Cher Famille,
I'm leaving in 10 DAYS!
Devotional this week went 35 minutes over! David Evans spoke parts were straight out of chapter five of preach my gospel and the part that he came up with were really good!
We finally got a baptismal date set up for Bang-Feng. It came on Tuesday and on Wednesday we started teaching the commandments. he is going to church this Sunday and he is going to pay tithing. his name is weird because he is from china and he said that he hasn't told his parents that he is joining the church yet. Soeur Gifford and I keep encouraging him to tell his family. we are fasting with him on Saturday so that he can increase his faith and tell them.
so in French, we don't call investigators investigators. we call them "amis de l'eglise" which means "friends of the church." isn't that so much cooler?
The TRC this week was good. we taught the plan of salvation to someone who had lost her brother to cancer and since has turned to alcohol for comfort. There were 2 girls in there and afterwards we found out they were both native French speakers and that they could understand us! I felt good that I good mostly understand them. neither were the fast speakers of Paris, so here's to hoping I meet Malagacains and Swiss.
The RC yesterday was bien! We started chatting with someone named Robert. he is struggling with an addiction and so we talked to him a lot about the atonement and fasting and praying. Soeur Gifford and I are fasting with him on Saturday and going to chat again on Sunday. He is reading Alma 7, 36, and a talk by James E. Faust called the “Power to Change. It is sad that he has this addiction, but it's something I'll probably face a lot in France.
WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANS YESTERDAY! HOLLA! We are leaving the MTC at 1:30 P.M. and our flight is at 4:45 P.M.
Relief Society this last Sunday was awesome! Have I told you about Relief Society yet? All the sisters go to the gym and they arrange for someone to come and speak with us. The first time it was Elaine S. Dalton and this last week it was someone from the R.S. board, it was the best EVER! so good!
Last week there was an exchange with a companionship in the other district and one of them came into ours. I wasn't super thrilled at first just because I thought the reasoning was lame [which I have learned how to say in French]. Plus it didn't seem like the elder was enjoying our district very much and he kept comparing it to the other district. anyway, during planning on Thursday he said we should be more charitable and he started one of those "I'm going to say something I like about everyone things." At first it was kinda silly, but then it got really serious and people were starting to tear up, myself included. It made me really sad to leave. Everyone said I had great energy and enthusiasm and that I always try on my French even if it doesn't make sense, I always try. One of the elders said I'm going to be a great mother. Weird-ish, but whatevs, awesome at the same time. Just a great experience.
also, I would like to report that when I talk in my sleep I SPEAK FRENCH! pretty awesome huh? I love it!
Everyone- listen to Elder Andersen's latest conference talk in French. it's the bomb because he translates it himself!
love and miss you all! can't wait to chat in ten days!
soeur camille
Monday, 19 October 2009
October 7
Cher Famille,
This week, we started our new planner! HOLLA! That was very strange to realize just how long I've been here and how little time we have left! 17 days! At the beginning of the week one of our teachers gave us a talk about "enduring to the end" and continuing to study and to learn and perfect our French and not get too excited about leaving that we can't focus. I definitely needed that talk because I just think that I am so ready to leave...even though I'm probably not.
We received 22 new missionaries to the zone on Wednesday. Only one is going to Paris and it's an elder, so whatevs. Tonight is a zone activity so hopefully we can get to know them a little bit better.
I may receive my flight plans tomorrow! If it is the same flight plan I gave to the French government, my flight is on OCTOBER 26 at 4:45 P.M. I heard it will be, so be expecting calls the hours before that.
This week my ankles have been hurting me when I run. The athletic trainer said it's a muscle in my calf and that I need to take a break and stretch it really good and ice it. hopefully this week I can return to running, as boring as it is. It is starting to get too cold for outside gym time. Saturday croquet is still possible, but most likely no outside volleyball :(
Mom- merci pour la package. Very grateful. I love the nylons! So much better than the ones in the bookstore! The pictures were awesome! I loved them! A lot of times our "investigators" ask about our families and so it is nice to have a picture to show them so they associate us as people, not just missionaries
Dad- I would tell you to have your young men learn French because it is so much cooler, but chances are they will all go Spanish speaking. everyone is speaking Spanish. however, in the last 30 baptism rates in Europe have risen 50% and Elder Uchtdorf said that there will be a great harvest in Europe in the future. I hope you got to watch it. I feel like Elder Andersen is my apostle, that all of his talks have something I need to hear. all of them.
There was a companionship exchange and one of the elders from the other district had to come to mine. Weak sauce and it totally threw off the dynamic of our district and he talks about how his other teachers are better and he likes the other class better. I want to say "well, then you should have learned how to get along with your comp," but I don't. I just think of how much I didn't like Soeur Lavaka when I met and for the first couple weeks, but that's the only thing that makes me sad about leaving, that I'll be leaving her behind. so grateful for the opportunity to get to know her and learn how to overcome differences. the song "for good" from wicked is a great one for missionary companionships.
Oh, I shared Alma22:18 with Bang-Feng. Read that, and figure out what he got from that verse.
peace & love fam,
soeur camille
This week, we started our new planner! HOLLA! That was very strange to realize just how long I've been here and how little time we have left! 17 days! At the beginning of the week one of our teachers gave us a talk about "enduring to the end" and continuing to study and to learn and perfect our French and not get too excited about leaving that we can't focus. I definitely needed that talk because I just think that I am so ready to leave...even though I'm probably not.
We received 22 new missionaries to the zone on Wednesday. Only one is going to Paris and it's an elder, so whatevs. Tonight is a zone activity so hopefully we can get to know them a little bit better.
I may receive my flight plans tomorrow! If it is the same flight plan I gave to the French government, my flight is on OCTOBER 26 at 4:45 P.M. I heard it will be, so be expecting calls the hours before that.
This week my ankles have been hurting me when I run. The athletic trainer said it's a muscle in my calf and that I need to take a break and stretch it really good and ice it. hopefully this week I can return to running, as boring as it is. It is starting to get too cold for outside gym time. Saturday croquet is still possible, but most likely no outside volleyball :(
Mom- merci pour la package. Very grateful. I love the nylons! So much better than the ones in the bookstore! The pictures were awesome! I loved them! A lot of times our "investigators" ask about our families and so it is nice to have a picture to show them so they associate us as people, not just missionaries
Dad- I would tell you to have your young men learn French because it is so much cooler, but chances are they will all go Spanish speaking. everyone is speaking Spanish. however, in the last 30 baptism rates in Europe have risen 50% and Elder Uchtdorf said that there will be a great harvest in Europe in the future. I hope you got to watch it. I feel like Elder Andersen is my apostle, that all of his talks have something I need to hear. all of them.
There was a companionship exchange and one of the elders from the other district had to come to mine. Weak sauce and it totally threw off the dynamic of our district and he talks about how his other teachers are better and he likes the other class better. I want to say "well, then you should have learned how to get along with your comp," but I don't. I just think of how much I didn't like Soeur Lavaka when I met and for the first couple weeks, but that's the only thing that makes me sad about leaving, that I'll be leaving her behind. so grateful for the opportunity to get to know her and learn how to overcome differences. the song "for good" from wicked is a great one for missionary companionships.
Oh, I shared Alma22:18 with Bang-Feng. Read that, and figure out what he got from that verse.
peace & love fam,
soeur camille
October 2
Dear Famille,
I would like to inform you all of my victory at croquet last Saturday. while it appeared Elder Millman would win since he finished first and had poisoned three people, I ended up winning and getting him and Soeur Lavaka out. that's right Pobst/Van Dusen Fam, I represent.
oh man I am so stoked pour conference this weekend! ah! almost everyday this week I would watch old conference talks...it was the best. we didn't watch the relief society broadcast last week because we watch it when the elders watch priesthood session.
this week...I guess we missed the boat on committing Bang-Feng to baptism. the teacher told us that we could have, so I guess we need to pay more attention to the spirit in the future. the TRC was good this week, we taught an elder that was on leave from his mission due to medical stuff so our French was about the same level. it is insane how much better my French is when I am teaching...maybe I should just teach all the time? we usually teach someone at least once a day in French. there's this one elder that grew up in Paris and he's kinda a tool and speaks really fast French. . his comp is from France and going to my mission and he is nice and always explains things really slow and is very helpful.
the RC this week was not fun. I chatted with the guy from last week that didn't believe the atonement and he believes it's his duty to get on mormon.org and harass missionaries. I found out that he has actually talked to a bunch of missionaries. very disheartening. however, a couple weeks ago I had a phone call with a lady and we just talked about the church and she said she wasn't interested now, but possibly later. I totally forgot about it until last night when my teacher had some spare time so he went and listened to our phone calls. he told me it was a good call so I'll probably call her tonight and invite her to conference.
this week my teacher said this about my French to the class. "you should all be like Soeur Pobst. she doesn't really plan what she's going to say before she says it and she doesn't really conjugate her verbs, but I can tell she's trying and that makes me think about what she's saying to try and figure it out. she's just throwing herself into the French." I'm pretty sure that's a compliment. I just get so wrapped up in it when I'm teaching I don't have time to conjugate and they usually all sound the same anyway...pretty sure I also always talk in present tense.
Well fam! love ya! miss ya!
soeur camille
I would like to inform you all of my victory at croquet last Saturday. while it appeared Elder Millman would win since he finished first and had poisoned three people, I ended up winning and getting him and Soeur Lavaka out. that's right Pobst/Van Dusen Fam, I represent.
oh man I am so stoked pour conference this weekend! ah! almost everyday this week I would watch old conference talks...it was the best. we didn't watch the relief society broadcast last week because we watch it when the elders watch priesthood session.
this week...I guess we missed the boat on committing Bang-Feng to baptism. the teacher told us that we could have, so I guess we need to pay more attention to the spirit in the future. the TRC was good this week, we taught an elder that was on leave from his mission due to medical stuff so our French was about the same level. it is insane how much better my French is when I am teaching...maybe I should just teach all the time? we usually teach someone at least once a day in French. there's this one elder that grew up in Paris and he's kinda a tool and speaks really fast French. . his comp is from France and going to my mission and he is nice and always explains things really slow and is very helpful.
the RC this week was not fun. I chatted with the guy from last week that didn't believe the atonement and he believes it's his duty to get on mormon.org and harass missionaries. I found out that he has actually talked to a bunch of missionaries. very disheartening. however, a couple weeks ago I had a phone call with a lady and we just talked about the church and she said she wasn't interested now, but possibly later. I totally forgot about it until last night when my teacher had some spare time so he went and listened to our phone calls. he told me it was a good call so I'll probably call her tonight and invite her to conference.
this week my teacher said this about my French to the class. "you should all be like Soeur Pobst. she doesn't really plan what she's going to say before she says it and she doesn't really conjugate her verbs, but I can tell she's trying and that makes me think about what she's saying to try and figure it out. she's just throwing herself into the French." I'm pretty sure that's a compliment. I just get so wrapped up in it when I'm teaching I don't have time to conjugate and they usually all sound the same anyway...pretty sure I also always talk in present tense.
Well fam! love ya! miss ya!
soeur camille
Friday, 2 October 2009
Letter From September 25, 2009
September 25, 2009
Famille,
I wish I could write to you on Monday because all the really cool stuff happens on Saturday and Sunday!
On Saturday in class our teacher had us write down what was important to us, what our worries, hopes and such were. I started tearing up because this mtc experience has made me really re-think what's important and evaluate things.
Obviously what was important to me is all of you and the gospel. My worries were the language and I had just finished writing that when the teacher told us to switch with our comps and teach them about what they wrote. It was just so awesome. Soeur Gifford taught me about the worry of the language. She said when we taught our lesson in French, that even though my sentences were so simple, they were filled with truth and she could feel the spirit very strong. Such a great experience.
Many of you have asked how the language is coming. My answer is that it is coming; I am speaking it more, probably mostly wrong since I don't conjugate my verbs. I can mostly understand in lessons the concerns of investigators, sometimes I understand wrong, but most the time I don't. I have taught four lessons in French. One of the progressing investigators is this teacher named Frere Garrett and he scares everyone, even other teachers. He just really tough on you and won't speak English EVER. We have taught him three times. I asked him to read 3 Nephi 11 & 17. When we went back on Thursday he said that he liked it and wanted to believe in Jesus. Score.
On Sunday, we always have a district meeting and a companionship is assigned to teach a lesson. It is hard when the counselor in the branch presidency doesn't pay attention to what anyone says or the lesson so no one ever says anything. However, this Sunday it was just us and it was insanely spiritual. This was also the day after we had that super spiritual experience, so to end it off we all bore our testimonies. It was awesome.
Oh, so back to the French coming along. Yesterday I asked my teacher a question in French and he was like "you have made great progress in this last week." the super scary teacher also said my French was getting better and so did Soeur Gifford. Good to hear, but still a lot that I need to do!
I saw Jimmy Cozza this week wheeling some laundry and we said hey. It’s interesting when I see people that I know. I also heard from like 3 people that E. Smart going to Paris and there is only like 16 sisters in the mission so we could be comps sometime. I could only imagine her testimony of God is aware of you.
Dad, you may be glad that I can hear about the BYU football games but I'm not! The elders in my district get so crazy! They could hardly concentrate last Saturday in class! Plus, a bunch of teachers take off when BYU plays and so that makes it tough sometimes.
The plan of salvation is the best. We’ve been studying that this week and teaching it like all the time! I also have been reading all the pre-earth mentioning’s in Jesus the Christ and my brain has been hurting.
Yesterday in the RC I was chatting with someone who just didn't understand the atonement at all. He was quoting all these scriptures to me and he even quoted miracle of forgiveness! I talked to him for 2 hours...he's born again and I think that he is trying to convert me? This reminds me, when I was on the plane coming back from San Fran some Jehovah witnesses tried to contact me. Silly people, I'm on a mission, you'd think they'd know that I am pretty sure in my beliefs.
We finally made it to the morning sister only work out classes and it was great! I felt so energized! Last week we started Saturday croquet. It was the best. I had the best outfit! Oh man! I hope I can come up with something good for this week...
Well everyone, keep living and loving! Check out the Mormon message by Thomas S. Monson!
Love ya all! Miss ya all!
soeur camille
Famille,
I wish I could write to you on Monday because all the really cool stuff happens on Saturday and Sunday!
On Saturday in class our teacher had us write down what was important to us, what our worries, hopes and such were. I started tearing up because this mtc experience has made me really re-think what's important and evaluate things.
Obviously what was important to me is all of you and the gospel. My worries were the language and I had just finished writing that when the teacher told us to switch with our comps and teach them about what they wrote. It was just so awesome. Soeur Gifford taught me about the worry of the language. She said when we taught our lesson in French, that even though my sentences were so simple, they were filled with truth and she could feel the spirit very strong. Such a great experience.
Many of you have asked how the language is coming. My answer is that it is coming; I am speaking it more, probably mostly wrong since I don't conjugate my verbs. I can mostly understand in lessons the concerns of investigators, sometimes I understand wrong, but most the time I don't. I have taught four lessons in French. One of the progressing investigators is this teacher named Frere Garrett and he scares everyone, even other teachers. He just really tough on you and won't speak English EVER. We have taught him three times. I asked him to read 3 Nephi 11 & 17. When we went back on Thursday he said that he liked it and wanted to believe in Jesus. Score.
On Sunday, we always have a district meeting and a companionship is assigned to teach a lesson. It is hard when the counselor in the branch presidency doesn't pay attention to what anyone says or the lesson so no one ever says anything. However, this Sunday it was just us and it was insanely spiritual. This was also the day after we had that super spiritual experience, so to end it off we all bore our testimonies. It was awesome.
Oh, so back to the French coming along. Yesterday I asked my teacher a question in French and he was like "you have made great progress in this last week." the super scary teacher also said my French was getting better and so did Soeur Gifford. Good to hear, but still a lot that I need to do!
I saw Jimmy Cozza this week wheeling some laundry and we said hey. It’s interesting when I see people that I know. I also heard from like 3 people that E. Smart going to Paris and there is only like 16 sisters in the mission so we could be comps sometime. I could only imagine her testimony of God is aware of you.
Dad, you may be glad that I can hear about the BYU football games but I'm not! The elders in my district get so crazy! They could hardly concentrate last Saturday in class! Plus, a bunch of teachers take off when BYU plays and so that makes it tough sometimes.
The plan of salvation is the best. We’ve been studying that this week and teaching it like all the time! I also have been reading all the pre-earth mentioning’s in Jesus the Christ and my brain has been hurting.
Yesterday in the RC I was chatting with someone who just didn't understand the atonement at all. He was quoting all these scriptures to me and he even quoted miracle of forgiveness! I talked to him for 2 hours...he's born again and I think that he is trying to convert me? This reminds me, when I was on the plane coming back from San Fran some Jehovah witnesses tried to contact me. Silly people, I'm on a mission, you'd think they'd know that I am pretty sure in my beliefs.
We finally made it to the morning sister only work out classes and it was great! I felt so energized! Last week we started Saturday croquet. It was the best. I had the best outfit! Oh man! I hope I can come up with something good for this week...
Well everyone, keep living and loving! Check out the Mormon message by Thomas S. Monson!
Love ya all! Miss ya all!
soeur camille
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
First Lesson in French
Date: Fri, Sep 18, 2009
Famille,
One day this week one of the elders was trying to guess my name. He said I looked like my name should be Erin. I laughed.
On Tuesday, Elder Holland came and spoke. Luckily I have this huge love of being in choirs and so I had a guaranteed seat in the gym that filled because everyone thought the prophet was coming. He talked about not wasting a minute and not wanting an easy mission. He said "missions are never easy because salvation is not a cheap experience." It was just an awesome experience, we were all ready to leave for France that minute! Then we remembered that we didn't know French yet...so we're ok with staying.
My teaching this week...the best experience was when our teacher had every companionship teach another companionship as each other. Usually we role play and pretend we are non-members but we were teaching each other as ourselves. Frere [brother] Quinn had us teach him and so we prayed and thought of his needs and scriptures and personal experiences. After we taught him he told us that we had addressed all the concerns he had been having this last couple weeks and that on the way to work today he had a prompting that we should teach him!
That was a huge testimony to Soeur Gifford and I that we are sort of doing this right and that we are instruments in the Lord's hands. Sadly, Paul’s lesson did not go so well...we kinda just wanted to get through the material and didn't pay attention to his needs.
However, we have a great lesson planned for him, plus planning to pay more attention to his needs. FIRST LESSON IN FRENCH YESTERDAY! I gave into the pressure and just decided to just jump in. pretty much all I said was "Dieu vous aime", God loves you. At one point I was looking at the wall looking for something in French to say and the guy we were teaching looked at the wall to see what I was looking at, I said "le mur et...beau et blanches" "the wall...is beautiful and white." he laughed at me. Through the lesson I could understand what he was saying and answered him by finding a scripture in my English scriptures and opening my French ones. We left him with the commitment to read 3 Nephi 13 and to start praying since he is Buddhist.
This week Soeur Flood and Soeur Powers left :( even more sad is that Soeur Powers French visa [they are going to Belgium and part of France is in their mission] didn't come through so she is chilling in New Jersey. Definitely miss them, but am grateful for them. They helped out a lot with learning how to function as a companionship.
I am proud to announce that my weight has stayed THE SAME! On Monday and Wednesday I run 2 miles and do some lifting. On Tuesday I run 2 miles and do 100 sit up. Thursday is beach volleyball, which I rocked yesterday. Friday is p-day so no scheduled gym time, but we are going to start going to sister-only gym time in the morning because they are having kickboxing class! That’s right, there is sister-only gym time every morning from 6-630. There is also a class called "enhancement" where they teach you how to enhance yourself.. Who even knows. I don't get desserts, only the ice cream on Wednesdays and Sundays, but now not even Wednesday.
I got an answer to my "why no band shirts" question. The other day at gym there was an elder wearing a killers shirt. I had that song and other ones stuck in my head the WHOLE time! Band shirts bring those types of songs in my head instead a souvient-toi [that's like, the best French hymn. youtube that.]
,I have heard about the BYU game. It was referenced TWICE in mission conference last Sunday! Ridiculous! There has been a HUGE emphasis on the articles of faith here, have your young men start memorizing them. I memorized the first one en Francais! I REALLY HOPE I CAN SKYPE AT CHRISTMAS!
Well fam, I love you all. Alma 26 is the bomb.com
je te aime
soeur camille pobst
Famille,
One day this week one of the elders was trying to guess my name. He said I looked like my name should be Erin. I laughed.
On Tuesday, Elder Holland came and spoke. Luckily I have this huge love of being in choirs and so I had a guaranteed seat in the gym that filled because everyone thought the prophet was coming. He talked about not wasting a minute and not wanting an easy mission. He said "missions are never easy because salvation is not a cheap experience." It was just an awesome experience, we were all ready to leave for France that minute! Then we remembered that we didn't know French yet...so we're ok with staying.
My teaching this week...the best experience was when our teacher had every companionship teach another companionship as each other. Usually we role play and pretend we are non-members but we were teaching each other as ourselves. Frere [brother] Quinn had us teach him and so we prayed and thought of his needs and scriptures and personal experiences. After we taught him he told us that we had addressed all the concerns he had been having this last couple weeks and that on the way to work today he had a prompting that we should teach him!
That was a huge testimony to Soeur Gifford and I that we are sort of doing this right and that we are instruments in the Lord's hands. Sadly, Paul’s lesson did not go so well...we kinda just wanted to get through the material and didn't pay attention to his needs.
However, we have a great lesson planned for him, plus planning to pay more attention to his needs. FIRST LESSON IN FRENCH YESTERDAY! I gave into the pressure and just decided to just jump in. pretty much all I said was "Dieu vous aime", God loves you. At one point I was looking at the wall looking for something in French to say and the guy we were teaching looked at the wall to see what I was looking at, I said "le mur et...beau et blanches" "the wall...is beautiful and white." he laughed at me. Through the lesson I could understand what he was saying and answered him by finding a scripture in my English scriptures and opening my French ones. We left him with the commitment to read 3 Nephi 13 and to start praying since he is Buddhist.
This week Soeur Flood and Soeur Powers left :( even more sad is that Soeur Powers French visa [they are going to Belgium and part of France is in their mission] didn't come through so she is chilling in New Jersey. Definitely miss them, but am grateful for them. They helped out a lot with learning how to function as a companionship.
I am proud to announce that my weight has stayed THE SAME! On Monday and Wednesday I run 2 miles and do some lifting. On Tuesday I run 2 miles and do 100 sit up. Thursday is beach volleyball, which I rocked yesterday. Friday is p-day so no scheduled gym time, but we are going to start going to sister-only gym time in the morning because they are having kickboxing class! That’s right, there is sister-only gym time every morning from 6-630. There is also a class called "enhancement" where they teach you how to enhance yourself.. Who even knows. I don't get desserts, only the ice cream on Wednesdays and Sundays, but now not even Wednesday.
I got an answer to my "why no band shirts" question. The other day at gym there was an elder wearing a killers shirt. I had that song and other ones stuck in my head the WHOLE time! Band shirts bring those types of songs in my head instead a souvient-toi [that's like, the best French hymn. youtube that.]
,I have heard about the BYU game. It was referenced TWICE in mission conference last Sunday! Ridiculous! There has been a HUGE emphasis on the articles of faith here, have your young men start memorizing them. I memorized the first one en Francais! I REALLY HOPE I CAN SKYPE AT CHRISTMAS!
Well fam, I love you all. Alma 26 is the bomb.com
je te aime
soeur camille pobst
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Strict Obedience
September 11,2009
Cher famille,
I must say, I do like this method where you dear elder me responses to my email because I have all week to think about what to write AND 28 minutes to write all of my email!
I want to start by telling you a story about strict obedience. On the first day you have to watch this orientation video and it forbids wearing band shirts to the gym. "Camille" thought, "wow, that's such a dumb rule" and not going to lie, Soeur Pobst thought the same thing. However, Soeur Pobst does not wear her band shirts to gym time. Almost every gym time however, I see people in band shirts and it's funny because they act like it isn't a band. Thrice? You like to count? REALLY!?
This week was another good one. There was a bit of friction in the companionship this week between all of us, but we had companionship inventory and now things are pretty good. There was a little friction between Soeur Gifford and I because she wants to start teaching in French and I don't. I could feel this would become an issue, so I brought it up to Soeur Gifford and we decided that we would start teaching in French in 2 Saturdays. Problems all resolved.
Ok, the spiritual stuff. There is something called a progressing investigator that you can sign up for. It is a teacher that speaks your language and you teach every week and they act like someone they taught on their mission. Our’s is Paul, a student, who doesn't believe in organized religion because of the awful things like the crusades and inquisitions. The whole first lesson was pretty much God Loves You, one of my favorite parts of the first lesson. he said that he feels that religions should be a solo quest and his challenge this week was to read the first vision and pray about it. we go teach him tomorrow, we'll see how he did. we plan on teaching him about apostasy and prophets and the restoration of the gospel tomorrow.
We have been to the RC twice, and I think that is great preparation for a mission. in the RC you make calls to people that have gone on the website and ordered a movie. I called someone yesterday and they said they only spoke Spanish; however, her English was good enough to correct my spangles. When I said "yo se Joseph smith prophet" she said, "prophet is propheta in Spanish." she also said she met with an elder Cozza, and I thought it was Joey, but she lived in Kansas and he was from Venezuela...so definitely not Joey.
MEN OF THE FAMILY WHERE IS THE LOVE?! dad, you still around? Aaron, you still alive? Matt, you still kickin? I haven't heard from dad and matt for a bit and Aaron not at all?! dear elder isn't that hard yos!
The computers here at the mtc can access lds.org, my email, and this language tutoring program. My clothes are awesome, I love them all! The toe-less nylons do NOT work, I tried last week. no bueno. no bon, I mean. I wore the black dress last week and everyone complimented me on it!
I have note cards of stuff I want to memorize in my planner so if we are waiting for something I review them. but yeah, line upon line, precept on precept. the gospel studies are good. lately we've been learning a lot about the apostasy, from the scriptures and history. One of my teachers knows A TON about it. in my personal book of Mormon study I was reading about Abinidi but I might start doing it in my French Book of Mormon. In personal study I just finished a week long study of charity. I feel like I have been a happier missionary and person because of it. One of my teachers went to Paris and so he teaches us random things we need to know in Paris. One of them in a hand gesture we are supposed to make when someone gets burned. pretty sweet.
Never in my life have I known more about BYU football then while in the MTC, they talked about it at mission conference and all the elders talk about it ALL THE TIME. I can't believe it's been 2 weeks either! It feels like 2 years! Beach volleyball was great yesterday; I had so many great plays! oh, I need you to find the address to Brookside apartments in Rexburg and dear elder it to me either today or tomorrow. Sometime soon.
So, I think all my life I have never really gotten fast Sunday. I would sleep until church and then like an hour after church eat. here, you wake up at 630 and don't eat until 5. oh and you have meetings like every second of the day, that made for one grumpy Soeur Pobst. however, this next fast Sunday I want to try and do better.
When I was coming up with goals, I would always say like "memorize this" or "learn this", but I was reading in preach my gospel and it says that your goals should relate to the desires of your heart. I wrote the desires of my heart and picked goals from them. I think they are great goals and this is going to be a great week.
love and miss everyone! keep being good!
oh, I LOVE the Provo temple!
oh, I saw Caleb Shumway and Neal Stanfield this week, RANDOM!
oh, and I LOVE YOU ALL!
Emily got you a sweet present today. totally mailing it. totally excited for it!
peace out,
Soeur Camille Pobst!
Cher famille,
I must say, I do like this method where you dear elder me responses to my email because I have all week to think about what to write AND 28 minutes to write all of my email!
I want to start by telling you a story about strict obedience. On the first day you have to watch this orientation video and it forbids wearing band shirts to the gym. "Camille" thought, "wow, that's such a dumb rule" and not going to lie, Soeur Pobst thought the same thing. However, Soeur Pobst does not wear her band shirts to gym time. Almost every gym time however, I see people in band shirts and it's funny because they act like it isn't a band. Thrice? You like to count? REALLY!?
This week was another good one. There was a bit of friction in the companionship this week between all of us, but we had companionship inventory and now things are pretty good. There was a little friction between Soeur Gifford and I because she wants to start teaching in French and I don't. I could feel this would become an issue, so I brought it up to Soeur Gifford and we decided that we would start teaching in French in 2 Saturdays. Problems all resolved.
Ok, the spiritual stuff. There is something called a progressing investigator that you can sign up for. It is a teacher that speaks your language and you teach every week and they act like someone they taught on their mission. Our’s is Paul, a student, who doesn't believe in organized religion because of the awful things like the crusades and inquisitions. The whole first lesson was pretty much God Loves You, one of my favorite parts of the first lesson. he said that he feels that religions should be a solo quest and his challenge this week was to read the first vision and pray about it. we go teach him tomorrow, we'll see how he did. we plan on teaching him about apostasy and prophets and the restoration of the gospel tomorrow.
We have been to the RC twice, and I think that is great preparation for a mission. in the RC you make calls to people that have gone on the website and ordered a movie. I called someone yesterday and they said they only spoke Spanish; however, her English was good enough to correct my spangles. When I said "yo se Joseph smith prophet" she said, "prophet is propheta in Spanish." she also said she met with an elder Cozza, and I thought it was Joey, but she lived in Kansas and he was from Venezuela...so definitely not Joey.
MEN OF THE FAMILY WHERE IS THE LOVE?! dad, you still around? Aaron, you still alive? Matt, you still kickin? I haven't heard from dad and matt for a bit and Aaron not at all?! dear elder isn't that hard yos!
The computers here at the mtc can access lds.org, my email, and this language tutoring program. My clothes are awesome, I love them all! The toe-less nylons do NOT work, I tried last week. no bueno. no bon, I mean. I wore the black dress last week and everyone complimented me on it!
I have note cards of stuff I want to memorize in my planner so if we are waiting for something I review them. but yeah, line upon line, precept on precept. the gospel studies are good. lately we've been learning a lot about the apostasy, from the scriptures and history. One of my teachers knows A TON about it. in my personal book of Mormon study I was reading about Abinidi but I might start doing it in my French Book of Mormon. In personal study I just finished a week long study of charity. I feel like I have been a happier missionary and person because of it. One of my teachers went to Paris and so he teaches us random things we need to know in Paris. One of them in a hand gesture we are supposed to make when someone gets burned. pretty sweet.
Never in my life have I known more about BYU football then while in the MTC, they talked about it at mission conference and all the elders talk about it ALL THE TIME. I can't believe it's been 2 weeks either! It feels like 2 years! Beach volleyball was great yesterday; I had so many great plays! oh, I need you to find the address to Brookside apartments in Rexburg and dear elder it to me either today or tomorrow. Sometime soon.
So, I think all my life I have never really gotten fast Sunday. I would sleep until church and then like an hour after church eat. here, you wake up at 630 and don't eat until 5. oh and you have meetings like every second of the day, that made for one grumpy Soeur Pobst. however, this next fast Sunday I want to try and do better.
When I was coming up with goals, I would always say like "memorize this" or "learn this", but I was reading in preach my gospel and it says that your goals should relate to the desires of your heart. I wrote the desires of my heart and picked goals from them. I think they are great goals and this is going to be a great week.
love and miss everyone! keep being good!
oh, I LOVE the Provo temple!
oh, I saw Caleb Shumway and Neal Stanfield this week, RANDOM!
oh, and I LOVE YOU ALL!
Emily got you a sweet present today. totally mailing it. totally excited for it!
peace out,
Soeur Camille Pobst!
First P-Day
Letter Sent September 2
Yo famille!
This week definitely flew by faster than the first week. Today is the first sort of full p-day. We have the morning to do whatever we need and then lunch, then the temple, then class and a zone activity. I have been blessed this week with a good amount of letters. It’s funny, when the elders get mail they always hope it is "chick mail" and when the sisters receive mail they ask if it's "dude mail." oh elders.
The way the classes work are all the new people are in the class together, regardless of their French experience. One of the elders in my class took five years of French and is basically fluent and my comp Soeur Gifford took about 2 and a half years in college. They are the best and I'm so grateful that Soeur Gifford is as awesome as she is and is such a help. There are five elders in my class; three are going to Paris and 2 to Congo. 2 of the elders in my class have never been out of Utah [one to Paris, the other to Congo.] my other companion, Soeur Lavaca is the sister we met in the parking lot that is going to Tahiti. She is in a different class than I because she has to learn Tahitian and doesn't leave until November.
Aaron
The elders were talking in class one day about how talented this one elder is because he rocks the French, can ballroom dance [I'm guessing something they learned in residence], and can sort of play the piano. One of the elders said, "I wish I had spent less time with sports and more time learning to play the piano. I mean really, what are sports going to do for me in the eternities?" Sorry I never taught you bro, maybe take it next year at school? Plus I have six months to teach you.
Allison
LOVED all the Emily stories :) the big girl bed huh? Wow. Someone once said that when you have a child that grows up fast it's to make room for the next...usually by the time I spot a run in my nylons it is all the way up my leg.
MTC schedule: I wake up at 6:00am, go to class at 7 for half an hour Book of Mormon, then breakfast, class until lunch, class after lunch, dinner, class, planning bed. So so exciting...some days are different and I have gym time here or there. Yesterday was the first day we were able to go to the fields because our gym time is usually at 8 and the fields are closed. I played beach volleyball and wanted to punch one of the elders in the face because he was being mean. But I didn't because I'm a missionary. It’s so lame, sisters can't play soccer with the elders and since there is like 7 sisters at gym time and one soccer field that all the elders from other countries play on we have to play volleyball or run.
The comps are getting better, the issue was with one just leaving the companionship and always making us late. Very frustrating. I've been studying CHARITY a lot and praying for it a lot and it is finally kicking in. the comp is also becoming more aware of this and is kind of trying...we shall see how this week goes. Elder law isn't in my class, but he went to San Fran with me and he is pretty much my favorite of his district. He is awesome. Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON MONDAY! I'll send you something REALLY COOL for Christmas, unless you want like a true to the faith or something...not a ton of cool presents in the MTC...
Matt
Have fun blessing Westy-the-besty this weekend! Wish I could be there. Thanks for the advice!
There was A LOT that happened this week. Tuesday was San Fran, pretty boring. We sat in the Salt Lake airport for like 2 hours until our flight, went to the consulate and sat in there for 2 and a half hours, walked up the street to china town and got some lunch, and back to the airport early, but ended up sitting there for 2 hours due to a flight plan change. It’s funny being in the salt lake airport with a missionary tag, you get treated like royalty. Everyone smiles and waves and asks where we are going.
First time teaching in the TRC this week. My comp and I taught a man and a woman, cousins. Neither really believed in God and we were supposed to teach the whole first lesson. We just taught God our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus is our Savior. The Spirit was so strong and we left them with the challenge to read 3 Nephi 11 and pray to God for a testimony of Him and Jesus Christ. Best experience thus far!
Keep the faith! D&c 11:10, pretty much me thus far.
Love and miss you all!
Soeur Camille Pobst
p.s. won't let me attach pictures; I'll figure it out next week.
Yo famille!
This week definitely flew by faster than the first week. Today is the first sort of full p-day. We have the morning to do whatever we need and then lunch, then the temple, then class and a zone activity. I have been blessed this week with a good amount of letters. It’s funny, when the elders get mail they always hope it is "chick mail" and when the sisters receive mail they ask if it's "dude mail." oh elders.
The way the classes work are all the new people are in the class together, regardless of their French experience. One of the elders in my class took five years of French and is basically fluent and my comp Soeur Gifford took about 2 and a half years in college. They are the best and I'm so grateful that Soeur Gifford is as awesome as she is and is such a help. There are five elders in my class; three are going to Paris and 2 to Congo. 2 of the elders in my class have never been out of Utah [one to Paris, the other to Congo.] my other companion, Soeur Lavaca is the sister we met in the parking lot that is going to Tahiti. She is in a different class than I because she has to learn Tahitian and doesn't leave until November.
Aaron
The elders were talking in class one day about how talented this one elder is because he rocks the French, can ballroom dance [I'm guessing something they learned in residence], and can sort of play the piano. One of the elders said, "I wish I had spent less time with sports and more time learning to play the piano. I mean really, what are sports going to do for me in the eternities?" Sorry I never taught you bro, maybe take it next year at school? Plus I have six months to teach you.
Allison
LOVED all the Emily stories :) the big girl bed huh? Wow. Someone once said that when you have a child that grows up fast it's to make room for the next...usually by the time I spot a run in my nylons it is all the way up my leg.
MTC schedule: I wake up at 6:00am, go to class at 7 for half an hour Book of Mormon, then breakfast, class until lunch, class after lunch, dinner, class, planning bed. So so exciting...some days are different and I have gym time here or there. Yesterday was the first day we were able to go to the fields because our gym time is usually at 8 and the fields are closed. I played beach volleyball and wanted to punch one of the elders in the face because he was being mean. But I didn't because I'm a missionary. It’s so lame, sisters can't play soccer with the elders and since there is like 7 sisters at gym time and one soccer field that all the elders from other countries play on we have to play volleyball or run.
The comps are getting better, the issue was with one just leaving the companionship and always making us late. Very frustrating. I've been studying CHARITY a lot and praying for it a lot and it is finally kicking in. the comp is also becoming more aware of this and is kind of trying...we shall see how this week goes. Elder law isn't in my class, but he went to San Fran with me and he is pretty much my favorite of his district. He is awesome. Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON MONDAY! I'll send you something REALLY COOL for Christmas, unless you want like a true to the faith or something...not a ton of cool presents in the MTC...
Matt
Have fun blessing Westy-the-besty this weekend! Wish I could be there. Thanks for the advice!
There was A LOT that happened this week. Tuesday was San Fran, pretty boring. We sat in the Salt Lake airport for like 2 hours until our flight, went to the consulate and sat in there for 2 and a half hours, walked up the street to china town and got some lunch, and back to the airport early, but ended up sitting there for 2 hours due to a flight plan change. It’s funny being in the salt lake airport with a missionary tag, you get treated like royalty. Everyone smiles and waves and asks where we are going.
First time teaching in the TRC this week. My comp and I taught a man and a woman, cousins. Neither really believed in God and we were supposed to teach the whole first lesson. We just taught God our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus is our Savior. The Spirit was so strong and we left them with the challenge to read 3 Nephi 11 and pray to God for a testimony of Him and Jesus Christ. Best experience thus far!
Keep the faith! D&c 11:10, pretty much me thus far.
Love and miss you all!
Soeur Camille Pobst
p.s. won't let me attach pictures; I'll figure it out next week.
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