Hey Family,
How are things going? It sounds like everyone is enjoying their spring break. I’m sure Malan and Bevan are loving being together up here in Utah. It’s nice that Malan is there to help Bevan with his homework and staying on track! This week has been a good one. Time has pretty much slowed down to a crawl since we got out travel plans and I feel like I might never get to Indonesia! But it's coming and I'm getting pretty excited. The big happenings of the week took place in gym where I was able to break two elder's glasses and actually give one of them a black eye, all without any contact! This first one happened a couple weeks ago actually in that a serious of unfortunate events happened all in a row. An Elder was playing volleyball about 40 feet away from where I was playing basketball. He knocks off his glasses and they fly in the air a good ten feet and then slide on the gym floor until they landed right under my basketball that I was dribbling. There was no time for me to save them, despite the fact that I pretty much saw the whole thing happen in slow motion. They were bent pretty badly and the elder had been in the MTC for 3 days when this happened. He seemed pretty distraught, but a nice elder going to Dallas was able to fix them. So all's well with that one. The next destruction happened on Saturday in that I was playing knock-out with a bunch of other missionaries. I of course sink my free throw and go get the ball and throw it back to the next person in line. The game is pretty intense at this point and I throw the ball really hard to the next Elder, but then another elder gets in the way and the ball pegs him in the face! His glasses fly off his face and the lens pops out, but the contact actually gave him a black eye. It's not too bad but it is still swollen 5 days later. His glasses were fixe also and I think his eye will be ok. But no elder wears his glasses to gym anymore. I only have one more gym time left so hopefully I can't do any more damage to anything. But beware of your glasses Bevan when you come here! That's my funny story of the week!
I did pull a slight prank this week, nothing too bad. But, one elder in my district lost a front button on his suit coat. He asked me to sew it on for him since he didn't know how. I offered to teach him, but he had no desire to learn. So I said I would do it for him. I took his jacket back home to my residence at night and actually found an extra bright orange button from a sweater I had and decided to sew that one on for him instead of his black one. It was great encouragement for him to learn how to sew on a button when he needed a black one as a missionary. Don't worry the orange button was only on for a couple of hours and I did get a picture. That was the only prank I have pulled here and it actually was pretty funny!
Other than that the week has been filled with learning last minute things before we head out. I'm getting kind of nervous and Sunday had one of those realities setting in moments and I fully realized where I was going, what I was doing, and all the nervousness set right in. Needless to say, it wasn't too pretty. But one thing I have learned here is that Heavenly Father takes care of His missionaries. After a night of prayer and asking Heavenly Father to take care of me, the last 3 days have been filled with so many blessings from people at home and other missionaries here at the MTC. I've gotten so many letters of encouragement and gifts and acts of service that have meaned a lot to me and have really helped me tremendously as I have continued on. It has been a great testimony builder and I know now that I am doing what Heavenly Father wants me to do. He is in this mission just as much as I am and He will watch over me and help me. I'm still nervous, but it's much more of an excited nervous. And I know it will be hard and an adjustment to the culture and language, but I know it is going to be ok. It has been a great week of blessings and love from my Heavenly Father. Thanks so much everyone for the letters and encouragement and prayers. They are felt, loved, and mean a lot!!!!
Thanks for the package!! It was filled with everything I need and was really excited when I saw the stuffing of remnants of the Dallas Morning News. I don't know if that was intentional or not, but I loved seeing pieces of home. Don't worry it didn't distract me too much. I did have to check the NBA and NHL standings in the Sports Page and I definitely did keep the crossword puzzle to do bit by bit through out my mission whenever I happen to have a couple of minutes. And a couple of the comics were hysterical. I can't believe Malan didn't keep the one about the Beiber Hair. I thought he would love that!! Thanks for the socks and the pictures. I showed everyone the pictures of Alice, Lillian, and Maren and was a very proud aunt at that moment. I don't know how much 19 year old elders really care about that stuff, but I still told them all about them anyways.
Life here is good! I'm getting ready to leave and ready to get out there and truly learn the language and begin interacting with people and learn the culture of Indonesia. It is going to be such an adventure and such an exciting time of my life. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over me and He is watching over my friends and family while I am gone. I know this church is true and I have learned so much the past two months. I know God lives and Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. And I am so excited to share it with the people of Indonesia. I love you guys!!!! I will write again from Indonesia!!
Love,
Leah
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