Saturday, August 10, 2013

Email Letter #2

Hi, Mom!
Thanks for a nice, long Email! It really helps to get emails, letters, packages here. I didn't really get why everyone seemed so obsessive over them, but now I see how much it helps. Thanks for the postcard, thoughts, treats, and message from Mackay, too! You guys are the best family ever.
Wow, the Stake Pres asked you to speak, huh? Maybe I'll have to talk with him... ;) You will do great. You're kind of the expert mother on making home an MTC. It's hard to pick just a few things that i have time to write here, but a few things that I recognize that have helped me have been:
1. Family Scripture Study, with Insights shared and testimonies.
2. Teaching me how to do my own laundry, clean-up, etc. Prepare to live "on your own" with no one to do things for you.
3. Maintaining an atmosphere of love, learning and the Spirit. I have felt the Spirit so strong here, it's ridiculous! It is vital that young "missionaries" learn to recognize the Spirit and learn to strive to have it with them all the time. We've already experienced so many literal miracles, that I am sure I wouldn't have gotten as much out of them as I did if i hadn't learned that from you guys so early and consistently.
4. Most of all, cultivate the personal testimonies of your children. There is no way they will survive a mission (or at least do everything that the Lord wants them to accomplish) if they do not have their own testimony. Let them share it often and build it often. A testimony is found in the bearing of it.Practice, practice, practice! You will collapse under the stress here if you can't turn to God to lift you up and share your burden. My testimony of the Savior and his Atonement has increased so much because I have been forced to rely on it to get through these long, tough days. The work is hard, but it is also fulfilling. Like a good, hard run! ;)
I love hearing about what you guys are up to! Keep sending me updates! It makes me feel like I am home again! I love you so much, and the rest the family too. Tell Dad to take it easy on the stake pres's wife, and Jake to run hard and keep lifting weights, and Miles to stop eating doughnuts, and Kevin to keep being hilarious, and Katie to not be quite so sassy. Thank you all for the notes and messages you wrote to me. They are huge blessings. I am still finding them all over! I love it!!!
I pray for you every day, every time I pray (sometimes in Korean!). I feel your prayers and love every day, every hour. I know that with a family like you and my Heavenly Father behind me, I can do this work and LEARN THIS LANGUAGE!!! It comes slowly but surely. I love our teacher, Brother Scoville. He is so funny and a great teacher. my district is so close to each other, we must have met in the Pre-existance! I love them almost as much as I love you. We've had some hard times already, but the miracles we have witnessed and been a part of are truly inspiring. Read my snail mail letter for more info.
I hope you guys are well, and Keep looking for missionary experiences! Tell everybody (friends, ward members, etc) that I said Hi!
LOVE YOU!!!
~Elder Wilcox~
P.S. I have been memorizing a scripture per day since sunday, because Elder Newbold is a scripture-quoting maniac with the memory a supercomputer! I have gotten Katie's first scripture (AoF # 9), Alma 36:27, Alma 37:6-7, 1 Nephi 15:24, 2 Nephi 2:6-7, and D&C 90:11 (Dad inspired that one because he referred to it in my setting apart).
P.P.S. I tried to upload a pic of the shoulder bag I want, but apparently it is only available at Missionary Depot in SLC. Honestly, any shoulder bag will do just fine. I haven't checked specifically for one at the Bookstore since last week, but I can today. So don't buy one unless you find the perfect one. I can survive without it for now. I could buy any other stuff here, because we get a huge missionary discount (40-60% off!!!). So, I guess just keep money in my account. I have spent approximately 10 dollars since I have arrived. I would love the occasional package of... well, anything! Keep sending healthy treats if you can, and I understand if it is too much money. Letters will do fine, because we get letters/mail every day, as opposed to Email which we can only check on P-day.
P.P.P.S. Tell Jake to have my friends email me!!! I need their contact info. Everyone in our family who has a personal email should contact me too, because I like writing to individuals better than general audiences. Thanks! ^^ (Korean smiley face)

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