week #5 at MTC

Buna diminiatsa everyone! I hope that all is well and that all is happy. I'm doing great. It's so crazy...a sister in my district, her dad works for the church, namely with departure and travel stuff with missionaries, and so even though we're not getting our official travel plans for one-2 weeks, I know that we are leaving on March 30, our flight leaves at 8:20am and that we are going from Salt Lake to JFK to Vienna to Romania! I don't know the times cuz they didn't tell her that, but I'll know when we are supposed to get our travel plans. Vaca sfanta (holy cow lol)

This week was amazing. With this past Sunday being fast sunday, we had our MTC mission conference. Some things of note from that meeting that I really enjoyed: As we work, we will have the Spirit, and that is how we will find happiness. A testimony is precious to the souls of men. Learn how to feel what you already know. A testimony is so crucial to the way that we live. When we are able to have that foundation of "I know that God lives. I know that He loves me personally, and I know that this is what God wants me to do" no matter where we are in life, we will feel that love of God even more and be able to go forward in confidence, receiving blessings, and finding great joy each day.

Marraige and family are hope for eternity. "There may be misunderstanding in the words you try to give, but there is no misunderstanding in how you act and how you live."

The Sunday night fireside was presented by MTC Area Pres. Gary Heaton and his wife. They spoke on how the Holy Ghost can lift us up in times of discouragement. It is the Comforter, the Testifyier, and one of the most amazing gifts we can ever receive. As we learn of Christ and learn to listen to the Spirit, then we will be able to better understand our Savior, and we can become more like Him. (Ether 3:1-6 "prepare your souls").

Also with Sunday, we had some of the American Sign Language (ASL) Elders in our branch leave to go to Rochester New York. They are amazing and were super fun to get to know. They signed "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" as a musical number in Sacrament meeting as I played the piano. It was gorgeous, and the Spirit was so strong.

There were some really neat things that I learned this week about Personal Study and our call as children of God to do all we can in this life to come closer to Him. I'll only name a few. The best way to be able to progress is to make goals for yourself. If you don't have a question in mind, you're not going to get any answers. So as you make goals, be specific. Don't just say "I want to do better" because you probably won't. As you're specific, you will be able to see specific progress. After you make a goal, then you take it to the Lord in prayer. Let Him know what you're trying to do and how you're going to achieve it. The Lord responds to specific things, and as we go to Him with the specifics in our lives, He will help us with those specific things. I've already seen some neat miracles in my life as I have started to focus on this, this past week, and it's amazing. I know that God hears and answers our prayers and will help us to accomplish the righteous desires of our hearts. He loves us each so much!

On Tuesday night, Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi of the 70 was our devotional speaker. He's so amazing. The first half of his talk was focused on how our bodies are the temples of the Lord where the Spirit can dwell. But the Spirit can only dwell in us if we are clean and striving to live as God would have us. The Atonement is such an amazing gift, and as you study and come to better understand exactly what God and Jesus Christ did for us through that event, and how it relates to you personally, the love in your life and your desire to do all you can to show your love back will increase. Repentance, though it sounds scary, is sometimes the best way that we can show our love to God, and helps us so much in our lives to be in alignment with God and His will for us. This doesn't take away any of our freedoms or choices, but instead gives us better freedom and so much more happiness. We can become clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Anyone can. Everyone can if they would turn to Him and do what He asks. "Come unto me all ye that are burdened or heavy laden." "Whosoever has a boken heart and contrite spirit, come unto me." He wants us to. The Atonement is applicable every day, 24/7, and we can have the sanctifying love of Jesus Christ with us in our lives. The more you serve and work, the more you will feel this. I know that that is true, and I can't stop smiling as I testify of that.

Mom asked me some questions, and here are the answers: My companions don't get letters every day, at least every week, but sometimes that's not always enough, but it goes ok I guess. (If your wondering, it's Kristen Kiriyama and Charisse Larsen - said just like Cherisse's name :} ) But we sometimes share letters, usually just what makes us smile.

My back is doing pretty good. It's not the exercising that hurts it. It's the fact that I sit down pretty much all day every day and I don't get to move around as much, but it isn't bugging me too bad, and when it does, I just stretch and deal with it and it will be better.

I don't get to practice piano too much...there is just so much to do, and piano is not the most important. I play piano on Sundays for Sacrament meeting, so I allow the 1/2 hr of prelude to fulfill my piano needs ;}

On p-days we go to the Temple at 7:40, and then do service in the temple for as long as we want. We do an hour of personal and comp study, and then do whatever we want in our extra time. Laundry, letters, journal review, organizing my study journal is most of it. Then we have 3 hours of class after dinner, we plan and then go to bed. Normal days vary depending on the day. Usually we have about 2-3 hours of class in the morning with one teacher, and then 2-3 hours of class with the other. One hour of personal study and one hour of companion study is always present, 45 min of gym on 5 days of the week.

Devotional on Tuesdays, Preparation day on Thursdays. And then we have 45 min for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every time in between is call MDT (missionary directive time) where we can do what we feel needs to get done. That is the hardest time to be productive, but that's what effective planning is for each night for 1/2hr. Also depending on the day we have designated language study time for 45min to 1 1/2 hrs. Sometimes we go to workshops if we sign up, and then Fridays we go to the RC (referral center) and call people to talk about the church, and Mondays we go to the TRC where we practice teaching to member volunteers who pretend to be investigators. We're doing it with them in Romanian now, so it's crazy. Our first Romanian lesson went pretty good though, I'll write more about that later. But I love you all so very much!


Mom, thanks for your letter and talk...I'm studying it piece by piece, and it's really fun. I'll write you what I think when I have time.
Dad, that is so cool that you got to tour the astronaut place!(The Kennedy Space Center) I'm glad that you're doing good and not getting sick.
Cherisse, I hope that school is doing good and that your smiling lots and lots. Tell Ally and Jason I say HI!
Shaley, congrats on making Varsity, and tell Josh thanks for his letter. I'll try to write back next week. It was so fun to read
Jenna, super congrats on JV! That is so awesome, and I hope you have so much fun with that
Tam, I love you so much, and I’ll try to send you another verse of a Romanian song sometime.
But I miss you all when I think about it, which isn't a lot, but I always think of how much I love you. Have an awesome amazing week, and I'll write next Thursday. Lots of kisses, and
zambat (smile!)
Love always, --Sora Karina