Dear Family,
That means No problem or Don't worry about it. Sorry about the mix up last week. I did eventually get the letter that night but it was just shocking to not get any mail from yall. I couldn't come up with any scenario in my head where that would logically happen. Kinda funny. I am sad that I didn't get to see Mom's reaction when she realized I didn't get my letter. I bet it was even better than the time she forgot to write Simon. Maybe by Hansen's mission yall will get it down. But sending the letters the day before through DearElder sounds great. It will give me much more time to write.
CONGRATULATIONS BEVAN!!!! That is so awesome!!! I am so proud of you and know you will be a great missionary!! California suits you quite nicely. There are actually a couple sisters who live near me who are going there, but they are spanish speaking. I am pretty jealous that you will only be in the MTC for three weeks. But I bet you will have to get even more crazy shots that I did. California is much more exoctic that Indonesia! So where in California is that exactly? How big is the mission?
I had a fun week this week! Last Saturday Sister Nicholes and I taught our first lesson in Indonesian. It was quite short and simple and we had notes. Probably not the best, but we were still pretty proud of all that we had done. We are teaching again in Indonesian this Saturday and am hoping to do it with out notes. The language is coming along. It is pretty hard to sit and memorize word after word but I can definitley tell that it is paying off. We try to talk as much as we can in the language especially in class but we pretty much only know gospel related words and basic conversation stuff. So it is kinda hard to keep up a normal conversation between us outside of class. But maybe in a couple of weeks we can.
On Sunday I was asked to say the closing prayer at Mission Conference. There were about 2300 missionaries there in the conference and my face was on huge screens/projectors for everyone to see me very clearly. I wasn't too nervous, especially after they introduced me as Sister Leah Blake Carrollton from Texas. I figured no one would know it was me if I messed up. It went well and I have never been complemented so much on a prayer. Kinda Weird, but I just tell people I was practicing my whole life for that moment. (Yeah, I thought I was pretty clever when I thought of that one!)
Another funny moment was when me and my companion were at dinner Sunday night. It was fast Sunday so that cafeteria was going crazy so we couldn't sit next to the elders in our district/zone that we normally do. So we ended up sitting next to these two elders going to Portugal. As we started talking to them we realized they were both from the Dallas area and they both thought that they knew me. I had no idea who they were. But one ended up being Kyle Palmer who lived in the ward way back and the other was that random kid from Frisco who called the house when he got the call and no one had any idea who he was. His name was Elder Nicholas Hope, if that helps anyone. He claims he was really good friends with Bevan and spent the night at our house one youth conference. It was kinda funny especilly when I told Elder Palmer that I babysat him once or twice and it was funny that we were in the MTC together. He didn't find it quite as amusing. They both say hi to the family and were both anxious to hear where Bevan would get his call to.
I also finally met that Sister from Lewisville going to California. She actually lives two doors down from me in the Residence Hall and I had seen her quite a bit but I had no idea who she was until I prayed on Sunday and she figured out who I was. She says hi to you Dad and said you were one awesome stake president.
Last exciting thing was yesterday we challenged our first "investigator" to baptism. We teach these two progressive investigators a couple times a week and one is progressing quite nicely and committed to baptism yesterday. It is quite exciting until we think that it is our teacher and he is probably just going easy on us. But it is good experience and I have really come to love to teach these two fake charecters.
In answer to Dad's questions, we go to the temple on P-days and get to do a session. So that is every Thursday and is probably my favorite time of the week. I get to be reminded that there is an outside world and at the same time go to the temple. And then we go on a Temple Walk every Sunday where we get to walk up to the temple and spend some time outside of it. They are both pretty awesome times in the week.
I also haven't heard anything about my visa, but that is usually good news. I will get my travel plans to go to Indonesia about two weeks before I leave.
Sorry to hear about Aunt Shirley. She definitley lived a good, long life but is much happier now to be home with Uncle Don. I hope the funeral went well and that the Benjamin Cemetery was as beautiful as ever. I'm sure Grandma is happy to have her sister with her again. What a fun reunion that must have been!!
The weather in Texas the past week sounds amazing. That is absolutely ridiculous actually! I can't believe I missed it. I could definitley tell that school was out by the increase in letters I got from the kids and that school is back in since I haven't heard from anyone lately. Kinda funny.
Well thats about it for this week. I'm doing well and loving being a missionary. I'm very proud of Bevan and can't wait to be missionary siblings together. This is an amazing work and one that brings tremendous blessings. I absolutley love it!!! I love this gospel and know that it is true! I love you all!! Thanks so much for the prayers I feel them everyday!!
Love,
Leah
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