Our first missionary letter

Do not worry, I won't post every letter she send home, but this was the first and it was so good to hear from her. If you would like to get on her email list and get a letter from her once a week (like this one) Ill include her email address and a picture of her mailing address at the bottom!

Hello Everybody! I am at the MTC and everything is going swimmingly! 

Most of my days are spent speaking broken Spanish with a bunch of white kids and refraining from using the phrase "cold as balls" every time I go outside here. 

We spend a lot, a lot, a lot of time studying the language and The Gospel. It is exhausting and frustrating sometimes when you can't communicate everything you're thinking, but rest assured I am happier than I have been in a while and there is no where else on God's green earth I would rather be struggling. 

Of all the missionaries who have ever had a strange first week at the MTC, I am convinced mine has been the most unique. Please enjoy the following statistics:

-On the day I arrived, more sisters checked into the MTC than elders, this is really, really unusual and as a result, there are more Hermanas in our district than Elders. 

-In that district, there are 12 missionaries. Of the 12, 7 are from Mesa, Arizona, and one is headed there. 

-One of these missionaries is Elder Chappell who I took Mission Prep with last year and who is also headed to Santa Ana. 

-I am a 7 week missionary. What does that mean? It means there was a mistake in my call and they accidentally called me a week early. My district will leave a week earlier than me and I will be relocated to a new district and a new companion and have one extra week to work on the language with Elder Chappell. At first I was appalled. I could have spent an extra week in Italy! But as I have gotten to know my district I have come to find it was no accident. These missionaries are the cream of the crop and it is a huge privilege to struggle along side them. 

I also got to go on a field trip to the Provo Police Station in the back of a Police car! But I didn't get arrested ;) I just had to get finger printed with a couple other sisters to get our state wide clearances. We tried to bribe the officer to take us to in-and -out, but the only thing of value that we had was the knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ....It didn't work out for us. 

I love the sisters in my district especially my companion, Hermana Schnebly. Most of us get to room together which has been a blast so far. One morning we all woke up and said we had heard someone crying in their sleep, another person laughing in their sleep and yet another one speaking Spanish. I said something to the affect of "Ya'll need to see someone about y'alls issues," because let's be real. That's a lot of sleep talking for one room. To which Hermana Stephens replied, "Hermana Strode, it was you speaking in Spanish."    Whoops. 

Thank you for the packages and gifts and letters! I am so loved! But if I could ask for one thing it would be a straw for Hermana Schnebly. She loves ice water but she hates when the ice touches her lips. 

Adios!

Hermana Strode

victoria.strode@myldsmail.net

Standing on your own

 I wanted to take a picture for you of the hymn #'s on the wall in our chapel, to show how we sing the same song, but in two languages at the same time, but wondered if it would be less than reverent. Then as soon as sacrament was over Sorella Sorentena (The ward's historian asked if we could all stay seated to take this years picture.) When the Elder stood to take the picture I snapped my picture.
Talk about convient!

I had a thought on this my third Sunday in this branch of the church: I often will be in church, listening to a speaker, or singing  a hymn and a bit of my mind will wonder. I can keep half listening, or singing and catch back up when I remind myself of my focus. I  can do this because I know the basic principals that are taught and discussed. I can find my spot in the song by listening to those around me and begin where I left off.
(Maybe I am the only one with a wandering mind, and this is a admittance of failure, I am sorry, my mind isn't always 100% focused)


I guess we can call this Italian Spiritual lesson #1
IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY HERE....

I have 10 people around me singing  words I do not understand. Even though the notes are the same and the tune is right, I can not find where I left off so easy. I have to think every word the speaker is saying and study it to know the rest of the sentence, I may only get the gist of any one sentence if I am lucky.
I can not rely on those around me to carry me through each Sunday's lesson. I can not lose focus, not for 10 seconds never mind a minute, or I will be left behind.Searching through the words on the page and feeling helpless and confused. It's frightening to think about this on a larger scale, on what that would mean to my life and my salvation.

However there are a few things that I have going for me,

1) My foundation. Yes, just as I said before, I know a good deal about the teachings of the Gospel of Christ. So when the speaker is talking about something I do not need to know all the words, I know where to find it and how to follow along. I know how to feel the spirit testify to me the truth of the teachings, even in a language I do not understand. I can find myself in a hymn and know the spot of the melody that I know because I have sung it many times before. These are blessings that have come to me because of my past participation in church services, from following the things I have been taught to do and the consequences are a more solid foundation.

2) The Lord has sent help, He does not want any of His children to feel lost. There is someone who can whisper in our ear and tell us what the speaker is saying Sometimes thats a friend, or the Holy Ghost in my case these someones are servants of the Lord. Young Men and Women who have sacrificed for 18- 24 months in order to help me and others like me hear and understand the words of the Lord in a language we understand and feel, and can know of the truth for ourselves without having to rely on those around us.

Build a solid foundation, be around others you can trust to get you back in step if you loose focus, and listen to the small whisperings of truth to help guide you  to better understanding.

live each day like your last

They had names, faces and personalities.

They went to church and worshiped their gods, they had a faith and followed it as well as any of us do on a daily basis.

They had children,  walked them to school. They gave them chores and played with them. They had hopes for the futures and love for their families.

 They had culture, theaters, and orchestras, sporting competitions and hunting festivals.

They had homes that sheltered them and where they felt safe. A place to wake up each day and have more opportunities and to grow and be.

 They looked at the same rising and setting sun that we look at and knew of powers greater than their own.

 They went to work each day and made money, spent it at the market and took care of live stock.

 They cooked meals everyday as they were human like the rest of us. Everyday tasks had to be done and like us are often found boring and tiresome.

 They created, pretty things , clothing, sculptures, things to adorn their lives and bring interest to their environment.

...and then one day it was gone, in the process of doing one of those normal things the volcano in the shadow just took the whole life away.

I can only imagine how they might have enjoyed another day differently if they knew......

For time and all eternity - Gilbert AZ December 30 th 2015

the 1950's wife

The following is excerpts from a 1950's home economics textbook intended for high school girls, teaching them how to prepare for married life:

1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal — on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed. 2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.
5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.
6. Some Don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.

7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.
8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.
10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

We showered the bride 50's style and it was great!