Workhorse - Week 17

I love you guys. Thanks for the email. I told my syuke how email time is better than Christmas! Honestly, I always look forward to reading your letters and seeing all your pictures. I love you guys :)

It's been one of the more tough weeks, in all honesty. I would appreciate that hug you mentioned haha. We've had long days this week and have taught a lot, which is good, but I guess I just have been feeling the added stress of knowing people and places, and trying not to forget anything or anybody. There's so much to know and do, and so many places to be, and the language thing is still a project in the making....is that how the saying goes? I can teach the lessons haha. But some extra language wouldn't hurt in the structural side of missionary work. I feel tired. BUT, things are working out. We had an awesoem mission tour on Thursday, where we got to meet with Elder Funk and Elder Wong. It was a really great day. And I love President and Sister Hawks. He is all about business, but is still so personal. I got to interview with Elder Funk afterward, and it was short and sweet and good.

Ya, it was a bit of both with Tyler. Relief and sad. It's kind of like a backwards sort of tender mercy ha. Because I was thinking about how it was exactly a year before we went to email last week, and so when I got that email from him it made me kind of smile I guess. Kind of like a joke that's really not that funny haha. But it was a good reminder that things work out just fine, and Heavenly Father knows. so that was nice. Look how cheesy that sounds. And I meant to get mad at you in my last letter about not feeling productive or whatever...what you're doing with everyone back home is 1000 times more influencial and meaningful than this mission I'm doing, and I absolutely mean that. I dont know if you realize how much you and dad mean to us kids, especially me, and all the memories and experiences and fun and work we've had together. Honestly. I know you have a lot of stuff going on, and I hope you feel better soon, but you and what you've done mean the world to a lot of people. So thanks.

Ya I exercise haha.  I'm doing the squats and we run every morning. This last week was a bit more rushed because we had lessons in the morning. I buy a bunch of vegetables and eat those. I haven't bought peanut butter since that letter about it haha. But the food here is all rice and noodles and bread and sauce. I need to maybe take better thought about what I'm eating. For a package...I would love maybe some more white shade shirts? that would be nice. Mine aren't super white anymore haha. and maybe some of those no-show socks?  My syuke is great. We had a good week...this is her last 2 weeks of sumer, and she's doing this, and it's not easy. But things are good. One more week.

The routine is tough, but totally doable. I think it's really just mental, and most of the time I just don't think about it. Or when I do think about it, I have certain sayings to get me back into it. I usually start thinking about the Savior, and really how this is a privilege to be a part of His work. I think about President Uchtdorf's quote about how God knows some of the greatest souls to ever live won't be found in the chronicles of history. I feel like there  is something profound in the humble and steadfast servants of the Lord. So I recommit my mind and say a prayer to tell Heavenly Father that I can be His workhorse. He can give me the job no one else will do, because I'll do it. I hope that doesn't sound too dramatic. But I hope He would trust me enough to let me work. And I think about Elder Holland's talk at the MTC - to give my very best in the most honest way I know how. He said that His mission meant more to him than any mission has meant to anybody else. And I get this visual of him visiting our mission, and as he shakes everyone's hands and does that "personal interview through their eyes" sort of thing....I'd like him to feel like he has some competition in that regard haha. So then I get re-energized and I keep going. I dont know. That's what I do. But I'm doing good. We had probably my busiest week of my mission this last week, and we're still breathing :) We had some disappointments and sad things, but nothing's over yet. My time's about up, but Happy Birthday Camilla! I have a present to send to Camilla and Jack. Sorry, I'm the worst haha. Love you all!

Hannah