Week 7

Hi,

My departure date is set for Dec 13^th.

SO. I CANNOT BELIEVE I STARTED WEEK 8 YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!! The time is flying by soooo fast yet so slow at the same time!!! It's been quite the ride. This is such a great place to be! We are the "oldest" district on our floor now in the building where our classroom is at (so we've been here the longest). I can see how I have progressed but at the same time, I am pretty hard on myself and can tell that I can still progress a ton more. I love speaking Spanish. I wish my district was stricter and focused so we can try to go the whole day with speaking Spanish to each other.

Yesterday I got to be a host for the new sister missionaries coming in. It was incredible experience and I am so glad that I got that opportunity. While I was waiting for new sisters to arrive from the curb drop off, I was talking to other sister missionary hosts. I met a companionship one girl from Germany and from Sweden!!!! They were so funny and SO TALL. Then in their district I also met a companionship where both the sisters were from Russia. One was more outgoing and better at English than the other. I befriended the other sister. I have no clue how to pronounce her last name...it's spelt like Frankavo.....haha I don't know the rest (it's a really long last name with a lot of g's and k's). She was amazing. She was trying hard to learn English and she told me a little about her conversion story how the missionaries found her in Russia and how she joined the church. How she has a boyfriend who also served a mission. He's waiting for her. All of these girls are serving at Temple Square. They have only been here in the Provo MTC for a week and they are working on improving their English. It was just such an incredible experience for me to talk with them and really see the big picture of missionary work. The missionaries found Sis. F. at her house and helped her with her conversion into the church. That's across the world! Now she feels an obligation and duty and has a strong desire to serve as well...across the world learning a new language. That's what I am doing too! I am going across the world speaking a language different then my native and I am going to meet incredible people like her who are ready to hear the gospel-who the Lord is preparing right now as I am preparing myself. It's great to step back and look at the big picture.

The first girl I helped with her suitcases and things. Her name is Hermana Pyle from Salt Lake City going to Albuquerque, New Mexico speaking Spanish. She had tears in her eyes. I tried to be bubbly and bright and friendly. I gave her a tight hug and it was so great after that just getting to know her and giving her advice. She thanked me so much for helping her get settled and getting her books and dropping her off at her new classroom. The last thing I told her was, "Hermana!!! I will see you soon! My classroom is only 2 doors down from yours!" We were both excited when we found this out. Also, her teacher is great! He substituted our class the other day and he was amazing! I learned SO much from him in those 2 hours he was with us on that one day. Hermana Pyle is in good hands and I know she will love it here.

The second girl Hermana Marshall and I both helped.  Her name was Hermana Santos from Puerto Rico and she could not speak English or understand it. SWEET!!! We got to use our Spanish skills. Both Hermana Marshall and I noticed that we speak so much better Spanish when we are speaking with native than when we are speaking to ourselves. It was great. Hermana Santos looked scared and nervous (though when I asked her she denied it). We gave her a hug and left her...it was hard. I knew she was having a hard time because people kept trying to speak to her in English...so frustrating. It was a humbling experience for me to be a part of.

They turned on all the Christmas lights in a certain part of the MTC campus. It's beautiful. Hermana Marshall and I always go out of our way to walk through them. It's refreshing to have the spirit of Christmas in our hearts; though still kind of weird not knowing where we will be for Christmas. I know whatever happens will be great. The Lord is always with us. We wear His name close to our hearts. Whatever happens; happens for a reason. It's all meant to be.

I get my travel plans tonight!!!! We'll see if my visa went through or not. I will let you know where I will be in 2 weeks!

Love,

Hermana Laura Johnson