7.01.2011

Surprise!

Hello!

Since this week was Visitors' Center training, and the training didn't start until Wednesday, I had my regular preparation day on Tuesday, and I get one today too! So you get to hear from me again.

So, in my last email, I told you that Sister Lewis and I had the opportunity to take the new Mission Presidents on a tour of the MTC before their training started. We learned some fun facts about the MTC and I just wanted to share them with you. Here they are:

  • 1778 missionaries are here right now (At the end of June)
  • The MTC's total capacity is 3200. (That's how many beds there are.)
  • 51 languages are taught here.
  • 539 missionaries check in today (Wednesday, June 22)
  • Construction that's going on right now is updating electrical, air conditioning, plumbing, etc, so that the MTC will last another 30 years.
  • MTC was built in 1976
This past Monday, the elders in our district left for Virginia. I miss them so much! It's funny how close we got in only 3 weeks. They were all so kind before they left, and wrote letters to Sister Lewis and me. Elder Ch'ng, from Australia, even gave me a little koala pencil grip because I wrote him his first and only letter in the MTC. I hope his family writes him more while he's in the field. And Elder Parry's girlfriend's little sister (did you follow that) drew a picture of me and a flower, which she sent to him and he gave to me. So cute. Of course I had to write her back and draw a picture too. Those elders were really like family by the time they left. Hopefully they can take a temple trip to DC.

Before I forget, here's the quotes and things I've learned the past 10 days:

His purpose can motivate the rest of my life.

"The day I became truly free is the day I decided to give to the Lord the one thing He couldn't take from me: agency." - President Packer

The Lord of the vineyard is already int he vineyard inviting us to come work with him.

Mosiah 5:9 Read this and ask yourself, "Do you know the voice calling you?" and "How can you better recognize the voice?" These are things I've asked myself lately.

Mosiah 5:12 Read this and ask, "Are you called by his name? Are you truly a Christian, or Christ's friend?" These are also questions I've asked myself.

There's another thing I wanted to include, since I have the time. It's a poem that Sister Peterson, our Branch President's wife, gave me. Her friend wrote it, and it is so touching.

It's called "Times of Refreshing: 1820" by Allie Howe.

A wisp of the new morning
Washes across his face
And turns him
To wooded temples.


The way along,
Winged harbingers lighten above,
Through, among, back and before,
As alert, anxious buds
Await nativities.
Under his boot, and on,
Dar leaf-mold, dew-dampened, patient,
A teeming earth secures.
Hearing his step,
The stone beside quickens
To its rolling,
And the showered-clean air,
Ecstatic,
Freshens millennia past,
Whispers everlastings.

Ancient in days, the awakening mother
Lifts
Against his supplicant knees;
And a breath above,
Reigning all the space around,
The Holiest of Holies
Unveil

And Joseph sups from Their Presence...


It's beautiful, isn't it? My favorite part is when the earth lifts to catch his knees as he kneels. I love the symbolism and imagery in this poem.

Okay now some business stuff. Can you send me Grandma's and Nana's addresses, please? Also, keep an eye out for an Elder Devries and an Elder White, both going to Las Vegas, East. Can you also find out how many miles it is from Our house to the DC Visitors' Center? Thanks.
(Miles via freeway is 2450.  As the bird flies 2076.)

ALI WALKER: Write me! (Did you get my letter that I sent you about the note on the fence situation? If not, write me and I'll tell you the story. It's funny.)

One last thing. And it's important: I will be calling home on July 4th between 10:30pm and 11pm Utah time. If Mom's still at camp, I'll still call home and talk to whomever is there, then get her number and call her at camp. If you could be ready, and let her know, that would be great. Thanks!



Love you all,

Sister Welch

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