New Mission Presidents

Kumusta pamilya ko!!!    The return button doesn't work on this computer so it's going to be one big letter!    This week was awesome!  It was new mission president week so all the new mission presidents came to be taught, meaning the first pres and the quorum of the twelve were all here!  Friday night we had a special devotional and elder oaks spoke and elders holland, christofferson, cook, nelson, and bednar were all there too, so cool!!!  And on sunday two of the elders in my district who are amazing young men got to pass the sacrament in the meeting that they were all in!  Isn't that awesome, what an experience!  So many cool opportunities at the mtc..  This week was an interesting one, a bit of an emotional roller coaster.. i didn't think it would come for me at all, that i would just have a perfect experience here.. after a couple of firesides and meetings on being a better missionary and serving in anyway possible, i just felt like i could be doing so much more than i was, but i was getting frustrated because i didn't know what more to do or how!  I was starting to get really down and put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself..  Then last night we had a fireside and we were shown a video on missionary work..  they had followed a district of missionaries around in san diego and recorded them in their normal day life, we got to watch them teach their investigator and just be themselves--turns out, missionaries are real people!  It was so reasuring to watch them as they messed up in lessons and stumbled and weren't perfect and at the same time, they were guided and inspired..  It's hard in the mtc to really feel like a missionary and that everything you are learning is actually for a purpose..  We do things everyday minute of the day "for investigators" that don't really exist yet so we're not actually seeing the fruit of our labors..  Watching the movie last night brought everything back into reality, that I'm not here to learn some cool things that can help me in life, im here to learn how to bring God's children to Christ and to help them find happiness in this life..  I loved seeing missionary work happening and not just hearing about it..  I can't wait to go to the Philippines and get started on God's work..  I just have to learn to appreciate the MTC first ha!  So this is our last week speaking english........yyikes!  staring friday, our teachers are only going to speak tagalog to us and we should only speak tagalog--or as much as we possible know!  Any lesson we give though has to be in tagalog!  I hope i'm ready for that when it comes!       Well, congrats on the raise ma, i really do appreciate the fact that you are working and helping me out while im on a mission!  And good job on still working out!  I know that if you keep it up, you'll see results!  Go to usery pass and jog, it's not too far and it's definitely hilly over there!  ooo, i bet it's hot though!  i don't miss that!  Hey how's my car doing?  still holding up?  And i would like some pics of kiki's ring if at all possible!  i want to show my kasamas!  i sent some pics home in a letter today!    okay i haven't gotten a package yet, i didn't' get chad's letter until after i had sent him one, so i will just say what i want in the email and it can be passed on to him......he mentioned a cd player and music--i don't have one yet so that would be nice if he feels like getting me one, um, i still want some healthy food like granola bars or trail mix, or skittle (okay those aren't healthy but i've become addicted for some reason) and also some mints since we can't chew gum, it's nice to have those..  That's all i can really think of, i dont feel like i really need anything!    How's the fam doin?  Gran and gramps and all them??  Tell them i love them..  Tell alec i still haven't heard from him and that he's a stinker and i cry every night because my little brother doesn't love me..    well, thats about it really......not much to say in this one...I love being a missionary, I have felt the Savior's love every single day..  He lives and is in everything, I know that if we are not following Him with every part of ourselves then we are subject to the will of the devil..  Make sure that Christ is at the center of your life and know matter what happens it will be for your benefit and gain..  The purpose in this life is to be happy and to acquire the characteristics of God so that one day we can become like Him and live forever with our families and with that God who gave us life..  Be good pamilya, God is watching over you and He truly desires to bless you, live worthy of His love and He will bless you beyond aanything you can imagine, i've seen it..    Mahal ko kayo!!!      Sister carroll