Thanks
to Aunt Kara- I loved hearing from her, and don't have her address, but
hopefully she sees this on the blog: Thanks!! I loved your comments, glad you
had fun in China :) And thanks to the Vannahs and the triplets. Their lovely
pictures add color to our super attractive brick wall in the room :) And thanks
to the others who have sent me letters- I will be responding when I can :)
Speaking
of letters, I got a rather amazing one on Friday night. I didn't recognize the
Elder's name or the return address. I read the letter, rather curious, and came
to find something quite incredible. He introduced himself as an Elder serving
in the Denver Colorado South mission, where we live. He said that he was trying
to decide whether or not he should even stay on his mission. He said he was
really struggling and just wanted to go home. But then, on a Saturday night, his
prayers changed and he simply asked for an experience that would strengthen his
testimony. The next day was my farewell, and he ended up being there. He wrote
about how grateful he was for my comments and my testimony and said that that
was the experience God gave him to help his testimony grow and give him the
strength to stay and finish out the mission. WOW. I've read that letter several
times over, and every time it just is such a humbling and incredible
experience. I have no idea who this Elder is. Never met him, never heard of
him. I don't know how he got my address, but I am so grateful for the
experience he shared. For my Farewell, I was simply bearing my testimony and
testifying of things that I know are true. I never would have guessed what an impact
that would have. It really strengthened my testimony that we have no idea the
impact that we will have on others. I can't explain my gratitude for this dear
Elder sharing his experience with me.
General
Conference just wasn't the same- the other sisters and I dearly missed our
sweats, cinnamon rolls, endless supplies of candy and comfy couches. Instead,
we spent all four sessions in a gym with 2,000 other missionaries in
plastic chairs in our church clothes. Suuuuuper comfortable! while I missed
being at home lounging around with the family during that time, I felt the
spirit so strongly and it was wonderful :) conference is just the best!! I left
my notes back in my room sorry :P We also got to watch the YW Broadcast from
the previous week. Isn't Elaine S Dalton somethin' else?? I adore her and am so
sad to see her released- she is wonderful and I am so grateful for her
comments. I also loved Deiter F Uchtdorf, and Thomas S Monson on obedience, and
the talk that I don't remember who gave on marriage (I think it was Sunday
morning?) it was great :) And I thought the "Catch the Wave!" (Ask
the Missionaries, Part II) talk was great :) I love conference!! And the other
sisters and I LOVED the video they shared at the YW Conference :)
Parker
would be jealous of this- Vocal Point came and did a Devotional for us Sunday
night and performed some songs-- it was AWESOME I loved it, they are so
talented!! :)
The Portuguese is going super great- I love it!! We are supposed to have 2 Portuguese-speaking/teaching teachers, but because of the recent influx (catch the wave!) They didn't have enought portuguese teachers to give all the classes 2, so we have one Portuguese teacher (Brother Pino, so funny and outgoing, from Brazil... he's exactly how you would imagine someone from Brazil to be- he is a riot and we learn a ton :)) And one english teacher (Brother Tautua'a from Tonga, he went on his mission to Gilbert Islands and spoke Gilbertese. He is more quiet but a powerful teacher). I love my classes and my teachers and my companion and the language- it makes studying and learning here a lot more fun (though it's still a lot of work!!)
As far as Visas go, there was one Elder, Elder Ashton in our district who got his Visa after not even a week of being here at the MTC- they shipped him and 3 others off that following Wednesday. Most people don't get their Brazil Visas while in the MTC, though. Most of them get re-routed anywhere from Montana to California to Florida after their 6 weeks are up (those are the ones I've heard of so far!). I don't have much confidence that I will get my Visa while in the MTC, but I do have confidence in the fact that I'll get there, and I'll get there when the Lord needs me there. So I'm just gonna hang on and enjoy the ride :) Provo is pretty great so far!
I love all the people in my District :) But mostly the Sisters!! They are fabulous and such fun :) We have 4 Elders and 8 Sisters, and we pretty much rock. Sister Roos and I share a room with Sister Johnson and Sister Herrick (we have like the only 4 person room we've heard of so far. Most people have 6 person rooms). It's a blast!!! As a group, we are all pretty much hilarious (or our humor could just be getting more lame with our time here at the MTC :P). But it's a blast :) Sister Roos (going to Curitiba Brazil) is from Idaho Falls, but her parents are currently in another part of Brazil teaching English. They just submitted their mission papers so they will be on a mission by the time Sister Roos gets back. Sister Herrick is from a small town somewhere in Washington, and is absolutely adorable (going to Joao Pessoa Brazil). Sister Johnson is pretty darn funny- we laugh at almost everything she says and she is so fun to have around (she is also from Washington, going to Joao Pessoa). Sister Johnson is a 21-year old on a mission. She's probably one of the first 21-year olds that would tell any 19-year old that she is so grateful to be serving with them. I knew a lot of older girls at BYU that weren't too happy about the age change because they would've loved to go earlier. But Sister Johnson keeps telling us she wouldn't have been ready at 19 and loves to be with us. I really appreciated her telling us that :) Plus FYI, most of the girls I've met here are 20. But I love those sisters so much they are a blast :)
Watching Sister Roos and I do laundry together is quite a sight. Just saying. Two klutzes doing laundry in the same room as a bunch of Elders, dropping our laundry all over the place? It's great :) We got a Tongan Elder to sing us a Tongan song the other day. He had like one of the top 3 most beautiful voices I have ever heard in my life!! The classrooms next to ours have a bunch of foreign guys learning english- they are a blast to talk to and we met two from Brazil!
I just want to let you all know... I am a BOSS at 4-Square. Gym time = Fun time, and after I run or lift, a few of the sisters and I will play 4-square with the other Elders. It's a blast. I'm pretty sure I intimidate them all :) Oh and I met a bunch of people going to Curitiba! Sounds like virtually all of them reported the same day as sister Bergloff... Oh, and I saw one of Scott's friends (Darin) today. And tripped over a traffic cone. But didn't fall. I spent like a solid 30 seconds just wobbling around trying to gain my balance. That has provided me a solid laugh for the rest of the day hahaha :)
Well, I'm glad I had a little more time to write this week (only by like 20 mins :P haha) but I will try and send pictures next week. No promises. But I'll give an effort :) Basically, mission life is awesome. It's busy and it's work but it's good, and I love learning everything I'm learning! We basically have 2 subjects: Gospel, and Portuguese. We are studying and taking classes from 7:30am - 9:30pm, with like 1.5 hour breaks total for meals, and an hour of gym time (fun time!!). It's a pretty full day :) I'm still alive, and I'm not only alive, but I'm thriving. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for my own parents, family and friends. Thanks Mom and Dad, for all you have taught me- every day I find myself noticing things about my habits or the way I work or think about things that I know comes directly from you guys and it has been a huge help, support, and advantage so far. Guess what, guys- I know this church is true. It's true. That's the reality of it. And I love it and am continually grateful for my knowledge of it, and my Heavenly Father, and for my dear Savior who suffered and died for me, and who continues to provide peace and guidance. Can't wait to share this in the field.
Love Always!!!
-Sister Hayley Walton
The Portuguese is going super great- I love it!! We are supposed to have 2 Portuguese-speaking/teaching teachers, but because of the recent influx (catch the wave!) They didn't have enought portuguese teachers to give all the classes 2, so we have one Portuguese teacher (Brother Pino, so funny and outgoing, from Brazil... he's exactly how you would imagine someone from Brazil to be- he is a riot and we learn a ton :)) And one english teacher (Brother Tautua'a from Tonga, he went on his mission to Gilbert Islands and spoke Gilbertese. He is more quiet but a powerful teacher). I love my classes and my teachers and my companion and the language- it makes studying and learning here a lot more fun (though it's still a lot of work!!)
As far as Visas go, there was one Elder, Elder Ashton in our district who got his Visa after not even a week of being here at the MTC- they shipped him and 3 others off that following Wednesday. Most people don't get their Brazil Visas while in the MTC, though. Most of them get re-routed anywhere from Montana to California to Florida after their 6 weeks are up (those are the ones I've heard of so far!). I don't have much confidence that I will get my Visa while in the MTC, but I do have confidence in the fact that I'll get there, and I'll get there when the Lord needs me there. So I'm just gonna hang on and enjoy the ride :) Provo is pretty great so far!
I love all the people in my District :) But mostly the Sisters!! They are fabulous and such fun :) We have 4 Elders and 8 Sisters, and we pretty much rock. Sister Roos and I share a room with Sister Johnson and Sister Herrick (we have like the only 4 person room we've heard of so far. Most people have 6 person rooms). It's a blast!!! As a group, we are all pretty much hilarious (or our humor could just be getting more lame with our time here at the MTC :P). But it's a blast :) Sister Roos (going to Curitiba Brazil) is from Idaho Falls, but her parents are currently in another part of Brazil teaching English. They just submitted their mission papers so they will be on a mission by the time Sister Roos gets back. Sister Herrick is from a small town somewhere in Washington, and is absolutely adorable (going to Joao Pessoa Brazil). Sister Johnson is pretty darn funny- we laugh at almost everything she says and she is so fun to have around (she is also from Washington, going to Joao Pessoa). Sister Johnson is a 21-year old on a mission. She's probably one of the first 21-year olds that would tell any 19-year old that she is so grateful to be serving with them. I knew a lot of older girls at BYU that weren't too happy about the age change because they would've loved to go earlier. But Sister Johnson keeps telling us she wouldn't have been ready at 19 and loves to be with us. I really appreciated her telling us that :) Plus FYI, most of the girls I've met here are 20. But I love those sisters so much they are a blast :)
Watching Sister Roos and I do laundry together is quite a sight. Just saying. Two klutzes doing laundry in the same room as a bunch of Elders, dropping our laundry all over the place? It's great :) We got a Tongan Elder to sing us a Tongan song the other day. He had like one of the top 3 most beautiful voices I have ever heard in my life!! The classrooms next to ours have a bunch of foreign guys learning english- they are a blast to talk to and we met two from Brazil!
I just want to let you all know... I am a BOSS at 4-Square. Gym time = Fun time, and after I run or lift, a few of the sisters and I will play 4-square with the other Elders. It's a blast. I'm pretty sure I intimidate them all :) Oh and I met a bunch of people going to Curitiba! Sounds like virtually all of them reported the same day as sister Bergloff... Oh, and I saw one of Scott's friends (Darin) today. And tripped over a traffic cone. But didn't fall. I spent like a solid 30 seconds just wobbling around trying to gain my balance. That has provided me a solid laugh for the rest of the day hahaha :)
Well, I'm glad I had a little more time to write this week (only by like 20 mins :P haha) but I will try and send pictures next week. No promises. But I'll give an effort :) Basically, mission life is awesome. It's busy and it's work but it's good, and I love learning everything I'm learning! We basically have 2 subjects: Gospel, and Portuguese. We are studying and taking classes from 7:30am - 9:30pm, with like 1.5 hour breaks total for meals, and an hour of gym time (fun time!!). It's a pretty full day :) I'm still alive, and I'm not only alive, but I'm thriving. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for my own parents, family and friends. Thanks Mom and Dad, for all you have taught me- every day I find myself noticing things about my habits or the way I work or think about things that I know comes directly from you guys and it has been a huge help, support, and advantage so far. Guess what, guys- I know this church is true. It's true. That's the reality of it. And I love it and am continually grateful for my knowledge of it, and my Heavenly Father, and for my dear Savior who suffered and died for me, and who continues to provide peace and guidance. Can't wait to share this in the field.
Love Always!!!
-Sister Hayley Walton
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