"take control" week 3

Hola familia y amigos!! (Hi family and friends)

I cannot believe it is already another week come and gone already. The days are sooooooooooooOOOOOOOoooooo longggggggggggggggg. I can't emphasize that enough. We are go go go all the time! Everyone said that it got easier after the 1st Sunday, I think it only got harder!

To explain my "Take Control" subject message. I am no longer Sister Training Leader! They make new assignments every week, so yesterday was Hermana F’s first day as the new leader! There always seems to be so much chaos while we are picking what song to sing to start of class, so I jokingly told Hermana F to take control. However, it came out in a very beast-like and monstrous roar, not the joking tone I was going for. Everyone kind of just stopped and started at me.....yes it was one of those days. It actually seems like every day is one of those days. I am once again been recognized for me fabulous facial expressions and impersonations. And apparently my 3 different laughs also. Maybe I should go into acting or something. We'll see!!

We started something called TRC this week. I'm not quite sure what it stands for, but basically we just teach random people for 20 minutes. Last week we taught an old man and a group of 3 RMs. One went to Peru, another to Mexico, and another to Columbia. I guess I was really popular with the old man because when the other set of sisters in our district went in to teach him after us, in their closing prayer, he blessed Hermana F and Hermana Westergard. The companionship consists of Hermana F and Hermana R hahahaha. I wanna be popuUlar! 

We reached a tough point with Iris. She is my favorite investigator so far!! We started talking about baptism, and she is VERY Catholic. So of course she asks, so my baptism isn't valid? HOW TO I BEGIN TO EXPLAIN THAT?!?!!? It's difficult enough in English let alone with an addition to a language barrier. Thankfully, she had to leave so we didn't need to explain it then....we still haven't really explained it. Like this could either make or break her faith in us. There's no easy way to do this! So that's always looming over my head. 

We have another investigator named Fernando. I don't know if I talked about him in my last email, but he still speaks as fast as the speed of light. I just smile a lot and say "Mas despacio por favor" a lot -> meaning talk slower PLEASE!! He loves the Bible and scriptures and is apparently now waking up at 5AM to pray....whatever floats his boat right?

As we get towards the end of the week, everyone definitely starts to lose their steam. Which means we are set off by the smallest things and it takes like 30 mins to regain control again. Our poor teachers, especially Hermano C, probably think we are loco. 

Something we were challenged to do this week was work on a Christlike attribute each week. There's 9 in the Preach My Gospel handbook, so this week I chose Obedience. The only thing I really have trouble with is being in bed by 10:30. When it says be in bed by then it means lights out and people laying down. I always seem to find a letter to finish or start brushing my teeth or something then. But they do tell us that EXACT obedience brings MIRACLES and obedience brings blessings. I would rather have the miracles, so that's my quality I am working on this week!

COOL CONNECTION: Hermano R, one of our teachers, his wife served in NY with Liz Lambert I think? And Hno R went to high school with Matt Palmer!! CRAZY CONNECTIONS!! Love that about the Mormon church! I also found someone while we were doing service this morning that went to high school with a kid I went to preschool with. Random but still cool! Hermano W, one of the teachers from Boston, said "Wicked Smaht" the other day and I was like YESSSSSSSSSS. We are basically automatically friends because we are from the East. Whoop Whoop. Cool spanish word: murcielago = bat. Always like finding cool stuff like that!

Something that my teacher said in his testimony really struck home with me. He said "The reason I work in the MTC, the reason I went on a mission, is because I love my Savior." Honestly, it can't be put more simply that that. I love my Savior, I was to bring hope, peace and joy to His children, that's why I am here. Once again, we are being taught how to LOVE!!!! Love unconditionally. I can't think of many more better attributes than that. 

Thank goodness for Sundays! Sundays are like our recharge day. Without Sunday, I totally would have lost it by now. The Branch President calls on people randomly to speak in Sacrament meeting, and I totally had a feeling that he was going to call on me. And guess what. HE DID. Good thing I had it ALL written out! He said it was very good, I like to believe that he doesn't just say that to everyone. I spoke on the Atonement, honestly one of my favorite things about the Gospel. Everything is centered around the Atonement, and without it we wouldn't have the chances that we have today. I'm glad that I got to speak on a topic that I was passionate about! For choir, we are singing Praise to the Man. ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS!!! I always think of Dad singing it to Riley while he was going to bed. It is such a powerful song! AND on Sunday, next Sunday, we get to have the President of UVU speak to us. The President of UVU is Jeffrey R Holland's son. Jeffrey R Holland is one of my IDOLS. SO I AM HOPING THAT ELDER HOLLAND WILL BE AT THE MTC DEVOTIONAL ON SUNDAY!!!!! They are going to bus us up to main campus to practice with the main choir and everything. FINGERS CROSSED!!!!

My goals this week are to memorize the First Vision in Spanish, the baptismal invitation and D&C 4: 1-2. So far I have the First Vision memorized! Now on with the next goals! We watched a really touching Mormon message video, talking about how God, being like a Gardener with their bushes, "loves us enough to cut us down so we can reach our full potential." Me gusta este oracion mucho! (translation- I like this quote a lot!) I am so blessed and SO grateful for all the opportunities and support I have. My family, my friends, my semi-functional brain, the love I feel, I am so grateful for it all. THANK YOU!!!! :)

We have ANOTHER investigator named Leticia. She is part of the TRC program. She is mexican, and the sweetest little old lady every. She's divorced and also Catholic, everyone seems to be Catholic hahaha. We are trying to teach her about eternal families, because that's something she's interested in and she wants it for her family. Pressure is on! 

The weather here is bipolar. It's snowy then sunny then rainy then looks like there's gonna be a tornado then repeat. I basically just wear my rain-boots all the time because the weather seems to play this game of get Eliza's nice shoes wet when she's not wearing rain-boots. Well 2 can play at this game and I am winning! HA!

I love you all so much!!! This experience is like nothing else, I can't really do my feelings justice. I am sorry that I can't respond to all emails and letters, but I appreciate all of them!!! Les amo!! (I love you all)

-Hermana Eliza Westergard