June 16, 2014

Letter from Erica
June 16, 2014

Dear Mom and Dad,


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY!!!!!!! I am sorry that I have missed it two years now, and I will miss it a third one :( But I hope you liked my gift :) [Erica purchased a box of See's Candies and left them here for John before she left - with a note saying she almost ate the chocolates herself but refrained!]


I'm too busy to be homesick. And also I'm going to allow myself to be stubborn in this area, I will not allow myself to get homesick. I will just look homesickness in the face and say "no".


Typical day at the MTC:
6:30 Wake up/prepare (that's getting harder and harder every day....)
7am Personal Study
7:45 Breakfast
8:15 Classroom (Brother Ferguson)
11:30 Lunch
12:15 Classroom (Brother Hilton/Brett)
Companion Study/Doctrinal Study
5:30 Dinner
Gym
TRC (Guest investigators who work at the MTC.)
9pm Daily Planning
9:30 Prepare for night
10:15 Quiet Time
10:30 Lights out/Bed


So I think my supposed real investigator is actually my old EFY councilor just pretending to be a real investigator.... She has the same name (that's not a common name) She is from Oregon (the EFY was in Forest Grove), she looks super familiar and very much like my efy councilor (but it has been 5 years...). Anyway, I haven't asked her yet if it's her because they can get in big trouble if they really tell missionaries who they are, but I will ask her today since it's my last. Try to look up ***** on Facebook.... or maybe have Emily look through my old scrapbooks (in our bedroom closet) and try to find some pictures from when I went to Forest Grove EFY. And then, if you can, scan me a picture of my EFY councilor. I know I will have already left the MTC by the time I get the picture, but just in case she really can't tell me if it's her I just have to know.


Quienten L. Cook came and spoke at the Tuesday devotional. He told us to cast aside any thoughts of incapability. He pointed out that when the savior was resurrected, in all 5 accounts in the New Testament, the thing he told his disciples in all accounts was to go preach the gospel. That's how important missionary work is. It is the thing he made sure his disciples would remember after he was resurrected. He told us that not only is our purpose to bring people to be baptized, but it is also to bring ward members to the temple. Are assignment is to build the branch in NUMBERS and in STRENGTH.


I love my companion so much! We took some pictures the other day and in one of them we were both making that face that I make that looks like Chris. I will miss her so much tomorrow and I hope we will be companions again :)


I love all the sisters in my zone and I am trying so hard to love all the Elders... I just think boys are . . . . well . . . enough said. But there are some Elders in my zone who are super mature and living up to the name on their tag!


I miss Grandma and Grandpa so much!! Tell them I say hello!!


I miss happy meal Tuesday.


I won the Outstanding Overall Eagle award too!!! And chance linn won it too.


I used to love Oaks Park. Now I just have this desire to work at Disneyland. All of the missionaries in my zone think I would be a perfect Disney princess and they are sad that I'm not tall enough to be one. But they think that if I work hard enough on my mission and if I do exact obedience there will be a miracle and I will grow two more inches hahahaha....haha...ha.... *starts crying*


How did Pippi Longstocking go? (Grandpa Ferre's play) And what is he doing this fall? Tell Grandma and Grandpa Ferre I say hello!!


Emily's bracket fell off!! While eating soft bread!!? Oh no!! How did they react when she explained that it was because of soft bread?!


I got one of my dresses altered so that the length would be longer yay :) I'm so excited for Arizona. It's gonna be crazy hot.


What song did Emma sing for Portland Teen Idol? Who won? And were they really good?


I love caramel corn and want some.


I love food.


OH I have a story about tender mercies. So last week I was really not liking the cafeteria food (some of it's okay but for the most part I really don't like it), and when I was saying my prayers I wasn't even praying about the food or thinking about it, but then the brief thought about how good pancakes sounded went through my head, and then I immediately tried to take it back cause it was kind of a silly thing to ask for and the tiniest bit selfish. But the next morning... guess what was in the cafeteria!! 
Eggs and bacon. 
Haha no just kidding. 
There were Blueberry Pancakes and syrup!!!! I thought it was a sweet moment (it's punny cause syrup is sweet ha) and it was certainly a tender mercy because I really hadn't been eating much for a few days.


Bradley is married!! Bah that is so weird cause he is still that goofy teenager to me!! I am so happy for him and Marisa!! Yay marriage!!!


Okay I can't think of anything else (I lost my small notebook in which I took notes on what things I wanted to write to you about)


I love you Mom and Dad!! (And Family and Friends when you pass this on)


Love,
Sister Brady


p.s. send me hand written letters too because I get those faster than emails since I'll just be in AZ. And even though I can't write letters every day I can still read letters at night :)


p.p.s. we had to teach the law of chastity to our teacher Brother Hilton (he was role-playing as the investigator Brett) and it wasn't until that moment that I realized how AWKWARD it will be trying to explain the law of chastity to investigators. We tried handing him the pamphlet on the law of chastity and "Brett" just kept making fun of the pictures in the pamphlet saying things like "there's no way those people are really in love" (all of the pictures are super posed). Seriously, try to find a pamphlet on the law of chastity (the ones the missionaries use (it's called "Chasity")) and look through the posed pictures and try to imagine teaching an investigator using those pictures.



p.s. it costs money to upload pictures here at the MTC so I will send you pictures next week :) Oh and I see Sister Emma Tippery here at the MTC! We have meals together :)