Umm.... Kuwan..... Uhhh...... I HAVE MY TRAVEL PLANS!!!!! :D We got them last night after dinner and I'm kinda sorta REALLY excited... Just in case you can't tell :P I got butterflies in my stomach just looking at them and thinking about taking off in an airplane for the first time haha. It's kinda scary thinking that I will be leaving home (Fam/friends/Utah/America/MY MOUNTAINS:( for 2 whole years! I don't know secifically what specifically I'm scared of but that's how I feel and I'm gonna miss this place (Not just those things but even the MTC:) I can't believe it's already been 2 whole months but I can't believe that it's only been 2 months haha, Does that make any sense? :o) I've really grown a TON here. I've become really close to my companions, district members, and to our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. I am SUPER excited to get to the Philippines and share what I feel and know to be true and to bring sweet, exquisite joy to others :) (Alma 36:21,24)
So our flight leaves Salt Lake at 8:15 PM on October 18th. We'll arrive at the San Francisco Airport at 9:27 PM(Pacific Time). We have a 4-hour layover there and then leave for.......... Hong Kong China (WOAH! :) at 1:20 AM on October 19th. We arrive in Hong Kong at 6:25 AM.............. on October 20th?! Haha, no worries. We're not in the air for an entire day haha. There's some weird day skip thing with crossing the International Date Line and I don't think we exist on October 19th :o) So I hope y'all have an EPIC October 19th without me :) We spend 3 hours in China and then leave at 9:10 AM. We'll arrive at 11:15 AM on October 20th in........... THE PHILIPPINES!!!!! :D Like I said, way excited. I can't believe that the days finally here! I've been waiting since April for this haha :) This is gonna be an adventure of EPIC proportions :P
Ok so..... If anyone was wondering what it's like to watch General Conference in the MTC?....... It's kinda sorta freaking amazing :) No we don't get to watch in our pajamas or play Conference Bingo (I was kinda bummed bout that but thanks for the Skitlles Mom!:) but the Spirit is beautiful and I learned a TON. All the missionaries watched every session in the auditorium.... in our suits.... 10 hours total. Normally that would have felt like forever but the time FLEW because the spirit was SO strong and I learned SO much :) I'm sure you gained a lot from Conference too. So the Tabernacle Choir sang 3 songs that we've sung in the MTC choir and they were the exact same arrangements. My favorite that we've sung here was Consider the Lilies, beautiful song with a beautiful message :) (Matthew 10:29-31) It shows our Heavenly Father's tender love for us.
Umm...... They're turning the Provo Tabernacle into a Temple?!?!?? :D That's so awesome! :) I can't wait to get back and go through that one, it's going to be beautiful. I remember going to a Stake or Regional Conference there with Grandma and Grandpa Slater once. It was beautiful before it was a temple and now it will be even better! :)
My favorite talks were Brother Cook's about Looking Up, Elder Scott's about Making the Scriptures Our Friend, Elder Perry's about Sharing the Gospel With Others, and Brother Richardson's about Teaching By the Spirit. I loved a bunch of others but the list would get too long if I kept going and I might just type down every talk given haha :)
Here's some of my favorite quotes from Conference:
"Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. They can be like a friend who always helps in time of need." - Elder Richard G. Scott
"You suffer many temptations from your body but through it you have power over the adversary." - Elder Boyd K. Packer
"We may think and comprehend that we are nothing, yet to God we are everything. We truly are His sons and daughters." - Pres. Deiter F. Uchtdorf
"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. It is not something you do with free time, it's something God gives you time to do." - Elder Neil L. Anderson
"Being busy should also mean being productive. Identify the time-wasting distractions in your life and grind them into dust." - Brother Ian S. Ardern
"We must act upon the direction we receive. We must look up and step up, in so doing we will cheer up, and receve much happiness." - Brother Carl B. Cook (#89 The Lord is My Light is my new favorite Hymn :)
"1. Be BOLD in your declaration of Jesus Christ. 2. Be a righteous Example of our Church 3. Speak up about the Church! There is no fear in love, love casteth out all fears." - Elder L. Tom Perry
"Dare to be a Mormon, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, Dare to make it known." - President Thomas S. Monson
"Too often we pray for patience, but we want it right now." - Elder Robert D. Hales
"What think ye of Christ?" - Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Are those REAL missionaries? :) ; Even though I left my mission, my mission never left me. My mission wasn't the best 2 years of my life, it was the best 2 years FOR my life." - Brother Matthew O. Richardson
"Saying one is too sinful to pray is like saying one is too sick to see the doctor." - Brother J. Devn Cornish (Loved his Chicken wing story:)
"We are unaware of a host of blessings that come into our lives every day. The righteous are not lost, they are received into the rest of the Lord." - Elder Quentin L. Cook
Last one I promise :) "We are all in this together and every man, woman, and child has their part to play." - President Thomas S. Monson
I encourage all of you to find out what part you are going to play in helping others and introducing others to the Gospel. Cherish the words of the Prophets, they're amazing! :) Sorry for such a long dragging e-mail haha, lots happened this week and I have even more to share but I'll save it for next week haha :)
I love you all! :) Mahal ko lahat kayo! Thanks for all your love and support! :) Have a great week!
TAGALOG PHRASE OF THE WEEK :)
"Dahil umaalis ako sa Jet Plane, 'Di ko alam kapag babalik ako, Magmimiss kita!" ("Cuz I'm leaving on a Jet Plane, don't know when I'll be back again, oh dear I'll miss you sooooooo!" Well... not exact but sa Tagalog it makes sense :)
This is da beej signing off! :) Mahal kita
Oh! BJ you are such a super kid, and thanks for the nice evaluation of GC. Many of those quotes were my favorite too. We are so happy for you.
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