Tuesday. March 3, 2009
Hi everyone!Wow. The weeks go by so fast here! We usually have the same routine every Preparation Day (by command of the MTC President, it is no longer P-Day), but this week we switched it up. They wanted us to go to the temple at 3p.m. instead of in the morning because it was getting too congested. And that ended up switching the whole day around! The day still went by quickly, but it was nice to have a new schedule for a change.
Speaking of the temple, my companions and I love to go there every week! I never appreciated the Provo Temple so much until now. It is such a blessing to have it right across the street. I love the spirit there. I can feel strongly Heavenly Father's love and it helps prepare me for the rest of the week ahead. Tonight, my companion Sister Hadden is giving the closing prayer at Devotional. So my other companion Sister Copeland and I are excited for her, but we're also excited because that means we get to sit on the stand! Oh, the things that excite us these days.
Also, we got new missionaries in our zone this week! They're downsizing all the missions in Korea because of the low birth rate (wow- I wonder who researches these things). Only 11 missionaries came in, compared with 30+ missionaries who came in January with me. But we got two new sisters! Sister Peterson and Sister O____ (I can't spell her name to save my life!) are such great sisters. We're up to 7 sisters in the zone now! (My low was 5, high was 10). The downside to less missionaries is less room in the cafeteria. We used to be the largest Asian zone, and now the Japanese (missionaries going to Japan) are taking over. No, seriously. Everyone always sits in the same areas of the cafeteria, and the Japanese are right next to us. We love them though, because we're gym buddies. It's great.And Korean is...well, Korean. Chonin saronghamnida! (that means I love). As usual, I need to SYL more. I realized that as a learn-by-the-book person, I tend to concentrate too much on the written aspect and not as much on the speaking part. And the speaking part is definitely more important! We only have 4 weeks left but I am devoting myself with the Lord's help to this. It helps that we're teaching the lessons in Korean. Even though it's painfully slow and difficult to say, it forces us to Speak! And be understood! That helps a lot.As I study the Book of Mormon, I've started noting what happens in the chapters in my scripture journal. It has helped me so much to understand the timeline and bring it all together. I love reading about the peoples of Zarahemla and Mosiah being united and understanding what happiness that brought to the people. And then I feel even more devastated when I turn to the next chapter and see that people began having problems again. It helps me to imagine what our prophets must go through.
I have to go! Bye! Alyssa