a calling, the temple, and music

This letter was sent to Emily (Harris) Brashear on February 15, 2010

Dear Emily,
Hey sorry I didn't get a letter out to you last week! The time came, the laundry took forever and then P-Day was over.

So, how are things? I'm doing fabulous here! I've been called as the Coordinating Sister for my branch. Which means I take care of all the sister issues if we have any! Luckily, there hasn't been anything and I hope everything continues to run smoothly.

I went to the temple this morning. It was beautiful as always. I love to be there. I t gives me time for everything to sink in and just kind of gives my brain a rest and something different to focus on.

So, how's your throat? Thanks for the diagram by the way. That was great! lol.

This week we are getting two new sisters and my companions and I get to be Host Missionaries. Meaning we take them around to their rooms and to get their name tags and books and everything! I'm WAY excited for them! I know my first day here was so overwhelming so I hope we can make it fun for them and be good examples.

I can't believe I have a little less than 3 weeks here! I should be getting flight plans soon, like maybe next week! I just hope my Tagalog will be better. haha. As long as I can say where's the CR (comfort room/bathroom) I should be okay, right? Do they even have bathrooms? Who knows? haha

Well, this week I sang in another branch with a hermana that aksed me to sing with her "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". It went really well. Music is my sanctuary here. It is definitely masarap sa kaluluwa ko (delicious to my soul) haha.

So what did you and Jake do for Valentine's? Anything fun? Just another day to me. haha. Well I better go! Thank you for the letters! Keep 'em comin'!

Love ya tons!
Sister Hales

One month to go!

This letter was sent to Emily (Harris) Brashear on February 1, 2010

Dear Emily,
Thank you for continuing to write! I LOVE hearing from you! This is my one month away from departure mark! I'm supposed to leave March 1st!

Okay so I have to apologize for what I said previously about my companion! haha. I hope you didn't post that on my blog! LOL. We are all actually getting along so great! Like everything, it comes after we put forth the work to accomplish whatever it is, and then the Lord will bless us!

This week has been great! I'm growing more in the gospel everyday and the language is coming along. I put your name on the temple prayer roll and I'm praying everyday you will be blessed by the Lord with a child! Every little bit helps, right? I know those moments very well of hating the RS "good news minute"! LOL. Don't worry, Em! I got your back!

I don't have any particular stories to tell this week. I'm addicted to the Book of Mormon. I hope to finish it again by the time I leave the MTC. Sorry this letter is so short this week. Keep studying as hard as you are in the scriptures! I'm so proud!

One thing I was studying this week was the comparison of Isaiah and 2nd Nephi! Such a good read. I highly recommend it! I love the correlation which just makes my testimony stronger that God is the same today, yesterday and forever. Particularly the part of how the Lord tells both Isaiah, Nephi, and Joseph Smith all about how men draw near to Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him . . . So awesome!

So did you get your dad's temple work done? How did that go? I'm sure he'll be happy to have it done. We've been talking a lot about the Plan of Salvation this week and the afterlife. I know that your dad is happy and has had a chance to receive the gospel. Well, ok, so maybe I don't know, but having you as a daughter, I'm sure he'll recognize a great opportunity when he sees it. There's another reason why I know God loves us. He gives us so many chances to make the right choice or fix our stupid choices!

Well, I hope everything is going well! Take care!
Love ya tons!

Sister Hales

January

This letter was sent to Emily (Harris) Brashear on January 26, 2010.

Dear Emily
Thanks for the letters! I totally appreciate them! I can only write on Mondays because that's my P-day. These last few weeks have flown by but the days are seriously so LONG! I have learned so much about the gospel and my Tagalog is coming, slowly but surely!

Thank you for the update on everyone! I hope Sara's little boy is ok. I'll pray for him. I actually got a letter from Melissa a couple days ago as well, so I was excited to hear from her.

Thank you for all of the gospel facts you've learned! I enjoyed them all, especially about the Holy Ghost. That was cool!

You can post any of my letters I send. I mean, edit them and take out the unnecessary parts, but I guess just give a recap of what I'm up to.

I'm in a 3-way companionship. So, I have two companions. I'm not going to lie, it's been hard but I know I'm learning a lot, like patience. haha. One of my companions is from Gilbert, AZ. She's about 1/2 my size, little Latina. Her parents are both from Mexico. She's really sweet. The other one is from Riverton, UT. We get along most of the time, but we've had some disagreements and at times (when Satan is letting it get to me) I'd like to leave while she's in the bathroom or something. haha. It's actually a lot better now. Last week was pretty hard.

The Tagalog is coming only with the Lord's help and my faith, so I'm sure I need more of that. haha. I love reading the scriptures and my own personal study time. I feel like I'm reading something entirely new. Like it all actually makes more sense. The more I study the gospel, the more logical it becomes.

Last night the missionary director from the church spoke to us and told us about how mission calls are issued. He said that when our papers get to SLC a big picture of us comes on their computer screen and they issue the call ONLY after receiving revelation as to where we are supposed to go. Cool, huh? It just makes me that more confident that I'm going exactly where the Lord wants me to be.

I love it here! The days are monotonous, but the weeks have flown by. I get up at 6:30 a.m. everyday. Breakfast at 7, personal study, companionship study, class, lunch, language study, class and either a devotional at night, a teaching evaluation where we have pretend investigators or some other meeting at night time, planning, quiet time at 10:15 and 10:30 lights out. It's a strict schedule, but I don't mind it too much.

The Elders in my district are pretty cool. I've already heard Elaine S. Dalton of the YW General Presidency, Vicki Matsumori of the Primary General Presidency and Elder L. Tom Perry speak to us. I've also heard Elder Holland frequents the MTC so I hope I get to see him before I leave. The Spirit here is so strong. It's like a missionary factory. There are so many people here from all over the world, serving all over the world and speaking a million different languages. It's very humbling and also another testimony builder of how true the church is.

Well, my laundry is about done. I'm sitting on the cold hard floor of the MTC laundry room. Exciting huh! Keep writing! My thoughts and prayers are with you! Love you tons!

Love,

Sister Hales