Soeur Bradley, Soeur Berge and Soeur Huckstep in San Francisco to get their visas
Dear Family and well Everyone!
Wow, can I just say I love the MTC and I love everything about a mission. Everyone should serve a mission. It's the best thing you could ever do. I've already learned so much and everything here is truly amazing. The Spirit is so strong and when people call it 'a little heaven on Earth' I totally agree! It's beautiful and everyone here is just so amazing. I've run into about 30 people I know here. My poor companions...oh by the way. I'm in a TRIO companionship! I absolutely love my companionships. It can be really difficult with 2 other sisters as opposed to just one more, but it's also really awesome because it's like automatically having 2 best friends instead of 1! Their names are Sister Huckstep from Eagle, Idaho and Sister Bradley from California. Sister Huckstep. Oh my I love her. She's 21 and Sister Bradley is 20. It's kinda weird because I'm the senior companion, but I'm the youngest and I just feel like I have so much more to learn from them, but it'll switch off which is nice :) They're the best. I'm so blessed to have them. We are already so much closer.
Also, I have NEVER laughed so hard in all my life than on my mission. I've never been happier. I've never gone through such emotional ups and downs (in good ways) and I've never felt the Spirit so strongly.
Ok, so yesterday was our actual P-day. Ours is on Mondays so expect letters around the middle of the day on Monday. Yesterday we had to wake up at 2am and fly to San Francisco to get our finger prints for our Visa applications. There were about 10 of us that went. Half sisters and half elders. It was so fun. I'll attach pictures. So that is why today we had to have a partial P-day so we could get laundry and stuff done.
We've already taught twice in French! It's crazy! There was absolutely no English and we did pretty good. Our last lesson was 30 mins! I was so proud of my companions because the first lesson I had to do most of the talking because I think I've had the most previous experience with French (which I'm so grateful for) but I'm sure they'll catch up soon. The French is really not that difficult. I love it! It's beautiful and so much fun. I can already bear my testimony in French and pray! (which is huge) haha, but I love it.
Wow, I feel so close to my zone here. I love my district! There are 5 Sisters and 5 Elders in our district and then there's another district in our Zone and there's 12 Elders in the other district so our Zone (ward) only has 5 Sisters (which makes me feel special to be a Sister here) Also there are about (I'm guessing here) 30-40 Elders and about 10 Sisters going to Paris, France. I absolutely love all of them and I'm so excited. There are 2 Elders in our Zone going to Lyon mission and 3 Elders going to the DR-Congo Mission (French speaking) They're all awesome! I love everyone. We really know how to build each other up and we are SUCH hard workers! We've made a lot of goals as a district and we're keeping most of them up! It's great.
Ok, I LOVE the teachers here. We have the best teachers. Frere Smith and Soeur Judd and there's another Soeur named Soeur Scott and she comes in every once in a while and she's dang hilarious. Frere Smith is the awesome! He is always telling us hilarious stories from his mission and I honestly wouldn't be able to learn as well if I didn't have him as our teacher. He went to Lyon mission and just got back and got married and he's just hilarious. Soeur Judd is great too. She really knows how to make us feel unified and bring the Spirit to our classroom. Soeur Scott reminds us of Kate Hudson in 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 days' and she quotes it too! She's hilarious.
Man, one way to know if you're a good missionary..if you're toenail cracks in half. I had to get it super glued this morning in the Doctor's office. So embarrassing, but Sister Mangum (Branch President's wife) told me to go get it checked out so I just did exactly what I was told! Obedience is key for anything here! Honestly, life is so much better when you follow every rule with exactness. Make Heavenly Father proud by being obedient and never trying to find loopholes to the commandments and standards, because honestly, there aren't any loopholes in the gospel..so if you cheat, you're only cheating yourself.
Anyways, ok so some funny stories! So, on the airplane I sat next to an elder in my zone (but not my district) and his name is Elder Beane. He's amazing. He told me a lot about his life and I was just amazed and so humbled. I kinda felt like such a brat because my life seems so much easier than his has been and I just gained such a respect for him. Anyways, so he had never flown before and I had the pleasure of sitting next to him..(you know where this is going...) So when the flight attendant talks about the oxygen mask things that come down in case that they needed them he was confused so I told him we have to wear them every flight when we hit a certain altitude and he says, 'Oh..ok.' So when we're taking off he looks at me and says, 'Sister Berge, when do we have to put those masks on?" hahaha, poor Elder. I told him I was just kidding. He's a good sport and we had a great time in San Francisco.
Also while Sister Huckstep and I were waiting outside of the bathroom waiting for Sister Bradley, there is this Elder named Elder Noho and he is from Tahiti and he speaks French really well and he was talking to us in French so we could practice our French some more and he leaned back and his bottom hit one of the hand sanitizer dispensers and it squirted out onto his bottom! Haha he turns around and he looked so shocked and said in broken English, "It's for the hands! Not the tushy!" hahaha oh man, such a great guy. I just love everyone here.
A mission is the most amazing experience anyone could ever have. I know I'm supposed to be here for a reason.
Je sais que l'Eglise de Jesus-Christ Des Saints Des Derniers Jours est vrai. Je sais que parce que Pere Celeste nous aime, il a donner ton Fils, Jesus Christ. Je sais que l'Evangile est vrai! Je sais que Jesus-Christ est notre frere. Il nous aime. J'aime le MTC. J'aime l'Evangile. J'aime precher l'Evangile et j'aime les ecritures! Je sais que Thomas S. Monson est le prophete de cet eglise. J'aime notre prophete! J'aime l'Eglise de Jesus-Christ! Je sais que la foi est tres importante! J'aime ma famille!
Everyone needs to read Preach My Gospel. It's so important to study it with the intent that you are trying to learn everything you can to help bring the lost sheep back into the fold. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I have learned while being here is that the gospel saves souls, not through the missionaries, but the Holy Ghost is the most important teacher present in any conversation with non-members.
Remember that Heavenly Father loves you, no matter what. He wants you to be the best you that you can be. I thought about this concept one day and I want to share:
We are all ultimately going through the big test of life right now. We are all going through different trials and difficulties. Most people can understand that idea, however the one concept that most people don't understand is that Heavenly Father is cheering us on the whole way. He wants us to succeed SOOO badly because He loves us so much! So never forget that He is your friend and rooting for you on the other side!
Also, everyone write me a Dear Elder! I'd love to hear from you! :)
Well, my time is running out, but that's ok because I have work to do and things to study. I love this gospel so much. The church is true!
Stay righteous, be true, be you!
Avec amour,
Soeur Berge
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