letter sent Feb. 1, 2009

Dear Family,

I am doing great! They really immerse you in everything so quickly here at the MTC. The very first day we were taught the aplhabet, how to pray in our new language, and how to bear our testimonies. Then the next two days we learned irregular verbs, two kinds of A and I verbs as well as E verbs and how to greet and make street contacts. That sounds like a lot, I know, and that is maybe half of what I'm doing each day.

Oh, I ran a mile yesterday (proud!) and we are singing in Romanian each day and it is awesome. It's interesting how I'm not at all homesick because this feels so much like home. My companions are awesome -- Sora Larsen's companion from Ukraine had visa problems so she will be joining Sora Kiriyama and I for the 9 weeks I'm here.

In our 4th week we will be teaching all our lessons in Romanian. Crazy. My teachers are awesome, too. Fratele (Brother) Sperry (who served in Romania) and Sora Petrisor (she is a native Romanian) and they are great teachers. And today we had mission conference and learned from the MTC presidency. It was a really neat message.

They talked about fucus and how our focus needs to be centered on Jesus Christ. The sacraent helps us do this by turning our thoughts, opening our hearts, and aiding in the cleansing, purifying and healing of our souls. This is so important because we can not help anyone or convert them beyond the point of our own conversion. We stay focused by listening to what God has to say to us, usually through His Son, Jesus Christ.

We never stop in our service, and with our hearts, minds, and desires focused always on our Savior, we will all find joy in our Savior and our service. I know this is true. I know that the atonement can change our lives and if we allow that to happen and press forward in all dilligence and righteousness, we will have joy in the Lord.

Love,

Sora Karina