Wednesday, December 20th, 2006

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!

I hope everyone is doing well and getting excited for the Christmas holidays! I can’t believe Christmas is already here, but I’m so glad it is because that means I’m one week closer to leaving the MTC and going to Rome! We actually should be getting our flight plans tomorrow or Friday and that will probably be the best Christmas present this year! Yea!

Okay, what happened this week? Last P-day was the best because we went and ate in the temple cafeteria; best food by far that we’d all eaten in the past 7 weeks! Then me and my comps did initiatories and our last session for a year and a half. It was great. Last Wednesday we also got 7 new Italian elders and 2 new sisters. They all seem great. It’s fun to have more people added to our branch!

The rest of the week we learned and practiced the 3rd lesson in Italian in order to teach on Monday as usual. Class is sort of starting to drag. We try our best and always make it a district goal to stay positive but it’s hard for us with our teacher, Sorella Knott. Instead of complimenting us on things we do well, she really likes to direct her spiritual thoughts toward our weak spots, which we already know are weak and which we’re trying hard to work on. Anyways, I could go off about her but it’s probably not good to do and a waste of time, so… on the other hand… Our other teacher Fratello Warren Rocks. He’s so intelligent and we all learn so much from him. He’s very complimentary and always makes us feel good about out teaching. We really focused as a companionship this week on making the 3rd lesson the best on we’ve taught. We wanted to make it personal, ask good questions and use the scriptures. We taught Dale again so you’ll have to ask him how we did!

Sunday was great; Lots of good talks. The highlight of the day was the Sunday night fireside. The BYU Men’s Chorus came and performed. They sang lots of great songs. Mom, I thought of you a lot, cause we all know how much you love the Men’s Chorus! It was a good change from the regular talks. Usually we watch a movie after the firesides on Sunday, but since we’ve been here for a while now we’ve seen them all so we decided to go back to our room. I’ve started reading Jesus the Christ this past week; I can’t remember if I mentioned that last letter. But WOW, what a book. I’m about 200 pages into it and my mind is sufficiently boggled! But it all makes so much sense. I don’t see how anyone could read it and not have a testimony or at least know that Jesus was the Christ. I know He is central to this plan. Without Him, we wouldn’t be able to overcome spiritual and physical death. I’m so grateful for this time of year to focus on Christ and his literally AWESOME life. I can’t wait to read more. I recommend reading it if you haven’t, it’s a great read! Yeah, Harry Potter’s good too but the best part about Jesus the Christ is that it’s true, all of it!

We are supposed to teach the 1st again in Italian but the TRC will be closed on Monday, I guess we’ll just teach our teachers so that takes a little pressure off. Yesterday’s devotional was awesome. Elder Merrill J. Bateman came and spoke about courage, effort, dedication, and humility. I think every speaker we’ve ever had has mentioned what an inspired program Preach My Gospel is. I believe it. The 1st Pres. and the 12 Apostles, along with many others put it together. I highly recommend reading it. It is truly inspired! I love teaching and especially learning from it! Read it!

Sounds like you’re all doing good. I wish I could buy you all Christmas presents but there’s not much here to buy unless you want a Russian Book of Mormon or some weird thing from the Bookstore. I haven’t heard what Christmas is going to be like for us yet so I’ll let you know how it goes next week.

Only 2 more weeks! Crazy. We are all so excited to get out of here. It’s been great for me (I don’t know about the rest of my districts!) and I’ve learned so much. I’ve never really said much about the group of Elders that I’ve come in with. They are all great and I’ve loved getting to know them, but I know there’s been lots of problems. I don’t know exactly the extent but that’s just a little warning for you mom and dad. I’m interested to know what you think after you meet them! Andy, I’ve talked to some of the Anziani about you! They’re excited to meet you so hopefully you’ll be at the Dinner when they come. Anziano Gibson is from Wales, he’s only 18 but the funniest kid you’ll ever meet. Talk to him! You can talk to Anziano Jensen about snowboarding too! He loves it! Anziano Gustafson has the funniest laugh ever and he makes fun of my laugh! I hope you get to meet them! They’re pretty much like brothers to me by now! And Dad, don’t be surprised if Anziano Horst or Gibson trick you about marrying me! GAG! They might say it in their interview just to see what reaction they get from you. Crazy boys. Don’t worry; I’d NEVER marry either of them! Yuck!

Well, Merry Christmas, Buon Natale!!
I wish I could have sent everyone those greeting cards but maybe Ell can post hers up so you can see it.

Miss and love you all!

Sorella Boynton

(Note from Jourdan: Ell gave me the letter to post while she is in Tuscon for Christmas, hence the christmas note from Carrie.)

P.S. Thanks to all who sent letter this week I’ll get a letter to you as soon as I have a minute! Loved Steve and Shirley’s cute Christmas picture.

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006

(Click on images to make them larger)

Me, Anziano Gibson, and Sorella Winslow at the RC.

We Sorelle joined in on "Humble Tie Day" with the Anziani!

We got busted by a spanish teacher so we only wore the ties for the pictures! he he.

Christmas lights at the MTC... not Temple Square but it'll do!

Contents of Ell's package!! Helps it feel more like Christmas!

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006

Happy December!

I've survived 5 weeks now at the MTC. That means I'm more than half way done! Yesssssssss (Napolean Dynamite style :) )!!

This past week was mainly spent studying teach the 1st lesson in Italiano. It's so fun I love it!

Last Thursday at the Referral Center we got to do incoming calls... taking calls that come in from people who are interested in getting a free DVD etc. I talked to a lady who wanted the "finding faith in Christ" DVD. She said she wasn't planning on having a very joyful Christmas Season because her son had just died. It was awesome to be able to tell her that she could find joy, and get through the hard time she was having. I talked to a really old grandma too who had received a Book of Mormon but hadn't had time to read it because she's been really sick. I told her to read it when she got better and that it would bring her more happiness. Good times at the RC.

Out of 11 in our branch, we're the only 3 going to Rome!

Anz. Jones, Me, Anz. Ethington

Okay, here's the sad/bad news of the week. On Friday I ate this wrap thing for lunch. BAD CHOICE! I knew the wraps weren't very good but the other choices, I thought, were just as bad. So I ate the "southwestern chicken wrap." Mama Mia! I started feeling sick that evening and knew it was the wrap. I went to bed feeling nauseous and woke up at 12:30, and then at 4:00 to go to the bathroom. Let's just say I didn't throw up, but I was in there for 10 minutes each time. Schifoso. I still felt sick through Saturday. I ate a total of 4 saltine crackers, an apple, and a bowl of raisin bran that day. I woke up Sunday morning feeling much better, but it being fast Sunday, I had to wait til 5:30pm to eat anything! So there's my "curse of the MTC food" story. I'll be so glad to get out of here and start eating real food. I think I might cry when I have my first meal of pesto or pretty much just anything in Italy!

Sunday was nice. Many of us bore our testimonies in Italian. We had lots of study time so I pretty much read the whole Ensign. Good stuff. We got to watch the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional Sunday night. Molto bene.

The classroom where we spend most of our time!

Monday came again and with it, our lesson at the TRC. I started off a little nervous, but once I saw who we were teaching, I was the happiest ever! Ciccio Bomba = Chubby Bomb... a.k.a. Dale Bowman! Everyone here, the Italian missionaries that is, loves him because he's such a good fake investigator. He doesn't try to stump you with questions, talks slow enough to understand, and just plays a great "golden investigator." There were like 3 others in the room as well but he was the most "into it." The lesson went really well. That's the good thing about teaching in Italian, it keeps the lesson really basic, which is what first time investigators need anyway. So that was probably the highlight of the week. Now we're preparing for the second in Italian. Dolce!

Everything else is going well. Yesterday Elder Richard C. Edgley, the Presiding Bishop spoke at the devotional. He talked about alot of good stuff, told some funny stories, and stressed the importance of bringing people into the church. Even if it's just one soul.

Thanks to all who wrote this week. It really makes my day. Mom, we all loved eating the duplos you sent! Especially Fratello Fife!

Eating Duplos with Fratello Fife!

Thanks so much! Everyone wanted more but that will just give them something to look forward to.

Here's what Mom and Dad have to look forward to!
Crazy Elders!

Ell, thanks so much for the package! Love the decorations and can't wait to open the rest (at their respective times of course!) I loved reading the blogs you printed out, sounds like Christmas is in full swing in the world outside the MTC. Sometimes I don't even know what month, let alone, day it is in here. They all mesh together pretty darn well! Your decorations will help me remember its December!

I think that's pretty much it. I've got lots of other letters to write so I better get started on those. Hope everyone had a great week!

Love,

Sorella Boynton

Happy to be a missionary!
Happy to be outside!
Not happy about the double-chin!

(A note from Ell: Sorry for the quality of the photos. I'm just taking pictures of pictures and it's hard to get them in focus, but you get the idea! And that last one looks wider than it really is because of the way I cropped it! Oh Well!)

Wednesday, November 29th, 2006

Buongiorno Tutti!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving here was pretty enjoyable. We were surprised in the morning by Elder Richard G. Scott who spoke at the morning devotional. He gave a great talk on gratitude. At the end of his talk he told us that he was going to be the speaker for Tuesday devotional as well. So that's who we heard from again at yesterday's devotional. But let me finish with Thanksgiving Day.

After the devotional we had a neat humanitarian fireside. It's really neat and amazing how much the church helps when natural disasters happen. So anyways, half of us missionaries went and put first-aid kits together while the other half of us had a "sing-a-long" where we learned about the stories behind some hymns and then sang them. Then we had our "Thanksgiving Feast." Definitely not a satisfying Thanksgiving meal, but what can you expect with 2000+ missionaries to feed. We got to take an hour nap which was pretty nice. We ended the night off with a fireside by John Bytheway. It was surprisingly good. So yeah, that was my Thanksgiving in the MTC.

Friday was a normal day in the classroom. Just worked on our lesson for Monday. Saturday was service day. We empty all the trashes in 11M- the TRC building for those who know what I'm talking about! We had class again.

I love Sundays here. Sister Sheri Dew spoke to us in Relief Society. One thing she talked about was how lots of things that aren't possible happen. She told this story about how she was flying from a small airport in New York to JFK International Airport. Her flight was late getting in and she basically had 7 minutes to run from the tarmac, up into the terminal, and make her connection to Salt Lake. She said "Anyone who's been to JFK Airport knows that making a connection in 7 minutes isn't possible." But she continued on and to make a long, funny, story short... she made the flight after running through the airport in high heels and yelling to hold the door from 20 ft away! 7 minutes! That blows my mind. I've been there a couple of times myself and know that that was pretty much a miracle! She related it to Joseph Smith restoring the gospel, to missionaries being able to serve in the Soviet Union, and to us being able to communicate with God. All things that seem impossible... but have happened. It was a great talk, what an amazing lady. We went and gave her a hug afterward! :)

Also on Sunday, I got called on to give a talk. Here, they don't tell you who's speaking until they announce it after the sacrament. So luckily I had prepared my Italian talk about the Book of Mormon. I don't think there were many who understood it, but oh well. Now I'm off the hook for awhile! We decided to go to the choir, so we learned the song "Faith of our Fathers." Great song! The evening fireside was great. We learned how to be selfless missionaries and how there's no room to be selfish. About a week ago I got a letter from Marg that goes along with this and is something that is so important. She said "you really have to put away all selfish thoughts and focus on the work." I learn that more and more everyday. It's a hard thing to do but it's got to be done to really lose yourself in the work. It seems that I'm reminded everyday of Mom, Dad, and Andy and they're selflessness and focus on the work in Italy. What a sacrifice missionary work is, but it is so worth it.

Monday we taught our last lesson in English. It went well and now we get to teach next week in Italian! I'm really excited about that!

I also received your package Mom, with the duplos in it! Grazie mille! I haven't seen Brother Fife yet, since he's not my teacher anymore, but I'll catch him sometime and he will be so happy! Thanks again for doing that!

Yesterday, Tuesday, we had Elder Scott come again. He spoke on the spirit and how we must use it to teach our investigators. My favorite part of his talk though, was his testimony. It's probably one of the most powerful testimonies I've heard from an apostle. He bore such a powerful testimony that Christ lives, that he is real, and that he wants so much to help us. The other best part was shaking his hand. He took time to shake every missionary's hand! It probably took an hour and a half, but since we were in the choir, we only waited for 20 minutes! He shook my hand and said "thank-you" really sincerely and so did I. What an opportunity!

Well, that's about it. We just got back from walking in the cold snow from the temple. I love our visits there. I'm going to miss going while I'm in Italy!

I'm grateful for your letters. I love hearing how you're all doing. Things couldn't be much better here!

Love,

Sorella Boynton