Letter #4

Hola Mi Cemyu!

I really appreciated your spiritual thought mom! That's great that Dad spoke in Sacrament Meeting! And I'm glad to hear that sister Johnson's Farewell went well! I've been looking for her today, I'll probably see her a lot, That's what I'm hoping at least. We're both here for so long, you know? Also, Matt came in today too!! Well, at least I think he did... haha! So, woohoo! I'll be looking for him every moment I breathe. I met a sister that could very easily in his district, so I told her to say hi if that's how it ends up! It sounds like everything is sooo great at home! I'm glad that Life is going well for Maddy and Boston! And I'm glad that you have been having so much fun with them! So I get released from being D.L. on sunday! Sad because I won't be able to serve the elders in my district in the way I have been for the past four weeks, but happy because I will have a load taken off my back!! It'll be nice!

So I've been becoming much better friends with the "older" Russian missionaries this week and it has been so great! I can't believe I didn't let my self bond with them like this before! I guess I was just intimidated by them. But I've been having so much fun with them lately, and they're all so willing to help! It's going to be weird in two weeks when WE'RE going to be the older ones!! Crazy how fast time flies by here! Oh, also! I think you'll be happy to hear this! So the Russian's and the Italians pretty much are clumped together for EVERYTHING! Which is soooo great because Sister Nilson's (Katie Nilson) classroom is pretty much right next door to mine. Also, we play volleyball everyday together! It's so much fun! I love seeing her around and having the exact same schedule as her!

I saw grandma this week! She's probably told you all about it, but I thought I would mention it. I'll probably try to see her next week if I can, but no promises or anything. In fact, if you could tell her to stay until 12:30 so I could come and see her, that would be great! Just in case I couldn't escape class. Also, could you give me Rachel's email address so that I can email these directly to her? Also, another question: So there's this pioneer story about these saints who were crossing the plains (obviously) and they had to get down this huge cliff or something, so they took TNT and blew out this crevis (spellcheck?) and had to trek down this makeshift path. It was super steep, super jagged, and super dangerous. All the families had to go one at a time with a whole bunch of guys holding on to a rope behind the wagon, along with the help of oxen and horses and stuff, because it was so steep. The last family however, had no one to help them, even though people said they would come back. So the mother of a 5 year old, a 3 year old and an infant says "I'll hold the rope from behind and take the entire thing down." She had her children sit on a blanket and told them not to move while she prepared the wagon. Then, planting her feet in the ground and thrusting her faith forward, she proceeded to take her wagon down the dangerous slope. After making it all the way down the mountain, with her legs gashed and her horse dead from the endeavor, she climbed back up the mountain, over five hours later, to find her children hadn't moved an inch. This is the story as I heard it, but I would sooo much rather have a copy of the story in detail. I know I got some parts wrong and I have no idea where her husband was during all of this, so if you could dear elder it to me I would be very much happier in everyway.

So after almost a month here in the MTC I was starting to feel a bit odd. I did not feel as though I had grown spiritually like everyone else seems to do when they enter the MTC. I felt as though I was completely the same (spiritually) as I was before entering. This frusterated me quite a bit because I felt as though I was doing something wrong or wasn't trying hard enough. But finally, after a month of being here, I suddenly had the most amazing week!!! I learned so much about myself and about what I am doing here! I learned that I was doing nothing wrong at all, but instead being tested by the Lord in such a beautiful way that I'm irritated that I could not comprehend it before! I wish I could explain more to you about it, but I have like, no time left!!! Ugh! Just know that I know that the Lord grants unto each and everyone of us tender mercies that have been designed just for us and that we better not take them for granted! I love you all! Send me fake dear johns! Bye!

CT. Swartz!

PS: Mom, As far as I can tell, you spelled Priviet Moy CT right. I really only know how to spell it in Cyrillic, so good job!