Sunday, November 17, 2013

Jessica's Sixth Email! November 16th, 2013

(Jessica's LAST email from the MTC! Next time we hear from her, she will be in the Philippines!) 

Wow! What a week! It was off to a great start Saturday afternoon in the temple. I was standing in the celestial room, post session, and who walks through the doors other than Daniel Jacinto himself?!??! So funny. Then Christie came in a few minutes later. So fun to see them! Saturday was just all together a great day!!! So beautiful! After we came out of any building I would say "Ahhhh it's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the laundry's done, we get to go to the temple..." and so on. Sis green started to catch on and started to say it too.. I think she was just mocking me though haha. But seriously, great day!

Thank you so much for the great packages Mom, Christie, and Sister Galvin!! Mom!! You know how to party!! Haha that celebration box was sooooooo much fun!! I was dying. We had quite the party balloons, party hats, banners and all!! And those cookies were amazing of course. Everyone kept saying ohhh so that's where you get your love for parties haha. Yep, I still try to turn everything into a party. Madison would be proud. We have study parties, cafeteria parties, laundry parties, etc. So fun! But anyway... ADD... mom! The Christmas package was so nice. Lucky for you I am a master at packing because a lot of people wouldn't have been able to fit 12 pounds of gifts in their luggage haha. Can't wait till Christmas to see what it is. And yes... I will be your "honest little missionary" and wait. You know how to word things to get what you want haha. Pam Galvin sent me such a nice package with tons of stationary, a planner, a chain countdown thing, pens, snacks, ahh it was so nice. Chris, thanks so much for the oil and I love the necklace! You da best.

Ok, I had a super good Ballard quote to send you, but I already packed the notebook that it was in. So stay tuned for that in the near future, It's a good one!

I went and got my shots on Monday. eekkkk. Really embarrassing when I start crying and clinging onto the teddy bear they gave me for dear life and then the torture is finally over and I walk out of the room to like 6 elders hysterically laughing. Oh well. So to answer your question mom, yes, still terrifying. MORE terrifying because you weren't there. But anyway, I went up to pay and they asked if I wanted to bill it home. I asked what that meant and they said that they send it to you and you pay it. That sounded pretty good to me so look out for that soon hehe. My bad.
THEN! I heard dad's voice on the other end of the phone when the lady called him about the orthodontist and it was the best thing ever. Haha so formal, so Ray. But ya chip party the other night got a little outta hand and I broke my permanent retainer. But it's fixed now! AND, we went off campus. PARTY. We actually went twice that day because Sister Green had to go to the chiropractor. I was so excited. Our shuttle driver said I was the most excited that he has ever seen a missionary to leave campus. Probably not good, but it was a good time. The ortho had Fergalicious playing, a little out of date. It was so weird to hear real music haha. And they gave us a slushy!!!!!! It was delicioussss. At the chiro, the most precious little girl came in with her mom. She was in preschool. So Sis Green was in the appointment and I was in the waiting room. The girl and her mom came in and the girl grabbed her mom's sweater and said "Look mom!! It's a missionary." It was so cute. haha So I said hi and then she came over and sat with me and asked me to read her a book... about SPIDERS. I asked if she was scared of them and she said no... whatttt?!?! And I'm the one going to the Philippines. But anyway... we read, we talked, she performed Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, and we just had a great time. I WAS IN HEAVEN! I miss little kids so much. Probably one of the top reasons I'm excited to leave the MTC. I loved that little girl.

Aunt Linda sent me a really nice Dear Elder and included a lesson about typhoons vs hurricanes. THANK YOU!! haha I know nothing about any of that so it was great to learn. Before that, I thought that a typhoon was a little rain storm... guess not.

I think it is so neat that there are so many missionaries in/preparing to go to the Philippines. God knew that this would happen and he was preparing help for those people. I am so excited to be a part of this. I am excited to help people who lost everything they have. And most of all, I am excited to tell those who lost loved ones that they are NOT gone forever. That they can see their families again. That will be the most rewarding thing to see people gain a testimony of God's plan for them. Almost everything about the Philippines scares me to death, but I know that God trusts me enough to let me teach these people about the gospel. And I know that He will help me accomplish that and watch over me as I do that. It's crazy to see how something you really just don't understand (like why sooo many people are going to the Philippines at this time) can become so clear. TRUST IN GOD. He knows everything and will help us get through our trials.

Ok so I think that I told you about our investigator who we were teaching name Boboy. (really our teacher posing as one of his real investigators) WELL.... He committed to baptism this week! It was awesome. He said such a sincere prayer asking God to help him know if our message was true. The spirit was so strong. The next day we asked him and he said he knew it was true and wanted to be baptized. Thennn we taught him the word of wisdom... He was scared but we told him God would help him and so on. The next day he handed us an eraser from the white board as we were leaving and said they were his cigarettes and he knew what he needed to do. So cool. I just can't wait until it's the real thing!

L. TOM PERRY came on Tuesday for devotional.. . oh whatttt?! He mostly taught us about the importance of strengthening companionships and stuff like that. He talked about some other things. It was all so amazing. You really can feel that he is speaking for God. It was a great devotional.

Speaking of awesome... I hope you all celebrated 11-12-13!!! Maybe we just don't have anything exciting going on in here, but THAT was exciting. Anyway... out in the real world who knows if you even noticed. It was a good time though.

We got our flight plans!!! Yayyyyy. I sent them to you so you got them I think?? SLC to Seattle to Tokyo to Manila. We might get reassigned to a Manila mission for a few weeks if our mission still doesn't have water and safe apartments and all of that. We won't know until we get to Manila. I kinda think we'll go straight to Naga though. But I will obviously let you know as soon as I know. A different zone was going to the mission that got completely destroyed so they all got permanently reassigned. Some of them are going to missions that don't speak Tagalog!!! Hahaha it's the other Philippines language so they leave Monday and don't even know how to say hi. I feel blessed.

Let me tell you about one of my dumber moments at the MTC... our teacher taught us a new sentence structure and in Tagalog asked us how many times we would use it that day. Like to set a goal. Me being the Non-Tagalog speaking person that I am, thought he asked how much we would use it... I thought like how much percent will you try! I yelled out the biggest number I could remember how to say... 99. Soooo he said okay everyone, keep track and by tomorrow morning you have to say 99 sentences this way. Being at the MTC, we actually gotta be honest about that kinda thing. So alas, my whole district and I each had to say 99 psuedo type verb sentences. They were ecstatic...

I have a note to tell you to read Alma 26:9. I don't have my scriptures with me, but it's probably a good one, so you should probably get on that... sorry I can't remember what it's about.

The other day our teacher had us practice how to INVITE OURSELVES OVER to people's houses. Not cool haha. I was like are you sure this is OKAY to do?? Like they won't call the police on us or anything. One of the elders said "Sister Richmond, you're not in La Jolla anymore." ahhh soooo true. I know it will be so different but I can't even picture it. The good news is that we leave in like 40 hours so I will know soon enough. It's getting real!

Last story kinda thing. Super weird. There is this little Indian elder in the other zone who we always talk to. He is superrrr funny. The other day we all got flights pans so we were talking and we saw we are on the same flight. In his Indian accent he said "Sister Richmond, I am going to push you off the plane." HAHAH I was dying. But ummm what?! So ya if you hear I got pushed off the plane, I guess track him down.

Well. I love you all so much! I am so blessed to be in the family that I am. You all are such examples to me. I don't know what I would do without you and your support. I am SO excited to talk to you on Monday morning!! Our flight is at 11am so it will probably be like 8 or 9 San Diego time. Maybe earlier. I don't really know. But I am excited! I will call the house!! LOVE YOU! Have a great week.

VIVA LAS PHILIPINAS. ( I don't even know what language that is... hopefully you get the point)

Love, Sister Richmond



Top Ten
1. Boboy committed to baptism!
2. Christmas package
3. Off-campus parties
4. 40ish hours till Philippines
5. Pizza night
6. Done with shots for a while (I hope!)
7. L. Tom Perry devotional
8. It is snowing as I type. Really cool until I send my coat to Christie in an hour...
9. Lasted the whole MTC without getting a cold!
10. LIFE IS GOOD. I am HAPPY!

P.S.- Christie should get my memory card with party pics and such next week


Christie and Daniel post temple!





Matching scriptures. Thanks mom!


They do this in the Philippines in pictures apparently. It means guapo (good-looking)


Shots = Hindi Mabuti


Matching Kinda


Chips & Salsa party gone bad when I broke my permanent retainer. 


SHUTTLE RIDE! Off campus. Passing the stadium. Random elder sitting next to me.


Random girls in the shuttle.


Garrett the shuttle driver.


Chiro!


Like home... NOT. Utah Wannabees


Ortho! Slushies! 




How I sleep these days.


Brother Diaz! Not one of our main teachers, but he helps out a lot.


Hah!


Cookies from Mom!


Elder Markowski (The one next to me). EFY buds from B in the D (Back in the Day)


Mom knows how to send a party.







Christmas Package!


Philippines shirts





SNOW

Trekking to the temple, through the blizzard, minutes after sending my coat home. Also moments before spilling that whole DC down my skirt. WHOOPS. 





Katie Nydeger. Also an EFY friend. She started at BYU this year and I ran into her 
walking to the temple.


District and teachers. 
Brother Roxas - Top left 
Brother Kovach - Top right



Another "guapo" pose


4th District Pic. Brother Kaka - Top middle, also came in to help sometimes.


Me and sister coons. We thought we were matching but then we looked at this pic and
 maybe we weren't.



The girls from the two districts leaving. Plus branch presidency wives on the far right.


All of the girls in the zone.


My district and branch presidency with wives.


Both districts leaving.







Me and sister Moulton 



Left- Sister Howard (President's Wife)  Right- Sister Donahoo (Counselor's Wife)


Left- Brother Donahoo, Right- President Howard


Sister McCoard


Sister Coleman


Eyes Closed. Elder Anderson and his friends.


Sister Green, Me, Elder Anderson, his comp. Elder Anderson is my new friend from New Zealand.





#SelfieSunday with Sister Moulton.


Final Meal at the MTC.





My district



Both districts leaving


Naga Missionaries










1 comment: