viva viña

Yes the subject line is true... 5 elders cry. And not from laughing can you beleive it? We'll get to that later though! ha

First things first.... holy package and letter load this week. Cookies, cranberry bars, popcorn, cinnamon bears, airplane travel food, pictures, letters, I have BEEN SPOILED. I can't even believe it. ha! Really though, so happy. Thank you for all that sent me stuff! My district and roommates enjoyed it, as well as I. Mom, pretty sure I've downed a whole bag of popcorn solo.... oooops. LOVE IT!!

Ok, today is our p-day and we just got back from eating sack breakfasts as a picnic with our district. So fun. I can't think of any other 19 year old boys that would sit outside and eat breakfast with Hna. Dapper and I. I seriously love them SO much. I was telling Hna. Dapper last night, I never have felt this kind of love for anyone like them. Obviously I love SO mnay people, but it's different love. I don't know.

Everyone this week has asked how I am feeling about leaving... this are my two emotions. STOKED and sad. Stoked for obvious reasons, and sad. I will miss the people here like crazy! Hopefully the goodbye isn't too sad. But I'm not nervous, AT ALL right now. I just know this is what the Lord wants me to do and He will bless me SO much for doing this. I just am really excited to go see how the mission really is. Meet my mission pres, my comp, know my area, everything.

Yesterday we had what is called "In Field Orientation" It's just for all the people leaving next week and we just learned lots about working with members, finding investigators, ect. It was really fun and very useful. I hope I can take what I learned and apply it.

It was also Hna. Dappers b-day yesterday. Thank you all who wrote her! She was very loved and recieved SO many letters. I think she enjoyed her day. I decorated her bed Thursday Night for her mom and then Friday she had presents to open, the district got her a card, m&ms and cute notecards. She just felt loved all day so I was happy about that!

Ok, so I sang last Sunday in Sacrament meeting. Come Thou Fount (KG's CD) It went super well. I made 4 elders CRY. Yes, 4! They all came up to me after and said, I haven't cried at all since I've been here and that got to me... thank you. It made me feel good, and to be honest, I wasn't all that nervous singing either. My zone is so tight that it was just like... who cares, they'll love it even if it's awful. ha! One elder in my district, Elder Estiva, was like you have a super silky smooth voice, it's nice... haha. Oh little elders.

Also this week Hna. Dapper and I were nominated and chosen to do a teaching experience for the new missionaries on Wed. night. Basically, we just walk in a room and start talking to the investigator like a normal lesson, "getting to know you, religious background, expectaions,ect" then we'd start teaching something super basic and they'd cut us off and we'd leave and the new missionaries would finish teaching. It was fun, probably about 30-40 missionaries in the room and an investigator and we'd just teach, in English. It was a super neat experience to be chosen to actually teach for the new missionaries. Our teachers nominated us, and they selected us. I feel like it was my first "real investigator" b/c some our memebers and others not, so it seemed more real than just teaching a teacher or something.

Anywho, Monday night we had a meeting for it with the other 8 companionships that were chosen and we did a practice with the other companionships. So I was teaching this one elder, who was acting like a friend from home who doesn't have the gospel, and just talking about how God loves all of us and wants to hear from us and that we can feel comforted in times of sadness, loneliness,ect.... after about 7 mintues they stopped us, and he was giving feedback and this elder got big tears in his eyes and said "I wish I could take a recording of what you just said to me and send it to my friend, I think he'd listen to the Gospel if he heard what you just told me". Wow. Then he asked "what did you have in your head to share when you came over to me, how were you thinking?" I just told him, I didn't have a set plan, I was just gonna try to "get to know you" (as the investigator) and go from there and what the Spirit told me to do. It was a neat experience, I told him to write it in a letter to his friend and that would help just as much as words. He was like, super grateful for my message and wanted to learn how I did it. Hopefully, people have that kind of reaction in Chile!! So that makes the 5th elder cry.... haha!

Oh, they have records in the gym of like, wall sits, b-ball stuff, mile times, ect. I broke one! They have different columns for elders and sisters and the record for 3 pointers for sisters was only 3, and I was like, surely I can get at least 4, so i tried... I got 5! And now, my name will be on the wall as long as nobody else breaks it! hahaha 5 isn't all that many but oh well.

I was a HOST this week for the new missionaries. SO fun. It's so great to share with these new missionaries how much I have loved and grown here at the MTC. They all seemed a little nervous, but really, so great! ha!

Monday, I am excited to call. Parents, let Robbie miss school. That day is POINTLESS for seniors. Trust me. Plus, this is like one of the last times I'll be able to talk to him before he leaves.... :)

Hna Dapper and I learned a lesson about prayer this week. We went to teach a investigator, just a substitute teacher, because this week our teachers have been gone (out of town) so we've had subs... anywho, we go to teach this investigator and as soon as I knock on the door I said "Shoot, we forgot to pray" but at this point it was too late to do it now so we just were like... oh well. We taught our lesson and to be honest, all the material and lesson points were great, but we were just both not really into it. Just kinda blah... afterwards we were talking to a teacher who was observing and we realized it's b/c we didn't pray and how we both knew if we prayed it would have been SO much better. Lesson learned. Always Pray.

OH MY WORD. The elders in our district this week sang "As Sisters in Zion" in Falseto and Spanish. It was HILARIOUS. Talk about bringing the Spirit through music... right? ha! No, honetsly, it was SO AWFUL. We got it on video... maybe I can mail it sometime or Hna. Dappers mom might mail it to you. ha. SO FUNNY.

Also, last Friday night we were in class and Elder Ferrell did this weird creature/ cartoon/mouse like movement and only Hna. Dapper and I saw and we didn't even know the other one saw and we both looked at each other and LOST it. For about 10 minutes, tears streaming down our faces, it was SO funny. I just couldn't breath and we couldn't even explain it to anyone... you just had to see it....

Shauna, mormon bachelor... ahhahahaa! I wish I could see your video. Keep me updated on what happens with that. Glad you finally did it.

Do you have any questions that I could ask my Mission Pres in my first interview.... anything I should know. Think of them and let me know on Monday when we talk.

I leave the MTC at 6:00 and will probably be in through security by 7:45-8 at the LASTEST so I'll have about 2 hours so I'll call you sometime in between then. Anyone gonna be on speaker or just mom, dad, and robs? I know Shauna has expressed interest of being on speaker or 3 way or something. That'd be great.. I don't really care! If people are DYING to hear, that's fine with me. Not sure how long I can talk, but hopefully for at least 20 mintues and then again in LAX for 10 or so... we'll see.

Well, today I am going to the Temple. Session with my district, laundry, packing, ect. Should be good! Can't wait.

Well, love you family. Thanks for all your love and support.

Can't wait to talk Monday.

Until then,

Keep smiling,

Hermana Sargent