March 20, 2013

 

Family!!!!! I have so much to tell you! First off- I love you all!!! Thank you for your letters and YOUR PACKAGE!!! Mmm those Samoan cookies were delicious and my Samoan kasama and another Samoan sister loved them. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

 

Okay so big news! I got my travel plans! Here goes.... :)

 

Monday March 25th: Delta Air Lines Leave SLC at 9:43pm

March 25th: Arrive in Los Angeles, CA 10:48pm

March 26th: Cathay Pacific Airways (never heard of this airline before) Leave LAX 1:05am

March 27th: Arrive Hong Kong, Hong Kong 7:40am

March 27th: Leave Hong Kong 9:05am

March 27th: Arrive Manila, Philippines 11:15am

 

Check it out eh?? Due to the time zone difference I haven't figured out how long of a flight it is. All I know is that I leave March 25th and get to Manila March 27th. From Manila we'll take ground transportation to Angeles. Check it out, I'm flying to Hong Kong! I'm so excited! And I have a feeling I am going to be SO tired. Hope I can sleep on the flight.

So, we are allowed to call home before we leave. Here's the situation with that. First, do you want me to call? Second, if I do call they've asked that we call from our 2nd flight rather than from SLC which means I would be calling from LAX which means that is like midnight.... Third, if you want me to call, which number do you want me to use? Fourth, if you do not respond to any of these questions I will assume I will not call becasue you all have work in the morning and I don't want to inconvenince you... Also, if you respond please do it via DearElder and the sooner the better as time is limited for how many more days I will recieve mail.  Also, I love you! Also it's Mom's birthday on the day I leave. Lucky me I get to give her one of the coolest presents ever! A flight with me to Hong Kong! Happy birthday Mom! So yes those are my travel plans. :) I'm stoked.

 

Okay something else cool. I SAW TYCE! Or I guess Elder Lee! We found each other, coordinated with each other, and got a picture which I wil send later. Then I have seen him a few times since. He leaves tomorrow so hopefully I can snag one more picture today. Maybe by the famous map. Thanks for the reminder Dad, I think my district is going to get a picture on Sunday in front of the big map. I can't believe I will leave for the Philippines in less than a week. It is crazy. Oh, and rumor has it that the mission home address has changed. So, the address I recieved in my packet is no longer correct. Saying that, I don't know what the new address is. I will let you know as soon as I find out.

 

For the newsletter Dad, I loved it! Some things I think you can add... More about Savanna, Ryan, and Darla. It sounded like you only mentioned them but didn't go into detail about what they did this past year. Also, Grandma and Grandpa Heywood, and Tim and Shana were also skyping with us when I opned my mission call. Also you didn't mention anything about your year teaching schol. Also pictures are always a great, great thing. Please add some! :)

 

Also remember how Tam and Bill had to split on the day of my farewell? Well the Elder that Bill went to (his nephew?) was at the MTC here with me! I meant to mention this a long time ago but kept forgetting. But we actually met on taht first Wednesday we were both here. We sat next to each other, started talking and found out that Tam was his aunt and my aunt. I feel like he was giong to St. Louis which means he is already gone. But we saw each other a few times that first week and always said hello.

 

Funny fact. I was reading my scriptures the other day and guess what I found. A Cleo hair. Man that dog shed. I think it was lodged into Mom's scriptures somehow. Wasn't it Lance that said 'you know your dog sheds when you have hair coming out of your toothpaste."? Ha ha well I found a Cleo hair here in the MTC.

 

Before I leave I can't think of anything dire that I need. Savanna I talked to Trina yesterday and I'm leaving a box of stuff with her on Monday. Would you be willing to pick it up please? It is going to have stuff in it that I don't need... i.e. my coats. Thanks in advance! Um, would you be willing to look up a talk titled "Love is NOt Blind" by Bruce C. Hafen? I can't look it up here becasue it was from a BYU speech and not General Conference or anything like that. If you could look that up, copy and paste it into a DearElder I would appreciate it. My teacher recommended it to us.

 

Um so ya. Guess what? Remember how when I get nervous talking in front of people I talk really fast. In case you didn't know that, just remember my farewell talk... So ya. Um... So. This Sunday. Well, every Sunday and Tuesday night we have a devotional. The devotionals are amazing. I always feel the Spirit, I always learn so so much and I always look forward to them. We've had some great speakers come. Elder Ballard for example! It was exciting. Then it was cool, you know the new MTC they're converting in Mexico from that school? Last week they broadcasted the devotional to the future MTC in Mexico to see if it was working. Everybody loves the devotionals.  A lot of people watch them and enjoy them. Saying that, I have had a humbling experience this week. I have been humbled so much at the MTC, I love it. And it's hard. Anyway, I've had a humbling experience. This Sunday, my district was asked to usher at the devotional. No big deal, actually kind of fun becasue we will get good seats and we just usher. But I am actually not going to have the opportunity to usher. Why? Because I have actually been asked to say the closing prayer on Sunday. Ya. I have been humbled. I think I'm making a bigger deal out of it than it actually is. Actually I know I"m making a bigger deal out of it. I keep reminding myself to think of it as, I am just saying a prayer like I say all prayers in public, and I am just going to be praying in behalf of all the people who have just listened to the devotional. I have an amazing opportunity to communicate with our Heavenly Father on Sunday night and express the gratitude of all for the wonderful devotional we just had. That's what I keep telling myself. I truly am grateful for this opportunity I have been given, and I pray that I might not speak too quickly and that I might open my mouth and pray what the Spirit wants me to pray. Yes I am making a bigger deal out of it than it is, forgive me. So ya, I'm excited. We don't know who is speaking this Sunday, but I know it will be good and I look forward to it.

 

Anyway, that is what is up here at the MTC for Sister Davidson. My life is good. The Lord blesses me so so much. I miss you and pray for each of you daily. Dad, thanks for your weekly letter. I hope all goes well with the jeep getting ready for the jeep safari! Also, I'm glad that you had a good birthday. Darla good work on his presents! It is obviously he loves them! I'm glad you were able to get together and that Tam made a delicious cake! Oh and Dad, with one of your new presents... really? A bright red UoU mailbox? ha ha oh brother. I'm glad that you like it. Savanna and Ryan, keep the BYU blue spirit at home as much as you can.

 

I love you all so much! Please respond to me about the call home. And if you have anything else you want to send, Saturday is probably the last day I will get mail as Monday everyone will be getting ready to leave. I love you all so much!!!

 

-Sister Davidson :)