Miserable Joy

Hi, everyone! Disclaimer: this might be the longest email I've sent so far. I understand if you don't read it all! 

This last week has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows! Just like my last email, I'll put a summary, then elaborate a little lower down. I still can't figure out how to access the pictures I've been taking, so apologies about that. If anyone wants to see some pictures, find our district on FaceBook! My companion and the others have been posting lots of fun stuff. Also, I'm going to give my district a shoutout. I hope you all see it!

I'm going to bold this in the hopes that you read it, 18-A!

-Sister Malu, you're amazing. I love your voice and your talent with the piano. You're so beautiful and the most patient person I've ever met. I loved hearing your testimony. You also remembered all the teaching steps and used them in the correct order. Thank you so much for being my companion!

-Sister Tillmond, thank you for trusting me enough to open up. I know that you're going to be a wonderful missionary, and I can't wait to hear about your experiences. Remember that we all go through different things and that you'll be able to connect to people that no one else can. You always had a scripture to answer my questions, and I appreciate that more than you know.

-Sister Perry, you have a wonderful singing voice and the sweetest personality. Thank you for being an excellent Sister and for teaching me what it means to be Christ-like. I loved hearing your testimony and I know that you're going to do wonderfully in Birmingham. Good luck, and never lose your good cheer!

-Elder Winn, I miss you so much already! Your jokes were amazing and you have the brightest smile. Thanks for making me laugh so much. I know that your sense of humor and your good listening skills will aid you well on your mission.

-Elder Jackman, you have an amazing testimony and such bright faith. I'm going to miss your insights in class. Your knowledge of the scriptures is amazing, and I know you're going to help so many people on your mission.

-Elder Curtis, you were able to share so much in class. I don't know if you realized how much you helped to grow my testimony, but you sure did! Not gonna lie, I'm going to miss the way you phrased things and how you always knew just what to say.

-Elder Garff, you're a very keen observer. You listen when people talk and pick up on so much more than they say. That's going to come in handy on the mission. I'm so glad you were in my district. Your accents were awesome, and your insights in class were always what I needed to hear.

-Elder Cheney, you were the best District Leader! Thanks for leading our discussions and keeping us on-topic when we were in class. I loved hearing the things you had to share, and you did so well during the teaching lessons. Good luck on your mission!

-Elder Larsen, it was so amazing to see you grow during these weeks of MTC. Your words are always thoughtful and never wasted. You have a very sweet, sincere testimony and I loved the things you shared in class. You were awesome in the Sign games too! 

-Elder Eardley, thank you so much for everything that you said. The scriptures you shared and the feelings that you confided in us really touched me. I know you're going to be an awesome missionary. You'll be able to help so many people come unto Christ because of your experiences.

-Elder Oborn, your testimony is amazing. You're so in tune with the spirit and you always know the right thing to say. You also made me laugh so much, especially during all the Sign games. 

You're all amazing and you're going to be the best missionaries! Make sure to stay focused on your purpose. I miss you already and can't wait to hear about your experiences!

Summary:

We got briefly quarantined because one of our leaders got Covid. Luckily, we all tested negative! The last few days of class were awesome. We went to some devotionals that were harsh reality checks. I felt myself getting spiritually slapped. XD I tried playing basketball. I was terrible, but it was funny. Saying goodbye is so hard. My companion left this morning and so did most of the Elders in the district. We got together and sang an awesome song yesterday. We also enjoyed playing the game Signs with each other. I had a blast. Also, I've had some opportunities to practice summarizing lessons to someone that's interested in learning! And turns out, I'm going to be the last missionary to fly out. Not just in our district, but in the entire batch that arrive a couple of weeks ago. XD I'm going to fly solo.

What actually happened:

When we got quarantined, everyone was stuck in a small room for a couple of hours. We'd helped to greet and situate new missionaries, so we were all scattered. Then, we got mysterious emails telling us to come to the information desk with masks. We missed lunch because we helped welcome the greenies, so I asked if we could eat. XD The Elders got tested first and the Sisters got some sack lunches. Then, we got taken to be tested as well. After we got back, the Elders got sack lunches too, and we all hung out in the little room for a while until we got negative results.

Class was great! I can't remember ever writing down more notes. I've been resisting the urge to draw and doodle all over, so my notes look nothing like the ones I took in school. XD I have a hard time distinguishing all of the days because they sort of blur together, but Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were fun!

Sister Malu and I got the opportunity to meet a southern sweetheart named Rachel. She had the cutest accent and used to live in Mississippi! We talked with her and she made me miss Louisiana because she talked about the food, the swamps, and the wildlife. We were able to share some scriptures with her, and I remembered some quotes that my dad shared with me. She said that she needed to hear that, and it just touched my heart. :) I wish we could talk with her again, but we couldn't find the time to sign up for another appointment.

In our last devotionals, we listened to excerpts from a lot of Elder Holland's talks. He said things along the lines of, "Missions aren't a break from real life, they are real life." He also said that if we spent our whole mission pining about things we left behind--like Elders wanting to grow facial hair, or wanting to listen to non-church music--then we'd miss the point of our mission. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I've been missing drawing and typing so much, but I'm doing my best to think of things with an eternal perspective.

Yesterday, everyone except for two Elders got together and sang a song called 'Rescue' by Lauren Daigle. I would recommend it! Picture the Savior singing it to you and you'll feel a fraction of what I felt when my district sang it. We took turns singing solos, then all got together and sang it while my amazing companion, Sister Malu, played on the piano.

Sister Malu flew out this morning. I miss her already. If you see this, Sister, know that you're the best! I loved being able to spend my MTC experience with you. Your musical talents are amazing, and I loved how confident and sweet you were! 

The last game of Signs with the district was awesome. XD I won't forget what happened every time Elder Oborn got the sign, or how Elder Garff yelled, "Wakanda forever!" to get the attention of the person in the middle. And I'm sorry I kept panicking and passing it to Sister Tillmond and Elder Larsen; you two just had the simplest signs. XD 

I'm going to miss everyone so much. You've become like family to me. I know that if we don't get the chance to see each other in this life, we'll meet again in the next. God be with you till we meet again. :')

I can't believe I'm going to be the last missionary. Tomorrow's going to be interesting. There isn't a single other Sister that I can be paired with, so I'm just going to have to do my best not to be alone. I'll spend the night with some other Sisters in the dorm, then leave early Thursday morning. I've never flown alone, but I'm not as worried as I was the other day. Many of the devotionals reminded me that I'm never truly alone, as long as I have the Holy Ghost with me.

Love you all! To the district, I wish you the best on your missions. Share your wonderful testimonies, make sure to add me in your emails, and teach people like you taught in class. To everyone else, I hope you're all safe, happy and healthy. 

With regards,

Sister Howard