Cumriabsua!!!!!
Another quick week gone by. I learned so much about teaching this week. I told Lookruu (hope you guys have learned at this point that lookruu means teacher) that teaching is hard for me but I'm starting to suck it up.
We do this thing called TRC, which is when people volunteer (usually Returned Missionaries or members) to be taught by the missionaries training at the mtc. My comps and I were assigned to a 60-year-old woman named Om Meak. She's from Cambodia and converted to the church when she lived in Boston. Last saturday, Sister Thain and Sister Peterson were in Salt Lake all day to sing in the Relief Society Broadcast (no, Mommy, I did not sing. I told them I'm a horrible singer so they obviously didn't pick me. Oddly enough it was one of the best days I've had here because i was basically a solo sister. I love my companions but it was nice to be able to go to the bathroom alone). Anyway, i had to teach for the first time totally ALONE. I was terrified because her english isnt great and neither is my Cambodian. but it was so cool. Just like when I talk to the Sam Elders (the twins from Cambodia I wrote about last week) I feel like my Khmer gets so much better when I talk to a native. It's good language practice.
The girls in my zone are awesome. We're all becoming such close friends and I love them all. There's a girl named Megan Walker (she's going to Tacoma, Washington speaking Cambodian) and she was friends with McKenna in high school!! Since I know a lot of McKenna's friends from SPringville we have a bunch of mutual friends. She's so great. And did I tell you about Sister Litchfield?? She's so funny. We have exactly the same personality. She just cracks me up. I can't get enough of that girl.
Daddy - to answer your question: I probably won't write you many handwritten letters. I put everything I can think of in these emails so I honestly don't have much else to write about, nor do they really give you much time to write letters. Plus, when I'm in Cambodia, you'll get emails more often than you get mail because it can be unreliable coming from there. But I love your DearElders and hearing about you on a day-to-day basis so keep those coming. (sidenote: thank you for addressing them to "Elder Chloe Davis" - my district found that hilarious.)
I had a really, really cool experience the other day at dinner. there was a lady sitting alone at the end of our table and Sister Peterson suggested we go sit next to her and say hi (she's so sweet). SO we went over and lo and behold, the lady turned out to be deaf. Understandably, my comps were discouraged because they assumed we wouldn't be able to talk to her at all. So I said, "Guys, I do know a little sign language." And I said hi to the woman and said that it was nice to meet her and that I could sign a little. Her name was Anna and she said her friend worked in the MTC cafeteria so she came here to eat with her. Her friend, Katherine, came and joined us a little later. I was able to ask them about their families, their lives and translate for my comps. I asked Katherine if she liked working here at the MTC and she emphatically said, "Oh yes. I love missionaries. There is so much of the spirit here and it is so strong." I loved these women immediately. In the middle of this exchange at dinner, Sister Thain started crying. (PS Sis Thain cries almost every day so this was nothing new or surprising). I asked her why she was crying and she goes, "You are so beautiful. What you are doing right now is so much like the character of Christ." I don't think I can take that much credit because it was Sis Peterson that brought me out of my comfort zone to talk to these women in the first place; I just facilitated conversation. but it was such an amazing experience, and I liked that I was able to make these women smile.
Shoutout to Daddy for making fun of me when I wanted to take that semester of ASL because he thought it would be totally useless. Double shoutout because the jokes on him since I'm now learning Khmer, one of the most useless languages on planet earth. Ha.
I saw a Mormon Message a couple days ago that reminded me of this. Elder Eyring said, "Everyone is different and has a different contribution to make. No one is destined to fail." By no means do I "speak" ASL. Not at all. But sometimes we can make a contribution with the teeny tiny abilities we've been given. I also love that last part: "No one is destined to fail." Nobody is here on this earth to be a failure. We all have talents and abilities to share with others and make a difference, even if that difference is just helping one cafeteria lady smile. God doesn't make mistakes. We are all His children and none of us are mistakes. Everybody can and will do great things if we put in just a little effort.
Speaking of Mormon Messages, you MUST WATCH THE FOLLOWING: Elder Christofferson made a 3-part video called "Daily Bread." And it's amazing. 3 videos. 3 minutes each. Incredible message. Go onto lds.org and just search daily bread and find the one with Elder Christofferson. So so so good. I love all the mormon messages too. They're good, short clips for when you need some uplifting.
Okay last thought. Here are some scriptures that I'm seriously loving right now: John 16:33, 2 Timothy 2:1 & 3, Mosiah 16:9, and Doctrine and Covenants 68:6.
I got nanny's card (show her those messages too, she would like them). It was a classic nanny card that has cats on it and you're gonna get a kick out of this: I was reading it in class and Lookruu looks at it and goes "I love those cards. I can spot them from a mile away. I can guarantee you that whoever sent you that bought it at a DollarTree store." I died of laughter and told him that my grandma makes weekly trips to the DollarTree store. Have I mentioned how awesome my Lookruu is?
Anyway I'm running out of time so I'm gonna sign off now. Sorry there was nothing big to report. After a few weeks your schedule at the MTC becomes pretty mundane. Same old, same old. But I'm learning a lot. And I love being a missionary! I love you all!
Srolan, Sistaa Daivee
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