Amor de Cabo Verde

Next time will be from Cape Verde!!!

Oi! I can't believe this is our last Friday in the MTC! And probably our busiest because we have so many things to do to get ready to go, so I am apologizing that this will be shorter.

Thank you soooo much for the package!! Such a nice surprise with all the treats in it and I loved the binder with the collage on it!! And thank you sister cousin for your yummy brownies ;)
But this last week went really well! On Saturday we got to skype people in Brazil for TRC (teaching resource center) so it was way sweet! The last two weeks we get to skype native speakers so it is fun and good practice.
I can't remember if I said this but when we came in the MTC we were given the challenge to reread the Book of Mormon in 6 weeks. Well I'm a slow reader as is Sister Biggs. :) After getting "a bit" behind both of us have been waking up at 5:30 am every day this week in order to catch up. It was hard but both of us finished today in the Celestial room of the temple! Sis. Willey and Sis. Nelson rocked it and finished in the Celestial room last week! It has been such a great experience rereading the Book of Mormon. So many things are coming out that I had never noticed before especially with missionary applications. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and was prepared for our day. I have really noticed a difference when I start my scripture study with a prayer and a question in mind. We all can gain personal revelation through the Book of Mormon and it is such a blessing!
On Sunday we practiced with the choir for this coming Sunday. Beforehand Sis. Willey made a pros and cons list so we could decide whether or not to do it. Haha I'll attach a picture. I'll that Ryan Eggot is on the pros list because he is a really good conductor and conducts sometimes! Haha all the reasons though are pretty funny. We had a devotional with Stephen Allen? the director of the missionary department. He shared with us a bunch of the old church commercials from like the 70's and 80's and it was hilarious! Haha I was loving all the groovy clothes. It just made me want to go to the D.I. and go shopping. Really though he shared a great message and always does a great job of teaching just what we need. On Sunday we had Sis. Marriot from the Young Womens general presidency speak in Relief Society. It was so good!
Okay something I forgot to put for two weeks! ALICIA HALE if you are reading this- I wish you a very happy and very late birthday! I don't have your address or email so you should email me!
Tuesday we walked to the Marriott center again for devotional. The speaker was Elder Gay of the Seventy. And once again we had an amazing devotional. We especially liked it because he was a mission president in the Ghana, Accra mission. He spent about half his talk talking about Africa and we were getting so excited! He taught about how they were baptizing so many people but had a really low retention rate like 20%. The next year they focused on teaching and training the members especially the ward leaders and retention went up to 80% and their baptisms went from 2,700 to 3,300. He taught about the huge difference that ward members make with missionary work. I don't know if we have any missionaries in Eagle Mountain right now but that would be awesome to get involved with them and maybe give them a referral! Especially for Tim-Tim to go on splits with them would be great to give him a taste of missionary work. When we walk to the Marriott center mom I feel like I'm in a parade so when people wave I wave back and say "OOh I love a parade!" haha!Also this reminds me- I think Happy Birthday to my grandma? Is it today? I can't ever remember. But have a happy birthday Grandma I love you! And make Grandpa buy you dinner!
Wednesday we got to host the new missionaries and help them as they arrive at the MTC. I hosted two sisters and it was fun but weird to think that was me 6 weeks ago! We all got to wear little hosts stickers and I sent of picture. Also on Wednesday Sis. Willey and I were asked to teach in the New Missionary Teaching experience that the new arrivals have on their first night. It was fun we got to wear microphones and teach the investigator for the first little bit and then the new missionaries take over for the lesson!
Thursday (yesterday) we had In-Field Orientation! It was really good and they make it more of a hands on/interactive experience. We walked over to the chapel by the stadium so both campus' could do orientation at the same time. Okay funny story- when we were walking back to the MTC this little old avo (grandma) opens her window of her house and starts throwing out granola bars and candy onto her lawn! Once again I felt like I was in a parade! Haha she was really nice and just smiled and waved to us as she threw food out of her window.
A few quick things-
-Sister Willey is playing the special musical number for the MTC Relief Society on Sunday. Yay!!
-We have created a name for the french fries they serve in the cafeteria ... unsatisfries. Due to how unsatisfying they are.
-Found out from travel office that we only take one 70 lbs. bag and a back pack. So I am going to give my smaller bag to the post office and they work with company called Post Mark in Orem and they will call you when you can pick up my bag! I think Monday or Tuesday?

I can't wait to talk to you on Monday and I love you all so much!! Thanks for the prayers and the mail/packages!

Com amor,
Sister Turner