Hi family!
I can't believe this is my last time emailing you from the MTC. This means that next time I can email will be from Taiwan (and I'll have an hour to do it). HOLLA! So if you want to write me dearelder's this week, you have until Friday. After that, just stick it in an email! For everyone else though, you gotta stick to dearelders!
I don't actually have too much on my list to say today. First of all though, thank you all for your prayers. I appreciate it a lot. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday where I anticipate being cleared to go to Taiwan. We'll see I guess. Oh and ps. It's my foot that I hurt. My ankle is completely in tact. (:
This week is so buy. I feel like I have a million things to do to pack up and also send home the things that I don't need in Taiwan. I'm slightly overwhelmed. I hate packing. But alas, I don't want to live in the MTC forever so better do it now than later. If you could make sure to let the bank know that I'll be using my debit card in Taiwan, that would be helpful.
Last Thursday we got our travel plans. I SCREAMED SO MUCH! Because obviously I'm so excited to head to Taiwan finally! There are 14 of us traveling to Taipei together and I am the lucky one asked to be the travel leader. That's the nature of having a name that starts with "A." Everyday, Elder G. asks me a travel question of the day to prepare me. I would like everyone to know that we are not to worry if he finds a small animal underneath his seat, I will take the proper procedures to dispose of it... except if it's a bird. In that case I would just cry a lot. I am a little worried though because I'm not sure what you have to do to travel internationally, but I'm confident that everyone will behave like adults and it will be no big deal. I'm also not sure if I'll find time to call home, but if I do it'll be probably around 9:30 ish? between 10:30am next Tuesday from Salt Lake. And I'll really only have 10 minutes or so. Anyway, I have decided if I want to. It's not because I don't love you all, but mostly because I think maybe I would find myself slightly distracted. And you'll all be in different places so I'm not sure who I would call. But anyway, that's a decision that I'll make later. However, I don't want to deprive all of you from the opportunity to see me (because you are not likely to be distracted from things by talking to me) so I recorded a video for you to see that I'll send home with the box of things I don't need!
My district has a goal to everyday share our testimony in Chinese with someone at the MTC. They challenged me during dinner the other night to share it with President Brown. I did. Afterwards, he was really grateful. He said that even though he didn't understand, he could still feel the spirit and he knows that I'll be a good missionary. Then he told me that I got off the hook. At mission conferences he always asks a sister and an elder to share their testimonies. This past mission conference he was going to have me share, but he changed his mind last minute and asked the recently released MTC choir director to share. Phew! That would've been a cool opportunity though. Anyway, since I'm going to share my testimony with someone everyday, I'm determined to share it with someone in the airport (in Chinese of course). We'll see how that goes I guess!
Speaking of Chinese, one of the zone leaders told me the other day that the new girls in our zone told him they think that I'm fluent at Chinese. LOL! That's obviously far from true, but it was a boost that I needed because the day he told me, I had been feeling really down about things. Later that same day, I had to pray in sacrament meeting and my branch president (who has amazing Chinese) told me that I have a beautiful language. That is SUCH a compliment and I really appreciated that. I can't take credit though. The gift of tongues is real. All of my success comes from the Lord and I hope everyone can recognize that. He has blessed me so much because He called me to do a great work and I need to speak Chinese in order to do it. Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies.
That's pretty much it for all the things that have happened this week. This week has been pretty much the same as all the others. And by that I mean that I can feel the spirit all the time and I'm working hard. Since I hardly have anytime left here, I'm trying to be as diligent as possible in doing the work of the Lord and preparing myself to be dropped off in another country.
I have learned a few things that I want to share though.
In Acts 12:16 Peter knocks on a door (which is what I will do) and he astonishes the people who open it up. That got me thinking. If I have the spirit with me always, then it will astonish people. They will want to hear my message because they will see something in me that catches their attention. Obviously that something should be the spirit. Just think about what you are doing everyday to glorify God and have the spirit with you. Go astonish someone!
In Alma 34:34 we learn that the same spirit that has power over us in this life will have power over us in the spirit world (so obviously if we continue to succomb to temptation, we will still struggle with that after this life). I applied that to me though. The same work ethic that I have in the MTC will stay with me in the mission field. And in life after the mission. I concluded that I want to work hard and be perfectly obedient. If I do this, then I will work hard and be obedient my whole life. Obviously things can change, but being great is a daily thing. We endure to the end by repenting everyday and striving to be like Christ EVERYDAY!
Lastly I want to talk about service. Take this for thought "Service is more than just a series of acts, it's a lifestyle." Are you that kind of person that serves because it's who you are? Well, be that person. We have been so blessed in this life, why not share it with everyone? People who serve learn to love everyone and appreciate the small things. I've learned that so much. When I am seeking for opportunities to serve and lift others, I find that I forget about myself. My problems suddenly aren't so big anymore. My worries go away. The Lord lifts me to be capable to accomplish the things I set out to do. I know that there is a reason the Lord asks us to serve. It's not for Him. And ultimately it benefits us more than it benefits the people we serve. I'm just amazed by how happy I am when I willingly go out of my way to do things for other people. I know that families who serve each other and serve together will grow closer. They will love each other more and appreciate each other more. The whole atmosphere of their home will change for the better. I promise that if you make it a goal, to serve your family members and do service with your family, all of your problems will begin to melt away.
Basically I know this, The Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. Through praying together as a family and reading the scriptures as a family, the Lord will equip you to take on the challenges that trouble this world. I am so grateful for the chance to share that will the people of Taiwan. I hope that anyone reading this knows that I know this to be true. I'm only twenty-one. I really haven't gone far by the world's standards, but I don't care what people think of me or how people judge me because what really matters most to me is that I have a family who loves me. I have a Father and Mother in Heaven who absolutely adore me. I have an older brother who died and suffered for my shortcomings and weaknesses. I have scriptures that guide me back to Heavenly Father. I have been given commandments that ultimately give me more freedom than restriction. I have a gift, The Gift of the Holy Ghost, that brings me comfort when I am down and helps me make good decisions. I am so blessed. I am the happiest girl in the whole world and I only got this way through my membership in the Lord's church.
I love you all so much and I'm out of time! Read your scriptures everyday. There is power in the Book of Mormon and power in the Bible. We need them both.
Love,
Sister Micaela Anderson
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