July 10th, 2012
Sister Coco Mack
MTC, Provo, Utah
Dajia hao!!!
Wow so many stories to tell you but only 17 minutes to do it!! Yi, er, san, KAISHI!!!!! (one, two, three, START!)
We had a really fun 4th of July celebration here at the MTC which included getting out of class early for a special devotional, magnum bars for one and all (why are they so glorious??), and of course watching the fireworks!! We got to stay up late and watch the fireworks they had going on at the stadium of fire and it was so fun. Jin JieMei and I bought sparkle cherry laffy taffy's for everyone in our district (cause they are yum and the sparkles make them look like fireworks) and we laughed and celebrated our freedom. We didn't feel as great about it the next day, though, when we were all dead tired. I can't believe I ever stayed up till 3 in the morning.....if I'm not in bed by 10:30 I just can't go on! Hahaha hopefully these sleeping habits will stick with me after my mission...we shall see.......
Thursday was hard cause we were sleepy but it was also fantastic because my cousin finally got here!!!!! I was SO excited to see him and when he walked past my classroom I flew out of my seat and yelled his name in my excitement! I quite forgot myself and did not call him Elder, but all was forgiven. It was so fantastic to see his big bright smile and it was such a comfort, just as I always dreamed it would be, to have a piece of home with me in the MTC/on the mission. He was a little wet from the rain but looked very excited to finally be here. We see each other allllllll the time because he is in my zone and we have the same schedules every day. It's funny because his Chinese name is the same as mine, so whenever I see him I say "Ke ZhangLao!" and he smiles all wiley like and says "Ke JieMei!" On Saturday all the new missionaries had to teach their first lesson in Chinese....boy did that bring back some hilarious memories. Ke ZhangLao and his companion practiced teaching me and Jin JieMei, and they were so awesome! I was just beaming with pride. I'm glad Ke ZhangLao was able to take Chinese 101 before he got here because it's going to make the next few weeks a lot less painful. He memorizes words really fast and well, and his tones are really great. Sometimes he speaks in a really goofy accent, the way only he could do when speaking to a cousin, but his tones and pronunciation are great. I'm just so proud of him and I brag about him every chance I get. I was talking to one of the Branch Presidency members on Sunday, and he said he met with Ke ZhangLao and told me he seems to be really positive and upbeat and just a great missionary. I agree with him, his district is very lucky to have him.
This Saturday in the TRC we taught one 40-minute lesson instead of two 20-minute lessons. It was a bit daunting but actually turned out really great! Our investigators were this Singaporean returned missionary and a girl from Mainland China who he met in Australia (on his mission), taught, and baptized! It was so cool. Their Chinese was crazy fast, but I was relieved at how much I could follow what they were saying. We taught them the first lesson but mostly turned it into a discussion to learn about their experiences with faith and in the Church. At the end of the lesson we talked about Joseph Smith and the Chinese girl said she really loved how he had so much faith and how cool it was when he prayed and got such a wonderful answer. We then invited them to find their own "sacred grove," a place where they could be alone and say a prayer out loud to their Heavenly Father. We promised it would strengthen them and help them find peace and guidance. Isn't that a cool idea? We heard it in a fireside. I guess I haven't technically tried it, there aren't a lot of places you can be alone in the MTC, but I have loved the way my relationship with Heavenly Father has grown and changed as I have tried to have more sincere personal prayers...especially at night.
Ok one more hilarious story. So last night around 12:45 we were all awakened by a shrill sireny buzzing sound and flashing light. It took me several minutes to realize that it was the fire alarm and I'm sorry to report that all the sisters in our residence hall tried to sleep through it at first because we didn't realize what was happening. Finally I sat up and saw my companion standing in the middle of the room squinting and pressing her hands against her ears. Another sister moaned really loudly, and I yelled (a little louder than I meant to) "WEISHENME!!!!!??!?!" (WHY?!??!) I mean I was in a deep stage of REM cycle, ok? I could hardly tell what I was doing but managed to grab our room key on our way out. Jin JieMei and I couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation. There was no fire, and we never actually found out why the alarm whent off (faulty system?) but I had showered a couple hours before and had my hair all done in snoop dog braids so it would be wavy today, so I looked like a total freak...and then we remembered a few weeks ago when a similar thing happened to us when we were in the shower..life is so funny. I love it. We only had to wait about 30 minutes before going back in but it took me a while to fall back asleep. I just love that even when you think your life as a missionary can be routine, you always have to expect the unexpected....I love my life :)
Ahhhh ok one more thing. We as a district had a major call to repentance this week about really sacrificing everything and doing all we can to devote every second to the Lord so we can be the missionaries we need to be. It was such a powerful meeting and I do hope I'm getting better at it. I get really frustrated with myself sometimes for being a little dum dum. I really want to be better. I really am trying. I'm just grateful I have other people to help me push myself and always be better. Anyway....I don't know even how to describe it but I just want to be so much more than I am. I know God is helping me grow each day but I'm sorry that I haven't been my best at all times. I love being a missionary. I don't know what I did for God to bless me with letting a mission be part of his plan for my life but I'm so so grateful that it is. I love every day. RIght now I'm really trying to glory in tribulation and I'm still trying to turn outward....it's crazy to realize how selfish I have been for most of my life but I hope that I can really make this less and less about me and more and more about others. So even though I mess up all the time God gives me a thousand more chances, cause he loves me so much. I really feel that. I hope you do too.
Dang it, it's time to go, and I never feel like I express myself very well in these emails. I pray that you can feel the spirit of what I am trying to share. I am so happy here! I LOVE my mission! I can't believe I'll be heading to Taiwan in less than a month....!!! I love teaching and I love my district. My companion is my best friend and is such a strength to me...what an amazing example of service and patience she is. I am surrounded by wonderful people. I love learning more about this gospel, it is so enriching. I am telling you...THIS IS LIVING!!!!! Did I really live before these moments? I don't know if I did. But my heart is so full of joy and love, and I'm grateful that I get to keep improving and that it's a process that never ends. God truly loves us.
I pray for you always, remember I love you and more importantly remember God loves you.
Love love love
Ke JieMei
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