Family!!!!

 

Well, I had my first semi-breakdown this week. It all started Monday morning. There is this mormon message that everyone in my district has watched. I have deliberately not watched it because it's called Enduring Love and shows an old couple taking care of each other when they both have physical challenges. I knew it would just make me cry. But then I walk into the classroom and Vanem peterson is watching it... so I watched it... and then I cried... and then for the rest of the day, I was very emotional. I even cried when talking with one of my teachers. Goodness. But I'm doing much better now!! I think it was just feeling the time crunch of now being on the downhill of my MTC experience. Estonian is harrrrrrrrdddddddd. I love the language and by some miracle, I'm able to communicate with our investigators, but before every single sentence, you have to think of what case and whether or not it's a partial object or if it's a positive verb or if it's genitive. It's a lot to think about, but I've made a  goal to read from Mormoni Raamat every night before bed without a dictionary sitting by my side and try to understand as much as possible from context and the cases. It's hard, but I've been surprised by how much I do understand after one month!

 

So, the guy who is over the cafeteria is the husband of my boss at the bookstore. He watches out for me. Last night, he came up to me and Sis. Holdaway and solemnly asked if we liked nutella. Of course we said yes, and he told us that he had a jar of it stowed away in his office, so we both grabbed rolls and stuffed them with nutella goodness. Later, at dinner, we're sitting with Sis. jarvis and Sis. Farnsworth and he comes over with two giant pieces of apple pie. We almost cried. yesterday was an overwhelming day and there wasn't any mail because of Pioneer so it made up for everything. He's so good to us!

 

Today, we went to the main campus. Sis. Holdaway and I had breakfast there. We were waiting in line and then someone yells, "SHAYYYY!!" So weird. I turn around and it's Sis. McDiarmid, a sister who is going to the Baltic Mission, Russian speaking!! We had connected on facebook and we had met her once before entering the MTC. We had breakfast with them and it was so much fun. I'll include a picture of all of us. We then ran into the Lithuanian and Latvian sisters. Good times.

 

We got a letter from Pres. Boswell this week telling us the schedule of the few first days we'll be in Latvia! We'll get there on a Tuesday, we'll immediately start street contacting after the aiport, and then we'll go to their house and get situated. We'll do training and more preaching the gospel the next day on Wednesday. On Thursday, we'll be introduced to our companions and will head up to Estonia!! I can't believe it's finally happening! 

 

Probably one of the hardest things about the MTC is getting up at 6:30 every morning. You all know me. Of course that's a challenge for me. So.... Sis. Holdaway and I came up with a brilliant plan. She hides the alarm clock every single night. So every morning, at 6:30, I have to get up and search for the obnoxious alarm clock. Sometimes it's under my bed, sometimes it's in the pocket of my coat, and sometimes it's on top of the closet door. I don't know how she balanced that. But it works!! We've been doing much better. I remember the first week being here, there was one morning that I was having a very difficult time getting up. I was having this self-motivating discussion with myself. I finally told myself, You are a missionary. Youhave to get up. Oh the joys.

 

Last night, my companion needed a blessing so we asked our dear vanemad. It was truly amazing to see two young men exercise the priesthood they hold to give her a blessing of comfort. I am very, very grateful for the priesthood. I'm grateful that dad was always available to give me blessings and that my friends and home teachers at BYU were always willing to give me blessings. I am very grateful for this gospel. I'm changing a lot and sometimes, I really have to swallow my pride and learn the things that the Lord wants me to learn. I think that's what has stood out to me the most this week. Everything here at the MTC, during personal study, or church, or devotional, or comopanionship inventory with Sis. Holdaway, have something to teach me. I am learning so much! My love for the scriptures has grown a ton. I live for Personal Study every day. I love being here and I love being a missionary. I love all of you! Thank you for your prayers and for the letters. :)

 

Armastusega,

 

Õde Chestnut