They laughed but understood when I opened my package full of goodness. Thank you for the homemade chex again, and the thumbprints. Those two things are like the only things I eat!! And I have to say that I am a little reluctant to share, but I do!

 

Oh, I got a package from Grandma Lois and Grandpa Doyle as well! Since I know they will read this I will say thank you, but expect a letter from me soon!!

This week was a good one. On Fridays we go to what is called the TRC. It's a place where volunteers from the "outside world" come and are investigators for the missionaries. Sometimes I get nervous for the TRC because I worry that the people won't understand what we are saying. But on Friday I thought it was the best TRC visit yet. The first person my companions and I taught was a man from Mexico. I don't remember at all what we taught or talked about, but I do remember thinking, after I had said something in Spanish, holy cow those words just came out of my mouth and I was speaking Spanish. Now I'm pretty sure it was still really broken up Spanish, but I felt like they flowed out of my mouth with little effort. For me it felt like a success. 

 

The same thing happened yesterday when we were practicing door greetings with a substitute teacher that we had. We only had ten minutes to introduce ourselves and share a quick message with the person, but it was so fun and exciting. We had prepared a little bit of what to say and who was going to share what, but when he opened the door and started to talk to us all the plans went out the window. But then again when I spoke I felt like it took little effort to get my point across. It is still simple Spanish but I didn't have to work as hard to find the words I wanted to say. So, in that, I can see progression on my part.

 

I know that I am in the MTC for 9 weeks to learn Spanish, but I have decided not to worry about the language. I was so worried in the beginning about not learning it quick enough, but after about the second week I thought that it is not worth it to worrry and stress, since when I get ot Chile anyways, I'm going to learn a completely new Spanish language. I'm not here to learn Spanish, but to learn how to depend on the Lord and put my full trust in Him. I know that if I put Him first I will learn the language in a time when I need to. If I continue to be diligent and trust that the Lord can use the words that I already know that everything will be o.k. Plus the Spirit speaks every language. Even broken up gringo Spanish! I have to say that since I turned my priorities to the Lord and I don't stress about learning everything right now, it has been so much better. I wish that my hermanas would also understand this as well though because they still become really frustrated with learning the language. But we all learn on our own terms and they will come to find out for themselves as well.

 

I'm soo excited for Christmas this weekend! When you told me that everyone was coming home for Christams I was a little bummed, pero (but) when I found out what we were doing for Christams I think that you guys will be the ones who are bummed out! :D On Sunday we get to have Sacrament Meeting with the entire MTC. There will be about 80 Elders passing the sacrament to 2,000 missionaries. And the best part is that there will be an Apostle there with us!!! Then we get to have a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!! Yes, Mo Tab will be in the MTC for Christmas!! But not only once, we get to hear them twice on Sunday!! It is going to be soo much fun!!! I can hardly wait for it!

 

Oh Grandma and Grandpa thanks you so much for the card and the money!! Look for a letter in the mail from me! I hope to send it out today! Entonces (At this time), everyhting is going so well for me. I still just can't imagine how I am so lucky to have a suportive and loving family and friends. There are so many Elders and Sisiters who have to sacrifice so much to go on a mission, but I feel like I have not sacrificed anything at all. I need to be here to give back what little I can to the Lord. 

 

Feliz Navidad familia!  (Merry Christmas Family!) I love you all! Know that I am secretly jealous that you get seafood on Christams and I get nasty MTC cafeteria food--haha just kidding its not rally that bad!

I think I get to emial you again on Christmas, not really sure, but look for a letter just in case! 

 

p.s. I have to tell you that I almost won 3-point-lightning in gym the other day. I hope you're impressd to know that I made about 22, 3-pointers and I only lost because I got tired. It was fun, all the Elders I think were impressed as well, but didn't want to admit defeat to an Hermana!! hahaha

 

LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY WEE LITTLE HEART!! Feliz Navidad!!

 

oh pp.ss. I had to pay for a shot, Hep A, second series so if you were wondering what I spent $71 dollars on, that was it!! :D

What the Christmas Tree Symbolizes to Me

Hi Familia!!

 

MOM!! Thank you so much for the box that you sent me last week!! I haven't really felt like it is Christams time, but when you sent me Grandma's homemade chex mix it felt more like the holidays! I almost didn't share it because I love it so much. But, I did share it with my companions and the other hermanas in my zone. The Elders did share with me and they loved the monster cookie. I even shared with my teacher Hermano Libby and he enjoyed it as well! Thank you for getting my watch and sending it to me. I'm sure by Saturday that I will get the other box!

 

Grandma and Grandpa how's it going with mom and dad? I hope your still keeping them in line! :D My week was pretty much like the other weeks. I wake up at 6:00 a.m., get ready by 7:00 a.m., and then my day begins. Except on 'personal day' when I get to sleep in 'til 6:30 a.m. because we don't have to be ready 'til 7:30 a.m., but it doesn't matter if I wake up at 6 or 630 because I'm just as tired with that extra 30 minutes. So you asked last week what we get to do on Sunday, but I forgot to answer it in my letter. Sundays are good days!! We have lots of personal study time! In the mornings I have meetings with the Branch Presidency and the other District Leaders becuase I am the Coordinating Sister in the Branch.  Then we have Relief Society with all the sisters in the MTC. We get to hear from really good speakers for Relief Soceity. Like last week Sister Ann M. Dibb from the Young Women General Presidency spoke to us. She is also Pres. Monson's daughter so she shared a bunch of really cool personal things about him that are just fun to know! Then we eat luch and go to Sacrament meeting, where the speakers are called randomaly each week to speak...in espanol! So each week we have to prepare a talk and then wait nervously to see if our names will be called that day. So far I have been safe, pero (but) everyone gets a turn! Then after sacrament meeting we get to walk to the temple and take pictures and hang out!  Then on Sunday nights we have a devotional and they play different movies for us to watch that night. 

 

Sunday is a chill day with lots of study time.  Sundays I don't worry about speaking or learning Spanish so i can keep it completely stress free. I don't know if that is a good decision, but it's like not doing homework on the Sabbath, so I feel justified in my decision.

 

I'm sorry about the camera card, I really have no idea what I need. I'm going to see if my Hermanas' cards will work in my camera and then I think they sell some cards in the bookstore. So maybe I'll just try that for now. If it doesn't work I don't know what I should do about a camera. But, its ok. Nothing to stress or worry about.

 

So I made a really cool connection in the scriptures this week; I have been studying in 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon about Lehi's dream and then the interpreation thereof when Nephi is visited by the Spirit of the Lord. As I was reading it hit me: The tree in Lehi's dream is Jesus Christ. It says that the tree is the love of God. Well, we know in John 3:16 (New Testament) God so loved the world that He sent His only Begotten Son. The fruit of the tree is eternal life. Well, what do we put in our houses every year for Christmas?!?  A tree. What does a tree represent but Jesus Christ Himself? What do we put on our trees but bulbs or fruit on the tree!?! I don't know how the traditions of trees in our homes came about, but this year and the years to come they will forever be a representation of the Savior. 

 

My companions mom sent her a mini tree and it sits on our desks in our classroom! I love looking at the tree and it makes it even cooler because our tree is white!! I just love this connection and symbolism of the Savior. We can truly find him everywhere and especially during the Christmas season.

 

In Matt. 7:11 (N.T.) says, "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him?"  Two of the greatest gifts we have been given in this life is: 1) Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer who set the path that we must follow in order to return to live with God; and 2) The Holy Ghost, the comforter who guides and directs and protects us. In Moroni 8:26 (BofM) it says that the Holy Ghost also filleth us with hope and perfect love!! Mom and Dad, I know you give good gifts, but probably the best one you have given me thus far is the opportunity to serve a mission for our Heavenly Father. Another of God's merciful gifts is you guys!!! I want you to know and also Dan and Ruth and Sherry Wayne that the people that I will teach and bring into the fold are just as much your converts as they are mine. This opportunity could not have come about without such loving parents and family! I know God is soooooo loving because you are my parents! Thank you Grandma and Granpa also for your support you guys mean the world to me and I feel your love and prayers everyday!!

 

Five more weeks to go in the MTC!! I am excited and nervous all at the same time to go out into the field.  Right now I am enjoying the opportunity to dedicate all my time to learning the scriptures and more about my Savior. I know HE lives. He loves us and is His arms of mercy are forever extended out toward us! We are the ones who decide if we have room for the Savior. Thank you for the package in advance, I feel your love pour out upon when I open it up. Thank you also for letting me share your love with my district!!  Have a good week! Tell everyone I say hello!!

Hermana Thacker

End of my third week in the MTC

Hey familia!!

 

This is the end of my third week in the MTC and I can hardly believe that that much time has already passed. So there is a saying here at the MTC that the 'days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days' and I can testify to the truthfulness of this saying. Most of my days just blurr together so if this letter gets a little backwards and confusing I'm sorry in advance! Sounds like the TLC Christmas season is going well! I told my district that you were sending me another package to share and they all said, "We love your mom!!" SO needless to say they are grateful for the love that is being sent from Montana.

 

I don't really have anything too exciting to tell you about this week. My companions and I are still trying to work out how to work together and have unity in our lessons with the investigators, but sometimes it is really difficult. I felt frustrated after a couple of our lessons this week, trying to teach by the Spirit with two other people can be hard. The first lession was mainly my fault. We were teaching Georgina, (our teacher) in the hallway on some couches and it just so happened that at that same time everyone in the MTC was walking past us and being really loud. I was so distracted!! I know that it's going to be like out in the real world so it's good to have practice now, but I completely failed in being sensitive to the lession and the Spirit. My compnanions look at me during the lessons wondering if I know the word in Spanish they are trying to find, but during the lesson I couldn't even help them because it was so loud. Then we did another lesson that I felt I completely failed at because I struggle to know the needs of the investigator. When we began teaching I just felt that what my companions had to say was not at all for the investigator. What I'm trying to say is I felt we were teaching a lesson and not an ivesitgator. But we had a really good companionship inventory so hopefully we will be trying new ways to plan together and prayerfully study the needs of the investigators.

 

But with all the disappointing lessons I felt I gave we taught our other teacher, or Jorge the investigator, last night and we brought a "member", another teacher, with us to the lesson so we can practice having members present during lessons. I thought the lesson went really well and we were even in the same hallway where I was completely distracted in the other lesson. It was fun to have the "member" there so we could have him share experiences that we want to share but lack the words to say. I don't think it was our best lesson but I was so glad to at least felt like we reached our investigator on a personal level instead of spitting words at him.

 

Espanol is coming, slowly. So slowly that in fact that when people notice I have a spaish name tag and they talk to me I still give them the dead face, like huh? But I'm getting better and I like it when people do talk to me so I can have more experience with the language. The teachers are so willing to help and answer questions though, so it's not like I can stop learning! Oh Mom I totally forgot to tell you in my emails for like the last three weeks. I need some things. Will you please send me a couple of my watches, es muy importante for me to know what time it is! And also the card for my camera is the new card from my newer camera but it does not work in my old camera, so I was wondering if you by chance have found another camera card in my room. I thought I packed both but I can't find the older card. I wish you could just send my newer camera but I also don't know where my charger is for it. I know it's packed in college stuff but I have no idea which box or even where it might be at. So anyways, I think those are the only two major things.

 

As far as Christmas goes, all I want for Christmas are stamps. :D And maybe some more goodies that I can share with people! Some of the Elders in my district are really excited for me to get my package. Maybe even more excited than I am. I haven't recieved it yet but probably today or tomorrow!

 

I just love being here! I'm just so happy all the time. Even after some difficult moments, I know that i am learning soooo many things that will only benefit me in the field. I also know that I have two compañeras for a reason. I did not know how controlling I could be until I got here. But I now know that the Hermanas that are sitting next to me have taught me so much about myself and about how to be a good missionary. I'm really surprised that we get along so well even after difficult moments. But I truly have developed a love and a friendship with them. When I got to the MTC I wanted to do things MY way. But it turns out, my way is not the Lords way! This is probably the most important lesson I have had to learn. I have to completely rely on the Lord and also my companions. I have learned that when I just sit and listen to them, they have so much to teach me. More than I have to teach them. My one companion Hermana Latham although she feels like she doesn't know much about the gospel, I see the light in her grwoing everyday and her testimony is strong. I love it when my companions bare their witness of the truthfrulness of this gospel and of their Savior Jesus Christ. I truly feel my love for them grow!!!!

 

Well I'm out of time!! But I love you mi Familia!! I think and pray for you all the time!! Let me know what's going on in the outside world!! p.s. Thanks for the addresses!

ALL MY LOVE AND THEN THE LOVE OF THE LORD!!!!

 

Hermana Thacker