Everything is satisfactual.

Salut!

Can you believe that I have been at the MTC for a month? Well, believe it. Cause it's truth, it's actual, everything is satisfactual. I leave in exactly 14 days! HOLLA.

 

This week was good, but Tuesday was really hard. Sometimes things just pile up and then if you don't talk about them you eventually explode. So I was just kind of at that point and we taught our investigator (who, spoiler alert is actually our teacher) and the lesson didn't go very well. She could tell something was wrong so she had me stay back and talk to her. I broke down, which was actually very thereputic for me. We just talked about things I could do to improve the things I was worrying about and made plans. Although days like that are never fun, I am grateful for them. Our Savior, the perfect missionary, was rejected and faced hardships and trials and disappointments. So it would seem odd if I never had a hard day, because I am His hands to do His work on this earth, and therefore it is expected to be hard. And I welcome the tears, because they allow me to turn to my Father and find joy in his love.

 

Our trio is doing good. Sometime my companions still do things that make me want to stop and say "ain't no body in this whole world got any time at all for that" but I am sure they feel the same way about me sometimes too, so it's okay. But we are friends, and that is very important. We are learning to rely on one another when we teach and everyday we learn something new about one another, which helps to open our eyes a little bit to WHY we are the way we are. I love my companions and I am grateful for them.

 

My thoughts and prayers are still with President Monson. We got to watch a broadcast of the funeral service and although it was beautiful, it is hard to see our Prophet so sad. I am grateful for the knowledge that we as members of the church have that there is life after this.

 

The food here is rachet. (My hispanic companion taught me that. I say it all the time now). So thanks for the cheese wheel mom (literally, a wheel of cheese arrived for me in the mail this week) because that is all I eat. I ain't trying to get botulism from the food here, shoot.

 

I love that I am in a building with other foreign speakers. I feel at times that I have learned more portugeuse and Hatian Creole than French. haha oh well. But honestly, it is fun to get language lessons from elders serving in other languages. BOOM, instant friendship. I also love being across the hall from the ESL missionaries. They are all very humble and sweet, and their English is actually pretty good! The Lord has blessed all of us tremendously with the language of our missions.

 

I love being a missionary. We taught a lesson this week and I just FELT it. Ya know? I was prompted and directed on what to say through the Spirit, which is the most fun part of being a missionary. He said that when he read Joseph Smith History 17 (the first vision, which I TOTES have memorized in French) he felt another presence in the room. And I was like BAM! Holy Ghost, testifying of truth. When we are baptized we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost (reception du don du L'Saint-Esprit) and we can have it with us always. And then I issued the baptismal challenge (good thing I had it memorized) and he accepted. YES! I love the Spirit! And I love being called Sister. I love it. One of my friends, an elder in our disctrict, found out my name was Page and was all "nice to meet you Page" and I was all "that's sister Page to you." haha. Being called sister means a lot to me. It means I am my Saviors servant. What more could I want?

 

 

Hey! I saw Victoria Sheets finally this week, a few times actually!  I sent a picture home. She also gave the conversion story in Relief Society. She is so awesome. I loved seeing a familiar face! She is wonderful! I saw Alicia Kemp a lot this week too. Funny how that happens.

 

Hmm...what else? Oh I have a silly story. So Elder Lynch and I both really love Disney and so we were talking about Winnie The Pooh and I said the Heffelumps and Woozles song really scared me when I was younger and so now of course he sings it all the time and emailed his mom for all the lyrics and he claims he is going to memorize it and find my room and sing it late at night haha and also that he will record himself signing it while he is in Africa and send me the recording. What a weirdo. But we all love him, he's the funniest Scott we have ever met.

 

Hey! We got a new elder this week. It's a little weird. He threw off our grove a little bit. But that's cool. He has already been through the MTC once (French speaking for 9 weeks) and started serving his mission but came home and is now doing it again. But since he already kind of speaks French he only has to be here 3 weeks. He is pretty buggy but I am learning to deal. And I am learning (and loving) to take things here in stride. I will NEVER again be a 20 year old missionary headed to Madagascar in the MTC ever again. So I am going to enjoy every moment. Even the hard ones. Because they are all part of the plan.

 

The Temple was closed this morning. (Happy Memorial day! Wasn't that Music and the Spoken Word beautiful?) And even though it's sad not going to the temple I was pretty okay with it because we got to sleep in until 6:30. Which is awesome!

 

Hey want to know a secret? I love being music cooridantor for my branch. It is a cool opportunity to meet new people and I love the hymns in French. They really are beautiful!

 

What else to say? Life is still life at the MTC. We wake up early and have class for 6 hours, study time for 4 and an hour of nap, I mean gym, time tuesday-friday. I love the structure though, because it gives us a chance to be obedient, which bring happiness. Isn't that funny? Sometime I like to complain that there are too many rules or the dresscode is too hard to follow, but in reality these rules are in place because we are all dumb and the Lord knows how to make us happy despite that. If we obey his commandements, we are happy. Simple. I love the gospel. The Lord loves us so he didn't make anything too hard to understand.

 

Yesterday on our temple walk (best part of the week!) we saw so many people with out shoes on. Why are Utahns so weird? Oh and also I met some elders going to San Antonio Spanish Speaking! That is more exciting to me than my own mission call. I love Texas! Everyone else in my district hates on it, but they are all just Utards. Don't worry, good people of Texas, I am defending our state aggressively.

 

I love you all! Thanks for the letters and the prayers. I can feel your love.

 

Oh and mom and dad...we are all going to Scotland after our missions to visit Elder Lynch and speak perfect French to one another. Start saving up ;)

Life on the battle front is still good.

Bonjour! Qu'est-ce que vous pensez au sujet du prophetes? Je sais que Joseph Smith etait un prophete pour nos jours et il retabli le veritie sur la terre.

 

Can we just talk about how I know everyone at the MTC? You think I am kidding but I am not. For example, this past Wednesday I was on the way to breakfast and saw Kaytee who I went to EFY with three years ago. And then I say Sister King, who I was neighbors with in Perkins 211. And then I saw Carlee and Anabelle...both girls I roomed with at Disney World. THEN some girl I was in Social Work 300 with last semester. AND Alicia Kemp. I am not kidding. All in one day. And it doesn't help that I wonder the halls during study time so I am really good friends with a lot of the elders...not just the ones in our zone, but the other French zone as well, and the Haitian Creole elders, and the islanders going to America (one of them is from Madagascar! He is so awesome!) and somehow I am close to the Portugeuse Elders as well...so I see all of them all the time and they call me Sister Madagascar so if course I love that. My companions hate that I am so social but I am just like "haters gonna hate."

 

So this week was really good. We saw many miracles but faced many trials as well. My companions are struggling a little more with the language. It is a struggle and a trial of faith for all of us because when one companions feels discouraged, it feels innapropriate to be like "dang! my French is so good!" Ya know? We succeed and fail together. We are learning to love and teach and grow together.

 

I love our district. I say it every time but I mean it everytime. We have the coolest Elders. It will be weird to say goodbye to them in three weeks.

 

Speaking of three weeks...I LEAVE IN THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY! Can you even believe that?! I can't. It is going to be here before I know it and then I will be calling my family from the SLC airport and crying and then soon after eating horse and bleaching the produce that I get from the Creoles who live in the mountains of the rainforest. ( Well, at least according to this sister who works here and served on Mada/La Reunion/Mauritus.) I'm PUMPED. Good thing I know the word for horse in french. Cheaveul. Or maybe that's hair.

 

So on Sundays the Branch Presidency announces from the pulpit who is going to give a talk in sacrament. So you always have to have a talk prepared en francais and you may just get called up. It makes me have severe anxiety. I have been safe so far. Keep the prayers coming. But, even though that is a little stressful, for the most part I love Sundays. We get up at about 6 (yay! sleeping in!) We get to watch a movie every Sunday (The Jospeh and Emma movie has never before seemed like such a cinematic masterpeice) and we do a temple walk with our whole zone. And by that I mean we take a nap in front of the temple with our whole zone. And we have the best devos every sunday. Last night Mary Edmund spoke to us...She is my new hero. She's like this 70 year old ball of fire who has served 5 missions AND lived in Africa. (hollah.) And she just pumped me up to say yes everyday to my mission call. OUI!

 

SPEAKING OF DEVOTIONALS! So we have one every Sunday as well. And Elder Nelso was totally the speaker on Tuesday. AND I was in the choir so I was in the same room as him! It was so interesting because when he walked in I wasn't really watching the door but I immediately felt the spirit change. And I was all confused like "wait...why does it feel different? Who turned the heater on??" But no, it was just a man of God entering the room. He pumped me up also. Ask the missionaries!

 

Okay so I have to tell you the dumbest story. So we eat dinner at 4 and by like 7 I'm all "do you think they know about second dinner?" But much to my (and the hobbits) dismay, they do not, and so by 9:30 I am starving. So everynight I buy a string cheese from the vending machine and EVERY NIGHT it gets stuck. With out fail. And some islander sister always has to help me get it out. So now I will be walking around the MTC and some beautfiul Samoan/New Zealander/Hawaill will just call me Sister Cheesestick. Haha I love my life.

 

Life on the battle front is still good. Sorry I don't have more to write. We study and conjugate verbs and make any excuse to stand up and stretch that we can. The language is coming along great for me. I have truly been blessed with the ability to not only recall what I knew in High School, but to learn new material at an alarming speed. I am in no way an expert, but I can express myself to our invstigators, which is huge for me. I don't actually know how to spell investigator. They are called L'amis de L'Eglise in french. Friends of the church. Isn't that cute? it is.

 

I love the spirit. I love it's companionship and peace and guidance. I am not even close to adequate with out it. I saw many miracles with our investigators which is the most important things. During one of our lessons I was able to answer a question that I do not even have the vocab or know how to do. The spirit was so strong and we are commiting him to baptism this week!  Missionaries are not sent to fail, and the Lord will not allow our inadequecies to keep his children from learning the truth.

 

  I also love the temple. We did a session this morning...I forgot how much I love it. Today has probably been on the best days in the MTC so far and I know the temple is to thank.

 

I love you all! I am happy and healthy and probably laughing more than I am learning, but I am learning a little bit too :)

 

Love,

Soeur Edwards

San Francisco!

Bonjour! Happy Mothers Day!

 

This week has been quite the rollercoaster concerning emotions, health and success.\

 

First off! San Francisco was a blast and a half. I definitely fell asleep on the plane, but it wasn't a really good sleep for a few reasons. One, it's a plane. Two, I was right next to an Elder and so concerned that I was going to keep bumping him or something. I don't know. And finally because I was fully aware of how unflattering it was for me to be hunched over like a goblin against the window with my mouth wide open. I was having anxiety that one of the Elders was going to take a picture of me (totally something my Elders would do) so I couldn't fully let my guard down. We got driven to the French Consulant by some crazy Russian lady named Elena. We became friends though haha and I gave her a pass along card. Hollah at your girl!

 

The French Consulant was terrifying- Parisians really are scary. But I secretly loved getting yelled at by the French. That only took like twenty minutes and then we were like "Uhhhh. We have 5 hours left in San Fran." So we explored! And saw some cray cray stuff. And we were walking down one street and this guy was like "Hey yo G's! Y'all is Gods people. I could tell, y'all got God all up in y'all." As weird as it sounds that was perhaps one of the proudest moments of my life haha. We explored some more, I told Elder Peck I hated sushi but had never actually tried it  and he pushed me into a street in china town, I almost died. Then a plane ride back to the MTC. Some guys came up to us in the airport and were like "Hello Elders blah blah blah." And I am like "Excuse me? I'm here too!" That happened a lot though, in San Fran also. People just ignored the lonely sister. What evah! I don't even care.

 

I was exhausted Wednesday. And may or may not have had a small breakdown. But I totally did. I'm so grateful I have my big brother here at the MTC to give me the words of comfort that I need. Also, before I saw Zach I went into the bathroom and fell to my knees and prayed as perhaps I have never prayed before. I plead with my whole soul and heart to the Lord to not leave me alone, to not forsake me. I then heard my companions outside the door, praying for me. I heard their words "Bless Soer Edwards to know she is not alone. Bless her to know we are here for her and that Thou art as well." I immediately stood up, dried my eyes, and went outside and saw that Zach had magically appeared alongside my companions. The Lord had not forsaken me. He has blessed me tremendously.

 

So my other big anxiety about the MTC is the food. It's not good. Or maybe it's too good and my pallette is not used to it yet. I don't know. Either way I go to the wrap bar most days and I feel the pressure to be extra healthy so I am like "Umm yeah, I will have the whole wheat wrap with spinach and wheat grass-not too much! And a few green onions, I've earned them." And I hate my wrap befroe I even sit down so then I usually just go get a cookie instead. Haha the life of a missionary.

 

One of my companions got really sick this week. (Don't worry mom, I walk behind her and spray sanitizer on everything she touches and sanitize my hands 14000 times a day, just like you taught me.) And as much as I hated seeing her sick I was secretly happy we could go back to the room and you better bet your bottom dollar that I took a nap. Missionary work takes a toll on ones mind, body and spirit. So I feel as if I am always tired. But I am happy and loving the gospel so that's more important. Although I don't quite have the fire of missionary work, where I just need to convert everyone I see or love the inverstigators, I know that will come with faith and time. Also it doesn't help that I know my investigators are fake.

 

I love the Elders in my zone and district. They are all so kind and happy and more than willing to help us in anyway they can. I appreciate their support- they have told us all more than once that if we ever need a blessing they are more than happy to give one. I love the spirit and the power of the Priesthood.  I still struggle with patience for my companions. We are all very different but I notice SUCH a difference in all of our attitudes when we decide to just love one another and accept each other's faults. It has not been easy, nor will it be easy for the next 18 months, to unconditionally love someone who sometimes you don't agree with. But I have a firm testimony that I am in the trio for a reason- to learn more love, patience and humility. And I appreciate their examples. I also believe this is one of my many refiners fires that will allow me to be more like my Savior.  I just have to try to not let my pride rob me of faith.

 

My French is coming along really well! Probably because all we do is teach, study, eat, study, cry, study, teach. We are in our classroom like 10 hours a day. But it's good, I am learning a lot. And I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me to recall so much of what I knew in High School. My companions are really discouraged with the language and they keep comparing them selves to everyone else but I'm all "ain't nobody got time for that. I'm trying this new thing where I trust in the Lord 100% of the time. It's not easy but it has helped me tremendously.

 

Releif Society was amazing! Our speaker was Janice Capp Perry, the lady who wrote 'As Sisters in Zion' and 'I'm trying to be like Jesus' and 'A child's prayer' and pretty much all the best primary songs. And we sand a medley of all of the songs and it was sp beautiful! But of course the whole time I was like "Nicholas Handy (Handy Handy) are you really there?" Haha we are weird. Anyways she wrote a new song called "The Sisters of Zion" and it is all about sister missionaries and it is so SO SO beautiful. Find it. Love it. I love being a servant of the Lord.

 

Also loved that music and the spoken word. I thought about dad the whole time when the Whelsh (?) guy was singing. He was bugging me.

 

Well I have to go! I love you all!

 Thanks for the letters and emails and love! Keep it coming.

 

Soeur Edwards. :)

Week 2

Bonjour! Happy Mothers Day!

 

This week has been quite the rollercoaster concerning emotions, health and success.\

 

First off! San Francisco was a blast and a half. I definitely fell asleep on the plane, but it wasn't a really good sleep for a few reasons. One, it's a plane. Two, I was right next to an Elder and so concerned that I was going to keep bumping him or something. I don't know. And finally because I was fully aware of how unflattering it was for me to be hunched over like a goblin against the window with my mouth wide open. I was having anxiety that one of the Elders was going to take a picture of me (totally something my Elders would do) so I couldn't fully let my guard down. We got driven to the French Consulant by some crazy Russian lady named Elena. We became friends though haha and I gave her a pass along card. Hollah at your girl!

 

The French Consulant was terrifying- Parisians really are scary. But I secretly loved getting yelled at by the French. That only took like twenty minutes and then we were like "Uhhhh. We have 5 hours left in San Fran." So we explored! And saw some cray cray stuff. And we were walking down one street and this guy was like "Hey yo G's! Y'all is Gods people. I could tell, y'all got God all up in y'all." As weird as it sounds that was perhaps one of the proudest moments of my life haha. We explored some more, I told Elder Peck I hated sushi but had never actually tried it  and he pushed me into a street in china town, I almost died. Then a plane ride back to the MTC. Some guys came up to us in the airport and were like "Hello Elders blah blah blah." And I am like "Excuse me? I'm here too!" That happened a lot though, in San Fran also. People just ignored the lonely sister. What evah! I don't even care.

 

I was exhausted Wednesday. And may or may not have had a small breakdown. But I totally did. I'm so grateful I have my big brother here at the MTC to give me the words of comfort that I need. Also, before I saw Zach I went into the bathroom and fell to my knees and prayed as perhaps I have never prayed before. I plead with my whole soul and heart to the Lord to not leave me alone, to not forsake me. I then heard my companions outside the door, praying for me. I heard their words "Bless Soer Edwards to know she is not alone. Bless her to know we are here for her and that Thou art as well." I immediately stood up, dried my eyes, and went outside and saw that Zach had magically appeared alongside my companions. The Lord had not forsaken me. He has blessed me tremendously.

 

So my other big anxiety about the MTC is the food. It's not good. Or maybe it's too good and my pallette is not used to it yet. I don't know. Either way I go to the wrap bar most days and I feel the pressure to be extra healthy so I am like "Umm yeah, I will have the whole wheat wrap with spinach and wheat grass-not too much! And a few green onions, I've earned them." And I hate my wrap befroe I even sit down so then I usually just go get a cookie instead. Haha the life of a missionary.

 

One of my companions got really sick this week. (Don't worry mom, I walk behind her and spray sanitizer on everything she touches and sanitize my hands 14000 times a day, just like you taught me.) And as much as I hated seeing her sick I was secretly happy we could go back to the room and you better bet your bottom dollar that I took a nap. Missionary work takes a toll on ones mind, body and spirit. So I feel as if I am always tired. But I am happy and loving the gospel so that's more important. Although I don't quite have the fire of missionary work, where I just need to convert everyone I see or love the inverstigators, I know that will come with faith and time. Also it doesn't help that I know my investigators are fake.

 

I love the Elders in my zone and district. They are all so kind and happy and more than willing to help us in anyway they can. I appreciate their support- they have told us all more than once that if we ever need a blessing they are more than happy to give one. I love the spirit and the power of the Priesthood.  I still struggle with patience for my companions. We are all very different but I notice SUCH a difference in all of our attitudes when we decide to just love one another and accept each other's faults. It has not been easy, nor will it be easy for the next 18 months, to unconditionally love someone who sometimes you don't agree with. But I have a firm testimony that I am in the trio for a reason- to learn more love, patience and humility. And I appreciate their examples. I also believe this is one of my many refiners fires that will allow me to be more like my Savior.  I just have to try to not let my pride rob me of faith.

 

My French is coming along really well! Probably because all we do is teach, study, eat, study, cry, study, teach. We are in our classroom like 10 hours a day. But it's good, I am learning a lot. And I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me to recall so much of what I knew in High School. My companions are really discouraged with the language and they keep comparing them selves to everyone else but I'm all "ain't nobody got time for that. I'm trying this new thing where I trust in the Lord 100% of the time. It's not easy but it has helped me tremendously.

 

Releif Society was amazing! Our speaker was Janice Capp Perry, the lady who wrote 'As Sisters in Zion' and 'I'm trying to be like Jesus' and 'A child's prayer' and pretty much all the best primary songs. And we sand a medley of all of the songs and it was sp beautiful! But of course the whole time I was like "Nicholas Handy (Handy Handy) are you really there?" Haha we are weird. Anyways she wrote a new song called "The Sisters of Zion" and it is all about sister missionaries and it is so SO SO beautiful. Find it. Love it. I love being a servant of the Lord.

 

Also loved that music and the spoken word. I thought about dad the whole time when the Whelsh (?) guy was singing. He was bugging me.

 

Well I have to go! I love you all!

 Thanks for the letters and emails and love! Keep it coming.

 

Soeur Edwards. :)

1 week down...398470392847 more to go!

Bonjour mes amis!

Wow. What a week (almost) it has been! It's so true what 'they' (who is they) say... The MTC is happy and hard and long and sad and wonderful all at once! So the trip out to Salt Lake wasn't too bad. Some creeper was trying to talk to me and I was all "just let me be sad in peace." But then it turns out he wasn't a creeper and actually was super nice and served his mission in Washington and is moving to San Antonio for work. I don't know why that matters. Anyways. It was awesome getting off the plane and seeing my favorite brother. I have enjoyed having him at the MTC with me. Although he was supposed to eat lunch with me today and so I was bragging to my companions and then he never showed up and I looked dumb. Thanks a lot, Zach.

It was kind of hard to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa at the curb. Mostly cause I saw all the sisters and I was like "ya nevermind. Just take me back." But I forced myself to be brave and put a smile on my face and then went through 100 lines getting my nametag (en francais!) and key and books and etc. etc. We dropped my stuff off in my "residence hall" (isn't that buggy? Just call it a dorm. This isn't the England MTC) and then went to my class and more orientations and blah blah blah.

So...my companionS. Avec un S. (with an S). That's right. I am in a trio! Triple the stress! I mean fun! haha. Sister Tribe is from Utah and is serving in Montreal. Sister Herrerra is from West Jordan and also serving in Montreal. They are both very sweet girls and we have really had a lot of success...as far as finding the cafeteria goes. No doubt we are very different but more on that later!

So you know how everytime you hear about a missionaries schedule you hear that they wake up at 6:30 and go to sleep at 10:30? They LIED! haha so because so many sisters et elders have entered the MTC they have to stagger the schedules and the French/Haitian-Creole and some Spanish speaking missionaries have to be at breakfast BY 6:30. Which means we wake up at 5. And still go to bed at 10:30. Pretty much we eat and study and eat and study and eat and then if we are lucky we can go to the bathroom and maybe see the sun. Haha it's not that bad but the schedule is a little tedious. The days are long and the work is hard. But I am learning to love it.

MY DISTRICT. I absolutely adore the elders in my district. Elder Lynch is from Scotland (I KNOW!!) and is serving in Togo, Africa (Again, I KNOW!). Elders Peck and Sanchez are going to Madagascar too! I'm way stoked. We are gonna get so close on that 45 hour plane ride... There are only 6 missionaries in my district, two sets of trios. So we are already so close. It's weird. Then our zone has 12 missionaries in it, us plus 6 other elders, all serving in Montreal, Canada. I love them too! They are just all so kind and fun to talk to. Plus I pick on them and they can take it. Which I appreciate. We are very close as a zone as well. We went to the temple this morning together and we sing hymns en francias chaque nuit ensemble. I love the elders and sisters I am serving with. Techinaclly there are other districts in our zone but they leave to Paris and Lyon next week. But I have gotten very close to a few of those sisters and will be tres triste to see them go. It's funny how quickly you feel love for those around you. I blame the lack of sleep.

So...Friday. It goes down in history as one of the worst days I have had in a while. It started out okay but then we had to teach our first 'investigator' (he's already a member but don't tell anyone). Pretty sure that's spelled wrong but whatever. So...we did awful. Bad. Horrible. I left the room (our lesson was like 5 minutes long) and broke down a little bit. I cannot truly put into words how frusterating it is to know something and have a sincere desire to share it and to change a persons life and NOT be able to say it. I mean we were there. We know the gospel and we love the Lord but we do not know the language. I have never before felt so inadequate, useless or discouraged. My heart was broken because I knew I was there to tell that person how much his Savior loved him. I knew it but I could not say it. And I will admit...I was a little frusterated because I felt like I was sacrificing so much and I expected the Lords help. Wrong attitude to have. That night I prayed harder than I have ever prayed before. I plead with the Lord to give me the gift of tongues and to help me help His children....

The next day was MON ANNIVERSAIRE! Je suis vingt (20!) ans! It was wonderful. The alarm did not go off and so we slept until 6:45! haha and some sweet sisters had put kind birthday notes all over my door. And a bag of treats on my bed and I got y'alls package! Thanks especially to Andrea....the beef jerky was much needed (we eat dinner at 4!) So our next lesson with our 'investigator came around. And let me tell you...the gift of tongues is real. I still stumbled and made mistakes and sounded dumb BUT I didn't take ANY notes which is a HUGE deal for my third day in the MTC. And it was okay. I was able to communicate. Nothing miraculous happened but I remembered words and phrases that I had studied. I was able to testify and the spirit was felt. How wonderful it is to know the Lord is aware of me and is helping me out.

So then Sunday. It's also true that you just have to make it to Sunday. I don't know why but it works. Sunday was a weird day for me. Fast and Testimony meeting was all in French (every sacrament meeting is) and GUESS WHAT? I understoof 95% of it! My French has come back to me SO MUCH and even though I am nowhere near fluent, I can communicate with the missionaries that have been here for 4 weeks. So....again...gift of tongues....real thing. But then my sabbath went down hill. As I said before, my companions and I are very different. I began to get annoyed with one of them (totally my problem not hers) and the spirit left me so fast it made my head spin. I felt bitter and alone and angry and hopeless. I knew I needed the spirit with me becasue no way can I last 18 months without it. It's hard enough with the spirit for goodness sake! So again I pled and asked for humilty (not easy for my bull headed self) and then I forced myslef to tell this sister I loved her. And suddenly, I did. I saw her more as the Lord saw her and the spirit returned. What a beautiful gift that is! I can honestly say the spirit has become one of my best friends here. It was hard but I am grateful for my change of heart.

Oh hey! I am going to San Francisco tomorrow! haha with Elder Peck and Elder Sanchez to get our Visas! I have heard from other missionaries that had to go get visas that it's so fun and you go to the pier and the golden gate bridge! I am way stoked for that. Plus Elder Sanchez are the greatest. So I am excited. Guess what else? I feel down the stairs my first night and sprained my ankle. Welcome to the MTC!

So I love you all! I know the church is true. That's all that matters.

Sincerement,

Soeur Edwards.