Hi!!
Mom!! You are ABSOLUTLEY fantastic! Thank you SO much for the care package this week! We enjoyed munching on the animal crackers and the cookies (which are AMAZING btw) during our weekly district game night! :) Thank you for always being SO thoughtful and doing so much for us!
This week has been another fantastic week, but, as usual, so much has happened that I will have to try to focus on the main points. First of all, I realized that I have not really talked about my Companion very much! Cectrpa LeBaron is from Sandy, UT. She took 2 years of Russian in high school, which has given her a bit of a head start on all of us. It can be hard sometimes because she picks up on things so much faster and easier than I do, and can remember things so much better, but it has also been a great blessing and help to have her help me with the language! She loves to laugh and finds joy in the little pleasures of life, and we share in our love for cookies!! :) This past week during our companionship inventory (where we talk about strengths in our relationship, things we can work on, and make goals) we had decided to be more open in communicating. It was amazing to see how much our companionship was strengthened. We were more on the same page and able to teach more effectively and be more considerate of what we were both struggling with! She is amazingly great!!
The other day I was re-reading in Genesis 39. I absolutely love the story of Joseph of Egypt. His faith and example is exemplary for all of us. I especially love verse 23 where it says that the keeper of the prison trusted him in anything that he was in charge of , "because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper." I also hope that as I work hard and go forth to serve, the Lord will make everything that I put my hand to prosper.
This week as I studied 2 Nephi 2:6-8 it really hit me. I love how it talks about the atonement of the Savior, and that only through Him can we receive redemption, but we must come to him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And then in verse 8, "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is now flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah." And this is my job as a missionary! This is my message to the world, and in particular to the people of russia, that the Savior lives, and did redeem all mankind. And, as we come unto Him, we can be saved! The reason I am here on a mission is to help bring people unto Christ! In 3 Nephi 11:31-41 Jesus Christ outlines His doctrine of faith, baptism, repentance, and the Holy Ghost. I love how He tells us that the Father bears record of Him and that if we believe in Christ, we believe in the Father also, and that the Father will bear record of Jesus Christ unto those who believe in Him through the Holy Ghost! What a marvelous blessing that everyone can receive this witness through the Holy Ghost. I love verse 41 as it specifically spoke to me, as Dad so often tells me, to "Go Forth." Go forth and declare these things unto the ends of the earth! What a blessing to be in the most important work in all the world!
Yesterday we had a workshop on Russia and the importance of inviting people to come to church. In Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church or Bratislavian church is very prominant. Going to one of these great Cathedrals where you walk in and burn a candle to a small rented and renovated school, or the upstairs of a rented building over a grocery store is very different. But the reason we go to church is to gather together with the Saints and worship God. Whether there be 4 members or 20, they gather together to worship, and instead of a very impersonal distant way, it is very personal and intimate as they join together and learn together in the small, humble church meeting house. However, where the meeting is held is not important. We come to feel the spirit, partake of the sacrament, serve each other, learn the gospel together, and rejoice in the spirit of the Lord! We have been told in the past that Russia is very closed to the gospel and not to expect much success, but a lot of the success depends on me and my faith, my obedience! I want to go into Russia with happiness and joy and boldness to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In sacrament meeting this week one of the new elders was talking about how he had researched Russia when he had first gotten his call. one thing that he learned was that Russia had a fairly high depression rate, adn since he had been here he had noticed that all of the missionaries going to Russia were extremely happy and enthusiastic people! We have a message of hope and happiness! And as we go forth to serve, I hope that the people in Russia will feel of the joy that the gospel will bring into their lives! This is a fantastic work! Russian is hard, but it's coming. We gave 2 lessons in Russian yesterday, they were each about 30 minutes or so. I don't understand everything, but as I try to listen and bear testimony of what is true, the spirit can carry the truth to the hearts of those we teach! Have a great week!! Less than 3 weeks left!!! :)
love
Cectpa cunningham
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Letter from Ariel's MTC Companion - March 8, 2011
Hello dearest family and friends,
This week I don't really have too much to talk about because I honestly don't remember much of this week because my time here at the MTC has started to blur together... But I'll try to remember as much as I can! I usually make a list during the week of everything that I want to write about but I didn't this week because I got lazy... Oh well.
Anyway, though, I now have less than 3 weeks left here at the good ol' MTC!!! Can you believe it?? I can. I've been here FOREVER haha. I was talking to this elder the other day who is leaving the MTC tomorrow. He's been here for 9 weeks preparing to go to Spain and he was like, "Ya know, the first couple weeks at the MTC are really really hard, and then weeks 3 through 7 are just really great and they fly by and you enjoy everything about them and then once week 8 hits you just go completely nuts and your brain starts to turn to mush so by week 9 they just have to kick you out of here." And then he like paused for a sec and was like, "I have no idea what happens at weeks 10 through 12.... You're pretty much doomed." Haha! It was so funny. We were like wow thanks... But I kind of understand what he means about your brains turning to mush... Yesterday when we took a break from studying we played with a motion censor in the hallway for like an hour. It was quite entertaining. Oh the crazy things we do to entertain ourselves at the MTC :)
Also yesterday we moved out of our dorms and into another building. Our first transfer! It was kinda good because we got a chance to weigh our bags and see how much stuff we need to send home before we leave. Also it was really good because we moved out of the ghetto and into some 5-star dorms!!!! Well, not really 5-star, but they certainly feel like it after where we were living before... And the showers!!!! Oh, the wonderful showers in our new building. It's the most amazing thing... when you turn them on, the water comes out the temperature that you turn the faucet to. No longer will the warmth of my shower be determined by the flushing of toilets!! It's soooo awesome. I love our new dorms :D
Earlier this week my teacher Brother Porter, who served in Rostov, brought in a bunch of pictures from his mission for us to look at, so we got to see a lot of the cool places that we'll get to see when we get there! That was soooo sweet, but it made us all so anxious to get out of here! It's kinda crazy but next Monday we start our SYL (Speak Your Language) program where for the last 2 weeks at the MTC you speak ONLY Russian. So that's going to be an adventure... But we've started trying to speak Russian a lot of the time anyway, so that should help. Also next week we'll get our travel plans!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!! I don't have my visa yet, and I don't know if the MTC has my visa yet, but if there were problems getting it I'm sure they would've let me know already, so I'm not too worried about it. I'll probably get it NEXT WEEK! :D
Ohhhh! Also this week, I discovered a new talent that I have. I can sing! My companion has been kind of giving me singing lessons because the Sunday before we leave our district is planning on doing a musical number in sacrament, so since my companion sings, she's been helping all of us improve our singing and I am quite impressed with how good we all sound. We're singing the EFY Medley of Army of Helaman and As Sisters In Zion in RUSSIAN (my teacher helped us translate it) and there's this part that I pretty much have to sing by myself, which is TERRIFYING because I've never sung by myself before in my life, but it's gonna be cool. I think God has given me the Gift of Musical Tongues since coming on a mission, because I have discovered my singing voice since being here! Also, one fact that I am quite proud of, is that I discovered this week that I can hit the high F. I want you all to go to a piano this week and punch the high F key so you can just be super impressed by this little talent of mine that I never knew that I had. The Church is true.
Ummm... I think that's really all to report this week, so I'll just share a little spiritual experience I had actually before I even got here. It was the Thursday before I came to the MTC and I had taken the day to myself to spend some time alone before I had to spend the next 18 months with a companion, and I went by myself down to temple square and did an endowment session at the Salt Lake Temple and then walked around temple square for a while and then went a watched the Joseph Smith movie at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. But while I was in the Celestial room at the temple, I was sitting and thinking about how scared I was to go on a mission and how I felt so inadequate and like I just had too many weaknesses that would prevent me from being a good missionary. I remember saying a prayer and saying something like, "Heavenly Father, I know that you want me to serve a mission, but I'm scared and don't feel like I can do it. I KNOW myself and I know that I don't like doing hard things. I'm afraid I'll give up when it gets hard." And as I sat there in the Celestial Room of the Salt Lake Temple, thinking about every weakness that I have and every un-Christlike thing about me, and feeling afraid to serve a mission because I know how I handle hard things, a thought came into my mind that said something like this, "Mandy, the Savior knows you better than you know yourself. He knows that you have weaknesses. He knows that you're scared. But He also knows what you can become, and He's not going to make you do this alone." I remember sitting there and just feeling so grateful for the testimony that I have that this is true. That Christ knows me and that He won't leave me alone. And I know this is true for all of us.
The Church is true! I love you all :) Have a great week.
Love, Sister LeBaron
This week I don't really have too much to talk about because I honestly don't remember much of this week because my time here at the MTC has started to blur together... But I'll try to remember as much as I can! I usually make a list during the week of everything that I want to write about but I didn't this week because I got lazy... Oh well.
Anyway, though, I now have less than 3 weeks left here at the good ol' MTC!!! Can you believe it?? I can. I've been here FOREVER haha. I was talking to this elder the other day who is leaving the MTC tomorrow. He's been here for 9 weeks preparing to go to Spain and he was like, "Ya know, the first couple weeks at the MTC are really really hard, and then weeks 3 through 7 are just really great and they fly by and you enjoy everything about them and then once week 8 hits you just go completely nuts and your brain starts to turn to mush so by week 9 they just have to kick you out of here." And then he like paused for a sec and was like, "I have no idea what happens at weeks 10 through 12.... You're pretty much doomed." Haha! It was so funny. We were like wow thanks... But I kind of understand what he means about your brains turning to mush... Yesterday when we took a break from studying we played with a motion censor in the hallway for like an hour. It was quite entertaining. Oh the crazy things we do to entertain ourselves at the MTC :)
Also yesterday we moved out of our dorms and into another building. Our first transfer! It was kinda good because we got a chance to weigh our bags and see how much stuff we need to send home before we leave. Also it was really good because we moved out of the ghetto and into some 5-star dorms!!!! Well, not really 5-star, but they certainly feel like it after where we were living before... And the showers!!!! Oh, the wonderful showers in our new building. It's the most amazing thing... when you turn them on, the water comes out the temperature that you turn the faucet to. No longer will the warmth of my shower be determined by the flushing of toilets!! It's soooo awesome. I love our new dorms :D
Earlier this week my teacher Brother Porter, who served in Rostov, brought in a bunch of pictures from his mission for us to look at, so we got to see a lot of the cool places that we'll get to see when we get there! That was soooo sweet, but it made us all so anxious to get out of here! It's kinda crazy but next Monday we start our SYL (Speak Your Language) program where for the last 2 weeks at the MTC you speak ONLY Russian. So that's going to be an adventure... But we've started trying to speak Russian a lot of the time anyway, so that should help. Also next week we'll get our travel plans!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!! I don't have my visa yet, and I don't know if the MTC has my visa yet, but if there were problems getting it I'm sure they would've let me know already, so I'm not too worried about it. I'll probably get it NEXT WEEK! :D
Ohhhh! Also this week, I discovered a new talent that I have. I can sing! My companion has been kind of giving me singing lessons because the Sunday before we leave our district is planning on doing a musical number in sacrament, so since my companion sings, she's been helping all of us improve our singing and I am quite impressed with how good we all sound. We're singing the EFY Medley of Army of Helaman and As Sisters In Zion in RUSSIAN (my teacher helped us translate it) and there's this part that I pretty much have to sing by myself, which is TERRIFYING because I've never sung by myself before in my life, but it's gonna be cool. I think God has given me the Gift of Musical Tongues since coming on a mission, because I have discovered my singing voice since being here! Also, one fact that I am quite proud of, is that I discovered this week that I can hit the high F. I want you all to go to a piano this week and punch the high F key so you can just be super impressed by this little talent of mine that I never knew that I had. The Church is true.
Ummm... I think that's really all to report this week, so I'll just share a little spiritual experience I had actually before I even got here. It was the Thursday before I came to the MTC and I had taken the day to myself to spend some time alone before I had to spend the next 18 months with a companion, and I went by myself down to temple square and did an endowment session at the Salt Lake Temple and then walked around temple square for a while and then went a watched the Joseph Smith movie at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. But while I was in the Celestial room at the temple, I was sitting and thinking about how scared I was to go on a mission and how I felt so inadequate and like I just had too many weaknesses that would prevent me from being a good missionary. I remember saying a prayer and saying something like, "Heavenly Father, I know that you want me to serve a mission, but I'm scared and don't feel like I can do it. I KNOW myself and I know that I don't like doing hard things. I'm afraid I'll give up when it gets hard." And as I sat there in the Celestial Room of the Salt Lake Temple, thinking about every weakness that I have and every un-Christlike thing about me, and feeling afraid to serve a mission because I know how I handle hard things, a thought came into my mind that said something like this, "Mandy, the Savior knows you better than you know yourself. He knows that you have weaknesses. He knows that you're scared. But He also knows what you can become, and He's not going to make you do this alone." I remember sitting there and just feeling so grateful for the testimony that I have that this is true. That Christ knows me and that He won't leave me alone. And I know this is true for all of us.
The Church is true! I love you all :) Have a great week.
Love, Sister LeBaron
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Letter #7 *~MTC~* March 1, 2011
Hello Family!!
Wow!! These weeks sure do fly by! I forgot to tell you about our teaching last week! We have now taught at the TRC twice in Russian! So, we go in and for the first 10-15 minutes we have a small task that we do. We have to buy clothes, order food, help pick up household items... all in russian! Then after meeting the person we will be teaching we have about 5-10 to revise our lesson plan and then we go in and teach them for about a half an hour. It has been hard, because I definitely CANNOT understand a very big chunk of what they are saying, but Cectpa LeBaron is great and we are able to keep the lesson rolling. We now also teach on Monday and Fridays in Russian. I know that my grammar is most likely HORRENDOUS, but I think that they can usually get the jist of what I'm trying to say... well... at least they act like it! :)
I forgot to mention last week that we had a bit of a scare. Cectpa Tunney woke up at about 6 with the words, what side is your appendix on... oh dear... well, no worries after a TON of pain and thinking that she might have a kidney stone, which we named Kirt, I think that they figured out that she had a urinary tract infection... so Kirt is no longer hurting her! Good news! This week I also came into my room and found a fantastic suprise on my desk!! Elder Johnson, an Elder in our zone had received a box of fruitleathers from his sister. He doesn't like them and so he had Cectrpa Bullough deliver the box to me because of my very evident love of them!! Cectpa LeBaron and I had a good time taking some pictures with the box. We also received our nametags that we will be taking into the field this week! Mine is pretty much AMAZING!! Super cool Russian letters in my last name! I took a picture but still need to develop it, so I will send it along soon.
This past tuesday devotional was really great!! IT was a member of the 70 and his wife. Elder Patrick KEaron. Sister Kearon talked about a question that she had heard asked at a mission conference. "If someone had been taking a video of your last 24 hours, what would it look like? Would they be proud of you? Would you be proud to show it to your parents?" During our district review, Cectpa tunney made the comment that our parents, our heavenly parents, can and do see what we've been doing the past 24 hours, and are we proud of that? Would they be disappointed in us? It made me really think about how I'm using my time! I don't want my Heavenly Father to be disappointed in how I use my time!
This past Sunday Elder Rodriques-Vargus and I did play a violin Duet in church, accompanied by Sister Bullough. It was wonderful to be able to play again, and to bear my testimony through music. It has such a powerful affect! I don't realize how much I miss it until I take the time to play, and then, suddenly, I feel better and healed! Music has such a great power of healing and peace! About 2 weeks ago a new counselor was called into our MTC branch presidency. His name is Brother Cranney,and he is the former mission president of the Moscow mission. He and his wife are STELLAR and we all already ,love them SO much! sister Cranney spoke on Sunday and quoted from one of their favorite Russian Novels, "The Brothers Karamazov." In the story there is a Christ figure. The way that he responded when a boy hit him and bit him, as he was trying to provoke him, was really powerful. The boy mearly kept asking what he had done to deserve this treatment, for surely he must have done something HORRIBLE to this boy for him to treat him like that. He never acted in anger or unkindness and simply wanted to know how he had hurt this boy because the punishment he was getting must have been deserved. I thought about that little story and how I want to be more Christlike. I hope that in my actions and the ways that I react to those around me, I can act in love and understanding, no matter how they hurt me.
Sister Dibbs came and spoke to our relief society on Sunday. She is the daughter of President Monson, and so it was fun to hear some stories about him and his life. His love of laughter and service! He is always joking and loving life. I want to be more like that! To love and enjoy everthing that i do! At the end of her talk she was talking about her dad and how he had been able to visit the holy land and walk where Jesus walked. He was talking of his experience bein there, but ended with something like this, "What means more in my life (than walking where the Savior walked while He was on the earth) is to walk where Jesus would walk today." I loved that! We all can do that in our own lives NOW!! Where are those that we can serve, lift, and love! Where would Jesus walk, what would He do, who would He serve if He were in my shoes and walking where I am walking today! Not just as a missionary, but throughout my whole life I hope to be able to live this principle and walk where the Savior would walk!
A quick kind of funny story! So.... in Russia the people are only allowed to be named certain names. They literally have a list of names that they are allowed to name there children. Brother Porter, my teacher, always tells us about the name Vladislov because it sounds like (What is love?) with a Russian Accent, so he always jokes that he would tell peope in russia that there name was in an American song and then he would commence to sing... "Vladislov---Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!" hahaha. I don't think that he actually ever did it, but I think that when I meet my first Vlacislov in russia, I will ahve to try very hard not to laugh! :)
I hope that you all had a FANTASTIC week!! Things are going by CRAZY fast here! We will be leaving at the end of this month!! CRAZY!!
Love,
Cectpa Cunningham
Wow!! These weeks sure do fly by! I forgot to tell you about our teaching last week! We have now taught at the TRC twice in Russian! So, we go in and for the first 10-15 minutes we have a small task that we do. We have to buy clothes, order food, help pick up household items... all in russian! Then after meeting the person we will be teaching we have about 5-10 to revise our lesson plan and then we go in and teach them for about a half an hour. It has been hard, because I definitely CANNOT understand a very big chunk of what they are saying, but Cectpa LeBaron is great and we are able to keep the lesson rolling. We now also teach on Monday and Fridays in Russian. I know that my grammar is most likely HORRENDOUS, but I think that they can usually get the jist of what I'm trying to say... well... at least they act like it! :)
I forgot to mention last week that we had a bit of a scare. Cectpa Tunney woke up at about 6 with the words, what side is your appendix on... oh dear... well, no worries after a TON of pain and thinking that she might have a kidney stone, which we named Kirt, I think that they figured out that she had a urinary tract infection... so Kirt is no longer hurting her! Good news! This week I also came into my room and found a fantastic suprise on my desk!! Elder Johnson, an Elder in our zone had received a box of fruitleathers from his sister. He doesn't like them and so he had Cectrpa Bullough deliver the box to me because of my very evident love of them!! Cectpa LeBaron and I had a good time taking some pictures with the box. We also received our nametags that we will be taking into the field this week! Mine is pretty much AMAZING!! Super cool Russian letters in my last name! I took a picture but still need to develop it, so I will send it along soon.
This past tuesday devotional was really great!! IT was a member of the 70 and his wife. Elder Patrick KEaron. Sister Kearon talked about a question that she had heard asked at a mission conference. "If someone had been taking a video of your last 24 hours, what would it look like? Would they be proud of you? Would you be proud to show it to your parents?" During our district review, Cectpa tunney made the comment that our parents, our heavenly parents, can and do see what we've been doing the past 24 hours, and are we proud of that? Would they be disappointed in us? It made me really think about how I'm using my time! I don't want my Heavenly Father to be disappointed in how I use my time!
This past Sunday Elder Rodriques-Vargus and I did play a violin Duet in church, accompanied by Sister Bullough. It was wonderful to be able to play again, and to bear my testimony through music. It has such a powerful affect! I don't realize how much I miss it until I take the time to play, and then, suddenly, I feel better and healed! Music has such a great power of healing and peace! About 2 weeks ago a new counselor was called into our MTC branch presidency. His name is Brother Cranney,and he is the former mission president of the Moscow mission. He and his wife are STELLAR and we all already ,love them SO much! sister Cranney spoke on Sunday and quoted from one of their favorite Russian Novels, "The Brothers Karamazov." In the story there is a Christ figure. The way that he responded when a boy hit him and bit him, as he was trying to provoke him, was really powerful. The boy mearly kept asking what he had done to deserve this treatment, for surely he must have done something HORRIBLE to this boy for him to treat him like that. He never acted in anger or unkindness and simply wanted to know how he had hurt this boy because the punishment he was getting must have been deserved. I thought about that little story and how I want to be more Christlike. I hope that in my actions and the ways that I react to those around me, I can act in love and understanding, no matter how they hurt me.
Sister Dibbs came and spoke to our relief society on Sunday. She is the daughter of President Monson, and so it was fun to hear some stories about him and his life. His love of laughter and service! He is always joking and loving life. I want to be more like that! To love and enjoy everthing that i do! At the end of her talk she was talking about her dad and how he had been able to visit the holy land and walk where Jesus walked. He was talking of his experience bein there, but ended with something like this, "What means more in my life (than walking where the Savior walked while He was on the earth) is to walk where Jesus would walk today." I loved that! We all can do that in our own lives NOW!! Where are those that we can serve, lift, and love! Where would Jesus walk, what would He do, who would He serve if He were in my shoes and walking where I am walking today! Not just as a missionary, but throughout my whole life I hope to be able to live this principle and walk where the Savior would walk!
A quick kind of funny story! So.... in Russia the people are only allowed to be named certain names. They literally have a list of names that they are allowed to name there children. Brother Porter, my teacher, always tells us about the name Vladislov because it sounds like (What is love?) with a Russian Accent, so he always jokes that he would tell peope in russia that there name was in an American song and then he would commence to sing... "Vladislov---Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!" hahaha. I don't think that he actually ever did it, but I think that when I meet my first Vlacislov in russia, I will ahve to try very hard not to laugh! :)
I hope that you all had a FANTASTIC week!! Things are going by CRAZY fast here! We will be leaving at the end of this month!! CRAZY!!
Love,
Cectpa Cunningham
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Letter #6 *~MTC~* February 22, 2011
Hi Family!!
I was really sad to learn last week that you had to put my beautiful puppy Cedar down. It was hard to hear, but I'm really glad you told me! She had a good life and will NEVER be forgotten! I want to include my tribute to her!!
Dearest Cedar!
You have been my best friend for basically my whole life! And a total part of the family! I will never forget that Christmas in first grade when I asked Santa for a dog and he responded that if it was alright with my parents ;) I could have you! Our lifelong friendship had only just begun that Christmas! I loved to frolic in the snow with you, play frisbee and ball, and run with you! You were the most patient and loving dog that a girl could ever want and I'm going to miss you terribly! Thank you for putting up with me as we learned, loved, ran, and laughed/barked together! Don't forget how I taught you to jump off the dock to go and fectch your frisbee from the lake, because we're going to play this game again in Heaven one day! I will always remember your smile, bark, sing, and playful growl! I can hear them now as I write this! I miss you Baby Sil! Those puppy dog eyes and your ability to jump around and make us all laugh will always be in my heart, and your face is forever remain in my eyes and in my heart! I love you puppy! Make sure and give little Avery a big lick and tail wag for us all!!
Love your forever friend!
Ariel
I hope that you are all doing ok! She had a good life, and I wish that we could have a little more time with her, but the time that we had was heaven sent and I will always be SO grateful for that!! I love my puppy!
Anyway... Sorry... I need to get back on track before I really start crying in the computer lab with all these missionaries!! Side note: Siostra Mann leaves for Poland next monday!!! The other week as I was watching a fireside given by Elder Holland, he mentioned something that I didn't quite understand. He said that as we teach the gospel we need to make it personal and our own, so that we are literally teaching "our" gospel, of course not to take away from the fact that it is the Lord's gospel, but that we need to make it personal! I understood the concept, but as I read the talk that you gave me from Elder McConkie mom, it made even more sense. Elder McConkie talked about how the words that he would speak that day would be his own. But the words he would speak would be from other prophets and general authorities, but they would be his own becasue h e had gained a personal witness fromt the Holy Ghost that they were true, so it was like they were his own words. I think that that is what Elder Holland meant. As we gain a testimony of teh doctrines of the Gospel, through the Holy Ghost, they will become personal and we will teach the gospel in our own words and "Preach MY Gospel" becasue we have made it personally ours. I hope that that makes sense, but it was really neat to learn these things. We need to make these things personal and know them for ourselves because we cannot teach our investigators past our own conversion!
The other day we were reading the introduction in the Book of Mormon. When we read the paragraph that says that "We invite all men everywhere to read teh Book of Mormon, to ponder in their heaerts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. THose who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its trugh and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." we talked about how this is inviting EVERYONE! Not only those who don't have a testimony or know that it's ture, but everyone! Those of us who already know it's true have such a great opportunity to continue to read, ponder, and pray about it's truthfulness and gain an even stronger witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is the proof that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. It is the "fruit" by which Matthew says that we can know if they are false or not! What a great blessing to be continually learning and growing and reading and pondering to gain more and more knowledge!
Just really quickly I was reading Helamon 5:6 today and thinking about the name that we covenant to take upon us when we are baptized! And in Mosiah 5:12 that we must retain this name in our hearts. I was thinking about how we need to literally look to that and remember that our actions need to reflect this name that we have taken upon us!! And as a missionary I feel SO blessed to have this name always over my heart, literally written and worn almost 24/7 on my nametag! I hope that my actions and the things that I do will reflect that I have taken the Lord's name upon me and that I do retain and remember it and have it written in my heart!! I love you all!! Keep in touch!
love,
cectpa Cunningham!!!
I was really sad to learn last week that you had to put my beautiful puppy Cedar down. It was hard to hear, but I'm really glad you told me! She had a good life and will NEVER be forgotten! I want to include my tribute to her!!
Dearest Cedar!
You have been my best friend for basically my whole life! And a total part of the family! I will never forget that Christmas in first grade when I asked Santa for a dog and he responded that if it was alright with my parents ;) I could have you! Our lifelong friendship had only just begun that Christmas! I loved to frolic in the snow with you, play frisbee and ball, and run with you! You were the most patient and loving dog that a girl could ever want and I'm going to miss you terribly! Thank you for putting up with me as we learned, loved, ran, and laughed/barked together! Don't forget how I taught you to jump off the dock to go and fectch your frisbee from the lake, because we're going to play this game again in Heaven one day! I will always remember your smile, bark, sing, and playful growl! I can hear them now as I write this! I miss you Baby Sil! Those puppy dog eyes and your ability to jump around and make us all laugh will always be in my heart, and your face is forever remain in my eyes and in my heart! I love you puppy! Make sure and give little Avery a big lick and tail wag for us all!!
Love your forever friend!
Ariel
I hope that you are all doing ok! She had a good life, and I wish that we could have a little more time with her, but the time that we had was heaven sent and I will always be SO grateful for that!! I love my puppy!
Anyway... Sorry... I need to get back on track before I really start crying in the computer lab with all these missionaries!! Side note: Siostra Mann leaves for Poland next monday!!! The other week as I was watching a fireside given by Elder Holland, he mentioned something that I didn't quite understand. He said that as we teach the gospel we need to make it personal and our own, so that we are literally teaching "our" gospel, of course not to take away from the fact that it is the Lord's gospel, but that we need to make it personal! I understood the concept, but as I read the talk that you gave me from Elder McConkie mom, it made even more sense. Elder McConkie talked about how the words that he would speak that day would be his own. But the words he would speak would be from other prophets and general authorities, but they would be his own becasue h e had gained a personal witness fromt the Holy Ghost that they were true, so it was like they were his own words. I think that that is what Elder Holland meant. As we gain a testimony of teh doctrines of the Gospel, through the Holy Ghost, they will become personal and we will teach the gospel in our own words and "Preach MY Gospel" becasue we have made it personally ours. I hope that that makes sense, but it was really neat to learn these things. We need to make these things personal and know them for ourselves because we cannot teach our investigators past our own conversion!
The other day we were reading the introduction in the Book of Mormon. When we read the paragraph that says that "We invite all men everywhere to read teh Book of Mormon, to ponder in their heaerts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. THose who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its trugh and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." we talked about how this is inviting EVERYONE! Not only those who don't have a testimony or know that it's ture, but everyone! Those of us who already know it's true have such a great opportunity to continue to read, ponder, and pray about it's truthfulness and gain an even stronger witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is the proof that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. It is the "fruit" by which Matthew says that we can know if they are false or not! What a great blessing to be continually learning and growing and reading and pondering to gain more and more knowledge!
Just really quickly I was reading Helamon 5:6 today and thinking about the name that we covenant to take upon us when we are baptized! And in Mosiah 5:12 that we must retain this name in our hearts. I was thinking about how we need to literally look to that and remember that our actions need to reflect this name that we have taken upon us!! And as a missionary I feel SO blessed to have this name always over my heart, literally written and worn almost 24/7 on my nametag! I hope that my actions and the things that I do will reflect that I have taken the Lord's name upon me and that I do retain and remember it and have it written in my heart!! I love you all!! Keep in touch!
love,
cectpa Cunningham!!!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Letter #5 *~MTC~* February 15, 2011
Hi Family!!!
Wow!! Another week gone by again!! I will just try to highlight some of the things that happened this week! :) Every week we get the opportunity to meet with one of our teachers. They just kind of check up on us and see how we are doing, ask what they can improve on, and see if they can help us with anything. They are also really good about encouraging us and helping us know what we can improve on and what we're doing well at! I was able to meet with Brother Wilson this week. it was really cool to talk with him. He said that he was really impressed by all of our Russian. We had taught the older district all in Russian that week. he said that he had noticed that I wasn't using my notes (well... I did have to look at like 2 or so words) and that as he watched he saw that I was putting together my own sentences. He said that as h e watched he thought, wow, this is the gift of tongues in action! I really did feel the help of the spirit as I was teaching that lesson. It is really powerful to teach in Russian because I can't say very much, so the gospel can't help but be simple and basic because that's all I can say!! And that's how it should be! I still have SO much to improve on! I want to be a better teacher and be able to communicate in Russian! Our TRC went really well this week also. In the TRC volunteers come in and they let the missionaries teach them! Super cool! Sister LeBaron and I have seemed to often times get people who are hard to teach, well... it's probably just us. but that's what the TRC is all about, to learn how to be better teachers! This week though, we had a really great lesson! The lady we taught was super nice and the spirit was definitely there as we taught.
I also FINALLY finished memorizing the first vision in Russian this week!!! YPA YPA!!! (that's Russian for OORRAAAHH) :)
This past Sunday I was blessed to be able to give the lesson for our District Meeting! Every Sunday we will meet as a District before lunch and have about an hour to have a lesson and learn together. The topic that I did was how to be a successful Missionary. I focused my lesson on the example of Aaron in Alma 22 and how he was able to teach King Lamoni's father with such power! Then we talked about the purpose of the MTC and how we can gain that power! Alma 17:2-3,9 &11. My main goal was to give us all hope and a purpose as we are in teh MTC! 12 weeks is a long time, and if we forget what we're to be doing here.... it's even harder! Elder Holland stressed, as he talked about the MTC, that we will NEVER EVER have the time that we have to study here ever again! We have to make it count! As we studied about Aaron we went through most of the scriptures in Alma 22:1-18 talking about the points that I sent you from my study journal! I had really tried to gather all of the information that I needed for my lesson and was praying that everything would fit well and the spirit would be there! As we talked, certain points that the elders and sisters brought up led perfectly into certain things that I had been studying. Their comments allowed me to be able to talk about what was important for me to share in the things that I had studied. Elder Bullough pointed out from v.14 that Aaron made the gospel sound exciting! That was a perfect poing that Elder Holland had talked about. He said that from Mosiah 27:11 & 18 that he doesn't think that the earth literally shook, but that Alma's earth shook. He said that we need to go and astonish people!!! :) We h ave the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this is exciting!! Go and shake some people's earths and astonish them!!
We focused on how Alma 17:2-3 we need to focus on studying, fasting, and prayer! That is how Aaron and the sons of Mosiah gained their power to teach! All of us missionaries already have all the power we need! We have been set apart, but it is up to us to gain the power, and that comes through study, fasting, prayer, etc! They GAVE themselves to these things and we need to do the same to gain the spirit when we teach! from the talk I sent you I also quoted, "the Lord doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect IMMEDIATE progress!!" It was really good to be able to all learn together as a district! Zone Leader Bullough told me later that day that he had never marked so many scriptures in his life! :) The scriptures apply to all of us, and we can learn SO much from them! I have really enjoyed reading different stories slowly in the Book of Mormon and drawing out the principles and lessons that are there. We can totally miss them when we read fast, but there is SO much that can bless us directly in our lives and is what we need to learn!
Thank you SO much for the care package!!!! i LOVED the pjs adn wore them to bed last night! I needed those hugs because it's hard not to be able to give you a hug! Especially on Valentines day!! Mom! you are WAY too good to me!! I sure love you! I am also SOOOOOO excited about Grandma being sealed to Grandpa and Dad to them!!!! Give her my love!! Dad!! Did you ever think that that day would come?!! How EXCITING!!
I hope that everyone is doing SO well!! We have devotional tonight... and we're all crossing our fingers that we'll get to hear from a member of the quorum of the twelve!! :)
Have a GREAT week!!
Cectpa Cunningham
Wow!! Another week gone by again!! I will just try to highlight some of the things that happened this week! :) Every week we get the opportunity to meet with one of our teachers. They just kind of check up on us and see how we are doing, ask what they can improve on, and see if they can help us with anything. They are also really good about encouraging us and helping us know what we can improve on and what we're doing well at! I was able to meet with Brother Wilson this week. it was really cool to talk with him. He said that he was really impressed by all of our Russian. We had taught the older district all in Russian that week. he said that he had noticed that I wasn't using my notes (well... I did have to look at like 2 or so words) and that as he watched he saw that I was putting together my own sentences. He said that as h e watched he thought, wow, this is the gift of tongues in action! I really did feel the help of the spirit as I was teaching that lesson. It is really powerful to teach in Russian because I can't say very much, so the gospel can't help but be simple and basic because that's all I can say!! And that's how it should be! I still have SO much to improve on! I want to be a better teacher and be able to communicate in Russian! Our TRC went really well this week also. In the TRC volunteers come in and they let the missionaries teach them! Super cool! Sister LeBaron and I have seemed to often times get people who are hard to teach, well... it's probably just us. but that's what the TRC is all about, to learn how to be better teachers! This week though, we had a really great lesson! The lady we taught was super nice and the spirit was definitely there as we taught.
I also FINALLY finished memorizing the first vision in Russian this week!!! YPA YPA!!! (that's Russian for OORRAAAHH) :)
This past Sunday I was blessed to be able to give the lesson for our District Meeting! Every Sunday we will meet as a District before lunch and have about an hour to have a lesson and learn together. The topic that I did was how to be a successful Missionary. I focused my lesson on the example of Aaron in Alma 22 and how he was able to teach King Lamoni's father with such power! Then we talked about the purpose of the MTC and how we can gain that power! Alma 17:2-3,9 &11. My main goal was to give us all hope and a purpose as we are in teh MTC! 12 weeks is a long time, and if we forget what we're to be doing here.... it's even harder! Elder Holland stressed, as he talked about the MTC, that we will NEVER EVER have the time that we have to study here ever again! We have to make it count! As we studied about Aaron we went through most of the scriptures in Alma 22:1-18 talking about the points that I sent you from my study journal! I had really tried to gather all of the information that I needed for my lesson and was praying that everything would fit well and the spirit would be there! As we talked, certain points that the elders and sisters brought up led perfectly into certain things that I had been studying. Their comments allowed me to be able to talk about what was important for me to share in the things that I had studied. Elder Bullough pointed out from v.14 that Aaron made the gospel sound exciting! That was a perfect poing that Elder Holland had talked about. He said that from Mosiah 27:11 & 18 that he doesn't think that the earth literally shook, but that Alma's earth shook. He said that we need to go and astonish people!!! :) We h ave the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this is exciting!! Go and shake some people's earths and astonish them!!
We focused on how Alma 17:2-3 we need to focus on studying, fasting, and prayer! That is how Aaron and the sons of Mosiah gained their power to teach! All of us missionaries already have all the power we need! We have been set apart, but it is up to us to gain the power, and that comes through study, fasting, prayer, etc! They GAVE themselves to these things and we need to do the same to gain the spirit when we teach! from the talk I sent you I also quoted, "the Lord doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect IMMEDIATE progress!!" It was really good to be able to all learn together as a district! Zone Leader Bullough told me later that day that he had never marked so many scriptures in his life! :) The scriptures apply to all of us, and we can learn SO much from them! I have really enjoyed reading different stories slowly in the Book of Mormon and drawing out the principles and lessons that are there. We can totally miss them when we read fast, but there is SO much that can bless us directly in our lives and is what we need to learn!
Thank you SO much for the care package!!!! i LOVED the pjs adn wore them to bed last night! I needed those hugs because it's hard not to be able to give you a hug! Especially on Valentines day!! Mom! you are WAY too good to me!! I sure love you! I am also SOOOOOO excited about Grandma being sealed to Grandpa and Dad to them!!!! Give her my love!! Dad!! Did you ever think that that day would come?!! How EXCITING!!
I hope that everyone is doing SO well!! We have devotional tonight... and we're all crossing our fingers that we'll get to hear from a member of the quorum of the twelve!! :)
Have a GREAT week!!
Cectpa Cunningham
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Letter #4 *~MTC~* February 8, 2011
Hello all!
Wow!! THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST WEEK EVER!!! Yesterday I receivied a package from home. I didn't open it, of course, until I got back into my dorm room. There were the usual AMAZING things that my mom gets, all of which are SO appreciated and thoughtful!! I'm telling you!! Moms ALWAYS know EXACTLY what you need!!! Thanks a bunch Mom!! There was also a tape that was sent (I have a tape recorder, so it's awesome to be able to listen to my families voices!!). I didn't listen to it for the first little bit after opening my package, and I was kind of disappointed that my mom hadn't written me a letter with anything about Britt in it!!! (Brittany is one of my VERY VERY VERY BEST friends in the WHOLE world!!!) Cectpa Bullough asked me if I had heard anything about Britt, my district and friends have been praying for her and thinking about her like crazy... well, no one has been thinking about her more than me probably! :) Britt came out to visit me before I left on my mission and now, since returning home has been meeting with the missionaries. Mom mentioned her name and I immediately screamed, stopped the tape and ran into Cectpa Bullough's room! I said... my mom did fill us in about Britt. I had only heard Britt's name mentioned on the tape, so I rewound it so that we could both listen to what was going on. We had known that Britt had said that she would go to church on Sunday, and we were all praying that she would be able to make it. mom informed me that her car hadn't been able to start, and so she wasn't able to make it.... Cectpa Bullough and I were super disappointed... there was a break in the tape and then mom said that someone should tell me who it was. Britt came on my tape... via telephone! She said hi and that she'd gotten a message from Martin the other day and he sounded great. She said that she wanted to tell me that she had been taking the missionary discussions and that she was going to be baptized!!!
I CANNOT EVEN DESCRIBE THE JOY THAT WELLED UP INSIDE OF ME!!! Brittany Servent, you made me the happiest that I have ever been in my life. I have never felt so happy before!!! Cectpa Bullough and I both started crying immediately!! I was SO happy that I couldn't contain myself! I was crying, laughing, hugging Cectpa Bullough,m and shouting for joy all at the same time!! I felt like Ammon in the Book of Mormon. My joy was SO full!!! I ran back into my room to share with the news with the sisters in my district!! There was more crying and laughing and shouting for joy!!!! I think that everyone on my floor... and probably in the entire building heard me!! Wow!! Some of the girls that were in teh bathroom heard me and they were wondering what it could be becasue it soudned like someone had just gotten engaged!!!! :) haha! Brittany Servent!! My dear friend! I can't tell you the joy that I feel that you want to take this step to follow the Savior!! You will ALWAYS be my friend no matter what, but there is nothing to compare that I will now have you as my sister in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!! I love you my friend!! :)
This past Sunday I also had another EXTREMELY awesome experience!! As I was walking out of Sacrament meeting, I heard someone ask for a sister Cunningham. the sisters in front of me turned around and pointed to me. I walked up to the man and he said, "hi sister Cunningham!" It didn't register who it was at first, but then he said, it's President Baker!! :) Dad!! your mission president has church right next door to my sacrament meeting EVERY sunday!! I walked up to Sister Baker and said, "Hi SIster Baker!!" She didn't recognize who I was at first, but then she saw my name tag and was like!! "Oh! It's you!!" I want you to know that they still say that you were one of the best missionaries that they ever had!! :) Sister Baker said that and then she turned to me and was like, no, but really! Your dad was one of the best!! :) Thank you for being SUCH an amazing example to me of obedience, love, and your desire to spread the gospel.
Also this week in class we were talking about how as missionaries we bring the spirit with us. There is a quote by john Bytheway that says a not so good missionary hangs around and a good missionary doesn't linger. We want people to regocnize the spirit that we bring with us, and not linger so that they realize that they feel that way becasue of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that we bring!! :) So, I shared your story mom about when you and your companion accidently ended up goign into the Roger's home. Where Hyatt Roger's wasn't a member and the Bishop had told you not to visit thme. When tyou realized where you were you bore a quick but powerful testimony and left. Because of this, Hyatt Rogers felt your spirit and wanted to be baptized!! you lived this rule impecably!!! Wow!! Thank you for your example mom!!
Mom and Dad! I am SO grateful for both of your faithful missions that you have served. THey have blessed my life and continue to bless it as I am here in the MTC!! You are a testimony of faith to me and those around me! I sure love my family and friends! Thank you SO much for making all of this possible for me! Sorry that the e-mail this week is sporadic... Cectpa LeBaron and I taught the first lesson in Russian this week!! IT was about 10-15 minutes long and went REALLY welll!!! I could really feel teh spirit helping me! we were able to say what needed to be said and bear witness! the gift of tongues is real! i lov eyou all!!
love,
Cectpa Cunningham
P.S. Mom!! Idk what you think.... but I would be careful e-mailing the part about Britt out.... maybe only to our family and really close friends? like Martin, Corrie... I don't want her to receive pressure from those in WI? Maybe it'd be good for them to hear about it? Idk... what do you think? Whatever you think is best is AWESOME!!! Just be careful... i know that Satan willb e working REALLY hard on Brittany as it is!
Also, do I need to know anything else for my appt. tomorrow? I just need to bring the envelope that came with my Violin right.... that has my medical records in it? Also....we actually don't have acccess to a fridge...s o i've eaten some of the yogurt and it's been great. Dear Elder me today mimmediately so I can get it tonight about if i need to know anything else for my appt. tomorrow. I'm like 3 pills or 3 days away from being out of my acne meds... !!! I was goign to ask the nurse that helps me tomorrow.... Also, apparatntly my mission president did send a letter to all of the missionaries goign to rostov of what to bring etc... i never got it though, so could you maybe call the MTC and find out how to get that from him? Also.... WOW MOM!!! ABOUT THE VIOLIN!!!! That's AMAZING AND SUCH A BLESSING!!! THe one thing is that I need to get that cleared iwth my mission president also... so if you can ask him that be FANTASTIC!!! Also... did Britt start meeting with the sisters before my letter? or after? let her know I'll be e-mailing her.... either forwarded through you or to her directrly and also to let me know the date and time of her baptism so that i can call her RIGHT AFTER IT HAPPENS!! Does she have a tape player so I can send her a tape? sorry for all the questions!
Wow!! THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST WEEK EVER!!! Yesterday I receivied a package from home. I didn't open it, of course, until I got back into my dorm room. There were the usual AMAZING things that my mom gets, all of which are SO appreciated and thoughtful!! I'm telling you!! Moms ALWAYS know EXACTLY what you need!!! Thanks a bunch Mom!! There was also a tape that was sent (I have a tape recorder, so it's awesome to be able to listen to my families voices!!). I didn't listen to it for the first little bit after opening my package, and I was kind of disappointed that my mom hadn't written me a letter with anything about Britt in it!!! (Brittany is one of my VERY VERY VERY BEST friends in the WHOLE world!!!) Cectpa Bullough asked me if I had heard anything about Britt, my district and friends have been praying for her and thinking about her like crazy... well, no one has been thinking about her more than me probably! :) Britt came out to visit me before I left on my mission and now, since returning home has been meeting with the missionaries. Mom mentioned her name and I immediately screamed, stopped the tape and ran into Cectpa Bullough's room! I said... my mom did fill us in about Britt. I had only heard Britt's name mentioned on the tape, so I rewound it so that we could both listen to what was going on. We had known that Britt had said that she would go to church on Sunday, and we were all praying that she would be able to make it. mom informed me that her car hadn't been able to start, and so she wasn't able to make it.... Cectpa Bullough and I were super disappointed... there was a break in the tape and then mom said that someone should tell me who it was. Britt came on my tape... via telephone! She said hi and that she'd gotten a message from Martin the other day and he sounded great. She said that she wanted to tell me that she had been taking the missionary discussions and that she was going to be baptized!!!
I CANNOT EVEN DESCRIBE THE JOY THAT WELLED UP INSIDE OF ME!!! Brittany Servent, you made me the happiest that I have ever been in my life. I have never felt so happy before!!! Cectpa Bullough and I both started crying immediately!! I was SO happy that I couldn't contain myself! I was crying, laughing, hugging Cectpa Bullough,m and shouting for joy all at the same time!! I felt like Ammon in the Book of Mormon. My joy was SO full!!! I ran back into my room to share with the news with the sisters in my district!! There was more crying and laughing and shouting for joy!!!! I think that everyone on my floor... and probably in the entire building heard me!! Wow!! Some of the girls that were in teh bathroom heard me and they were wondering what it could be becasue it soudned like someone had just gotten engaged!!!! :) haha! Brittany Servent!! My dear friend! I can't tell you the joy that I feel that you want to take this step to follow the Savior!! You will ALWAYS be my friend no matter what, but there is nothing to compare that I will now have you as my sister in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!! I love you my friend!! :)
This past Sunday I also had another EXTREMELY awesome experience!! As I was walking out of Sacrament meeting, I heard someone ask for a sister Cunningham. the sisters in front of me turned around and pointed to me. I walked up to the man and he said, "hi sister Cunningham!" It didn't register who it was at first, but then he said, it's President Baker!! :) Dad!! your mission president has church right next door to my sacrament meeting EVERY sunday!! I walked up to Sister Baker and said, "Hi SIster Baker!!" She didn't recognize who I was at first, but then she saw my name tag and was like!! "Oh! It's you!!" I want you to know that they still say that you were one of the best missionaries that they ever had!! :) Sister Baker said that and then she turned to me and was like, no, but really! Your dad was one of the best!! :) Thank you for being SUCH an amazing example to me of obedience, love, and your desire to spread the gospel.
Also this week in class we were talking about how as missionaries we bring the spirit with us. There is a quote by john Bytheway that says a not so good missionary hangs around and a good missionary doesn't linger. We want people to regocnize the spirit that we bring with us, and not linger so that they realize that they feel that way becasue of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that we bring!! :) So, I shared your story mom about when you and your companion accidently ended up goign into the Roger's home. Where Hyatt Roger's wasn't a member and the Bishop had told you not to visit thme. When tyou realized where you were you bore a quick but powerful testimony and left. Because of this, Hyatt Rogers felt your spirit and wanted to be baptized!! you lived this rule impecably!!! Wow!! Thank you for your example mom!!
Mom and Dad! I am SO grateful for both of your faithful missions that you have served. THey have blessed my life and continue to bless it as I am here in the MTC!! You are a testimony of faith to me and those around me! I sure love my family and friends! Thank you SO much for making all of this possible for me! Sorry that the e-mail this week is sporadic... Cectpa LeBaron and I taught the first lesson in Russian this week!! IT was about 10-15 minutes long and went REALLY welll!!! I could really feel teh spirit helping me! we were able to say what needed to be said and bear witness! the gift of tongues is real! i lov eyou all!!
love,
Cectpa Cunningham
P.S. Mom!! Idk what you think.... but I would be careful e-mailing the part about Britt out.... maybe only to our family and really close friends? like Martin, Corrie... I don't want her to receive pressure from those in WI? Maybe it'd be good for them to hear about it? Idk... what do you think? Whatever you think is best is AWESOME!!! Just be careful... i know that Satan willb e working REALLY hard on Brittany as it is!
Also, do I need to know anything else for my appt. tomorrow? I just need to bring the envelope that came with my Violin right.... that has my medical records in it? Also....we actually don't have acccess to a fridge...s o i've eaten some of the yogurt and it's been great. Dear Elder me today mimmediately so I can get it tonight about if i need to know anything else for my appt. tomorrow. I'm like 3 pills or 3 days away from being out of my acne meds... !!! I was goign to ask the nurse that helps me tomorrow.... Also, apparatntly my mission president did send a letter to all of the missionaries goign to rostov of what to bring etc... i never got it though, so could you maybe call the MTC and find out how to get that from him? Also.... WOW MOM!!! ABOUT THE VIOLIN!!!! That's AMAZING AND SUCH A BLESSING!!! THe one thing is that I need to get that cleared iwth my mission president also... so if you can ask him that be FANTASTIC!!! Also... did Britt start meeting with the sisters before my letter? or after? let her know I'll be e-mailing her.... either forwarded through you or to her directrly and also to let me know the date and time of her baptism so that i can call her RIGHT AFTER IT HAPPENS!! Does she have a tape player so I can send her a tape? sorry for all the questions!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Letter #3 *~MTC~* February 1, 2011
As usual, it has been another crazy and fulfilling week! I just got back from a session in the Provo Temple and was SO blessed to be able to sit next to my very own Siostra Amy Mann during the session! The temple is SUCH an amazing blesssing in my life and I love the opportunity to go weekly and learn in the House of the Lord! It is amazing how many feelings you can have in one day.... excited, energized, happy, frustrated, worn out, brain dead, sad, etc... :) But that's what makes the MTC such an amazing roller coaster ride! The highs, from devotionals and meetings with our districts make up for the lows!!
First of all, thank you SO much for all the letters this week! Kyrsten (i loved your story about Sister Pico!! Wow!! How awesome! We haven't talked yet, but we see each other and now she knows that I am the cousin of my amazing cousin Kyrst!! :), Lea, Sister Davis, Brother Dave Crocker (Wow!! Thank you SO much for your insights! It was wonderful to hear from you! I hope that your daughter is doing better!) Jet, and YES YES YES!! I even got a letter from Erin!! :) Just write me what we would usually talk on the phone about Erin!! You're AWESOME!!Sorry that I won't be able to respond to all of them personally, but know that each one is read and appreciated very much!
Mom, you have been fabulous at keeping me updated! The days feel like weeks, so it's ALWAYS nice to hear from you at the end of the day. Even though the days are REALLY long the weeks literally just FLY by! I didn't ever get the dear elders that you said Uncle Kerry and Brother Liao had sent though....
Oh, and if it's not too late.... I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to name the puppy pumpkin!! The word is one that is written on the second letter I sent you. It has two stars next to it and is pronounced (Teak-va!) I love it!! And you can ask your friend to make sure that you are pronouncing it right!!
Holly Odekirk from my semester abroad left today for the field. Her companion was a girl that was in my jazz dance class at BYU-Idaho and she is going to WISCONSIN!! So, I took the opportunity to write a letter to our ward and Bishop Lindner, so I hope that it will make it there safely!! This week we got a HUGE box from Sister tunney's dad. Her dad is the CEO over dearfoam slippers, so yes... our district now all has matching slippers!! We wear them sometimes during class. Apparantely it is customary to take your shoes off in Russia and then wear slippers in the house, so we're just practicing!!.... right?!! :) They make my feet really happy either way!! :)
This past Wednesday for gym we played district B-ball. Three point knock-out was definitely my favorite. Wow, our district is already SO close! I have come to appreciate and love them all SO much! We have a great time together, cry together, and work hard together! Gym time is a great way to kind of let out our frustrations and have a great time. Elder McKinney in my zone has started a work out group with some Elders. Sister Bullough and I take the opportunity to sometimes join in with their workouts. We call them P90-McKinney! :) yes... and I have been VERY soar from them... but that makes sitting ALL day a lot easier. I also just found out that Elder Baker, in my zone, is from St. Cloud, MN!! So... he TOTALLY knows my favorite Frasier family!! How awesome!
Dad! It was SUCH a blessing this past sunday! We were sitting at devotional and the special musical number was announced. It was Ye Elder's of Israel and the pianest was none other than Sister Sarena Fifield (Patty's daughter) I ran up after to talk with her and introduce myself. It was great to reminisce about how her mom had been brought into the church because of the missionaries, and then, that you were introduced into the church by her mom!! I felt SO blessed that you accepted the gospel and took that step to be baptized! You have remained faithful and are SUCH blessing and example in the lives of all that you know! We were so happy to think that hopefully we can help to bring someone like Patty and you into the church through our service!
Also during the devotional I had a very strong impression of the power and faith of those who are praying for me... to learn the language, to adjust, to be strong. Thank you SO much! The power of prayer is VERY real and I have felt the power of your prayers!
Dad, I also ran into Brother Ponczoch, who served in Novasabirsk (sp?) Russia. His family lives in Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids. I thought that he looked familiar and that the name sounded familiar. Do you know them?
This week I have been reading a talk that Siostra Mann lent me. It is by Elder Tad R. Callister and is called "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary." It has taken me several days to go through it as I study a section, think about it, look for scriptures that go along with that topic, and think about how I'm doing and how I can improve. It has been SUCH blessing! One of the later sections of the talk is entitled, "What's the power of a consecrated Missionary?" I just briefly wanted to share some blessings and promises that apply not only to missionary work, but to everyone! A consecrated missionary is manifest when they can teach like Nephi (3 Nephi 7:18). His testimony and words were so powerful that it was imposssible for the people to disbelieve his words!!! This was because of his faith in the Lord!! We can have that same power as we bear down in pure testimony (Alma 4:19). Nephi understood that the power of men did not matter with compared with the power of God (when Nephi talks to Laman and Lemuel about laban's 50). Peter's testimony was able to prick teh hearts of the righteous (Acts 2:37). We were taught this week how everyone already has the seed in them (the light of Christ). Through the spirit we just need to prick their heart. It does take lots of work study, and preparation to be able to do this, but it's SO worth it (Alma 17:2-3). This is my favorite one! As we FULLY commit ourselves to the work and thrust in our sickles we are forgive of our sins! What an awesome promise! We can become purified through serving missions (D&C 31:3,5) This goes the same with what King Benjamin taught us in Mosiah 4:26. We are redeemed and forgiven of our sins!! Take the opportunity to think about how you can better be cleansed and become pure in your own lives through serving others and developing charity!! I sure love you all and hope to hear how you are all doing!!
Love forever!
Cectpa Cunningham
First of all, thank you SO much for all the letters this week! Kyrsten (i loved your story about Sister Pico!! Wow!! How awesome! We haven't talked yet, but we see each other and now she knows that I am the cousin of my amazing cousin Kyrst!! :), Lea, Sister Davis, Brother Dave Crocker (Wow!! Thank you SO much for your insights! It was wonderful to hear from you! I hope that your daughter is doing better!) Jet, and YES YES YES!! I even got a letter from Erin!! :) Just write me what we would usually talk on the phone about Erin!! You're AWESOME!!Sorry that I won't be able to respond to all of them personally, but know that each one is read and appreciated very much!
Mom, you have been fabulous at keeping me updated! The days feel like weeks, so it's ALWAYS nice to hear from you at the end of the day. Even though the days are REALLY long the weeks literally just FLY by! I didn't ever get the dear elders that you said Uncle Kerry and Brother Liao had sent though....
Oh, and if it's not too late.... I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to name the puppy pumpkin!! The word is one that is written on the second letter I sent you. It has two stars next to it and is pronounced (Teak-va!) I love it!! And you can ask your friend to make sure that you are pronouncing it right!!
Holly Odekirk from my semester abroad left today for the field. Her companion was a girl that was in my jazz dance class at BYU-Idaho and she is going to WISCONSIN!! So, I took the opportunity to write a letter to our ward and Bishop Lindner, so I hope that it will make it there safely!! This week we got a HUGE box from Sister tunney's dad. Her dad is the CEO over dearfoam slippers, so yes... our district now all has matching slippers!! We wear them sometimes during class. Apparantely it is customary to take your shoes off in Russia and then wear slippers in the house, so we're just practicing!!.... right?!! :) They make my feet really happy either way!! :)
This past Wednesday for gym we played district B-ball. Three point knock-out was definitely my favorite. Wow, our district is already SO close! I have come to appreciate and love them all SO much! We have a great time together, cry together, and work hard together! Gym time is a great way to kind of let out our frustrations and have a great time. Elder McKinney in my zone has started a work out group with some Elders. Sister Bullough and I take the opportunity to sometimes join in with their workouts. We call them P90-McKinney! :) yes... and I have been VERY soar from them... but that makes sitting ALL day a lot easier. I also just found out that Elder Baker, in my zone, is from St. Cloud, MN!! So... he TOTALLY knows my favorite Frasier family!! How awesome!
Dad! It was SUCH a blessing this past sunday! We were sitting at devotional and the special musical number was announced. It was Ye Elder's of Israel and the pianest was none other than Sister Sarena Fifield (Patty's daughter) I ran up after to talk with her and introduce myself. It was great to reminisce about how her mom had been brought into the church because of the missionaries, and then, that you were introduced into the church by her mom!! I felt SO blessed that you accepted the gospel and took that step to be baptized! You have remained faithful and are SUCH blessing and example in the lives of all that you know! We were so happy to think that hopefully we can help to bring someone like Patty and you into the church through our service!
Also during the devotional I had a very strong impression of the power and faith of those who are praying for me... to learn the language, to adjust, to be strong. Thank you SO much! The power of prayer is VERY real and I have felt the power of your prayers!
Dad, I also ran into Brother Ponczoch, who served in Novasabirsk (sp?) Russia. His family lives in Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids. I thought that he looked familiar and that the name sounded familiar. Do you know them?
This week I have been reading a talk that Siostra Mann lent me. It is by Elder Tad R. Callister and is called "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary." It has taken me several days to go through it as I study a section, think about it, look for scriptures that go along with that topic, and think about how I'm doing and how I can improve. It has been SUCH blessing! One of the later sections of the talk is entitled, "What's the power of a consecrated Missionary?" I just briefly wanted to share some blessings and promises that apply not only to missionary work, but to everyone! A consecrated missionary is manifest when they can teach like Nephi (3 Nephi 7:18). His testimony and words were so powerful that it was imposssible for the people to disbelieve his words!!! This was because of his faith in the Lord!! We can have that same power as we bear down in pure testimony (Alma 4:19). Nephi understood that the power of men did not matter with compared with the power of God (when Nephi talks to Laman and Lemuel about laban's 50). Peter's testimony was able to prick teh hearts of the righteous (Acts 2:37). We were taught this week how everyone already has the seed in them (the light of Christ). Through the spirit we just need to prick their heart. It does take lots of work study, and preparation to be able to do this, but it's SO worth it (Alma 17:2-3). This is my favorite one! As we FULLY commit ourselves to the work and thrust in our sickles we are forgive of our sins! What an awesome promise! We can become purified through serving missions (D&C 31:3,5) This goes the same with what King Benjamin taught us in Mosiah 4:26. We are redeemed and forgiven of our sins!! Take the opportunity to think about how you can better be cleansed and become pure in your own lives through serving others and developing charity!! I sure love you all and hope to hear how you are all doing!!
Love forever!
Cectpa Cunningham
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)