Minha querida familia,
Hola! It's been another wonderful week at the MTC! I really am loving it here...I know I say it every week, but it is very true :) I love everything here...the wonderful teachers, the missionaries, my amazing companion, the food, the gym, the classes, the Portuguese....it's all great! I have decided that I really do like being at the Provo MTC....my visa can come when it comes, I'm in no hurry :) It's so fun to see people I know all of the time! This week I saw Sister Cutler and her family running around the temple, Steve Holmes who came into the cafeteria for lunch (haha..that was crazy!), and a BUNCH of missionary friends: Sister Hannah Bates, Sister Liz Kuhn, Sister Tawny Christensen, Sister Staisha Stratton, and Elder Phil Wooley...who was apparently Ryan's good friend from Cascade/Canyon View days :) It's also super cool to hear about missionaries that are going all over the world! Our district studies right next to a Japanese district and it's funny to hear them trying to pronounce the language :) Every day Sister Robson and I get contacted by missionaries in so many different languages...Korean, French, German, Croatian, even Sign Language! It's pretty cool!
So this week has been extra fun because we got to hear from both Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Elaine S. Dalton! I am feeling pretty lucky to be here at the Provo MTC where we get visits from extra special people...I'm sure that doesn't happen quite as often in the Sao Paulo MTC, so I'll enjoy it while I can :D Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke last Friday night as part of the mission president seminar week, so along with him there were 7 other members of the Tweleve on the stand!! Elder Nelson, Elder Bednar, Elder Cook, Elder Holland, Elder Scott, Elder Cristoffersen, and Elder Anderson....along with a few hundred new mission presidents and their wives! It was a pretty incredible feeling :) I remember we sang "Behold a Royal Army" for the opening hymn, and it filled me with so much excitement! Especially the part that says...."Their leader calls 'Be Faithful!', they pass the word along - they see His banner flashing and shout their joyful song!" It hit me again, as it has so many times these last two weeks, that this really is the Lord's work and that He is guiding us along and giving us the power to work miracles. He calls for us to be faithful....and then he also gives us wonderful leaders, teachers, family....so many wonderful examples...that help pass His word along and encourage us to stay strong and faithful! We are really all in this together...it's the whole reason that we're on earth is to help each other come closer to Christ.
I loved Sister Dalton's devotional too...I always love her talks and how loving and personal they always are. She spoke on virtue and how if we continually strive to stay pure, we will be blessed with faith and power. She also gave a running example that I loved.. (she always ties running into her talks...maybe that's why I always love them :D) She told a story about how she was running a hill with her husband and was tired and sore and falling behind...so she turned to him and said that she was done for the day and ready to head back to the car. But then her husband grabbed her arm and said "Oh Elaine, you're so silly. I thought that you as a runner would know this...You Never decide to stop when you are in the middle of a hill!" I really liked that thought..and I've thought of it several times since... When you're in the difficult times in your life it's easy to want to stop...it's easy to say "Wait, this isn't what it was supposed to be like!" and to want to turn around. But if you just stick with it, God always gives you the strength to make it through...and then you'll have made it and you'll know it was all worth it!
Well, I just wanted to share one last story.... So last night at around 8:30 pm, I was sitting in the courtyard on a bench with Sister Robson while we were doing some personal Book of Mormon study. It was an Amazingly beautiful night...I've always loved Utah summer evenings, but last night was exceptionally pretty. The air was warm and heavy, but with a cool breeze, and the sun was just setting making all the colors seem extra bold and bright! I don't know if it was because I was reading Ether 3 (which is my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon) but I was suddenly filled with so much happiness. I looked around and saw missionaries reading their scriptures, discussing the gospel in companionships, walking in groups....Everything was quiet and peaceful and so happy! And suddenly my heart felt like it was bursting with joy! It's probably one of the happiest feelings I've ever felt in my life. I'm so happy to be in this wonderful place where we are all studying and striving to become servants for the Lord. It is a very special place with a very special spirit. :) I know that Heavenly Father gave me that feeling of joy last night...I know it was a special gift from him, letting me know that I'm where I'm supposed to be and that He's happy with me! He loves us each so much...He loves us perfectly and wants us to succeed! I know hard times come for everyone...they have come in my life and I know they will come again....but no matter what comes, God loves us and lets us face the hard times so that we'll learn what we need to learn and become what we need to become. And I believe he'll kindly throw in a few moments where we feel pure joy, just like I did last night....where we know that all is well and that He is right there. And then during the hard times we can look back on those moments, and have the strength and faith and hope to keep going :)
That's cool about President Aidukatis! I love the picture haha, and so do the elders in my district. I mentioned it in my letter to President Aidukatis this week and I'm excited to show him the picture on Sunday :) He's a great guy...and he's from Porto Alegre! Woot! So, there is some good news about the visas! Apparently during mission president week, Elder Cook came up to President Aidukatis and told him that he was personally going to take care of the visa situation in Brazil! So pretty much, we definitely have nothing to worry about :) I am excited to get to Brazil soon...I love it here, but I'm sure it would make learning Portuguese a lot easier if we were totally immersed in it! haha...one Elder in my district got called down to the travel office yesterday...which only means one thing: VISA! We were all so excited!!! And he pretty much Ran out of the room!! But when he got down to the travel office, they told him that apparently something had gone wrong with his visa application and that he had to submit another one! Sad! So he's just starting the whole process now!! haha...it was funny, but sad...
Well I hope that everything continues to go well for you all at home! I'm excited that you get to go to the Smith Reunion this weekend!! It sounds like you have a lot of fun plans for it! Kyle, good luck in marching at the parade!! I'm sure you'll do great...I wish I could be there!! Well, you'll all have to tell everyone hello for me! Wow..it's hard for me to believe that it's already the 4th of July...that was always one of my favorite holidays! We have a devotional tomorrow night at 8:30 pm...but I'm hoping that they late us stay out to watch the fireworks! We'd practically have front row seats here at the MTC! :D
I love you all!! Have a great 4th of July!!
Love, Sister Jamie Gee
I know this is a long email...it won't always be like this, we just have extra time on P-days when the Provo Temple is closed. I love you all!
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