> Paige found our BYU-I friends, Monica Miller & Alisha Hashey! This is the MTC World Famous Map! She is pointing to Chile. This is all the elders coloring for their Thankgiving Service Project. They made 10,000 First Aid Kits and Coloring Books...etc. "My companion can sleep anywhere!" Paige's knee was swollen and bruised from playing sports. "We're Weird" Her package she received from her family and the Murray's! "Thanks MURRAY'S AND CONLEY FAMILY! All the Chilean Elders. "I'm going to miss these guys" Paige with Elder Lopez. HE is her favorite teacher!
Okay, so I don't have much time But I figured I'd give you the "GOODS BADS FUNNIES SPIRITUAL and Other Things" of the week:
Um well lets get the bad stuff out of the way.... First off my favorite elders leave this week :( I love them so much-they make me laugh everyday and the have taught me so much. THEY ARE ALL SPANISH. I swear I love dark guys. They have a LOVE about them. Anyways, I had a really hard day this week. First off it started off good-I was learning alot and spanish was realllly starting to click and then I had class. (One of my teachers cares about us so much and has a love for us-but sometimes she doesn't know how to show it and she is extremely rude) And i'm talking like reallly rude. She knows how to make people feel really stupid. She spoke spanish her whole life (her mom is spanish) so I think she forgets that we are JUST LEARNING and don't know all she knows. She just will say things that make us feel so dumb. Well, I hadnt said anything about it...but it was starting to affect people. THen we had a combined class on Friday and so there were tons of people in our room (and one thing she told me to do in my interview with her a little while ago was to ASK QUESTIONS))) so we were learning about imperfect tense and I didn't get something she said because SHE ONLY speaks in spanish..so I asked her the question in spanish and she responded in the rudest way, making the meanest face and just was so mean about it FOR NO REASON. I just looked down and said, "Okay you don't have to be rude to me." And I forgot about the question. Only like 1 person heard me say that-but I know she felt dumb-so i talked to her after class. I CRIED. I cried because I felt so passionate about learning and was having the best day and she just tore me down. I guess this is a preview of what will happen in the "feild" with REAL people. Its just normally, I never get offended but when I talked to her-I was speaking for the class. After I talked to her, she apolojized to the class and cried to us and I know she will work on it. I also apolojized for saying my comment of her being rude. It's just she is only a year and a half older than me and she sure knows how to make u feel like your 5. But it's all good now...I love and care for her and I know she loves us. But that really kinda made the day bad. So that is the hard thing I had this week. .... BUT THINGS ARE BETTER. Well they are now. This morning I had this REALLY anxious feeling of "How am I going to do this?". I am trying sooo hard to teach in spanish and it is sooo difficult. Imagine getting up in front of a ward in Mexico and trying to teach them. Thats what we have to do everyday ....is teach in front of people...and I kinda go blank. So this morning was tough. BUT TODAY is p-day...so I was really excited to go to the temple. I NEEDED that peaceful feeling. So I went and it was nice. THEN i prayed. I prayed and asked heavenly father to give me guidance and So I opened my scriptures in the temple waiting room to D&C 6. It is where Christ is talking to Oliver Cowdery. I put myself in Oliver's shoes and THIS CHAPTER WAS FOR ME!!! It was amazing! PLEASE READ IT!! Towards the end my favorite scripture in it said to doubt not, fear not. And so thats how I am going to start to be. I am putting myself into this work 100%. I am praying as if everything depends on the Lord but working as if everything depends on me. SO LETTERS....will be slim for the next little bit. I've asked my district leader to not give me my mail until a certain day-so I can focus more. I got 12 letters yesterday. SOunds like a good thing?!! Well it actually stressed me out...Because I am trying sooo hard to focus but Satan will do anything to distract me. So right now I am focused on keeeping in contact with my family and very slim letters for everyone else.
Please read d&c 6 Honestly that was the first time I have opened my scriptures and recieved revelation for myself.
Dear Friends and Family!! So good to hear from you this week. I got hand written letters and dear elders!! WOW did they brighten my day. Please keep them coming :)
So guess what-since I am here during christmas...general authorites come!! We have already had some of the most amazing speakers. I want to tell you about all of them...but One was so awesome. READY TO HEAR THE MOST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE??!! okay so dallin h. oaks wife came and spoke to our RELIEF socioty! How cool is that!! She was so sweet. Well the bestt part of it was that she brought a very special friend of hers... A girl with downs syndrome. This girl (prob. in her 20's) stood up in front of us and bore her testimony. So that brought sniffles to every woman in the room. THEN...they turned on background music and she began to sing a song. THEn she waved her arms to the Guy wayyy up in the audio box that controls the music and she said. HOLD HOLD ON. I need to start over!! and then she looked out at us and said, "Im sorry, I am just so filled with the spirit this morning" Right then and there-we all were bawling.. ..not just because she spoke with such a testimony and sang with her off pitch voice a song ....but because we alll felt the spirit FILLLLLLL that room. MY heart was softend beyond belief. That was one of the best times of my life.
So lately my companion and I have been meeting with 2 chilean elders (im not sure if i told you about him) But they are learning english and we are learning spanish....so they help us a lot! they know a ton of english already. I GET SOOOOOOO gidddy just talking to them!!! I can't wait to be able to learn the language. They both just crack up laughing at me because I make up words along the way.!!!! One day I was like HMMMM fine! You think you can make fun of me!! SAY: SUPERCALAFRAGALISTIC EXPEEEALADOSIOUS. hahhaa They tried sooo hard. and we were dying laughing!!!! I LOVE THEM!!!
Guess what Alicia Hashey comes tomorrow!!! I CANT WAIT TO HUGGGGGGGGGG HER!!! We're not supposed to hug, but i might have to sneak hahha :) jk
So one thing we do is get with our whole district every monday night and plan for the week-this monday my companion had to say 5 things she loved about me. Her things were: I NEVER COMPLAIN, I have such a desire to learn, and I know everybody here already!! ( i definitely don't--but I just love meeting people and she has a harder time with that).
I miss you all. I am struggeling in spanish...lets just say: learning a language is not my cup of tea. Ask me to paint a picture or do a photoshoot-i'll do it. Learn spanish in 9 weeks, UM def. going to have to put 100% effort in- and learn to trust the Lord...because I need him. I guess I'll leave you with that.
I am very tired. ADIDAS means something new to me now . Its not " All day I dream about SOCCER".....its now "All day I dream about SLEEP" I AM VERYYYYY ORGANIZED THO!!!! YOu wouldnt believe it!!! I PROMISE I AM THOUGH!!! Get on the LDs.org website and watch the YOUTUBE VIDEOS: lifting burdens: the Atonement of Jesus Christ and What Matters MOST. I love you byebyeeeeeeeeeeeee :)
Wow! What a crazy ride it has been so far! I feel like I have been here for weeks and its only been like ten days! I have to say although learning spanish this quickly is the hardest thing I've ever done, it is sooo worth it! I am having the time of my life. I have never felt so at peace while being so overwhelmed. I can bear my testimony and pray in spanish, and I also know a bunch of random words. I have taught many 'investigators' of the church and cannot wait to teach everyday and serve the people in Chile. My companions are awesome. All 3 of us are so awesome! My district is awesome! We all get along so well! Each one of us has such different personalities, but we are loving getting to know each other. One of them cracks me up! I almost peed in my pants yesterday from laughing so hard. Let's just say they do things like turn the breakers off in people's room (only for their outlets). Then they'll stick a vacuum under one their buddies beds and turn it on, but it doesn't actually turn on until they go and flip the breaker in the middle of the night. Yeah, imagine waking up to a vacuum turned on under your bed. Haha. They do funny things that definitely keep me entertained. But, the spirit of the MTC is what is literally changing my life. You wouldn't believe what you can learn and feel if you escape the constant distractions like texting, Facebook, internet and TV. I have learned so much and have put my trust int he Lord. I have faith that I will learn the language and be able to serve. I would have to say that if you want to do something that will change your life for the better, this is it. Enough said. I can only write Tuesdays, so I'll try again next week.
Testifico:
Yo Seque el evangelio de JesusCristo ed verdadero. Dios restauro su evengelio a traves de Jose Smith. Podemos saber por media de Espirito santo que el libro de mormon es verdadero. El libro de mormon contiene la palabra de dios. Gracias a este testimonio puedo superar desafios y vivir feliz. Amo a Jesus Cristo y a mi padre celestial yo se que. Mi padre celestial! Me ama. En el number de Jesus Cristo. Amen.
Yayyy!! It's my P-day!!! And I can only write for 20 more minutes so excuse my spelling mistakes. I love those!! WOW! Do i miss you all. I am so sorry I didnt look back. Lets just say-if I did I knew I would have started crying. But, I was welcomed with open arms. Basically everything here is WONDERFUL (and I am not just saying that- I actually mean it!) This is the hardddddddddest thing I have ever done..but I have never felt so at peace. This is where I should be right now in my life. I have gained such a testimony of this gospel and how wonderful it is that we have the TRUTH! My companions and I are all so different (I have two!) But we all get along reallllly well so far. They laugh at me all day and think it's funny how I sing things and make funny noises and goofy faces. They are both very intelligent girls....and are helping me on my spanish!Anyways, I got to meet elder Uchtdorf yesterday!! He is just as wonderful in person!!! I loved it. I know he tans!!! hahhaa :) jk. Did you know we pray over 20 times a day here. NO JOKE. Before and after EVERYTHING!! And yes: IN SPANISH!!! I am progressing with spanish really well---Not as far along as everyone else..but Im getting there. Sometimes I just make up words hoping they work. Heavenly Father must have a sense of humor because sometimes he puts the right words into my mouth..and my companions will just die laughing-knowing those words did NOT come from me....seeing as i didnt even know how to say HELLO in spanish when I got here! (should have tried out that rosetta stone) There is sooo much to say but so little time. I am soooooo healthy!!! I eat sooo much and work out soo much! EVERY OTHER MINUTE OF MY DAY is spent studying. There is no time for makeup-or free time. FREE TIME....um no such thing. It can be a little overwhelming...My companion has cried all day almost everyday. I don't cry anymore!! BUT I did cry last night when I got your letters. SO MANY people have written me...but I have only written you guys. I literrally don't have time to write...and we are only supposed to WRITE on on our p-days!! Man, This place is crazy!! Unlike any other place you have been to...Did you know the FBI just did an investigation on the MTC...and is now trying to imply the teaching methods that they teach here for International relations (foreign language study) What they really don't know is it is the spirit that is teaching us!! I have come to rely on my Heavenly Father so much.... I even bore my testimony in spanish on sunday in front on my whole ward. It is ALLL ELDERS except for my 2 companions and I! ya. WEIRD. but they are soooo respectful. They make me think of Hunter and A.J. and Chandler. I CANNNNOTTTTTTT wait for them to experience this. It is absolutly amazing. . . I wont lie. I am very exausted. I have not written or heard from Elder murray in almost 2 weeks. Its weird..but I think of him everyday walking these halls and between buildings. SO when jamie said he gained weight-I UNDERSTAND WHY!!! I weigh 109 NOW. compaired to the last time i weighed myself at 102. MY stomach is sticking out haha... I have not near as much time as Jamie did. Due to learning spanish. One of my teachers ONLY speaks spanish in class. I raised my hand and said, "um did I miss out on a pre-spanish class...because I HAVE no idea what your saying"... My district is Awesome. 12 elders going to Baltimore spanish speaking and CHILE! One of them is so funny...and they all are kind of trouble makers....somewhat. BUT all have a testimony of GOLD! My letters will give you more of my spiritual experiences... and please share them with whoever you can..maybe even type them up and email them to whoever you can. I just can't be on email very long : ( I have really tried to "set the world aside, and obey with exactness" If you slack off here--you will not be prepared for your mission and being thrown into a Foreign country. RIght now I have running through my head that I have to teach do 10 "door contacts" learn 50 new spanish words today. 10 phrases and teach the 1st discussion to 3 people by the end of the day!! Yes. Its crazy how much you can get done w/o a cell phone and a computer to distract you. OH and Lovely lunches with mother. I LOVE my family sooooooo much. You don't even know. I would type everything in spanish but It would take way to long!! LOVE YOU allllll..... and i'll be sending pictures sooon. Wow... this gospel is amazing. I have never felt more at peace in my entire life. Love, Paige
Anyone who knows Paige Conley, knows Jamie Murray, or as at least heard of him. Well, Paige left on her mission and is the MTC right now, so I haven't heard from her yet. I will on Wednesday, but I found this picture on Jamie's mission blog and it looks like he is alive and doing well! From what I know, he is loving his mission and has even baptized someone! I can't wait to hear from Paige now!
For all those who don't know me, my name is Monica Johnson and I'm going to be keeping a mission blog for our beloved Paige Conley as she leaves on her mission to Concepcion, Chile. Paige is in her FINAL COUNTDOWN before she leaves. If everyone could write a comment under this post and leave Paige some words of encouragement before she leaves, she would LOVE that.
Sister Chandler Myers was called to serve in Fortaleza, Brazil on September 6th, 2015. She left for the Provo MTC on January 6, 2016 where she will spend 6 weeks before leaving for Fortaleza, Brazil for her remaining 18 months. This blog will include her pictures and emails from her experience on her mission. This blog is being kept by her sister, Monica Johnson.
Paige found our BYU-I friends, Monica Miller & Alisha Hashey!
This is the MTC World Famous Map! She is pointing to Chile.
This is all the elders coloring for their Thankgiving Service Project. They made 10,000 First Aid Kits and Coloring Books...etc.
"My companion can sleep anywhere!"
Paige's knee was swollen and bruised from playing sports.
"We're Weird"
Her package she received from her family and the Murray's! "Thanks MURRAY'S AND CONLEY FAMILY!
All the Chilean Elders. "I'm going to miss these guys"
Paige with Elder Lopez. HE is her favorite teacher!
