It's back to preparation day already! I can't believe how fast the time goes. I guess I expected it to drag by at first, and pick up later. Maybe it will start dragging at some other time...
I am once again established as the one who knows all the weird words. I blame this mostly on my parents, and perhaps indirectly on Grandpa. I've discovered that saying things like "Mecca", and "circumlocution" invites blank stares. I wonder if this reputation will continue throughout my life, or if I'll be able to teach everyone in the world all the words that I have ever heard. The former is probably more likely.
One of my favorite things about the MTC is hearing all the different languages people are learning. Often during study time, missionaries will sit on benches outside. Sometimes we use each other to practice introducing ourselves, bearing testimony, asking for referrals, etc. This week, in addition to bearing my own testimony in Mandarin I don't know how many times, I heard testimony is Cambodian, Vietnamese, German, and Spanish. Pretty amazing.
I've started myself on a Spanish fast while I'm in the MTC. This is probably one of the hardest things I've done since I got here, but I think it's for the better. I hadn't been speaking Spanish too much, but on a regular basis because there are so many Spanish speakers and Spanish students around here. I decided that I would give it up temporarily as a way of putting all my efforts into my current calling from the Lord, which is fundamentally connected to my studying Mandarin. As I think I've said before, in my experience the Lord always blesses us for giving up things in his service, and I don't doubt that this will be the case as I try to consecrate all of my resources of time and mental ability to my mission call. I hope that there is room in my life for both Spanish and Mandarin, but for the next little while it's all Mandarin all the time.
My companion continues to endear herself to me. She's definitely the cute, feminine one of the two of us. She has her "cute MTC clothes" and her "ugly bike-riding clothes." Assuming those are the only two clothing categories, mine must all fall into the "ugly bike-riding" part. She also amused both of us by opening a lesson that we taught by asking the investigator what her favorite sport was. This may not have been my number one get-to-know-you question to a 35-year-old Chinese woman, but at least now we know that Sister Gong would rather swim than play football.
Well, this week's letter reaches its end. Missionary work is still awesome.
Love,
Sister Andersen
7 comments:
Sister Andersen . . .
Your parents shared this site with me, and I feel honored to keep up on your life. You can scarcely imagine how proud they are. You are an amazing person.
Best wishes . . .
John-Mark Stensvaag
Sister Andersen!! Agh, I am so sad that I missed you that night we wanted to get together but I saw your note on Facebook and I'm super excited that you have a blog. I hope you're having the time of your life! Oh and guess who my sister saw the other day? Sister Eggett! She went to Arizona over the weekend and the ward she went to just happened to be the one she was in! Crazy, huh? Anyways, definitely adding you as a friend on my blog :) haha, miss you but you're amazing. You already know that.
Church is true! Go be awesome!
Trina
Sister Andersen!
That must be so hard to give up Spanish for a time. Thank you for the reminder that sacrifice brings better blessings. Evan defended his thesis on Friday and started his job in Orem yesterday. Evan is very excited to be done with school. We got Seven Peaks passes, which is really fun, but Moriah hates the water. We are working on initiating her to the water:-) I love being a mom.
We miss you and thanks for the updates.
I feel proud to know that I understand both "Mecca" and "circumlocution". Maybe I'm keeping up with your extensively active lexicon somewhat. And I think the Spanish fast is a great idea, even though it hurts me to think that you're not speaking it anymore. I'm gonna have to start thinking of some good Spanish lessons to help you back into it in a year and a half.
Matt
Dear Em,
You're right, the time is already flying---day 19! Even though you are figuratively only a stone's throw away, it feels like you are already on the other side of the world. I am impressed that so soon you can bear your testimony in Mandarin. Do you and your companion converse in Mandarin part of the time? Keep up the great
work!
Love, Gram
Sister Andersen!
Your comments about sacrifice convinced me that I probably *can* manage to give up your first name while addressing you for the next seventeen-and-a-half months. I will think about this as consecration rather than deprivation!
I love your blog!
Marilyn
Somewhere in your mission area there's someone who speaks Spanish, and that's when you'll need those skills. I have a friend who was a linguistics major at BYU and spoke several languages but went English-speaking (Washington, DC). She ended up opening a French branch, teaching several Russian families, and working with a Spanish branch. So do the Spanish fast for now, but keep those Spanish skills handy for when you get to Taiwan.
Sister Benson (in case you can't figure out my user name)
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