First Letter

HELLO! First week at the MTC and I love it! My p-day is on Tuesday and we get to go to the temple later today. The departure date is June 26 so 9 weeks total here. Only 8 to go! I really love it though. Oh sure I could find plenty to complain about, but why do it when I am so lucky to be testifying and learning of Christ on a daily basis I not only have one companion, but two. We are a tri-panionship. First is Chen Jiemei (Sister Christensen from Logan UT) She is pretty quiet, but we get along really well. Then there's Kong Jiemei (Sister Cole from Tracy CA) Her stake president forgot to tell her about the pilot program so she came two weeks early on our original date! Haha crazy, so she knows the ropes and was in an english branch for 2 weeks. We all get along very well even though we have really different personalities. You are right Mom, I do smile all the time! Or I try haha.

You asked about Sundays... they are different in the MTC. We watch Music and the Spoken Word each week and then have relief society. Then some study time, lunch, and then sacrament meeting (which is in Chinese...haha) Everyone has to prepare a 3-5 minute talk in chinese and they randomly call on the speakers during sacrament so everyone prepares. We are safe for 2 more weeks, but then we are able to be called on too. After that we have some more study time, can take a temple walk, and then go to a missionary fireside. Overall a really great day! Chinese: oh man it's hard. Both of my companions have spent several months in China and are pretty decent at mandarin so I'm lucky they can help me a lot. Blazes it's hard, but the Lord will equal us to our call if we have faith and put forth our best effort!

 Helaman 3:28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

Wo zhidao Yesu Jidu shi Shen de erzi. I know Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We taught our first investigator Xia Guang Wei last week and have had 3 appointments with him so far. Even though we are surrounded by the Spirit all the time here at the MTC, it can be really hard to feel the spirit during a lesson where you can barely speak the language. I don't know what he's saying most of the time, but that's why we prayerfully decide what to teach him. Hopefully it's what he needs to hear! haha We spend hours and hours preparing and hope the Spirit translates the things we don't know how to say yet. I am always happy when I get to bear my testimony in Chinese though because I get to testify that we are children of God, that He loves us and wants to help us, that he answers our prayers and has given us the Gospel so we can live together with our families. It's wonderful, but hard not be able to say more in Chinese. I keep reminding myself that I've only been learning for 5 days and not to let myself get frustrated with all I don't know.

Well time is short and I must get going, but I'll write more. I hope you got my letter already! I'll write more and try to send pictures. I LOVE IT HERE and can't wait to spread the gospel to the people of Taiwan.

Wo ai nimen, I love you guys,

Song Jiemei

Sister Smart