Hey Family!
This letter is going to be so short, I’m sorry! THANK YOU for the DearElders. I’m a giddy schoolgirl when I get them and everyone wonders who the heck writes me so much. THANK YOU!
Ok, so, I’ll just see what I can cram in here. I’m going to include a few points from Ann Madsen and Elder Groberg.
Ann Madsen:
All of us need deeper understanding in prayer – we can all improve. Truman G. Madsen– ‘the intimate touch of prayer’
Let the silence settle in you before you pray. Meditate. Then be honest with the Lord –give vent to all your feelings.
Sis. Madsen met this woman from Taiwan who had never before met a female member of the church. They became instant friends. Later, when this woman visited the U.S. (Her name was Julie Wong), Sis. Madsen asked Julie to teach Sis. Madsen’s MiaMaids how to pray. Julie said, “I say, Hello God. This is Julie Wong. Then I wait and listen.
God says, ‘Hello Julie. What do you need from me today?’” I just thought that was a very sweet and sincere prayer.
Prayer is a 2-way conversation with God. Listen as much as you talk.
If you want to be the answer to someone’s prayer: Listen.
There’s no limit to your prayers. You can pray ALWAYS. “Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.”
Neal A. Maxwell: “Let the Lord teach you what you can become.”
OK, so even though I still feel like my comp and I are the oddballs in our district a bit, (We just don’t connect easily with the other sisters), we have done some fun things. For instance, we had a croquet party last week during gym time. I wish I would’ve played with Trent and Ashley on the 4th because I’ve never really played and I came in dead last. I made it through the first hoop just before the winner made it to the end. Croquet is not my fave.
Also, last Saturday night, we came home from gym and had this darling invitation from the only 2 other sisters in our branch – the Indonesians – to a PJ party at their place. We showered and headed over, and they had set up this giant fort between the bunk beds. They are the only 2 sisters in their room – LUCKY! We’re crammed in ours – there are 6 of us. Anyway, we ate candy and told “deep, dark secrets”, and giggled and felt like we were 7 year olds because we were hanging out in a fort made of sheets and held together with hairclips. Good times.
I alluded to my comp and I being good friends now, and that we laugh a lot. It all began last Thursday night as we were saying our evening payers. We had just been taught to pray in Mongolian, and we made a goal to each pray in Mongolian once a day. I decided to be bold and give it a go. I sat there and read the words out of my notebook, and even then I was stumbling and tripping over every word.
Well, I got to the word for atonement and my mind completely blanked on the letters and I couldn’t even sound it out. I can easily sound it out now, but at the time I just stared blankly at the word. I pointed at the word in my notebook after several seconds of silence. “I don’t know that word,” I said, more to myself. I kept staring, willing sounds to magically come out of my mouth. “I don’t know that word.”
Now I was pointing at the word in my notebook, holding it up to Sis. Ellison. She had her head bowed, eyes closed, arms folded. She had no idea what the heck was going on. I was getting all panicky since my attempt at praying well had pretty much gone down the drain at this point. I didn’t even think to say the word in English – I just needed to say that word! “Sister Ellison! I don’t know that word! I don’t know that word!” She lifted her head and tried to say it – rather unsuccessfully – but by then she was laughing, and I ended the prayer quickly and we laughed hysterically for seriously like 5 minutes. After that, that’s our joke now – “I don’t know that word!” Like I said. Ridiculous.
It definitely wasn’t the last time we had a good laugh over something I said. We were role-playing in class as we taught the first lesson basics, and Sis. Ellison asked what I do for a living. The first thing that popped into my head is that I work at a toothpaste factory. I kind of laughed once I realized how dumb that sounded.
Sis. E also thought it was dumb, apparently, because it threw her off a bit. “So…uh…do you like working there?” Of course the only answer I could procure was, “No, not really, I screw the caps onto the toothpaste tubes. It really hurts my fingers.” We both lost it, and for the next two minutes Sis. E was pretty good at composing herself and teaching me about the purpose of life, while I was in one of those immature, giggly, “I’m crying because I’m tired” fits. So embarrassing. Sis. Marta came over and said, “What’s going on over here?” to which I had no good response.
Well, I’d better wrap this thing up soon. A few main points from Elder Groberg:
John Widtsoe – “The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Lord in bringing about the plan of salvation.”
My purpose is to bring souls unto Christ. Where is He? In the temples. Thus, my purpose is to bring them to the temple.
Gordon B. Hinckley: “The end result of ALL WE DO in the church is the TEMPLE.” If what we’re doing doesn’t lead to the temple, we need to re-evaluate.
Every day, we must go out of our way to help someone in a way that is above and beyond our call of duty. Opportunities to serve don’t come when we are at ease or during convenient times. But we must be spiritually awake and alert – these opportunities are fleeting.
Just a few more things: I’m reading JESUS THE CHRIST. If you want to read along, you’ll have to read 11-13 pages/day to finish by the time I leave the MTC. That’s my minimum, but I’ve been reading 20 pages/day or so, so far. I’ll probably read less in the weeks to come, but read along!
Also, re-read Alma 5. It’s really good.
Lastly, re-read Elder Bednar’s talk re: temples and Pres. Monson’s re: Be Your Best Self (Priesthood Meeting) from last Conference. Really good.
Well, I hate to go, but I have to.
I love you and hope you know I think about you very often.
It sounds like you had a great – but treacherous – time at Lava Hot Springs last weekend. I’m glad no one was seriously hurt. It wouldn’t be a Staib Wilderness Adventure if there weren’t a few bumps and bruises though, would it? Dad, I’ll remember what you said about the language. Bleh. My mind works in Spanish and I hate that it’s all going to be replaced and erased! Spanish is so much SIMPLER! But it’s OK!! I can do hard things.
Well, the church is true! The Book of Mormon is true. Heavenly Father loves us. He hears our prayers, and answers them. Families are forever!
I love you!
Kristen/Sister Staib
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