Remember Who You Are!

July 16, 2009

Mom & Dad,

Hey how are you? How’s life without me? I started the Visitor Center (VC) training yesterday! It’s a lot of fun. Basically we take everything we’ve learned in the last three weeks and learn how to apply it to Temple Square. We have a practice tonight where we give a mock tour. On Saturday we go to Temple Square and give tours with other sister missionaries already there. We officially go to Temple Square on Wednesday, 22 July. I’m so excited! It really is fun here, and I’ve learned so much.

I’m able to call people who have been referred to me, while I’m at the MTC and at Temple Square. We can ask other missionaries if they have any referrals and we can call them just like we do here in the Referral Center. So if you have any friends or co-workers you can give me their number and name and I can call them and send them a Book of Mormon or a church DVD. I’m so excited!

I wake up about 5:45am on the days when I wash my hair. If I don’t have to do my hair, I sleep till 6:15ish. But I am out of bed everyday by 6:30am and I am so exhausted by the end of the day that sometimes I write in my journal as fast as I can just to be in bed 15 minutes early. I sleep through the entire night, every night.

M stomachaches are only a couple times a week. I don’t know if I’m just stressed or what. But usually if I feel sick I just skip a meal and I better by the next one. The food is good. It’s a lot of carbs, but I like carbs, so I don’t mind. But I’m probably gaining lots of weight!

It’s still really weird that I’m on a mission. In eight days I can say I only have 17 months left! It’s so crazy. Time has flown by. People weren’t kidding when they said the days are long, but the weeks are short. I can’t believe I’ve been here for almost three weeks. Every Wednesday, when the new missionaries arrive at the MTC, I remember when you dropped me off. It wasn’t sad at all. I’m glad I was ready.

Mom and Dad, I know this church is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves me. That’s why he blessed me to come to you. I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers. I know that he answered Joseph Smith’s prayer. I know that God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him the true gospel of Jesus Christ was no longer on the earth. I know Joseph Smith was the tool God used to restore His church. I am so grateful to live on the earth when the true gospel is here, in it’s fullness. I am grateful that the Priesthood keys have been restored and that Dad has the power and authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ! I’m grateful that Dad gave me a father’s blessing before I came out on the mission field. I forgot to tell you, one of the MTC Branch Presidency was interviewing me and he said he felt prompted to tell me that I would see the results of my efforts while I was still on my mission. Didn’t the Stake President say the same thing when he set me apart as a missionary? I am so grateful for worthy Priesthood holders who have influenced my life!

I love you so much! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your great examples and testimonies. Thank you for everything you do. REMEMBER who you are. Live up to the potential you have been pre-ordained to become. Something I have learned is we expect too little! We can all work harder, be better, and expect more of ourselves! I love you so much!

Love,

Sister Garbett