When In Rome....

Hello everyone!                                                                                                 Wednesday, August 20, 2014

It's been another great week in the mission field.  We have a joke in my district that we've been here "just under three weeks" haha.  It has really been only two.  But it has been a fantastic two weeks.  First I will attempt to answer ALL of my mother’s questions....

Did you get the Schwab card?

YES!  Thank you so much for the money and for the card.  It will be great in Italy.  I feel pretty hipster having a Schwab card, I won't lie to you.  It's cool. 

Did you get the package?

YES!  I loved it sooooooo soooooo much.  That black licorice is literally getting me through the days haha.  And I can't believe you bought me new vans you stink! But thank you soo much, Amanda was right, they fit great! 

Did you get your medicine?

Nada on the medicine.  I had a bad migraine yesterday because I forgot to take my medicine.  So I definitely still need that stuff. 

Did you hear about Robin Williams?

Yes!  So sad.  Someone put up a piece of cardboard in the lunchroom that said, "Robin Williams died yesterday."  It was pretty ghetto but it just made me giggle because we literally would have had no idea if no one told us.  How weird.

Did you figure out pics?

Yup. Should send some today! 

Can I look at my blog?

I don't know.  I will ask this week. Thank you for updating it momma!!  

Companion same?

YES!  Which is awesome because I love her to pieces.  I think everyone from my zone stays together for my flight.  We have a layover in LONDON which my companion is soo excited about.  She says she is going to buy everyone real life chocolate.  We are excited.  Then at London those going to Milan and those going to Rome will take separate flights.  We leave the 16th!

Provo Temple?

Yup. every week.  It is AMAZING to get a break and go to the temple.  

Emma's side breathing?

I LOVE Getting questions about swimming :)  You can breathe on either side.  Long distance swimmers breathe on each side.  I breathe with my head facing the right.  It's kinda weird that she wants to face the left.... She should either learn to face the right or learn both probably.  I am so proud of the swimmers in our family!!!!!

Ok.  Now to get down to what happened this week....it's not much different week to week haha so hopefully I can come up with some interesting stuff. 

First and foremost THANK you for the dear elders.  They are golden here.  Literally better than money.  It doesn't even matter what they say haha.  It's just nice to hear how life is going.

Funny story of the week: We were teaching our "investigator" and the lesson was wrapping up so I said it was about time for us to leave.  I said "Oh man, I think it's about time for us to go" and went to look at my watch...except I wasn't wearing one!!!!!!!  hahahah it was sooo funny.  Our "investigator" starting dying laughing.  We were all dying laughing. 

Also funny story of the week: When you are in the MTC you kinda do crazy things in order to stay sane.  The "crazy missionary" story of the week is that all the elders in our zone thought it would be hilarious to pretend it was Elder Beesleys birthday in my district, even though it wasn't.  haha So we had this huge bday celebration for him, complete with cupcakes, singing in the cafeteria, and donuts.  It was sooo weird but we got a good laugh from it. 

Mom you asked about how the room we stay in works.  It's just like Helaman halls except it has 6 beds (bunk beds) and then some dressers and mirrors.  There are only 4 of us in the room though instead of six so that's super nice.  

I thought this week I would send some of the delightful words I've learned from my wonderful English companion....here they are....

Flannel: Washrag

Cue: line

"Whatever you fancy"

"What the chuff"

lift: elevator

"tune" (to say when you hear a good song)

jumper: sweater

I willl send more each week.  It is soooo fun having a companion from England.  

Speaking of my wonderful companion, we had a stupendous lesson this week.  We were teaching the first lesson (talking about Joesph Smith).  She has struggled with confidence with the language.  However, during that lesson she was speaking SO WELL.  It was a miracle.  Normally I speak about 60 percent of the lesson and she speaks 40 (or sometimes I speak even more) but she spoke for a ton of it and totally knew what to say!  I know the Lord blesses us missionaries to learn this language.  It's not easy but Heavenly Father is with us!  I've come to pray for my companion’s success more than my own.  I was so happy after that lesson.  Just ecstatic.  I love her! 

Emma, thank you for your markers.  In the MTC, markers are right up there with dear elders.  Better than money.  And everyone always steals markers from each other hahahah. So our district always has the BEST markers because Emma gave me some before I left.  

Our devos this week were awesome, one was by Dallin H. Oak’s daughter who is a fantastic violinist (is that even a word...?).  IT was stupendous.  The other was the YW GENERAL PRESIDENT.  She gave the best talk last night.  She just told stories from missionaries in her family.  It was a great "pep talk."  Sometimes it's hard to remember that we are in the MTC to prepare to eventually be in the mission field.  It seems like we might be here our whole lives haha but eventually we will be out there and THAT is what it's all about. So I gotta work 110%.  

Mom: I haven't taken off my nail polish...I've been dreading it.  I will probably try today. 

I'm glad you enjoyed my key lime yogurt.  I'm sad I forgot to eat it! Also that's hilarious that Emma was freaking out about your card.  She is just like me. 

Dad: Thanks for your dear elders and the pictures.  I loved looking at the pics!!!!!!!!! 

Ty: Thank you so much for the Dear Elder! I'll write you a letter today. And I have some letters for you to deliver for me.

Amanda:  Are you alive?  I'm going to write you a letter today

Kevin: Did you get my letter? Good luck with football

Emma: I LOVE YOU.  I am going to write you a letter as well. 

Thanks for being an awesome family!  I love the MTC.  I love being so close to my Heavenly Father and depending on Him for everything.  I know that He will be there for you in whatever you do, as long as you are obedient and follow him. 

I'm gonna bear my testimony in Italian now:

Io so famigilia e moto importante a la chisea.  Dio l'ama Lui figli e vuole nostoro essere felichia.  Il libro de mormon e vera, e Joesph Smith e una profeta, cosi Adoma, e Noe e otra profeta.  Io so Dio l'ama tutti, e Santo Spiroto es vera.  

Don't google translate that...it probably won't make any sense.  I pretty much just said the church is true and God loves us.  No guarantees it's all right. But hopefully you enjoy it! My teacher always tell us to "vomit" Italian, so that's what I've been trying to do.  

Love forever,

Sorella Brunson