Mission Pictures, Take 1!

Our Second Letter!

Hey!!!!

  So sounds like you all are doing well. I am so glad that the program went well. I am sad I missed it. I am also sad about the teams losing! That stinks, and please do keep me updated on football! Haha. I want to know how they are doing. Also you guys need to tell me about Matthew Schuler! from the voice lol... 

Well this week has been crazy good!!! I have started learning Spanish, and it is super hard but it is coming slowly. I started teaching a "fake" investigator, but anyways me and my companion started teaching him on Thursday. It was difficult the first time but right before our lesson on Friday we said a prayer and asked that we could have the gift of tongues. When we went in and sat down and he started talking and we both looked at each other in awe as we were understanding everything he was saying! It was so crazy! Also I have memorized all of DyC 4 in Spanish and can pray and bear my testimony in Spanish. It seems like a lot but I also feel so behind! The MTC is amazing and beautiful! Everyday we have gym and I have gotten to play volleyball and basketball which is so awesome!!!! The campus is big and we live in little casas that are so cute. Its me and my companion and another set of sisters. We all get along great and they are such amazing girls. My companion Cassie is amazing! We are like twins its so funny and she just lives in Lehi. Unfortunately she is going to Virginia on her mission... But we have been working really well together. 

  Our district is really good too. We have me and my companion, the sisters who are in our casa, and set of 3 elders and set of 2 elders. It is a great group who are extremely funny. Its good that they aren't serious all the time, you know that wouldn't go to well with me, lol.

  Its crazy the amount of "hellos" I get as I walk from my casa to the lunch room. Everyone here is so nice, I love it! I am getting excited to head to Texas but I have 5 more weeks haha... Today we got to go to the Mexico City temple. It was so amazing!!! It's a beautiful temple! The endowment session was incredible too, I got to go in English today but next time I have to go in Spanish which is really scary, but I am so excited to go back! I have been homesick some but every time I start to get that feeling I remember what Gordon B. Hinckley's dad told him, to "forget myself and go to work". It really has helped me. My friends help me feel at home!! 

Driving through mexico is super scary haha!!!!

Anyway that is all so far! I have been eating OK, thank goodness for cereal haha! Tell everyone I am doing well and am so grateful for the prayers. I love you guys so much! Tell me everything that happens at home!!! 

Love, Kaitlyn

     Hey again! Shayley here. Just decided I'd let everyone know that I'm currently preparing to go on a mission. I came to that conclusion during October General Conference. The week before conference in Sunday school, we were told to go to conference with a question in mind. I figured I'd ask about serving a mission, again. I prayed about it, and study a lot during that next week. I was kinda expecting a "not yet" answer again, because that was the answer I had gotten the last 4 times I asked. I knew I was in a different place in my life now, so I was hoping I'd get a go ahead answer. 
     We turned conference on Saturday morning. I was sitting in my Batman snuggy with my journal and pen ready to take notes. President Monson starting the Saturday session. His talk was on missionary work. He started out saying how large our missionary force had gotten, and continued saying "The holy scriptures contain no proclamation more relevant, no responsibility more binding, no instruction more direct than the injunction given by the resurrected Lord as He appeared in Galilee to the eleven disciples. Said He, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizingthem in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”²The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”³ Some of you here today will yet remember the words of President David O. McKay, who phrased the familiar “Every member a missionary!”" I knew right then that it was my turn. I felt it so strongly. I cried, like literally just sat there crying. I knew that I needed to prepare to serve a mission. 
     As I thought about it I thought I might wait about a year so I could get the funds necessary. Almost as if he heard my thoughts, Pres. Monson said "To help maintain our ever-increasing missionary force, I have asked our members in the past to contribute, as they are able, to their ward missionary fund or to the General Missionary Fund of the Church. The response to that request has been gratifying and has helped support thousands of missionaries whose circumstances do not allow them to support themselves. I thank you for your generous contributions. The need for help is ongoing, that we might continue to assist those whose desire to serve is great but who do not, by themselves, have the means to do so." Well there was my answer. I needed to start immediately. I have a few personal goals I want to finish, but I want my papers in at least by the end of January. I was going to keep it hush-hush until my papers are in, but with my mom telling friends, and me wanting to share my excitement, I figured I'd tell everyone now. I met with the bishop yesterday, and have my dental appointment, and physical this next week. It's going to be a rough, nerve wracking, next couple months, but it's totally going to be worth it. I am so excited. Beyond excited. It's finally my turn. 

Received our first email from Hermana Kaitlyn Williams!

Hey I just made it to the mexico MTC. It is so pretty and big!!! The plane rides were good. Funny story so during the flight I made a friend named Cassie we were talking on the bus on our way to the mtc saying that we hoped we were companions but doubted that it would happen. Well when we got our packets we saw that we ARE companions!!! I am so excited!!! I was looking in preach my gospel on the airplane and saw some things on how to better prepare myself to be a missionary and dad you were right haha. It says to study the scriptures intently. On the bus we started to learn some Spanish we learned how to sing i am a child of god but i don't really remember most of it! haha. We also learned how to say our names, what we like to do, and where we are going on our missions oh and how to say we represent the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is awesome!!! I cant wait to learn more. When we were learning them i almost would say it in Korean haha probably shouldn't have watched all those dramas... totally just kidding! Well that is it for today i know there will be a lot more in the future! i need you to email my and dads emails as well! i love you guys so much and miss you like crazy, but i know that i am doing the lords work and that he has sent me here for a reason. I love this gospel so much and am grateful to you mom and dad for raising me to know the one and only true church. I am getting so excited to get out there and start placing book of Mormons. Hope you all are well and again I love you all so much!!! Tell me all about what happens mmkay!!!

  Love

 Hermana Kaitlyn Williams

We're so happy she made it safe, and is having so much fun! 

 Here's our family, well the kids in it. Starting from the top left to bottom left: Shayley, 21. Rianna, 17. Jaede, 13. Charity, 8. Kaitlyn, 19. She's the missionary. Joseph, 10. Elicia, 6.

Nov. 6, 2013. Heading to the MTC

     Hey everyone. I'm starting this blog because today my little sister entered the MTC. She is heading to the Houston Texas East mission, Spanish speaking. Because she is speaking Spanish in the states, she gets to go to the Mexico City MTC. 
     We took her to the airport this morning at 3:30am so she had time to check in and get her bags checked. It was early, and we were cold, but we were all so happy. We took 2 separate cars, so we could have enough room. Since she is a set apart missionary, we couldn't listen to our regular country music. I purchased a CD last night called Shine, Songs for Youth 2012. We listened to that on our way up. It's actually has some pretty good songs! The drive took about an hour, but we arrived in good time. We were able to take the "moving floor" as my siblings call it, and an elevator. 
     We got Kaitlyn all checked in really quick, and got there before a huge crowd. We met a few missionaries and their families. Another girl that was there is going to Dallas, Spanish speaking. We met a young man that is going to Chile, well 2 different young men who were both going to Chile. 
     Kaitlyn got through the airport without any problems. Her flight departed at 6:30, and she had a layover in Dallas. We haven't heard if she's made it to the MTC, but we're not worried. She's accompanied by angels.