This will have to be kind of brief. First, I apologize for ending my email on such a crude note…asking the different ways to go to the bathroom isn’t exactly the note you want to end on as a missionary. But it popped into my head and it was just too good not to include. We died laughing in class. Maybe you just had to be there. Anyway…yeah…sorry.
Mom, the cookies are delish. I shared the first bag. (I ate 5 yesterday. Yes, 5 cookies. In addition to MTC food), but I’m saving the rest for myself until I make myself sick or something. The cookies here at the MTC are generally a disappointment, so I swore them off. I don’t think I’m getting fatter…yet. That being said, we calculated that we spend 10 hours a day studying…7 in our classroom, 3 outside at various times doing personal study, companion study, and language study. Those 3 hours are my favorite.
Dad, on a side note, that gamma globulin business is nasty, but highly entertaining [Gamma globulin shots were a series of injections administered to missionaries going overseas. They were infamous among those of us who served in Taiwan]. Thanks for sharing. I told my companion. We had a good laugh.
To fill you in on the “drama” last week, the first discussion went quite well, all things considered. In fact, because it was the 24th, no “investigators” came to the TRC – a tender mercy! We just taught each other. Not too bad! So I guess I could say the MTC DOES celebrate the 24th! Oh, and we heard a single firework go off as we went to our residence hall. The thrill!
I hate to admit it, but the MTC is fun! I told you about the tradition of singing in the showers. Last night, Sister Ellison and I were walking “home” and she said, “Let’s sing!” So I started belting out “Called to Serve” and we linked arms and practically skipped home with random elders joining in along the way.
Lest you think we don’t take ourselves seriously around here, though, I will add that we are very hard workers and (generally) very focused. Sis. E & I are good friends, which can lead to being chatty, but we’re pretty good. It’s a huge blessing. It’s funny because we are so different in so many ways (she hates traveling, is a picky eater and cried when she got her call), but we somehow just see eye-to-eye in all the things that matter.
In response to the questions on how I’m feeing, it’s been up and down. I never really got ‘better’ – I’m still coughing (which the doctor said to expect) and I’m still congested. I’ve been taking my allergy pills and vitamins, but I have a runny or stuffed up nose most of the time, and even though I can sleep pretty well without the medicine you sent (I still take it some nights), I never really wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Maybe I’m just not used to the schedule yet. I also still get sore throats. Last weekend I felt really worn down and my whole body ached, but I got over it in a couple of days. So I don’t quite know what’s wrong. I think I just need to get feeling better.
We met this senior couple going to Mongolia last week, the Lassons. I can’t remember if I told you. They’re darling and so nice! They leave tomorrow for Mongolia and will greet us when we arrive. I’m jealous!! However, I’m very grateful for the time we have here; it’s a blessing to get so much time to know the lessons, practice the language and just be altogether pumped up.
A word about my district – they’re great. The elders are altogether a great group and act mature for their age. We’re all from Utah except 2, and Elder Grace (the other one with swine flu) is from Citrus Heights [CA] and is studying Astrophysics at UCLA. He’s brilliant. Another one, Elder Homan, is into ballroom dance (and theater, I think). Another elder just graduated from high school. He’s bright and I really like him. Altogether they’re a good bunch. They have their moments!
The sisters are all dedicated and hard working. I wouldn’t way they’re stern because they laugh and joke sometimes, but not about things Sis. E and I laugh and joke about…our personalities aren’t an easy match, I guess. 3 of the 4 are really hard to get to know – even when I initiate it, they’d just rather not talk to me. I guess you could say they’ve formed a bit of a clique to which my comp and I don’t belong. My feelings are probably too easily hurt, but I’m trying my hardest to let them know I love them and include myself in their conversations, etc., and vice versa. It’s hard when my comp and I are already good friends and would prefer just to not deal with the drama. But the Lord has said, “If ye are not one ye are not mine”, so I’m going to keep trying.
The language is coming along…we’re memorizing our purpose as missionaries and by tomorrow I should – ideally – have the whole first lesson down. It’s good to start to master the basics so I can at least try to say something. And the vocab is sticking a little better. I’m not the best at Mongolian by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m not the worst. I’m trying not to compare myself. It’s like you said Dad – you’ll make a little breakthrough and stay there awhile, then cycle through that process again. It’s definitely a learning process.
Well, I have much more I’d like to say, but I have to go.
Love,
Kristen/Sister Staib
P.S. Any ideas on how to be 100% focused as a missionary? I’ve been studying ‘sacrifice’, ‘self-sacrifice’, ‘self mastery’ and ‘contrite heart’. I’d love some scriptures, talks, your thoughts, etc.
P.P.S. Anyone going to read JESUS THE CHRIST with me?
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