Ola amigos!!!
Looks like I've finished up another week here at the MTC
already! The last two weeks seem to have flown by when I look back at them... I
had to say goodbye to almost all of District H -- my second family here at the
MTC -- early Monday and Tuesday morning. It's been hard, because we got so
close in these last two weeks. It's a blessing though to be able to grow to
love so many amazing people! I keep joking that I'm going to have a LOT of
friends once I finally get back to BYU because of all the extra time I've spent
here. Today is my last day with the only remaining member of my district,
Sister Matheson, before she leaves tomorrow morning for LA and I switch to
another district. I'm grateful for the time I get to spend with her. She's
great!
So I'll give you a quick run-down of my week. Lots of
awesome things happened since I last wrote! Last Tuesday night, Richard G.
Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (!!!!!!! SO EXCITING!!!) spoke to us
at devotional, and his talk was FANTASTIC!! It was an amazing experience. I
felt the Spirit so strongly when he entered the room. I have such a testimony
that there is a living prophet and apostles on the earth today, and that they
are witnesses of Jesus Christ.
On Wednesday we got to host new missionaries, and that was
lots of fun!! We basically met them at the curb where they get dropped off,
helped them take their luggage to their room and get all their books and
things, and then took them to their classrooms. It was really neat though. I
kind of got to relive my first day, which helped jog my memory about a lot of
things that I was too tired and overwhelmed to remember in the moment. Lots of
fun. :)
On Thursday I went to in-field orientation for the second
time. It was basically about 8 straight hours of classes and lectures about how
to be good missionaries in the field. So fun. I'm looking forward to round
three next week!
Also on Thursday my district got their reassignments! That
was so exciting! Four of our elders are now in Gilbert, Arizona. One is in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and the other is in Houston, Texas. One sister is in
Cleveland, Ohio (YEAH OHIO!!!), one is going to Los Angeles tomorrow, and my
companions Sister Colvin and Tingey are now in Rapid City, South Dakota, and
Tacoma, Washington.
Friday was rough because I received some not so happy news
about my foot... I'll be here for another two weeks at least. It's hard getting
left behind when I want to be in Brazil so badly, but I know there's a reason
for it, and I'm just praying for patience and opportunities to serve here. My
whole district was so supportive and helped me feel so much better though. I
miss them a lot, they're all such great people!!
On Saturday the district had its last gym time together, and
afterwards we all stayed outside to talk and spend time together before going
back to our rooms to pack. As we were standing around outside, it started
POURING. So naturally we all took the opportunity to dance and splash in
puddles like little kids. It was the closest thing to swimming any of us are
going to do for the next 18-24 months... It was definitely the highlight of my
week though.
Sunday was a fun day too! I was randomly called up to give a
talk during sacrament meeting. Every week they call on two random missionaries,
almost always from one of the departing districts, to give a 3-minute talk in
Portuguese. The first week we got here, they gave us a schedule of the topics
and told us that every week we should prepare a talk about the topic for that
Sunday, in case we were called on to speak. Well guess who didn't prepare a
talk for the first time since she got here. Yep, me. It went fine though, and a
lot of people told me it was really good (probably because they were impressed
that I didn't take any notes up with me... but that was only because I didn't
have ANYTHING prepared). It was a fun experience though. :) Also on Sunday my
district went to the departure devotional (second time for me) and my amazingly
talented companion Sister Colvin and her brother, who is also going to Brazil
and arrived at the MTC the same time as his sister, performed a piano duet as
the special musical number! It was super great.
Anyway, that's most of the exciting stuff that happened to
me this week! I go back to the doctor on Friday to hopefully get a little
clearer of an idea of how long I'll be here. Hopefully all goes well!
Tchau tchau!!
Sister Gold
Me, Sister Colvin, and Sister Tingey after getting drenched
by rain
Awesome picture of the sisters in District H taken on Sister
Matheson's FREAKING SWEET polaroid camera! This picture doesn't do the real
picture justice though.
From left to right: Sister Matheson, Colvin, Warden, Tingey,
and Gold
