First things first: my companion is Sister Alleman. She is the sweetest girl ever! We have such a great relationship and we get along great for the most part! She's going to my same mission. In fact, our whole district is. (See picture.) We've gotten so close together and I can't believe how fast we've connected! It's #totescraycray So yes! Companion and district are AMAZING! Love it!
Oh! And I'm at the West Campus MTC. It's so nice here! Smaller groups of people, better food and we get to walk outside here. They have trees! It's awesome. There's about 380 missionaries here now, and in the next month there'll be about 1,000. It'll be very tight and cozy! ...and probably claustrophobic. So glad I'm missing that one!
I'd like to give a shout out to everyone to please write me physical letters because I can read those every day, and emails only once a week for a short period of time! And in the last 4 days, I haven't gotten any mail. Let me know that people haven't forgotten about me, that you miss me and you remember what I look like and act like and who I am. Haha. But seriously, letters raise your Spirits so much as a missionary! Not even kidding. So the more letters you can actually write, that'd be so great! You're all amazing!
So! I have exciting news! I have a tool that will guarantee that my whole family will probably be watching the Relief Society General Meeting this Saturday, and even possibly some other males. This is because I will be singing in the choir for that meeting! I will be in Salt Lake City, in the Conference center! Wearing a really UGLY shirt! But that's besides the point. There're doing a sister MTC choir, and I have the opportunity to sing in it! Practicing is amazing! The Spirit is so strong! I am so grateful for this opportunity! So watch it! Look for me! And tell me if I'm in the screen sometime. It would be cool! And yep, I had to spend $19 on a really ugly 'fall color' collared shirt for this thing, and what's worse, we have to keep it untucked! Gah! What the what what? I guess they don't want us to look like missionaries from 2013. Haha. AND I JUST REMEMBERED I HAVE ONE AT HOME THAT COULD HAVE WORKED. Haha I didn't really think that through. Oh well, it'll be great to sing in the choir in front of the whole world. So watch it! Dad, Tyler Gavin, watch the songs at least! We're singing 3! And anyone else who wants to!
Alright, spiritual time!!
So far, Sister Alleman and I are teaching 2 investigators, Rachel and Sydney. They are so amazing! We've taught Rachel 4 times and Sydney twice. It's a challenge, but an amazing experience. It gives us a purpose to study for. WHich is great, because we study ALL the time. Like 5 hours a day. But we have learned so much and I feel the Spirit in most lessons we teach! We're learning how to create spiritual experiences and it's so powerful! I love being a missionary! Yesterday, when we taught Sydney (We also teach with Sisters Christiansen and Meacham who are in our District), we taught her about the Apostasy and Restoration, and she believed it! Last time we taught, we gave her a Book of Mormon and she flipped through it and so far she loves it! The Spirit was SO strong! And my comp is shy, but she bore the sweetest testimony! The Spirit was so strong and it almost brought tears to my eyes. Sydney's big epiphany was that she can know for herself that the Gospel is true! She doesn't have to take anyone's word for it, not even ours! She can know for herself! And that is what was so powerful.
If you take anything away from this letter, please take away that you NEED to watch The Character of Christ by Elder Bednar. I'm not even kidding, it changed my life! It is the one talk that has struck me so hard! I have actually been changing my life to apply what I learned. It is well worth your time. So please! For FHE or something, go watch it! It was an MTC devotional, I'm sure you can find it somewhere online.
I know this is so cliche, but I am running out of time. Gah! I love you all and want you to know that I know this church is true! The Restoration really happened, Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and the proper Priesthood authority of God is now again on the Earth! I KNOW it! I have learned so much since I've been here, and learn more every day! I am growing so much and am already changing for the better. My testimony is so much stronger than it was, and being a missionary is the most incredible thing in the whole world! I love you all! Watch the Character of Christ and pray to know for yourself that the Restoration happened. I have prayed and have found out for myself, beyond a shadow of a doubt. So grow with me!
I would invite you to study Lesson 2 in Preach My Gospel this week and write me to tell me your thoughts. I will be studying Lesson 2 as well. Will you study PMG Lesson 2: The Plan of Salvation with me this week?
Have such a great week! The Church is true!
Sister Leslie
Me and My Companion, Sister Alleman
all the restroom signs say "Elders" or "Sisters"
(the word 'guys' isn't allowed here. I'm still working on that one)
my nice District (they are all going to my same mission)
the 4 district Sisters
we had the Classiest Tie Competition with our zone
Elder Bench won. He won the prestigious Beef Stick Award. It was great.
beautiful sunset (last time I will see mountains in a while)
No comments:
Post a Comment