WARNING - Content can be Disturbing and/or Entertaining

Hola familia!!!!! How is everyone?? I am GREAT! So I want to thank you for everything you have all been sending me, and all the advice and love--it seriously helps soooo much!! I love you and thanks again for sending all my stuff…. you guys are the best :)

So as usual it has been an amazing week! To start off I would love to share with you an awk sitch that went down yesterday. So I was so ready and willing for dinner and hungry girl, so I like got to dinner and had cereal. Then I saw that it was Chimichanga Mexican food night, and I was stoked- so I got that too, and just ate everything; it was sooo good. After dinner when I got to class, I just felt like death- and I couldn’t even move or talk or do anything --I wanted to die. The teacher and class could tell I wasn’t feeling good, but I thought I was okay, and just sat there waiting to feel better. I was just in the corner forever just hot and flustered and feeling so bad, and I guess I had this look of death, because my teacher asked me if I needed to leave- hahah- it was ridiculous-- so finally in mid sentence I book it to the bathroom, throw open the door and just was face first in the toilet, just throwing up and so sick....it was bad! I have never been that sick before. So I was there for a while and just went from glam missionary to poor sick girl on the floor- just owned, and a mess, just head in the toilet. Lets just say I will never eat Mexican food again!

It was fast Sunday this week, and I knew it would be my last one so I decided to get up and share my testimony in Spanish, and the spirit was just very strong, I felt so good about it. I love speaking Spanish and I think that I am getting it really well, so thank you everyone for your prayers, and know that I am loving it.

We also had mission conference on Sunday and it was SO good!!! I just love stuff like that and I am just so happy, and pumped, and taking notes like crazy. The first speaker talked about how we need to follow the promptings of the spirit and she said that we are called to serve exactly where the Lord needs us in this world. She shared a story about a missionary that was so neat. There was this man that had been praying for answers in life and asking God for help, when the missionaries came to his door one day and taught him the first lesson. He loved it and knew they were true messengers from God and he really felt the spirit. They asked if he would take and read the Book of Mormon, and for a minute he pondered and said, you know what- I think I already have one of those- and got up and went and got his. When he gave it to this elder, the elder opened it up and found a picture of his own family and his testimony was written in it when he was 8 years old. In their ward many years ago families were putting their pictures and testimonies in Book of Mormons, and the missionaries were giving them out to people. What were the chances? The elder began to tear up and cry and told this man with a powerful love and testimony that this was his family, and that he knew he was sent to this man for a reason. How neat is this work, and what a wonderful thing it is that Gods knows us all personally, and has these special plans for us and encounters with people in our life. 2 Nephi 32:5- (Look unto Him and the Holy Ghost will show you all things that you should do).

Another speaker talked about how Christ’s way is the path to happiness in this life and he shared some scriptures D&C 110: 3-4 (His countenance shone above the brightness of the sun and His voice was the sound of rushing waters, even Jehovah saying…..I am He…) and John 1:4 (In Him was life, and His life was the light of men, and His light shineth in darkness) and D&C 6:36 (Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not). He talked about how God’s love for all his children is SO personal and how he wants all of us to love one another as He sees us and loves us.

He shared a story about a time that he had to go to the Psych Ward to help this lady, and she was a drug abuser and had had a really hard life. She was a little odd, but he knew he had to go speak with her so he decided to visit her and would do what he could. Someone asked him to give her a blessing, and he was not sure about this and was worried, but he did it anyway because she agreed. He said once he put his hands on her head he just felt an overwhelming rush in his body from the Holy Ghost of the love that the Savior and God has for this woman. He knew how much they want her to be healed and succeed, and come unto her, and for a split moment he saw her spiritual and perfect soul how God sees her and he just had so much love and care for her, and he felt so bad for how he had felt at first. It is SO important, not just as missionaries, but in life, to see all people how God sees them and know that God has a special plan for them. He wants them to awaken that understanding in themselves and he wants them to feel of that love, and it is through us that we are able to show people who they are, and who they can become. "If you have eyes to see what heaven sees in YOU”. I am SO thankful for this talk, and I just know that if we are constantly loving all people and talking to them and showing our care for them, we will be blessed, and see how God sees them, which is a beautiful and promising being. We need to choose to see the good things in people and to ignore the bad, because that is what Jesus would do.

On Sunday after that, my companions and me gave a district lesson on prophets and it was really good. We talked about how neat it is that we have a living prophet today, and that we need to be so excited about it and seek out his advice and counsel and follow him. We talked about Thomas S Monson and the things he has done and taught to the world as a living prophet. We talked about how we as missionaries need to respect and remember that is was a prophet that signed our mission call, and accepted us in this work and we need to be good missionaries and follow the prophets ways. We all shared our experiences of opening our mission calls and what that was like and it was just so spiritual to hear everyone’s experience, and feel that spirit and love in the room. I had chills the whole time just imagining all of these calls being opened. When I talked about mine, I just said how grateful I am for having a prophet and apostles and leaders because it is through them, from divine inspiration and revelation from God that they can know where we as missionaries are suppose to go, and where we get called to serve on our missions. I am so grateful for a prophet, and apostles, and if it were not for them, I wouldn’t be here. I am so excited for conference, and I hope that everyone is just getting so excited and happy, and will write down questions they might have in their life right now or things they need help with at this time. I promise you that as we all sincerely listen and ponder on the words from conference, all of our questions will be answered and we will all gain strong testimonies of this church, and feel of its love in our hearts.

Yesterday we taught for the first time in ALL Spanish in the T.R.C. and it went soooo well….I was so happy. Our teacher gave us this lady to teach that we all did not have a good first experience with, but our teacher had faith in us that we could have a change of heart, and we would be able to love her and teach her and help her feel the spirit. I am so grateful for my teacher because that is exactly what happened. When we all put away our pride and we just loved this lady, and taught her with happiness, excitement, power, and faith, ALL in Spanish, we were able to answer all her questions. We knew exactly what to say, and we testified with every piece of love and strength we had, and we all just had an amazing experience, and I loved it!

Family- I just hope you know that I am in the right place. I hope everyone knows that is reading this that Jesus Christ is the way in this life for all of us to feel of such joy and meaning, and I hope everyone is able to develop that personal relationship with him right now in their life. Read the New Testament and study all scriptures and always have a prayer in your heart to have Him be with you. Remember that God loves you and wants you to always be happy. If we are willing to do God’s will I know that He will bless us, because I have personally experienced this in my life, and I know that it is what makes my life worth living. Be good examples to all people in the world and show your unconditional love to all. Have light in your countenance and don’t be afraid to talk to everyone you encounter each day and show how much care you have for them. I hope everyone has a really good week and know that I am praying and thinking of you all !!!! Love you soooo much and miss you!!! :) Keep the letters coming por favor :)

Love,

Hermana Pond

Best Letter Ever! - MUST READ

Tuesday September 21st
Email from Jami

Hello everyone! Wow I cannot believe I have almost been here for a month now!!! Isn’t that crazy? It is going by SO fast, I never even know what day it is. I just want to start off thanking you mother :) for everything you have sent, and dad for all your dearelders- they mean the world to me; and all the of advice and scriptures and spirituality definitely pumps me up and helps, so I thank you so much! Also, thank you everyone that has sent me letters and dearelders - they seriously make my day here, and really inspire me, so keep them coming! ☺

Well it has been such a good week! Always!! I am learning SO much Spanish and just feeling the spirit so strong. Next week we are teaching the first lesson all in Spanish, so I am super excited about that.

Last week we had a really good large group meeting that was called “How Firm a Foundation,” and the subject was how lucky we are to have this truth and gospel in our lives, and how it keeps us on solid ground. The teacher had us imagine what it feels like to be in an earthquake, and how scary and shaky and unpredictable that can be. He said, Imagine if we did not have this gospel in our lives, that is what it would be like, and that we need to help people be calm and stop the earthquake they are experiencing in their lives, and give them a firm foundation to live on. He then made us all close our eyes and imagine as if we were in the time when Christ was on the earth, and he said picture that you are in a crowd that is surrounding Christ, and he is teaching you all. Then imagine that he looks right at you, and smiles and says your name, and you look directly in his eyes and he tells you that He loves you, and you just feel so comforted and you feel of his love in your life. The teacher then had us open our eyes, and we all talked about these pure endless feelings of being with our Savior in his presence and feeling of His love for us, and feeling like we are home.

Then he had us shut our eyes again, and he turned off the lights and he told us to picture ourselves at the Crucifixion of the Savior, and as he is suffering such pain and dying for us, He lifts his head, barely looking so weak and hopeless, and he looks you in the eyes, says your name and tells you He loves you. We all pondered on the thoughts of this moment and how hard it would be to see this occurring and know the intentions of our Savior and brother and know what He had to go through. Then the teacher had us, still with our eyes closed, think about the deepest most dark and hardest time in our lives, when we have ever felt the most pain. He said to try and think about what we would have done at that time without knowing about Christ, and not having Him in our lives to heal that pain, and help pull us out of it. I was just in tears as I was taken back to my down part of my life, and I distinctly remember that it was through Jesus Christ and me literally envisioning my self standing with Him, and Him literally healing me that made me whole again and come out of such a sorrowful and sad time in my life.

This is what it would be like for people that do not know of our brother Jesus Christ-and that is why it is SO important we need to find these individuals and give them the good news, and literally save them from their troubles and stop the earthquake they are living in and put them on such a solid strong and promising foundation. "We need to declare with courage and clarity the message of the restoration, and when we do, it will be a testimony like fire in your bones, and it will be a message of hope to people that will change them forever." (Uchtdorf). We then talked about how not only do we need to help others, but on our mission we change and help ourselves, "It is not just the doing and the knowing that leads us back to God, but its in the BECOMING. We need to become everything that we teach on our missions and continue our whole lives to do this to better ourselves. When you end your mission you go home but never leave the mission field.

In Relief Society they always have a sister speak first that tells their conversion story and it is always SO inspiring. A girl that is Bulgarian got up and told the most inspirational story. She talked about how missionaries taught her on and off, and it was eventually sister missionaries that truly never stopped teaching her, and they encouraged her to get baptized. She ended her testimony and said "Sisters, don’t you dare ever give up on anyone, because if it change can happen to me and happen to my brother, I know that it is possible to do anything." It was so neat to hear such powerful words, and see the change she has made in her life, that has lead herself to serve a mission to do the same thing that others have done for her.

On Sunday we watched The Testament, and my testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Savior was just totally lifted and so strengthened through this powerful movie. This movie is a story about a father and a son during the time in 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon and the father is trying to teach his son of his belief in Jesus Christ. The dad in the movie is such a hero and example and the whole movie he really stands up for his faith and continues to believe in Christ and presses forward with the things he is suppose to do. The son is doubtful and unsure of what his father believes. The ending is just so powerful when the Savior finally comes and is walking down the stairs, and everyone is just smiling and so happy and feeling of his love and touching the marks in his hands knowing He is the Redeemer of the world. I love right when the son almost loses hope and then he is touched on the shoulder and turns around to see his Savior smiling at him, and Christ heals his father and is no longer blind, and the dad looks the Savior in the eyes and is just so moved and so happy because this is the day he had been preparing for and waiting for. He has finally been able to look his Savior in the face with joy and happiness and love.

I love the scripture in Mosiah 2:41 with the promised blessing to us as we strive to be like Christ and as we live worthily and come unto him. I know that through faith and believing the things out of the scriptures, we will be blessed and feel all of this joy and blessings as we live happy and righteous lives.

I am SO excited for conference!!! There was a speaker that talked about how lucky we are to be a church on the earth that has a living prophet today to guide us and counsel us as members of the church and how we need to listen and follow the words from him! Mosiah 8:15-17 Revelations 19:10 and D & C 6: 14 all talk about the importance of the prophets and their roles, and I just hope that everyone is getting really excited to hear the words directly from our prophet soon, and I hope that we can take all of his counsel and apply it our lives to better ourselves and to feel more happiness.

Family and friends, I love you all with every part of me, and I hope you all know that I am beyond thrilled to be here serving a mission for the church and I hope you know how much joy my heart is filled with each day that I awake here in the MTC and how much excitement I get to do simple things like pray, read scriptures, and continue to learn and grow in my testimony. I know without a doubt that this is the true church because I have found that in my own life I have done exactly what Joseph Smith has done and followed James 1:5 and I prayed to know and I have gotten my answer, and because of this most wonderful and clear answer I am more than willing to tell others about it and spread it to the world! (Well at least in Argentina haha).

Have such an amazing week and know that I am healthy, happy, filled with the spirit, and praying for ALL of you daily. Keep up the spirituality and know that you all have a Father in Heaven that knows you personally by name, loves you, constructed a plan specifically for you before you came to this earth, and is excited for you to come to him to seek and find the things you are suppose to do on this earth life. He is ready to be with you the whole way to fulfill this divine purpose. Awaken to your Godlike selves and do the things you came on this earth to do. I know that this mission that I am on was pre assigned to me in heaven and I am so happy to be able to be here doing this work, and feeling my Father’s love for me as I work as hard as I can and obey with exactness. Te Amo!! Adioossss -Chao :)

Love,

Hermana Pond :)



Week 3 in the MTC

Here is Jami's letter this week. Looks like she ran into a couple of friends at the temple on P-day!



September 14th Tuesday
Hola Familia!

So over all it has been an amazing week! Something that is a little exciting is the sisters talked me into playing sand volleyball with our whole zone at gym time so I got brave and went out and played. Normally I hate it because I am super bad, but it is so much fun at gym to get outside and be with our zone. I love them all sooooo much- we bond. One of our zone leaders (sloth from ice age) literally runs out every day in like black combat boots and purple tight skinny jeans and a sweat head band and it just screaming and out of control- it is soooo funny. That is definitely the most entertaining parts of my days.

So this week has been so spiritual and I have learned so much! Well first off, a new district came in and I got to do introductions and all the training and tours with the zone leaders for them, so I felt so official. It was fun to welcome in new people and give them some encouragement and get them excited.

Last Tuesday night was a devotional about choices and the speaker was Elder Snow who is a 70. It was honestly sooooo good! Some things I liked that he said is that: Choosing leads to doing and is part of becoming in our lives. He read out of Abraham 3:23-26 & Moses 7:32-33 & John 10:27. It was mostly about how in our life we need to make the right choices and when we do so we are able to obtain power and become more like our Savior. I really like in Moses 7 when it talks about Enoch and how he sees the Lord weeping and he asks what is wrong. The Lord just tells him how sad he is that his people have not chosen Him, and followed his way, and how all we are asked is to love one another and choose him in our lives. I just imagine the Savior being so sad because he has set out such a perfect and promising path for us- if we just follow him and he knows that if we do so we will be happy.

It is so important we remember to choose to do good in our life so we are able to feel of that joy and give it to others. The only way to become like Him someday is to consecutively choose Him. "It will not only change your life, but it can save your life". So many people have experienced so much heartache and pain and sorrow in their lives, and it is crucial that these people look to the Savior and feel of His love and invite him into their lives to brighten it and piece it back together again. I know this is all possible through the Atonement.

One day we had service and I got paired up with my not so cool roommate (that I am really different from), and I was so sad not to be with my fun funny upbeat sister but I knew it would be okay and we would find something to talk about. As we cleaned and I chatted away about my life typical me, just A.D.D. all over the place, won’t stop talking, I observed my roommate and just tried seeing her how God sees her. I remembered the quote you can learn to love anyone if you just take the time and listen to their story. So, I just sat back and asked all these questions about her life. I found out that she lost her mom in a car accident when she was 16, and how hard that has been since she has been gone. I tried to even relate to this girl and wondered how on earth I could ever go living and getting through this life without my mother. I can only imagine the pain and the sadness in her heart, but she is just such an example to me and she really knows her mom is still with her, and it was her time to go, and she knows that through the plan of happiness she will be able to see her again. Now, every time she teaches the plan of salvation, I always get a little teary knowing what she has been through, and it really strengthens my testimony as well.

It is so important to love all people no matter what they are like, and just have that love and charity in your heart to understand people. Then you can know where they are coming from and what they are going through. When we do this, we are able to see all of God’s children as he does –like the perfect and beautiful souls they are- and we are able to feel love for them and love for our Savior.

The other day our teacher seemed a little down and we could tell something is up. she asked if our whole class could teach her about the Atonement, and as we all did, we found out she was going through some hard times right now, and was really sad. As we all just bore our testimonies of the Savior and the Atonement to her, she just broke down. We all shared our love for her and told her how much God truly loves her and will help her in her life. It was one of the most amazing spiritual experiences here, and I will never forget. It really brought us all so close as a district, and what I truly learned from this lesson was that regardless of who you teach, a member, a non-member, a stranger, a friend-anyone, and I mean anyone, on this earth can be invited to come unto Christ, and be reminded of their worth and of the love their Father in Heaven has for them. That is what we are to do, on our missions and even after, it to share the love of the Lord for people and invite them to come unto Him and follow His ways. The promise is that He will bring them true healing and joy in this life.

On Sunday we had relief society and the Young Women’s President spoke to us. Iit was sooo amazing- we started with this song that was so beautiful about the Savior that said, Lay every weakness at His feet, and she read out of Proverbs 3:5-6. She talked about the song High On A Mountain Top, and quoted the line that says, "Her light attracts the gaze of all the Latter Days." She said that it is our role as sister missionaries and that is why we are here, because we are given that special light, and we can send it and shine it to the whole world. She talked about the power of a Young woman and the Young Women’s theme and as she began to say it, one by one all the sister missionaries of the MTC began to say it powerfully with her, and one by one arose in their seats. It was one of the most moving things I have ever seen that brought me to tears, seeing all these strong and wonderful sister missionaries from all over the world just so ready to preach the gospel. "One Young Woman of righteousness and virtue can change the world." She talked about how crucial it is to have sisters in the field and of all our potential and how we are able to touch the hearts of so many people. She talked about Moses 6: 34. Why us? We need to know of our duty and follow the will of the Lord, and then when we do this, we will be delivered and share a powerful message influencing the world.

One of my favorite parts of the week was a Devotional we heard last night by Jeffrey Holland called the miracle of a mission. He was so powerful and I have never been so influenced and motivated by one person in my life. D & C 130: 20-21 talks about "Whatever blessings you want in this life the promise is in obedience" He talked about how he knows this work is hard and life is hard and how we wonder, " Why does this work have to be so hard if it is true?" He talked about the Savior and what He did in Gethsemene for us, and how dare we ask, but we shall just do, because the Savior was perfect, yet in his life, for he has proof of the scars on his hands, that no matter what, we will experience pain and suffering. "There is sacrifice involved in serving.” This just moved my soul because it is so true. Salvation was not supposed to be an easy thing, and this life and a mission is not suppose to be just given to us with no trials or effort. We need to remember that we will go through hard times, but regardless of what we experience it is not even close to or a portion of what our brother Jesus Christ suffered for us. We must obey him and follow him, and in doing so we will see miracles and feel of His love and receive the answers we are looking for in this life, and we’ll get those blessings we deserve. Born a witness-called to witness.

Family, I just want you to know that this gospel means everything to me, and I will do anything it takes to pay the Lord back for what he did for me. I owe my Father in Heaven my life for everything I have been given, and I hope you know how happy this work makes me, and how much joy I know it will bring others that I teach. That is why I am here….to invite others to come unto Christ. We must all be like him and invite people to follow. “We cannot be witnesses of Jesus Christ, if he is not standing next to us.” Family, please do everything in your power to come unto Christ, so you as well can bring souls unto Him, and continue to be obedient in the gospel.

I love you all so much, and just know I am happier than I have ever been. This is part of God’s plan for me, to be here doing this, and I hope you all know of what your purpose is, and what you are suppose to do in helping strengthen and build up the most high glorious and true kingdom of God on this earth. Keep up the Dear Elders and letters!!! Love you alll!!!! :) Adioooosss!



hermana pond :)



2nd week in the MTC

These are a few pictures Jami sent this week. These are pictures of her companions and district. Looks like this is a day trip to the temple there in Provo.

Marianne will type up this weeks letter and we will post this weekend.

She wants everybody to send letters to Dearelder.com

send to MTC free and her inbox is 222-1025 Cordoba Argentina mission. She loves your letters keep them coming.

The Spanish District

First P-Day @ the MTC

August 31, 2010
First P-day

Familia!

So the very first day I walked into this place and saw all of the elders and sisters and just greatness & glow of the MTC –I just knew I was in love with it. I had the biggest smile on my face as I got all of my things and was put in my room and I was honestly embarrassed for myself of how excited I was after I got my name tag and my little mission picture. I went to my room where it was just a big building of dorms & there were 3 bunk beds in my room. (College, EFY, & Girls Camp situation = my dream). I then got taken to my class and met my companion, Hermana Johnson. Right when I walked in she said, “Hola Hermana, Como Estas? In the most chipper & happy voice ever – right then I knew this girl was as stoked & ready for her mish as I was & I just fell in love! She is always humming & singing & whenever I would ask her what she wanted to do she would say, “Whatever your heart desires.” Love it. She is very into the church & is what Camille would call “mormony.” I loved it though – she was smart and good at Espanol & nice, so I was pumped and knew she would teach me a lot.
Well I soon found out that sometimes the Lord has other plans for us. Remember Nick like right before you took me to the MTC we talked about solo sisters and how I dreaded being one? Well one day we are all happily sitting in class & someone comes in and literally takes my comp away from me. I was about to cry. All of a sudden, I felt sick & upset & wondered if I could do this on my own. So far this girl had already taught me so much & I felt I needed that, but sometimes we need to just trust in the Lord & know he will help us.
So I was put with the elders in my district just for the day until they figured out what to do with me! I love all of the elders in my district so I was stoked. It was nice to take a break from the girls for a bit. The district Leader Elder Lebertson is 19, from Sandy, Utah, tan, blue eyes, blond hair, cutie, Zach Miller meets Max Pond personality. His is so great we bond. Elder Gates his comp is 20, from Palos Verdes, CA (of course Rex Pond was his institute teacher -nice!) He is sooo sharp and knows so much doctrine, so it was good to study & work with them. We learned how to pray & bear testimony en Espanol, so that was good. Later a guy told me that they might have to move me into a new district & I was about to die! I knew I had to be with this district & the teachers & I put my foot down. I asked if they could put me with 2 girls in my class & we could be a trio. It finally got worked out! So my roommates are Hermana Keller, Ward, Lund, and Gibson. Sister Johnson was here but she had to move out. Ward and Lund are going to Dominican Republic, and Gibson & Keller are going to Kentucky (Spanish). Lund is really quiet and humble and a little Mormon girl and Ward is a big happy nice girl from a small farm town in Arizona. My comps are way loud and fun & funny, so it is meant to be that we’re together and I know we’ll bond so much! We are so comfortable with each other.
So something cool that happened the first day was once all the new missionaries were in one room together (several hundred) and one by one they named off different countries and states and one by one people stood up & it was so neat to see just how many people came so far from all over the world to be here. In that gathering they said that other than your own home, & the temple, the MTC is the most spiritual place on earth….and I have found that to be true. Here I am constantly happy and ready to work. Here I have no fear and always rely only on faith. Here I enjoy every single person I meet. Here I am constantly feeling the spirit & determined to be a better person. I just wish I could live here – it’s the best.
So pretty much every day is the same, personal study, lots of class, language, study, meals, companion study, devotionals, temple, gym, and such. I love class and I am always talking and making comments. We watch these videos called 6 million others, where they interview people all over the world and ask them their beliefs in God. It is so interesting to view all of the different people of different countries to see their beauty and know that God loves them. (D & C 10:18). It really gets you pumped to find those people out there who are seeking the truth.
I LOVE my teacher, Sister Lakip. I want to be exactly like her! She is so fierce and just knows so much and pushes us to work way hard so we can be better missionaries. She served in New York Spanish speaking. She shared the coolest experience with us. One night, when she had been rejected by people over and over, she was tired, cold, and over it. She kept feeling like she should try one last door. At the end of the building, right when she knocked, a girl answered and said, “It is you! Finally you – I have been waiting.” They went into her apartment and talked with her. She told them that she was a single mom and had been praying so hard to God to get help & receive answers & the missionaries just told her, “That’s why we are here, and we knew we were led to you for a reason.” They taught her everything and she was later baptized.
I am so excited for these experiences in Argentina, because I know that God prepares the hearts at his children to receive the truth & then He puts us in their paths to give them that gift & that is why I am here. I am on God’s side, and I believe in His plan & my purpose in it. I want to do whatever I can to contribute to building up the kingdom of God. It is the least I can do for him after what he has done for me. He has given me such a beautiful and happy life that has been filled with amazing people and life changing experiences. I am not here for myself, but I am here for him.
Our zone leaders are so goofy…like I am so obsessed. One guy literally is the sloth from Ice Age and his companion is Mclovin from Superbad. Such a spicy combo- I love them! There es mucho guapo elders here so I am in heaven – ha ha – I have like 3 MTC crushes. I really enjoyed the temple today, especially just being in the Celestial Room and feeling the presence of Christ and Angels around me. Our district goal is to pray from now on in Spanish, so I haven’t cheated yet. It was so peaceful to be in the Celestial Room and communicating with God in a new language, but still feeling his same closeness and presence in my life.
I honestly feel like I don’t even know which day is which, and all that has happened. It all seems like a blur or a dream….a good dream though! Just know family that I love you and I feel your prayers & they are the strength that I feel while I am here to keep me going. I love you with all of my heart and know that I am safe, healthy, happy, and having the time of my life! Keep all of the letters and dearelders (& packages ☺) coming!
I miss you! I hope all is well! Adios!

Jami

Jami's first MTC letter - August 31,2010

So i finally made it to P-day!!! So, the first second I was in here I was walking with the elders and was so chipper and happy to be there, and right when I finally saw sister missionaries, I screamed chickssss! and got in trouble. This has definitely been different for me, with the change of how I talk and do everything, but it is good.
I am obsessed with it here. I love the classes, the people, my district, my teachers, and my companions. The first day I got a companion and she was cool and we get along. She knew Spanish really well, so it was good for me. Sadly she had to move up to intermediate and ditch me since she was so good at Spanish, so I was put in a three -way companionship with my roommates Hermana Gibson y Hermana Keller. They are sooo fun and funny and crazy- we all get a long so well. One is from Texas and another from Vegas. They are both going to Kentucky Spanish speaking. I am so happy that I am with them now, and guess what I am the CORDINATING SISTER in our zone!!! So that is way cool- right away I was given this intense calling so it has really made me obedient and set the example for all the sisters.
All the classes, devotionals, and meetings have been so spiritual and amazing; I am just so excited to teach people about the gospel and its truth!! We watched the Joseph Smith movie the other night and I was just brought to tears with its power and truth. I love our church, and every day I am here my testimony grows. I am not going to lie, I have had no fear at all here; no doubts or depression or home sickness. I am always so happy and ready for a new day. Reading “Remembering Wholeness” changed my life, and helped me in so many ways. I know this is where I need to be, and I am ready to work. I am very hard working and am always studying because I know if I am doing what the Lord asks of me, he will deliver and help me and guide me in this experience.
We went to the temple today and that was amazingggg. I said my first whole Spanish prayer in the celestial room it was so perfect. I am always praying and speaking as much Spanish as possible. I am getting really good. We taught our first lesson in the T.R.C. yesterday to a lady from Argentina!! It was sooo cool, and the lesson was perfect. We all really felt the spirit and were not nervous at all. It is so fun to just teach people about God and His plan for us and just give people love.
So I need my workout running shoes I have gone a week without them and it has been terrible. The MTC offers 6 am gym classes for girls, so we go to Pilates, Kick Boxing and Yoga, which is great! I will send pics of my district so get excited :) I see Grant every so often and I saw Sean Burns and Teal a lot of people I know, its crazy! I know there is so much more to tell you but I am being timed so I am stressed - I wish I could write out every detail beautifully but I guess I will have to do that through written letters. Hopefully you can just type up my good hand written letters and put them on my blog! Can you tell everyone about dearelder.com – it is seriously the best! I am MTC Box 222. so maybe send some Fabreeze too and a cool water bottle and some t shirts to sleep in.
Honestly so much has happened it’s hard to know how to cover it all - the days have meshed together- haha its unreal. ….but honestly know this is the best and happiest time of my life. I get excited to wake up every day and learn and study. I feel the spirit every time I am in class and reading “Preach My Gospel.” Seeing over 2800 missionaries in one room just singing and being together and knowing all the work we are going to do just moves my soul. Everyone here is so hard working and so ready to do the Lords will it is awesome. I can’t stop smiling every day. I miss all of you but I just love being a missionary and wish I could do this the rest of my life. Keep dearelders and letters and packages coming -tell everyone to write me –I miss them all! LOVE YOU SOO SOOO SOO MUCH :) And i will try and make this email more exciting next week!!!!!
Life is good!!! Thanks again so much for the letters you have already sent :) I appreciate the love and the support!!!! I feel your spirits here with me and know that I love you all and think and pray about you. This church is everything. It brings me so much joy and I hope you all are feeling good about life and have faith that the Lord is with you and will help you. Know I am having soooo much fun and just soaking it all in!!!! You will get more details and pics soon!!! Get excited!!! Love hug. Aaadddiiioooossss!!!!!!