[Sorry this is late, guys. Expect her next letter in a couple days!]
Buon Giorno mia famiglia,
How is everyone doing? Are you all happy and healthy? How is the wonderful summer heat? How hot is it there now? The end of last week was very cold, but today it is burning hot and we were sweating by the time we got to the temple to do a session. Knowing how bipolar Utah weather is, it will probably get really cold again soon.
Mom: I'm glad you got to see Hannah and Rob. How did they look? She was beautiful, I just know it! Did she end up using my gift for decoration at her reception? That's cool you got to see Ernie again. He's such a sweet guy. Ya, he did give me his e-mail address, but I can't e-mail people other than family. There just isn't enough time. If you could get me his address, that would be great. Or tell him about DearElder.com and have him write me through there and let him know about my blog so he can just read my e-mails there. Or you can just foreward my e-mails to him. Give him my address too.
The language has been crazy! It really gives a new meaning to baptism by fire! Ha but even though it's been really hard and more frustrating, it's already been so rewarding. Each Monday we teach at the TRC and it's where people can volunteer to come in and pretend to be investigators and we go in and teach them. The last two Mondays, we have been with the same person--this little old lady, actually from Italy. Got baptized in '92 with her daughter and her husband is still a devout catholic. She comes to Utah every summer to visit her only daughter who married and American and has 5 kids. She has been so sweet to teach and when we taught her this last Monday, we taught the whole lesson ONLY in Italian. It was awesome! She helped us alot because she could guess what we were trying to say, but it really helped. We even had her tearing up with our testimony about Joseph Smith and the first vision. And no, I didn't cry. I haven't cried much at all actually, I've gotten pretty good at holding it in. Spanish is also helping so much. My companions always look to me when they don't know how to say things during lessons or contacting and expect me to save them I guess. So I'm a little bit ahead of them on forming sentences and conjugating verbs, but they are learning too. I try to not say as much and make them work because I will not be there always and they won't get better if they don't practice.
Exciting that Garrett is going in earlier! The sooner he gets out, the happier he will be. I promise that. Though it's tough being this busy and challenged this much, I can't find time to dwell on negative thoughts. I just keep working and so I'm always happy. Maybe very tired, but happy.
I hope Amira gets better. She is such a trooper for fighting all these nasty ear infections! I will definitely remember her in my prayers.
I did remember it was father's day and got dad a card forever ago, but the picture developer thing has been broken so I can't print the picture I want to send him. So it will come, just late. Give him a hug for me. DAD: Happy father's day! I love you!!
Have fun on your sisters trip mom! and I did get your package, thanks! I have a list of things I need that I will send you in an actual letter...hope it's not too difficult.
Dad: your story of Bro. Wilkes sounds amazing. That story just makes me so much more grateful for the priesthood and how proud I am to have such a worthy, faithful dad as a servant of god. Thank you for being so incredible. I need to re-read Matthew 25 about that story. That is an interesting interpretation of it. But it is so true, we really have been given these talents or blessings of the knowledge of the restored gospel. Last night we had a devotional and Elder Paul Sybrowsky of the Seventy spoke along with his wife who is a convert and she said that other people don't realize something is missing in their lives, but the Lord is aware of them and what they are missing and that is our job to listen to God and find those people to show them what they are missing so they can be happier.
This week, starting today until sunday is the training for the mission presidents and so we will be among the first presidency and apostles. It is going to be pretty amazing. I'm hoping to run into some of them. They have the whole main building and half the cafeteria shut off for all of them so we might not see any of them. Friday is a devotional we get to attend though, so I am hoping the Prophet and some of the other GAs will speak to us. That would be sweet.
Mom and Ian: can you both send me a handwritten letter of your conversion stories and thing that stood out to you about our message and things that you struggled grasping and how you overcame those. Also when you truly felt converted to the Gospel because my companion who is a convert is struggling with her testimony because she thinks she got baptized before she was truly converted and now she is questioning if she really knows it's true and is afraid to know it because she will feel sad for her family. How did you both feel about this and what helped you with it? Words of advice would be great!
Vi amo,
Sorella Heiner
P.S. Some international MTC guys just came in and asked what I was doing while waiting for my laundry to be done and I told him I am e-mailing my family, They then took a ton of pictures of me...so who knows what could happen about that. Cool though! Ha
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Hello everyone!
[Note!: Chelsea's sister Brittany here - I'm going to be managing the blog and Sorella Heiner's Facebook updates while she's gone. I'll keep you updated with her latest emails, photos, and contact information. This is her first email from the MTC! As she says below, please write her at DearElder.com while she's there - here's her info:
Sorella Heiner
MTC Box #120
ITA-ROM
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793]
***
Hey my family and friends...all those people in the outside world!
Ha that has got to be one of the weirdest things about being in the MTC. We really are completely cut off from the rest of the world and don't really know what is happening. I think the most "exciting" thing we have heard about what is happening outside the world is that there is this virus thing. It's apparently attacking everyone at BYU and so we aren't even allowed to give each other handshakes here to avoid it. Stange, but handshakes are somewhat awkward sometimes anyways.
Well I have 2 companions. Sister Foote and Sister Dall. Carson was telling the truth about that part, but they are both way awesome. Sister Foote is from New Hampshire and is a convert to the church of about 2 years. It's way helpful having her with us because when we plan and teach lessons, she knows what it's like to hear about the church for the first time so we plan our lessons to already counter that kind of thing. It's cool and she has a super strong testimony. Sister Dall is from Salt Lake area and is super sweet. She's quieter than Sister Foote and I, but when you bring up anything negative about U of U sports...she gets angry and super worked up. It's hillarious. I probably shouldn't do it as much, but it gets her even more from me because I'm a BYU fan. Ha. Sister Footed went to Utah State, so us three are all pretty much rivals but get along really well and our Branch 1st counselor told me last night in an interview that he's never seen a trio with so much power and such a strong spirit about them. He said us three really are meant to go to Italy to prepare those people for the temple. We are all going to the Rome mission too...so it's exciting.
Our district has 11 people. Us three sorelle (sisters) and the rest are anziani (elders). They are all way fun. There is one of them who is absolutely hillarious and makes me laugh so hard that my laugh turns silent and my eyes start watering. It's great to laugh here. We have all grown really close to eachother in just this last week, and I am excited for the rest of the time together. Half go to Milan though. :-(
We are the second district to ever be part of the new program in the MTC. Our teachers ONLY speak to us in Italian. NO ENGLISH AT ALL! Not even a beginning explanation of why they are doing it. But I can already understand about 85 percent of what they say to us. We can answer back in English, but we have been trying to use more italian to we can practice. It's tough, but coming along. None of us would have been called to this mission if the Lord didn't know we were capable of it. It's something we all have to constantly remind ourselves when we get frustrated.
The spirit here is absolutely amazing and everyone is so fun. Not going to lie, I love it here. When I start slacking a little though, I notice myself missing everything back home way too much, so it forces me to keep working hard. Last night we got to hear from Sister Wixom of the Primary General Presidency and she made us sing the primary songs we all loved like " I hope they call me on a mission" and "I belong to the church of jesus christ...". It was amazing how powerful the words in those simple songs were. They are the exact outlines of why we are here and what we have to teach to the world. Everyone we meet says how jealous they are about where we get to serve. It's so fun! Ha I am so proud of my call.
I got to see Rachel Kiene on the first day here. It was right before dinner and we both just started crying so hard and hugging each other. It even made Sorella Foote cry! Ha I see her occasionally and a bunch of other people I know here too. Usually they are siblings of my friends.
Time is low, so I got to go. But I love you all and am so grateful for all the support and prayers you give me. This is definitely a sacrifice but it's so true that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." I have seen this in my life already and wouldn't trade it for anything! Be safe, work hard, and I love you all.
Love always,
Sorella Heiner.
P.S. Tell people to write me through DearElder.com while I am in the MTC. It's free and I get the mail that day. It's easier than having to read e-mails and then respond. Brit, if you could post about that on my blog and facebook, that would be great! Thanks so much. oh and my p-days are wednesdays here so if you want me to get an e-mail, send it before that. And treats are always welcome. We get super hungry in class and it's nice to have snacks to share with each other!
LOVE YOU ALL and never forget that this church is true and Jesus Christ lives! (I already know how to pray and bare my testimony in Italian!!)
Sorella Heiner
MTC Box #120
ITA-ROM
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793]
***
Hey my family and friends...all those people in the outside world!
Ha that has got to be one of the weirdest things about being in the MTC. We really are completely cut off from the rest of the world and don't really know what is happening. I think the most "exciting" thing we have heard about what is happening outside the world is that there is this virus thing. It's apparently attacking everyone at BYU and so we aren't even allowed to give each other handshakes here to avoid it. Stange, but handshakes are somewhat awkward sometimes anyways.
Well I have 2 companions. Sister Foote and Sister Dall. Carson was telling the truth about that part, but they are both way awesome. Sister Foote is from New Hampshire and is a convert to the church of about 2 years. It's way helpful having her with us because when we plan and teach lessons, she knows what it's like to hear about the church for the first time so we plan our lessons to already counter that kind of thing. It's cool and she has a super strong testimony. Sister Dall is from Salt Lake area and is super sweet. She's quieter than Sister Foote and I, but when you bring up anything negative about U of U sports...she gets angry and super worked up. It's hillarious. I probably shouldn't do it as much, but it gets her even more from me because I'm a BYU fan. Ha. Sister Footed went to Utah State, so us three are all pretty much rivals but get along really well and our Branch 1st counselor told me last night in an interview that he's never seen a trio with so much power and such a strong spirit about them. He said us three really are meant to go to Italy to prepare those people for the temple. We are all going to the Rome mission too...so it's exciting.
Our district has 11 people. Us three sorelle (sisters) and the rest are anziani (elders). They are all way fun. There is one of them who is absolutely hillarious and makes me laugh so hard that my laugh turns silent and my eyes start watering. It's great to laugh here. We have all grown really close to eachother in just this last week, and I am excited for the rest of the time together. Half go to Milan though. :-(
We are the second district to ever be part of the new program in the MTC. Our teachers ONLY speak to us in Italian. NO ENGLISH AT ALL! Not even a beginning explanation of why they are doing it. But I can already understand about 85 percent of what they say to us. We can answer back in English, but we have been trying to use more italian to we can practice. It's tough, but coming along. None of us would have been called to this mission if the Lord didn't know we were capable of it. It's something we all have to constantly remind ourselves when we get frustrated.
The spirit here is absolutely amazing and everyone is so fun. Not going to lie, I love it here. When I start slacking a little though, I notice myself missing everything back home way too much, so it forces me to keep working hard. Last night we got to hear from Sister Wixom of the Primary General Presidency and she made us sing the primary songs we all loved like " I hope they call me on a mission" and "I belong to the church of jesus christ...". It was amazing how powerful the words in those simple songs were. They are the exact outlines of why we are here and what we have to teach to the world. Everyone we meet says how jealous they are about where we get to serve. It's so fun! Ha I am so proud of my call.
I got to see Rachel Kiene on the first day here. It was right before dinner and we both just started crying so hard and hugging each other. It even made Sorella Foote cry! Ha I see her occasionally and a bunch of other people I know here too. Usually they are siblings of my friends.
Time is low, so I got to go. But I love you all and am so grateful for all the support and prayers you give me. This is definitely a sacrifice but it's so true that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." I have seen this in my life already and wouldn't trade it for anything! Be safe, work hard, and I love you all.
Love always,
Sorella Heiner.
P.S. Tell people to write me through DearElder.com while I am in the MTC. It's free and I get the mail that day. It's easier than having to read e-mails and then respond. Brit, if you could post about that on my blog and facebook, that would be great! Thanks so much. oh and my p-days are wednesdays here so if you want me to get an e-mail, send it before that. And treats are always welcome. We get super hungry in class and it's nice to have snacks to share with each other!
LOVE YOU ALL and never forget that this church is true and Jesus Christ lives! (I already know how to pray and bare my testimony in Italian!!)
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