September 7, 2009

Hey Family!!!!
boy I love you all!! hope school, work, and everything is going okay, and that Jake has a great birthday!~!!! happy birthday jake!!!! I can't believe you are 16 (actually I can, I thought you were turning 16 last year haha,) a card is on the way ;) love ya!! and go cougars!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think the zone leaders sent a text, because yesterday I heard they won, that is awesome!!! I always loved byu football, but I didn't realize how much until I heard they one! I am soooo happy!!! hahaha :)
It has been an interesting week, first the good stuff, carothtsetsen was baptized!! It was wonderful, she is so sweet and it was a good baptism, me and my companion were asked to sing, and it is exciting to see the church grow :) and while we were teaching badamgarav her friend visited and we invited her to listen, and then she practically started teaching us about Christ’s atonement and how we can't get back to heaven without it, it was awesome!! She said she had always liked Christ but didn't know much about his church :) the Lord can lead people to us, she came to church and is already reading the Book of Mormon so that made my week :)
I started teaching english this week, I teach at 2 private schools, 3rd grade, 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th, grade, and some teachers. I teach 10 hours a week, and I am trying to like it ;) its worth it if we can be here, and the kids really are great :) so cute and for the most part eager to learn. I realized something this week that surprised myself, and might sound surprising, but I swear it is a good thing! I can't do this. haha ;) but literally I realized I can't do this. I still can't talk or understand very much at all, I have a lot to learn about being a missionary, and now add 10 hours of english teaching and lesson planning which is the hardest because it takes time to plan good lessons, I am inexperienced, they don't have text books or a course outline, and I teach all different levels so each lesson is different, and I am trying to learn mongolian and we have to do our normal studies at all different times of the day because of english, etc. sorry this is rambling but there is a point ;) So I was sitting on a meeker (van thing) riding back from an appointment that fell through, and I thought "I can't do this". And the spirit seemed to confirmed "that is absolutely right" haha! I was really surprised that it felt so good to admit I couldn't do something. But then I realized that I am not doing this work, the Lord is, and He has given us something that we literally by ourselves cannot do. Before when something hard came up I would just think "you can do this, you can do this" and keep going. It got to the point where I can't do it haha. You know that bible story where the Lord says the army is too big, and he keeps making it smaller until there are just 300 people? but then they win!! because the Lord is with them, and they have to acknowledge his hand. So, I can't do this. Just like those 300 people couldn't win. But I am not by myself! So its awesome because I feel so much more able, realizing that I am unable, haha I am making no sense. Basically, I want you all to know that the Lord is leading and guiding this work, and He just asks us to have the faith to do what He says, even if we don't think we are smart enough, strong enough, etc. He makes up the rest. So That was my week :) And mongolia and the people are amazing and easy to love :) Love you all and thanks sooo much for the prayers. hope you all are well!!
sister mansfield

cate- hey! When are you getting a new address? I have a letter for you, when are you moving? :) you can send it to tori, love ya!!!
Kat-I reread your letter about tortoises and the biologist and it made me laugh so much!! love ya!! :) how are classes? could you facebook your address to tori so she can send it to me? love ya!
alyssa- how are classes? hope you are well!!! you are living with kat right?

Donielle Wolfe- there is a saying here that means "your the man!!" and it is chii shew. chiishew!! thanks so much for the letters! they make me so happy :)