December 23, 2009

~Mom
I got the package that you sent last Wednesday actually. It was several hours after I had sent my weekly email, so I hadn't known about it yet. The memory sticks I got are perfect, they're what I need for my camera. I started laughing when you wrote that we got a new microwave. I was begining to wonder if that thing would ever die. I told Sister Philips (who was visiting us again last night) that we got a new microwave, and she gave me a weird look and asked if there were pictures included. Oh, and then she said: See Sister Loveland! Your family is already being blessed from your mission. (Wow, haha.)

~Eva
OH MY GOSH. I RANDOMLY GOT CINAMMON ROLLS THIS WEEK. :D That was entirely unexpected. My roommates at the residence hall are also being given a lot of food, so its kinda hard to share when no one is lacking. AH. We're loved. I think I gained some weight here because there's just SO MUCH FOOD. I got my dresses back from the alterations place, and they're acting up again. Although I think this time its because I might have gained some weight. That's why I'm SUPER excited to get dresses made in the philippines. :D Oh, and I have a favor to ask since I can't really print anything except for MyLDSmail.net stuff... Please send me the "Parable of the Mediator" talk by President Packer on dearelder.com or something. I want to be able to read it again when I'm in the mission field. :)

So it's Christmas this week. Oh boy. o_o It doesn't really feel like it at all. Mostly because there was no complicated school and flight plan schedule to try to get home for Christmas. There is evidence of Christmas at the mail room at the MTC though. Each day nearing C-day, the mail room has gotten more crowded and more full of Missionaries checking their mailboxes five times a day (Oh wait... that's my district.)

I bought the Book of Mormon Stories book (my district calls it the Book of Mormon for dummies) and I bought it in Cebuano, so I can compare read and learn some new vocabulary. ;) I also bought new shoes this week. The brown ones that I brought that were from Eva started to crack and change color. o_O I suppose they've already served their time as missionary shoes. And my shoes I bought at the missionary mall are slowly not staining my feet black anymore :P Although at least half of my nylons now have funny black feet marks on them.

So I actually said the closing prayer for Fireside on Sunday, not at devotional. So I was sitting up on the stand for the talk and because we're in a weird situation, there were six of us. There are 3 Elders in my district, and my two companions are there. (We got a new companion named Sister Hancock, who is also going to Hong Kong) Two of them had to sit on the front row instead of on the stand, so the man in charge of security, or organization or something said that to make it up to us since we didn't all get to sit on the stand, we can get floor seats for Christmas morning devotional. :O! We think it might be President Monson. But I'm just really hopeful, that's why.

For devotional this week, Elder Neil L. Anderson came and spoke. It's really cool to hear the apostles speak directly about missionary work. It's alot more specific to our situation in life at this moment. It felt like Elder Anderson promised me that I'll grow in the Spirit of the Lord and be able to teach by the Spirit. I'm super excited. I want to get to the mission field because then it'll feel like what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my 18 months.

Our first week in here, we kept saying "A day feels like a week, a week feels like a day." And I think that it's really true. Though actually I must say this week went by rather slowly for the most part. I don't feel like I just finished writing a letter last week. ;)

The temple is closed today so we didn't get to go. :( It's also closed next week. So last week's session was the LAST SESSION I'LL HAVE FOR 18 MONTHS!! Unless for some odd reason we get to go to Cebu temple. Not likely though, because it's still a mission away.

I haven't gotten my flight plans yet, so I can't say for sure when I'll be calling home from the airport. :( I'll let you know as soon as I can.

We have a new Cebuano District. I bet they all think that we're super smart and that we know everything. Eh heh... Probably because I know that's what I thought about the Cebuano district that was before us. There are two sister missionaries in that district, so it's good that they don't have to deal with solo sister difficulties. But they're going to Cebu, so I won't see them in the mission field. :(

There are like 300 missionaries here who can't get their Visas to Brazil. That must be annoying. :\

Well I love you all!
I have to go now. :( The timer is blinking really evil-ly.
I'd love to hear what's going on in your lives, so drop a letter my way. ;)

<3 -Sister Julie Loveland