June 11, 2009

Hello my family :) (rep booth;)
Thanks again for the letters, it is so fun to hear from you all, I am really glad the trip to utah when okay, that sounds crazy busy! We have made that drive a lot haven't we, glad it went okay. Mom thanks for the e-mail, how does it feel to be done with seminary? Dad and jake, have fun on the canoe trip! take lots of pictures, I would like to see them dad, thanks :)I love stuff like that, you will have so much fun! Linds, I heard the volleyball day was a total hit!! Donielle said her daughter loved it, way to go! :) and thanks for your letter, love ya and miss ya!!!! tori, thanks for the letter too, you always make me laugh and it was so funny, you know our family well, I could picture everything you were describing :) And sarah!! you got your patriarchal blessing! I am so excited for you :) That can be a huge blessing and help to your life, I’m so grateful Heavenly Father gives us our own little piece of personal scripture :)
Things are good here, we leave in about 20 days!! These next three weeks will be interesting, we as a district decided to SLY (speak your language) for the last three weeks, we really need it and it will force us to learn better and start thinking and speaking mongolian. Yesterday was our first day, and it was so hard! I don't think my head has ever hurt so much, haha, it was really an interesting experience, my brain was working so hard every minute just to try to communicate and it was funny, my district was so tired yesterday, this language stuff takes it out of you! we are usually so energetic at gym but we were all so beat, but it is good :) it is refreshing to be thinking in english as I write this. It makes you realize how much you don't know but that is exactly why we are doing it, better to get as much of the language shock out of the way in the safe MTC ;) my companion and roommates have been very patient, I say things in mongolian and then translate for myself, it has been an interesting experience, and we are getting better at charades. I think I took communication for granted, it is hard to not say what you want to, but then again it is a miracle we really can get around with just mongolian, I hope the learning curve increases these next few weeks.
Elder Bednar spoke at devotional this week and it was sooooooo amazing! You could feel the power and love coming from him as he spoke, we truly have God's chosen apostles leading this church. And calling people from the Referral Center is still great, it is exciting to share the happiness we have :)
The flu is still going around but it is not a huge deal, they are having missionaries leave as long as they are healthy, my roommate, sister going to Indonesia, got the flu and is in quarantine, so far the rest of us are good, we caught something else but it hasn't turned into the flu yet and I don't think it will so all is good.
Um, i can't think of any funny language mixs up this week though I am sure there have been many, my elders have found the advantages of speaking a language no one else knows, they go up to people and talk in mongolian all friendly, and they really are just using every mean adjective they know. They think they are pretty funny and i should be more mature and not laugh but it is pretty entertaining ;) it is funny how they learn the mean and teasing words faster than the basics, but it is all in good taste (usually ;) and gets them speaking!;)
No word on visas yet, they say we won't know until right before we leave. The english teaching has been good, we made some neat friends from Korea and mexico :) this is our last week of the english teaching training. It anyone knows any fun games or activities to teach english as a second language, I would love ideas and suggestions! mostly conversational language. And family I have a big favor to ask, could you look for a small and simple english grammar book? I don't know, maybe they have one of those "english for dummies" books, I realized I didn't pay attention in school and I don't know how our language works! If not that is okay but if you have time it might be helpful.
um, thats all, thanks again for everything, I love you all so much! I am doing good and still trying to work hard, my brain is running a marathon that has just begun, but it is a good, exciting, and important race! Love you!!!
ashley (mansfield egch)