Missionary Email: Difficulty in Language Learning

Monday, March 9, 2009 4:58 PM

Mom, subject is a recent scripture I read. To be honest, I spend so much time talking about the gospel and studying the gospel that on P-day I don't feel like writing about it most of the time. Maybe that's a lack I have, and maybe that will change in the field, as situations will be real life and actual, but for now, sorry, but I don't feel like spending my 30 minutes on my email talking about scripture study. Ask me in April. Not to mention I asked you people a geniune question and only Gen answered. Haha. So answer that and maybe then I'll talk about my scripture study. But it won't be that interesting. I'm reading Isaiah in the 2nd Nephi and I don't get it and I don't love Isaiah. Maybe one day, but I doubt I'll ever be like mom when it comes to Isaiah.

Dad, you shouldn't have read my letter to Desi. That was to her and you responded to it like it was addressed to you. If you don't want to tell me about Ugly Betty, I don't blame you for not. But you don't have to act like some TV show is going to be distracting for me. In fact, I'm so focused on some other stuff, I doubt besides when I was reading a letter that talked about it, that I would ever think about it. It personally wouldn't be distracting, maybe it would be for you. But yeah, whatever.

Thanks Gen for answering my question. I guess that makes sense, even though it wasn't what I was looking for. I was more looking for a way to explain what you said. I get that it's agency that makes people believe in god and that's a really important concept, I guess I'm just wondering how to explain it better in the scriptures. I haven't found a whole lot that talks about our relationship with God. But I don't have much time to study it since we are working on the plan of salvation right now. in like 2 weeks I can go back and study it more in depth because we'll go back to lesson one and god is our loving heavenly father and stuff.

In bad news, my glasses got broken last week. I know mom probably wants to kill me about this news, but I'm grateful for the contacts. Life happens and you can't really go back and change it. It was actually really annoying when they broke because they weren't even pressed that hard. The plastic is cheap. I don't know why they snapped so suddenly. I also don't know if you guys want me to look into changing them or just wait. You'll have to send me a Dear Elder today and tell me. My companion told me about zennioptical.com you might want to look into it. She bought her glasses for 8 dollars plus 5 dollars shipping and handling. She says they are the right prescription and everything. They come from Hong Kong and hers are really cute. I was thinking maybe you could get Michael a pair if they really are that cheap like she says. I was also thinking if she got them so cheap from Hong Kong, they can't be too expensive in Taiwan so maybe I should wait...but The lenses are fine in my glasses, so I wonder how easy they are to fix here...they got snapped on the nose piece in the middle...so is it like possible to sauter them back together or something for a decent price? What's the deal on that? I'm really sad about this situation and sorry, but like I said I'm not going to worry about it because I can't go back and change the situation.

I'm also starting to think what I want to do with all my stuff. There are some books I don't want to bring to Taiwan and I just want to get rid of some of my weight. Should I send it all to Gigi in 3 weeks or what? Also some unapproved clothes, since I wont be able to wear them. Also, can someone check online and see if they rent in Taiwan temple? If they do I think if you haven't bought Gigi temple clothes she can have mine. I never use them because they rent for free in Provo. Before I heard that Taipei doesn't rent clothes, but I heard here that Taipei does rents clothes for free to missionaries, in which case I've never worn my temple clothes and my dress is an extra small short (it looks like the ones in the temple, so if you don't want it gigi i understand that too, but the one like in the temple was the only one i even liked, and that way you could go more and not pay to go) and I'd rather give them to Gigi than carry the weight. So look into that and let me know on that too.

Um this week is mostly boring. I just studied all the time, which is why today I am almost anti talking about it too much because I studied to the point of brain exhaustion, i also lost an hour of sleep. I've learned I can memorize about 50 words in an hour and a half, which most people think in no small feat, but I hate doing it, because when I finish I want to shoot myself in the head from the stuff swimming around there.

I'm going to write my friend Michael about missionary life in the MTC because he asked, maybe I'll copy it and send it to dad so he can be happy and stop telling me to type about that. Haha.

Okay well, i only have 5 minutes left. Sorry I didn't have much to say this week, but I don't love the MTC and I'm just pretty much ready to get out of here. I leave 4 weeks from tomorrow. At least I'm getting used to it. They have good devotionals and I love Sundays because we get firesides and a movie. I also really like Song and Han laoshi, my teachers. They are pretty awesome guys. Funny guys. Song laoshi is so fidgety it's hilarious, he spins around on the door stop as he teaches. I think it's amusing. :)

Did you know that the humidity in the air here is 5-10 percent? Everyone feels and looks like lizards. I've had a couple health problems thanks to it, like nose bleeds. It's ridiculous. Taiwan will be a nice change for my skin and my throat and my nose. haha.