I was born in the MTC

For all ya'll normal people out there, here's a poem completely unrelated to missionary work to celebrate valentines day... Say it out loud ok??

When you're kissing with your hunny

and your nose gets kind of runny

you think it's pretty funny

but it's not.

You're welcome.

Also, newest discovery of this week... NYQUIL PILLS EXIST?!? I've been drinking that rat nasty vomit juice my entire life and I could've just popped a pill?! Thanks to nobody for telling me about that. 

Writing out Joseph Smith's First Vision from memory

This week felt like 30 years. I might have actually been born in the MTC, I'm not really sure at this point. Elder Heacock got really sick, and because we live in a cesspool I also got really sick, which means everyone else will also probably get really sick. There were days this week that I literally had to make goals just to make it to the next meal. "If I can make it 45 more minutes, then I will only have 45 more minutes until dinner." Luckily today is P-day so hopefully I will be able to recoup a bit and be able to work harder next week.

Sunday was awesome. I learned an incredibly cool thing about the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" but I don't really want to type it so ask me about it when I get home and I'll tell you. There are also rumors that our guest speaker for the devotional tonight is Elder Rasband, which would be SO SWEET, so you'll have to wait until next week to hear if those rumors are true.

The Sisters headed for Mongolia (pic stolen from Sister Olsen's blog) Bottorff, Hansen, Guild, Olsen

Here's a really cool quote from President Hunter out of Preach my Gospel:"If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies..."   We went on to talk about

how when we pray we need to have an open conversation with our Father, instead of approaching prayer as if we're leaving a voicemail and saying "Call back when you can".

I have an amazing amount of spiritual insight and wonderful things that I've learned here at the MTC, but I just don't really know how to write them in emails. So just know that things are well, and I don't want you to think that I'm not taking things seriously. It's been a bit of an off week, being sick and all, but I'm plugging through. Mongolian is still incredibly difficult, but I memorized the first vision this week, so in a month if I can't say anything else, at least I'll be able to say that. I'm grateful for my companion, who has put up with my unpleasantness this week, and is totally ok with the fact that I usually don't want to have a conversation until after breakfast. (6:30 doesn't get any easier) The Lord keeps blessing us. My testimony and love for Jesus Christ deepens every day.

My face looks bloated because I've blown my nose about 5000 times

March 17 is still the prospective departure date. We don't begin our English training until March 1st. We will do 15 hours of online, then we will go to the ELC to do live practicums. 

I'm glad you were able to go to Rachel Newbold's homecoming- she looks great. You all look great! Also, welcome home to my best friend Soeur Rachel Hogan this week from Paris. You are such a light and I love you and wish I could be there.

Хаиртаи,

Ханисэн Эгч