MTC - Week7

Dearest Familia Y Amigos,

Shout-outs.

Mom-thanks for the chapsticks! How did you know they're my favorite? love 'em. Also I got my dress you sent today-gracias!! I cannot believe that Hermana Evan's cousin's go to Fox Mill with the boys, how awesome!! She's fantastic:) We combated against our roommates' snoring together this week. love it.

Mckay-I really appreciated the "long live Harry Potter shout-out. Read D&C 38:13 and 28

Dad-thanks for taking care of my laptop. for the capital one stuff, Hunter can fix it if you give him my account info.

Grant-mom sent me a pic of you and your japanese immersion class. your such a stud little bruddah!!

Rex-Hope you had an awesome bday!!! Glad you liked the card:) I tried to be as gangstah as possible.

Hunt-HUGE thank you again for the sweet package!! Mangoes are almost gone haha. I love the nike workout top, so perfect!

Clark-welcome to Provo! Hope your enjoying living with Hunter and settlin' in. Good luck with your first week of college, you'll love it!! Wasn't The Pie delicious?!? My fave. love you man!

Provo. Alright so now that its been a few days since my temp. re-assignment, I've defiantly experienced a change of heart and attitude-which I really needed. I've realized that this is where the Lord wants me and I need to true of what I've said before-"I'll go where you want me to go!" I know that the Lord has me in mind and looks out for His missionaries, no coincidences. I think its quite rad that Clark flew out to start college here, the same exact day that I found out that I would be serving here!! How rad. I think serving in Provo will be really good for me and that I'll have the priviledge and opportunity of meeting some incredible people, if I continue to strive to work hard & try to see others as Christ

does. Plus its where mamma grew up!! I'm almost done packing and am anxious to leave tomorrow and start teaching-REAL investigators!! And meeting members:) It'll be exciting to email you next week & tell you all about it, I'm sure they'll be some great stories.

Peru. On Saturday, all 14 of the missionaries here that are going to the Trujillo, Peru mission were able to meet our new mission presidents (coming in July). They were SO genuinely happy to finally meet us, after months of studying our faces, names, and praying for all of us. Prez. Marler is really soft-spoken and genuine, I can tell he really has a deep conversion to the Gospel and our Savior. Sis. Marler is such a rockstar, she's kinda bubbly and gets really excited about things, at the end almost started dancing with excitement of when we'll be able to finally go to Peru and meet all the wonderful people there. She's a convert and has an incredible testimony. They brought deserts for us and we each bore our testimony en espanol, in a small classroom. It was crazy to realize how much more I was able to bear testimony of, than I could earlier when we were just barely learning the format for doing so. They told us some great things to know about Trujillo, like how wonderful the members are and how the mission always puts on a huge festival for Christmas with loads of music. And also things like how we can't eat the strawberries or lettuce. Also we don't do tracting. At the end, we all kneeled and prayed for the help of getting our VISA's. Meeting our wonderful Prez Y esposa and hearing all about Peru made me so happy and anxious to go!!! Its just a matter of when....I'm already really thankful for such humble and kind people in my mission! And I already LOVE the people in Peru, I know they will find so much joy in the gospel and joy in serving others. Also check out kurtandkathymarler.blogspot.com and kurtkath.blogspot.com :)

Teaching/Missionary Work. Missionary Work is revelatory work. There's not 1 plan or message for everyone, varies from person to person. PERSONAL APPLICATION!! The more you ACT on the spirit, the more guidance you'll receive. Lord's work, He knows best way to do it. EXACT OBEDIENCE. INVITE, don't just preach. (Our entire PMG purpose as a missionary). No missionary can acheive their full potential without member help!! This week, we had experience with how to answer hard/tricky q's, contacting, and practiced more teaching-even La Le De Castidad. It was kinda weird/random-we were walking around the MTC, practicing contacting and there was a photographer who knelt like right in front of me a few feet away and was snapping so many pictures. Papparazi much? Look out for me in Deseret news or something:)

Worldwide Leadership Broadcast.

Yesterday was the HUGE meeting at the Marriott Center with the First Presidency and Quorum of 12 conducting. Not sure if you watched it, but do so on lds.org!!!!!! It was INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!! Now there are 405 missions and 173 new mission presidents called, that were all there for the meeting and at the MTC for other leadership mtngs. Many people from different countries were watching it and Elder Holland showed their live video too so he could say hi. We saw a small branch in Lima, Peru & they were so happy to be able to be shown on the broadcast. Holland said "from Peru to Provo, its almost poetic-it has a nice ring to it." haha I think Provo to Peru does too:) The main re-occurring theme was really involving members, ward councils, ward missionary leaders, bishops, etc. with the full-time missionaries. A lot of what was talked about reminded me of what we learned about reminded me of In-Field Training.

-Team of member-missionary work!! We're all in this together. The work of salvation excludes NO ONE!

-The need to preach the gospel has never been greater!!! They'll follow the example of Jesus Christ and teach His restored gospel. Work coordinated with each other! Using social networking to connect with others.

-Our work begins on our knees, where we receive personal revelation.

-It's His work, as we do our best, He will not let us fail. Entitled to His help. TRUST!

-Follow impulses and feelings of the heart and faith, act on LOVE!

-"Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, so am I in their midst."

-"We cannot always see the end from the beginning"

-Single purpose and unified vision

-The revelation and spirit comes when you start!!

Randoms.

"Blessed are the flexible, for they will not get bent out of shape." haha they were TONS of people at the MTC this week!!! People were like savages tryin' to get some milk for cheerios.

I saw John Armbruster on his 2nd day!!!

Ghostbuster vacuums. Too good.

I am so grateful to be here!! Especially when we were at the broadcast, it hit me of how crucial and amazing missionary work really is!! I don't think I could ever take it for granted, each day its like woah!! I'm a MISSIONARY!!! It's something I've always wanted to, a desire to serve the Lord and now I really am doing it and am involved in the work of salvation!! I can still remember many times in primary, YW, etc. talking about how I wanted to be a missionary when I grew up. haha its so crazy sometimes, but even more incredible!!! I know this is where I need to be right now and I know the Lord is preparing people to be taught. I'm so thankful that I am not the teacher, the Holy Ghost is, and I am merely just an instrument that can be used in the conversion process. I know Heavenly Father lives and knows us all personally, as indivisual sons and daughters. I know that I will one day see Him again, and am grateful that my family can be together forever. I'm so thankful and have a strong testimony of the restoration of the gospel. Whenever I read the Book of Mormon, I know its the word of God because I feel the Spirit so strongly. I know He calls prophets to lead and guide us and I know Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. I know Jesus Christ died to atone for our sins, that we can repent and our sins be made clean again. Yo se que este iglesia es verdadera!!! I love you all and thank you for all of your uplifting words and testimonies:) STAY STRONG & INVITE OTHERS TO THE FOLD!

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Rachel Anne Boody

Slight Detour until my Visa Arrives

So today was the big day!! All of the missionaries in my district received our re-assignments today. So...are you ready?

yeah?

drum-roll.......

Not one, not two, but THREE Boody children will all be in Provo, UT this summer!!! Two as students at BYU and one as a spanish-speaking MISSIONARY!!! As you could only imagine (since I don't know how/if I can attatch a video to this email) my reaction was quite priceless. I was shocked and...well yeah-disappointed. Provo? Me? En serio? My intial thoughts and feelings since reading it were not ones of genuine excitement, but I'm trying to be happy & pumped about it. Heavenly Father certainly has a sense of humor!!!!!!!!!!!!! Esp. since I prayed before to be able to be happy with wherever I got called for this re-assignment. well I certainly needed that help!!! Still do. TONS. Just trying to keep strong faith in my Savior and His plan for me and my work as a missionary. I'm grateful for my companion who really helped me realize the greater picture of it all, rather than focusing on my own wants and desires. THIS WORK IS NOT ABOUT ME OR MY WANTS!!! Being humbled left and right:) I never wanted to serve in Utah....

 I'll be leaving the MTC on Tuesday, at 4:45pm. Not too far of a drive....

My address is:

Hermana Rachel Anne Boody

Utah Provo Mission

85 North 600 East

Provo, UT 84606

Try to keep the jokes to a minimum, although I'm sure its very tempting! At least I don't have to do any long traveling until Peru! He knows that I hate packing:) And Delta. and weighing luggage.

Love you all TONS,

Hermana Boody

MTC - Week 6

Buenos Tardes Mi Familia!

Another crazy, yet wonderful week at the MTC!!

shout-outs. ConGRADulations Clark Daniel!! I can't believe your already completely done at Madison. Thats sickkk!! And you'll be flying out to start college so soon, how wonderful!!!!!!

VISA. Well kinda surprised when we received notification that we were staying another week, but its in His timing. I just hope its not any longer! jaja. but seriously....:) It's actually been a blessing thus far, because we'll have this week to have loads more practice with teaching and reviewing espanol-which yo necesito mucho. My name will be re-submitted for a re-assig. call this Thursday! But I could also get my VISA, so yeah..loads of prayers. PERU or bust!!! With a smaller district, we'll get really tight and it'll be fun to focus more on lang. and doctrine. Its just weird saying goodbye to everyone else in our district and saying goodbyes, yet we're not leaving yet...jaja. From what they've told us, we still have our 2 main teachers and classroom, hopefully are in the same zone too. I just have no idea what our schedule looks like.

District/Zone. On Monday, our done started a 24 hour fast together before personal study. Many of us were feeling worried/stressed about VISAs/lack thereof and felt like it would be a great opportunity to fast together and gain strength and unity as a district. We've certainly come a long way and its wonderful to have seen that progress and improvement. Since then, 2 Elders were issued re-assignments on Wednesday-one to SLC and one to CA until their VISAs come for Argentina. We said goodbye to the District that had arrived a week before we did. They've been a great influence and are already missed greatly! On Saturday night, we had our Departing District Testimony Meeting, the newest district of 8 Elderes came that barely arrived on Wednesday. It was surreal to bear mine and hear those of the missionaries in my district. It's just so weird that we're already leaving, yet its also felt like we've been here for ages. jaja. once again, such a time warp. Also on Saturday, the Elderes gave all the Hermanas blessings, since they all left this morning and we'll also be eventually (hopefully) be leaving for the mission field too. It was incredible!!! Sitting in a circle of Elderes that I have learned to respect so greatly and have gotten to know so well-like brothers. All there because they love me and want me to be a successful and happy missionary. The words that were spoken and spirit felt was indescribable!! It brought such comfort to me and the worries/fears of entering the field. Esp. words that were spoken about my family and siblings. Just from that alone, I know that God knows me personally and knows my strengths and weaknesses, esp. those felt with all the expectations and responsibilities of being a missionary. I'll never forget those promised blessings of comfort and strength. But more importantly, I'll NEVER forget what was felt, I know that God lives and loves us in ways that we cannot even fully comprehend. I'm grateful for these men and especially the power of the priesthood. On Sunday, we all sang "We'll Bring The World His Truth" at our branch meeting. Chills up & down my spine!! Yesterday, my comp and I were in charge of teaching the District Mtng(Sunday School). We taught and had a discussion about Faith in Jesus Christ. It was great to be reminded of how much is possible, through having faith in Him and being blessed by doing so!! That's something I've certainly learned a TON about on my mission so far. Heavenly Father certainly blesses us with our lack of faith and I've really had to rely on my faith in Jesus Christ to be doing missionary work. It's incredible to see it being grown, tested, and strengthened.  Each missionary has taught me something specific and I love all of these friendships, a brotherhood in the gospel. Ahhh just incredible!! Many left this morning and it was weird to see them go:(

Devo. On Tuesday, we had our weekly devotional in the Marriott Center. First time ever-that the MTC held our devotional there, so naturally-there was a LOT of press. Also from walking from the MTC to devotional, I'm pretty sure I managed to be in about 25 iphone pictures...haha the people driving by were very entertaining. And shocked cause there was such a HUGE crowd of us missionaries. This upcoming Sunday, we'll be attending a huge Worldwide Broadcast Training meeting, with the First Presidency and Quorum of the 12 conducting. Pretty legit!! I'm excited, we'll make up a few thousand and they're even giving out tickets for the rest of the seats at the Mariott Center. Try to watch it on lds.org or something! Also at devotional, the speaker taught about the story of Moses and the fact that his speech wasn't very good, but he was still blessed with being able to touch the hearts of the people. I thought so much about Hunter.

Seriously you are one of my very favorite people in the world!! You've always been an incredible older brother to us and have set a wonderful example. But now especially, serving a mission myself has made me realize what a challenge, but also blessing your service was!!! You've strengthened me by your words, time, and love. I know that I can count on you and yo got my back! jaja. But really, thank you for being an incredible person that I can look up to. It's made all the difference in the world to have a strong relationship with you. I know you've experienced many things that have been frustrating and challenging, but you've stepped up and relied on the Lord rather than get discouraged! How remarkable. I love you so much and just wanted to take time to express my gratitude. Thank you for caring about me and letting me crash the couch many nights in SLC.jaja and all of those jazz games! I miss that ghetto Mexican food card we ate at between conference sessions. I have LOVED and cherished all of our adventures together!! Next road trip-Zion's National Park!! I want to show you some of my favorite views in the world!! (and hikes). Enjoy your last few days in Oregon, then with settling in your apt. with Clark in Provo.  

Hosting. This week, I hosted 2 sisters. One's headed to Tuscon, AZ & the other to Montreal, Can. Pretty awesome! Once again, it was fun/entertaining to see so many families drop off their kids and seeing their happy and excited, yet also terrified faces.

This week, we had In-Field Training! It was all day, but broken up to different groups so it didn't seem too long. We learned a lot about goal-setting, contacting, introducing ourselves to the ward, bishop, etc. It was awesome to see how we can use all different parts and tools of missionary work to be the most successful!! Referrals are key, members are golden. Have faith!! It really opened my eyes as to what day-to-day missionaries in the field do and how to plan to make your time really effective.

Teaching. We taught Moises about the Apostasy and Restoration! It went really well. I couldn't help but smile so big while my comp. said the account of the 1st vision PERFECTLY in spanish. Then he saw it and smiled too. It was my first time teaching about the apostasy and it was awesome, I was relieved that somehow I was able to say what I needed to en espanol. Tender mercy!! Our teacher, Hermano Roden, must think we are so ridiculous sometimes. Like acting out things with our hands that we don't know how to say in spanish. Or laugh when it gets kinda awkward. Afterwards, I asked him for feedback and I was surprised what he had to say! He said our personalities compliment each other really well, and its easier to teach in a light and comfortable environment, because the investigator will feel more comfortable and open. Something that he also said that I thought was really insightful was to teach others as if they were you, without the gospel. You'll be encouraged to try much harder, fighting for your own salvation!!!

Father's Day. We were able to watch the Spoken Word before Relief Society and they had a wonderful compilation of clips where children talk about why they love their dad's. So precious. It reminded me of so many fond memories that we've had over the years!! Chaparonign field trips, commuting for work, lunch at potbelley's, washing the car, hanging with my friends, you dancing in front of the TV at my bday party where we watched Ferris Buehler's day off, then you ruining the plot of Disturbia, surfing the waves at the beach, target trips, taking care of me when I got a concussion in like 4th grade, etc. You've really showed me that t.i.m.e. really spells love. Thank you for spending time with me, even if you were really busy. It's cool that I know all of your co-workers quite well, from all of the many times that I came to your office after working at the Archives. And that one day with the Earthquake downtown and us taking advantage of the building's closure by going to see Midnight in Paris. I'd like to think that I can take credit of inheriting your eye color and humor:) I really appreciate all you've done for me & wanted to make sure you knew how much I love you. Did you like your father's day gift? I thought the card was perfect. Enjoy riding the rails!! Your the best pappa bear around:) I think of you often.

Goals. Don't wish a day away. Really enjoy this next week!! I think it'll be fun, small district and time to review!! repaso.

Randoms. Mouse madness in the residence. Seriously everyone was going CRAZY, its like they had never seen a mouse before. Highly entertaining. I love playing volleyball! Actually not half bad. Got a sickkk package-two words: Hawaiian punch. and tiny cups. Don't judge mom! :)

Provo MTC Week 5

Buenos Dias Mi Familia!! Shout-Outs. Dad, thank you very much for the awesome package of pens and post-its!! I've already used it tons:) Mom, thanks for all the dear elders! I always die laughing when I read them in my bed all tucked up at night. I almost cried with laughter when I read "true daat." classic. I really needed a good laugh after a long day, so thank you!!! Happy Father's Day, Eric Earl!! I'm sending a package today:) Hosting. So this week, our district had the opportunity to be hosts for the missionaries that arrived on Wednesday. I was really excited for it & we had a blast!! That day set a record here at the MTC-940 missionaries arrived, the most the MTC has ever seen in one day. I helped 4 sisters with their bags, getting their books, finding their residence, and meeting their teachers-one sister was from Australia, it was cool meeting an international missionary. They are going to: Lubbock, TX; Orlando, FL; Chile; Phillipeans. It renewed my excitement as a missionary and was so awesome to see such a large group of other missionaries that are SO pumped to be here and start doing God's work. My comp and I were suuuuper tired after though. Those suitcases were loads of fun to carry up 4 flights of stairs. And it was a flashback of my first day and some of my first thoughts of when I arrived. I'm really glad that I was able to say all of my hard goodbyes to immidiate family/friends before I left, so it wasn't this huge dramatic goodbye at the curb. There was one family that seriously took foreveeeeer saying goodbye and each cried hysterically while they heled the missionary-all while the grandpa was filming it. jaja. I didn't even tear up when I said adios at the airport, but I've sure caught up here:) Please thank Aunt Margaret again for dropping me off at the MTC:) VISA/Traveling. Earlier this week during language study, the Hermanas and I all prayed together for our VISAs and for us to be happy with whatever happens. It was really interesting and exactly what I needed, esp. since Mom said that Dad was wondering why I was so convinced that it won't come in time. This whole time, I've thought about it from a completely wrong approach and just assumed that it wouldn't come in time. But like we read in Isaish "My ways are not your ways, etc." I need to have faith and stop thinking so pragmatically. The Lord will bless me & make up for my lack of faith. I've been praying a lot more and have tried to align my will with His-whatever happens will be what is best and along His timing. With that being said, I should receive my travel itinerary this Thurs/Fri and will know where I'll be headed next. I'm excited!!! Teaching. Really learning the truth of how important it is to realize that our calling is to teach PEOPLE, not lessons!!! During many of these discussions, I've been able to see everything different and with a fresh pair of eyes-as they would. This week, my comp and I taught Hno. Henderson the Plan of Salvation and he said it was one of our best lessons, we didn't bring any notes in spanish, just bullet points in eng. It really tests us how much real spanish we know, which is intimidating, but how we can improve!! We were following up with our "investigator" Moises and he was saying that his daughter didn't want to come to church because she feels uncomfortable in new situations, etc. I randomly suggested that we could talk to Santiago (our other "investigator") and that his son could befriend Moises' daughter. jaja. so random, using one investigator's kid to help another's!! I'm sure they'll become great friends in primary. We did an activity with Hno. Henderson which was really cool, we all sat as if we were on an autobus and practiced sharing a tid-bit about the gospel, in about 5 mins. It was a really cool exercize, esp. since we'll have these opportunities in the near future with traveling! Service. For service on Friday, we had the lovely job of cleaning the bathrooms in 7M. Too bad my comp nor I had our cameras with us!! A classic gloves, goggles, and toilet brush would've been perfect. The best part of it all was that there was a single urinal in one of the larger bathrooms on the 3rd floor. We were a little confused...haha okkk? It's always a really nice break from studying to clean for awhile and do some service! Service with a smile-as mamma boody likes to say:) Devotionals. On Tuesday, Elder Callister and his wife came and spoke. Fellow tax lawyer! He taught about following the blueprint of the New Testament (Christ's Church) and matching it up with our current church and doctrines/beliefs. Everything matches up perfectly and the scriptures back everything up. It was great to view everything as a large picture and organization. And of course comforting to know that I belong to Christ's church. What I really loved and took away from it was remembering the scripture "By Their Fruits, ye shall know them." And our link to heaven is revelation. Esp. since in class, we talked and were reminded of why we teach in an organized, foundational, and chronological order. Then last night for Sunday devotional, Richard Heaton spoke and gave a wonderful talk of how the missionary's and investigator's expectations don't match up some of the time. Robert Heaton's brother, holler for me:) Some really good points that he made: -More than we know, He is helping us and we are God's servants! -Match up the planes of the investigators and the missionaries: Don't assume and try to see eye 2 eye. Understand one another!! -Different expectations of each person -Missionaries are servants of God with a clear purpose and relevant message -God knows the investigators and has been preparing them since before the missionaries arrived= TRUST the spirit -They are being drawn to God, whether they know it or not -Have agency and need to make own decisions -Missionaries are guided by charity: guide and help Zone/District. This week on wednesday, we got a new district of 10 Elderes, no Hermanas:( I played volleyball with some of them on sat with Hermana Laskie and they're cool. Most just barely graduated HS. Also on Sat, we had a Departing District Testimony Meeting for the district that came 1 week before we did. They are leaving this week-half to SC and the other half to AL (spanish speaking). It's REALLY weird to think that we'll be the next departing district in about a WEEK!! crazy. I feel like we literally just barely got here & we're already leaving:( My district has made some goals this week to try to become more unified and feel like a family for one another. The Elders are going to give us each a "father's blessing" on Sunday before we leave the MTC. It was so touching, Elder Buehner lost his father a few years ago and told us all that we've become like a family to him here, at the MTC. He's such a great missionary!! Janice & Dennis Ickes's daughter knows his family:) RS. Sister Anne Clegg gave us "The most important 3 things to know before you go" It was pretty cool: 1. Know your purpose! (PMG) Find everyone to teach, as a representative-INVITE them to Jesus Christ 2. Be BOLD!!! Trust in the Lord and do as directed. Don't be afraid or shy, 3. Expect miracles. They WILL come. Language especially!! Randoms. My friends Brittany & Mckay Warnick are getting married on Aug 10th! And my other Jacob Lake friend Jenna Knight is engaged to be married on Oct 12th. Mom's met both:) I saw my friend from BYUI, Britnii Anderson this week! She's headed to SLC. Hna. Evans Y Yo were on a temporary exchange to go running around the field this week and met Janice Kapp Perry! We ran right past her while she was walking and I did a double-take, she looked familiar for some reason. We each gave her a hug and said how much we love the song that she just wrote-"The Sistes of Zion." What a rockstar!!! Favorite Quotes/Scriptures. " Live worthily of your calling." "Trust the Lord, go to sleep, and wake up happy." If none else, do it for the son of God If we allow it to/make the decision, the mission can change us-my teacher Hno. Henderson Alma 43:1 Alma 17: 2-3 Alma 38: 10-12 D & C 90:11 Goals. Work on the patience attribute of Christ Memorize DYC 4 en espanol Memorize order of PMG lessons Extend vocab to use in bearing testimony & praying Share testimony daily to random people Picture a day! Improve teaching strategies Speak more spanish!! I see miracles and tender mercies everyday. I am amazed when I realize the love that the Savior has for each and every one of us. I know God lives and loves His children very much. I'm so thankful for the gospel and the comfort and peace that it brings in my life. It's just incredible, simply incredible. I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and have a purpose, how amazing it really is to know and understand that. I'm so thankful for my family and the fact that we can be together forever!! Thank you for everything that you've done for me and made sacrifices for. It's weird bearing my testimony in english right now...Yo se que El Libro de Mormon is verdad Y las palabras de Dios! I'm in Enos right now. Love you all more than you will ever know!! I look at our family pictures often and miss you all:) Con Mucho Amor, Hermana Rachel Anne Boody PS ..we got roommates this week! 2 hermanas, headed to Chile. One talks in her sleep, which is naturally quite entertaining. LOVE YOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Provo MTC Week 4

Mi Familia!!

Shout-Outs. Grant-nice artwork buddy! My hermanas really appreciated the letter you wrote back too:) Mom-thanks for sending the small pocket-sized calendars. Much appreciated! I shared the other 4 with some missionaries in my district. Also I saw Sis.Megan Livingston on her 2nd day here!! I met her DL while I was waiting at the copy center too. Korean will be hard, but I know she'll do GREAT!!! Also she said that Sis.Doolittle made a cardboard cut-out blown up picture of me with a BoM and its in some of the jumping pictures at Courtney's wedding! haha I wanna see some:) Classic.

Tuesday Devotional. The Zwicks spoke with us for devotional. His construction company built the Portland temple!! So cool, he showed us some great pictures of the beginning stages of building and the original plans and such. Thought of you tons Hunter!!! Such a beautiful temple:) Some notes that I took:

-The Savior gives us the ability and strength to do all assignments.

-We can do it with His strength!! Don't let our circumstances define who you are!!

-Have unwavering faith.

-The Lord answers our prayers often through one of His servants. I've especially seen this to be true all through my life and now with the people in my district and zone. So grateful for all of the wonderful examples I have in my life!! Shout-out to the Copans and my Jacob lake family:)

-Study the Savior's life and strive to develop those attributes

-Quorum of 12 REALLY involved in ALL the details of missionary work. How incredible! I know my call is one of God and was divine revelation.

-Rather than giving into fears of being homesick/overwhelmed/scared/out of one's comfort zone--build and deepen faith in Jesus Christ!! OVERCOME.

5 things to succeed as a missionary:

1-Come unto Christ

2-Partake

3-Offer your whole Soul

4-Fast & Pray!

5-Endure to the end

Also Bro.Z talked about a few things to become more Christ-like, that he made an analogy with the construction of the Portland temple:

1-Start with the end in mind

2-Strong desire and commitment

3-Willingness & Discipline to work HARD

4-Prepare for challenges\

5-Structural and spiritual integrity

6-total dedication to the Lord

Teaching. My companion and I are still regularly teaching Moises Y Santiago. Lately we've been learning about and working on practicing giving a more personal testimony and explanation of the Book of Mormon. And explain how/why it will be important to their life. Personalizing the gospel to the person's needs!! And simplifying the atonement. TRC this week was wonderful!! We spoke with 2 member volunteers and had a great conversation about how to feel and recognize the Holy Ghost's influence more in our life and what we can do to invite it more with our activities and decisions. And how to receive answers to questions with earnest prayers. LIMITING DISTRACTIONS and such. The spirit was there really strong and it was fun to read the feedback that they wrote after we left. TRC's are probably my absolute favorite aspect of teaching. Because all members need to be strengthened and reminders of what really matters most:)

Language. We took a short language assessment last week and I read the feedback that one of the teachers provided. It was kinda funny realizing how my sentences didn't really make any sense with how I conjugated the verb...Trying to roll my "r" so that the word has the correct meaning. My comp made a song/melody to memorize the 1st vision which was really helpful! Except its HILARIOUS cause in one of our lessons I was quoting it, but started to kind of sing it, to remember the phrases/sentences. Too good! I've got the baptismal invitation down and now wanna work on memorizing D Y C 4 and my purpose as a missionary (PMG). At the end of every class with Hermano Roden, we always read from El Libro de Mormon and try to translate what its saying, then double-check it with the English BoM. Its surprising how much we're now able to translate. And I'm really glad that the Hermanas Y Yo have already been reading out of it each night in our room, it really has been helpful:) Also singing himnos is quite an adventure! It's usually the same melody/rhythm as the hymn in English-except it doesn't sound too fantastic when we sing it since we're trying to get the pronunciation right. jaja. I usually end up singing it just a tad faster than everyone else too...its esp. entertaining at church since all but one members of the branch presidency doesn't know Spanish. 

VISA. Yeah..so 99.9% sure that it won't come in time, which is fine. I'll find out my temporary re-assignment (state side) soon and will be able to call home to let you all know! I'm excited to find out where and get the travel plans for it. Any guesses? I hope CA! actually anywhere.

Zone. This week on Wednesday, we got a new district of 4 Hermanas Y 4 Elders. They're great and most are from UT. Our Branch President is really nice and welcoming. Its really funny to read what he emails us back each week tho, all of us get the same paragraph about something. His wife, Sis. Wing is really nice and laughs at my silly jokes-so that’s sweet:) She told us this week that he's a roller-blader.jajaja. Yesterday, in our fast & testimony meeting, I bore mine in mostly spanish! I was surprised with how much I was able to say-even used a phrase in the imperfect from HS. Fought back the tears when I expressed my gratitude and love for my family! Phew.

Missionary work in general. One of our teachers-Hermano Henderson-gave us a really good thought to keep in mind. What if the ZL/DL/AP/MP/Member of the 12 came with us while we were tracting and proselyting one day? What difference would it make with our decisions/behavior/studies/interacting with people? We need to realize and remember that Jesus Christ HAS promised to always be with us, so we already SHOULD be acting and being our absolute BEST! Good to keep in mind:) when we do our absolute BEST, He will bless us greatly. Be obedient to what you do & why you do it. Have REAL intent, pure heart, and do it for the right reasons (whole heart & mind). I'll cast my burdens at His feet, He'll renew my strength to be able to accomplish what is asked of me. "Tsunami of sisters" we have 1,254 right now! Can't remember if I already said that from last week...Daily determination and diligence!! This should be a pure & unselfish service-Alma 26:12. Picture the end goal/person that you want to become and all of your decisions after that will either move you closer to that goal of further away. From Hno. Roden-You are confined to the boundaries that you set for yourself. Never thing that anything is impossible, but rather have the faith and work hard so that Heavenly Father will bless you will the ability for it to be accomplished.

Current Goals for the week:

-Memorize D Y C 4 and my purpose as a missionary en espanol

-Develop more Christ-like attributes

-Speak more spanish!! (Meal times, class, etc.)

-Use less notes for lessons with the investigators, more planning as a companionship

-Expand vocab/ability to use more phrases with what I want to say and communicate with prayers and bearing testimony in spanish

-Memorize the order to the lessons in PMG

-Stay more awake in class and with planning the lessons.jaja.

Current Favorite Scriptures:

-Alma 26:12

-D&C 136:28

-Omni 1:26

-D&C 50: 13-14, 42:6

-2 Nephi 31:20

-D&C 133: 44-53 

Randoms.

-An Elder in my district got a package with mangoes, and naturally, I was really excited about some real fresh fruit! Except I cut it really weird and got it ALL over my hands and face. Everyone was dying laughing and Elder Endicott, our ZL, took a photo. Slightly embarrassing, but so delicious! Small sacrifices.

-My comp and I noticed that a few of the toilets in our residence had started to overflow and the water was getting ALL over the floor. So I called the main info desk and after describing it, he said someone from security would come (what help would that be?), then maintenance if needed. It was really funny for some reason. Esp. when there was a PA system announcement saying that a male would be entering the residence and all sisters should be dressed appropriately...jaja.

-I've been here for almost a month and have only lost 2 of my things! For me, that’s pretty good:)

-Yesterday at mission conference, sis.Nally (president of MTC's wife) spoke of how she has attended many humble setting sacrament meetings-one of which she described as being near the North Rim and that everyone was in uniforms. Sounded like Jacob Lake!!! Woah I miss that place. And the Grand Canyon!! I'm really excited for the next time that I'll hike rim2rim!!

-For a few nights last week, I couldn't sleep..but now I'm out within a few minutes!

-Its weird not hearing my first name. I miss it! But I guess "Boody" will always serve me as a nice ice-breaker. EVERYONE has a clever joke they want to share...haha.

I'm extremely grateful and feel very blessed to be here right now, preparing to teach the gospel to the people of Peru. Being a missionary is quite different from what I had always thought it would be/imagined. But in a good way!! I've never felt so close to my Savior and understood the Atonement in such a depth. Everyday-I desperately NEED the guidance of the Holy Ghost and its incredible to have that influence daily. Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador Y Redentor. Yo se que Dios es mi amoroso Padre Celestial. Yo se que Jose Smith resturado la iglesia en este tierra Y es un profeta verdad. Yo se que este iglesia es verdad Y la iglesia de Jesucristo. Yo se que El Libro de Mormon es verdad Y Yo siento el Espiritu Santo cuando leer los paginas. Yo se que mi familia es eternal. Yo estoy muy agradecido por todos mis bendiciones. En el nombre de Jesucristo amen.

Con Mucho Amor siempre

Hermana Rachel Anne Boody