I'm ALIVE!!!

Hello hello! Oh my goodness what should I tell you?! Everything? There's a lot... I'll do my best though with the time I have. So my P-day is Wednesday, if you didn't figure by now.. but in the field it is on Tuesday's. Thank you for all the letters and emails I have gotten. I love hearing from you!!!

So my companion's name is Sister Hadden and she's from Desert Hot Springs, California and is 21! She went to BYUI and has her Bachelors in Accounting. She is an awesome Seester and I love her! We've been having tons of fun :)

It started out kind of rough for us, but after we talked and fasted Sunday we've become best friends! We're similar in a lot of ways, with things we like and such, but when it comes to emotionally... We take things differently. I'm the cry baby who's sensitive as a baby's bottom and she's a rock! Tears don't escape her eyelids. It's amazing. Our favorite thing to do is... get ready for it... SIIIIIIING!!! That was me singing like an old lady. Yes, I've been able to open up my little mouth and sing sing sing. Our district rocks too! We have a bunch of choir kids and only one tone-deaf Elder, so we sing as much as we can to bring in the Spirit. If you're wondering what I do all day it's kind of like this: Wake up, get ready, study, eat, class, teach, study, eat, class, teach, study, eat, study, plan, go to bed. They have us on an intense schedule! My companion keeps me on track and thankfully isn't directionally challenged like I am. There's a reason we're together! Ha hmm what else.. My district has 2 Elder companionships and a trio of Sisters and then us! And we're all going to Ogden together! We also have 3 other Elders in our zone going too! We get to wake up super duper early next Tuesday and get on the Frontrunner at 6:20 AM!!!! We're all upset we're not leaving on Wednesday because L. Tom Perry will be speaking in the devotional next Tuesday night.. Bummed. But still in happy spirits of course! Last night we had a devo with one of the 70 with the last name of.. Zwacks? Something like that. It was AMAZING and the Spirit was so strong! I felt the love of my Savior so much, and also the love of President Monson.

We are kept super busy, but it is awesome! Oh and Sister Hadden and I have been called to be the Sister Training Leaders for the new missionaries coming in today! We are so excited!!! We bought some stuff to decorate their door all cute and make them feel welcome :) can you tell I love it here? Cause I ABSOLUTELY DO!!!!!!! The MTC is a little peace of heaven on Earth.. Seriously. I have been able to feel the Spirit so much, be extremely happy and energized and it's the best! Whoever said that they didn't like the MTC must have gone to the wrong campus cause this place is great! I can't believe I'm leaving in a week..

So we are teaching 2 people right now! One is our PI (progressing investigator) named "Eduardo" and he's role-played by one of our teachers named Brother Neilson. Eduardo is someone from his mission who he taught in Cali and who is struggling with some things in life. We have been able to teach him The Restoration and only got to The Plan of Salvation for a couple minutes because he had to go. But our TRC (an investigator who volunteers to be taught by us missionaries. Whether they are a member, convert, or non-member is unknown and will never be known to us) is who I want to tell you about... Her name is Joy Cepull and she is from Orem Utah. She grew up with many LDS families and has sad stories of the discrimination that she faced as a non-member. She had questions at a young age and still today her mind buzzes with the troubling questions of her soul. She enjoys nature and is huge about finding God through it and not in a church building (she's a naturalist and doesn't like organized religion). So the first day we met with her, she unleashed these questions, which were answerable, but all over the place. I was overwhelmed with trying to help her see her answers and trying to soften her hardened heart. My mind was troubled but excited. I took Conner's advice with his Stick of Ephraim ;) and sought to find the answers. She asked such things like: "Why did Adam partake of the fruit if he was perfect?", "Are there other worlds with life on them? Alternate Universes? Because I believe there is." and so on and so on... ugh. The next day, we decided we needed to find out why on Earth she was meeting with us because our message is of Christ and if she doesn't want to hear about that then.. that's unfortunate. She told us that she wants to know what the big hype about Christ was and why we need him. Okay, we can work with that! I was able to testify to her and show her the answers we had found for her and she was AMAZED. She said no one had answered them for her. PEOPLE! THE BOOK OF MORMON HAS THE ANSWERS. FIND THEM!!! I left her a few scriptures and my testimony and we left feeling on top of the world. I really don't think she is a member but if she is, she knows how to act! I could go on and on about her and her way of thinking and questions but I need to share other stuff! However, The Book of Mormon is the word of God and can answer all questions of the soul. Jesus is the Christ and he died for our sins. I have a challenge for all of you (this was a class activity that I greatly enjoyed and increased my testimony with). In Preach my Gospel, go to the back of lesson 2: The Plan of Salvation. You will see summarized lesson plans. Find the Medium lesson plan. With each sentence apply how the Atonement made this possible. EACH SENTENCE you can apply Christ and His Atonement. Mind Blown. We need Christ and my love for him has grown so much. I didn't realize how much I could learn in a week but it is astonishing. Sister Hadden and I had a little time yesterday on the computers and went to LDS.org. We started to watch The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos. Please... watch them if you haven't already. The one with Mary the Morther of Christ and Let All Children Come unto Me... oh my. We were crying in the computer lab haha! To see how Christ looks upon and feels about the children... Wow. Watch it. Please WATCH IT. 

Sunday night we watched a devo by Elder Bednar that was given at the MTC 2 years ago. They continue to play it every sunday... can you imagine why? Because it is one of the most fantastic talks I have ever heard in my life that has forever changed me. You will not be able to find it because it was a MTC devo but if you can.. you rock and should watch it. It is on The Character of Christ. The concept of charity never had rang so clear to my ears than that night. My understanding of my character increased and the need to "turn outward and resist the natural man" stung my heart. How selfish I have been all these years took root and instantly.. I wanted to become more like the Savior. I wish I had my notes in front of me but I can just tell you that the Spirit was extremely strong. Our district wants to watch it again this Sunday so I will probably get even more insight! So excited.

Okay, I need to go finish my laundry.. We've got lots to do! I need to clean.. eeks. I'm doing well and hoping you are all as well! Next time, I'll have my journal next to me so this goes easier haha it's hard to remember everything and deciding what to tell you. By the way.. Food is BOMB. I have salads and wraps all the time! I thought I would possibly lose some weight maybe but these cookies are to die for... they balance each other out though right?! :P

LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU!!! Maybe if I have more time I can write some more. If not, I'll talk to you next week and hopefully squeeze in a letter sometime.... Okay, got to goooo! I love youuuuu!

P.S. I have a few addresses but not everyone's... can you make sure whoever wants this gets it? Thanks!

Love, 

Sister Gietz