So much to say every time! I love you all!

So yes, I'm still the dictionary. haha Heavenly Father has definitely blessed me with a good memory, which is fun :)  I'm trying to tone down shouting out answers I feel like Hermione.... hahah The language is great, there's still so much I don't know, but I'm working hard and Speak Your Language days are helping too.  Yesterday was one of those, and we did so good!  We understand each  other at least. haha so hopefully the people of Brazil will too :) And yes, I get to go to the temple every Friday which has been so wonderful :) I love the sweet spirit that is there.  There's no stress, and we get to sit, ponder, listen, and be taught by the Spirit.  so nice :)  Elder Rogers in my District has his VISA but since it's so close to the time we're leaving, he won't fly out to Brazil until the 30th of this month.  So cool though. The VISA process is definitely going faster for those who did it by themselves, or went through the consulate in DC.  So yea, only three in our District got visa's so far, but Sister Briggs will have hers soon and Elder Graff. Also, Sister Briggs e-mailed her family to see if we're related so we'll see! :) I also saw Jacquelyn Swarbrick here at the MTC on Wednesday! so cool :) Maybe I'll get to Host Sister Davidson next Wednesday. My district signed up to do it this Wednesday which was super fun.  I got to help 2 sisters when they arrived.  I took them to get their name tags, get their book stuff, take their stuff to their room, and get to their new classroom.  My heart went out to them, especially the second sister I helped who looked a little shell shocked so to speak.  I think she was a little overwhelmed, as we all were a bit when we arrived at the MTC.  I mean it's a big deal!  The first sister I helped was very friendly, and was fun to chat with.  It was fun! and I think Elder Graff our District leader signed us up to do it again next week.

Sister Jackson and I will probably get our reassignments next Thursday and we'll have in-field training this week! So crazy! And sorta a fridge quote from her "I would choose you even if I didn't have a choice" haha but so sweet :)  Love her to death. Also, we were assigned to be Sister Training Leaders this Sunday.  Whoa!  We have a leadership meeting to go to on Sundays and we have 3 rooms of Sisters to visit with each night, see how they're doing.  One of the rooms has all new sisters who we got to give a tour of the MTC. Last night when we visited them I'm sure they could feel how much we love and want to help them. They were feeling a bit stressed about the language, which yeah, the 2nd day in the MTC is the hardest because there is so much study time, and you don't know a lick of Portuguese yet besides Otimo! which means awesome :) haha but we gave them hugs, some advice, and a spiritual thought, which I think helped them out. Because seriously it gets so much better!  this assignment (not calling necessarily because we're not set apart for it because we're already set apart as missionaries) is something I think the Lord knew I needed. I needed to focus on others and not myself. Also, I need to learn more about being a loving leader, and being a bit more assertive. So yes! I know the Lord knows me personally and I'm so grateful His plan is better than mine :)  So yeah, Wednesdaywas crazy. In addition, Sister Jackson and I were asked to be the example missionaries at the role play event with all the new missionaries.  We come in and start talking to the investigator, the moderator stops us when we get to a certain point, we leave, and all the new missionaries in the room get to teach their first lesson. So cool :)  We were nervous, but it went well :)  I felt so humbled, because apparently our teachers chose us to do this.  Wow! What an amazing compliment.  I'm sure anyone in our District could have done it, but my companion and I learned a few things from it which I'm grateful for, like don't be unnaturally happy when you walk up to a door.  People will think you're strange. hahaha

My district has so many talents.  Last night Elder Copenhaver had us all busting up laughing with his amazing Smiegle and Sam impressions from Lord of the Rings. So funny! We're all good friends which is wonderful, especially because when we read the scriptures together, the spirit is incredibly strong. Seriously I have never felt it so strong so often before. It's amazing!  Also, I had this realization when we were reading the Book of Mormon together in class.  We read a verse or two then talk about it. I realized, that Christ lived a happy life.  He was happy even though He had the hardest life of anyone.  Then I thought, why was He happy?  It's because he had perfect love for everyone around Him.  There was no jealously, no contention, no competition, or comparison.  I'd just never really thought He could have been happy when life was so much harder than I can comprehend.  What a perfect example!  We were talking about what comes out of us sometimes when we're stressed, and how we should want our Christlike attributes to show.  Christ, when He was stressed (which is definitely an incredible understatement)  only showed a greater outpouring of love when He asked Heavenly Father to forgive the people. Such a special experience :)

Teachers at the MTC hold little meetings with the missionaries to see how their doing and what they can help them with, so I met with Irmao Nielson. It felt super duper weird, because it was just me and him talking in the hallway and I didn't have my companion! hahah I'm gonna be so awkward when I get back. baha  but Elder Bednar, in a talk he gave at the MTC some years ago said if your no different when you get back than when you left, then you didn't do it right. So hopefully I will be a little weird :) Never knew I'd say that haha 

Mom! How's the Medical Terminology class going? smokin it?  And you're coming to Utah?  To see Aunt Julie's family and Uncle Stott and Aunt Renee?  What's the occasion? I'm so sad the yard is butchered, but that means you could start over with that new grass you had tried before?  It's gonna look so good:)  Also, feel free to send any photos of Madison with her new friend and I can't believe Ethan is already 5 months!  sheesh. Taylor and Julie both e-mailed me this week which was super cool too :) Also I did get the packages and the fruit snacks galore and cookies. Thank you so much!!!!! All the items were definitely NEEDED :)  And my roommates and I have already finished off the smiley fruit snacks and are still working on the Motts. so yummy. hahah  I also took the cookies to my District's classroom so everyone can enjoy :)  My district shares everything with each other, so nice :) Also, could you e-mail me a couple of our ancestor's stories like Christina Young? that would be fabulous, also possibly my immunization record too :)

Dad, do you sleep in at all now?  haha at least til 6:30? :)  How's Brother Mishler handling the new role? I seriously love singing, and with 400 missionaries it sounds incredible.  Also there's the slightest chance that I might get to sing with the sisters at the Relief Society General Broadcast, but I don't know if I'll qualify.  Sister Briggs gets to!  I'll find out probably Sunday or Monday or something, I seriously hope I can, but we'll see :)  If not I'll just enjoy it from here :)

Katrina! It's killin me that you're in Provo right now!  Bah, I hope the Dance last night was super fun :) tell me everything!! sounds like the funnest people to be with on a road trip ever!  And So the San Francisco thing was a double date? Those picture are seriously so pretty!    I wish I coulda seen your reactions during the murder in the dark thing.  Of course Thomas's dad would have picked you to scare. bahaha Screaming I can imagine, but the Lower pitched ahh throat sound is more realistic. hahah JK!!! So my companion tried to send a bunch of pictures to Mom and Dad's e-mail, but it seems like it might not have gone through since no body has mentioned pictures....so I'll try to forward that today.  I'm allowed to listen to MoTab and uplifting spiritual music, so I think that Mindy Gledhill CD, and the ones we always listened to on Sundays would be great :) I'm so stoked about your visit to Idaho,  I gotta see a pic of those two love birds.  Ashley's like due in a month isn't she? And I'm glad Lauren's getting married :)  I'll be there in spirit. haha

I love you all!!!!!!!!!  Hope you have wonderful weeks Eu sei que O Redentor vive! (I know that our Redeemer lives)