Sister Natalie Oswald

November 12, 2013:

Ah okay! There is not enough time to email anyone back so one big e-mail will have to do!For the life of me I cannot figure out how to just email everyone back so I will just wing it because I am nervous about my time! haha I am shaking! what??? I am a freak! Okay, so wednesday... HARD! Just the leaving part. But then all of a sudden you go this way, and then pick up books here, and then this way, and this over here, and then meet my companion! WHo I love by the way! She is awesome!Then we met our district and did the whole "hi my name is Sam and you are....kyle....yep!" (inside joke) But it was fun! Then we met the whole zone and everything else! woo hoo!!! And then that night wasnt even hard, THANK GOODNESS! But then...Thursday! Gosh, curse that day with everything I have! Mornings are great for some reason! They are my favorite (what the heck? am I finally a morning person?!)

And then Thursday night right around 4:30, homesickness hit! I never thought I could ever be that homesick! I know I love you guys but it was like, what?.. I really dont even think I could live 18 months without them! EVER!!! So just know that I LOVE you guys so much! More than I think you could ever comprehend! Just thought I would let you know.

So then everyday followed like that... mornings are awesome and positive...and then BOOM homesickness right at 4:30 er'y night! So it was really hard and it is still a little bit. Every day was exactly the same class, and then class, and class on class on class! what?? Yeah...that can make someone homesick and tired in seconds I figured out! And for the first two days they didn't have gym time for us so...that stinks...real bad! Saturday was the usual... class and homesickness. I was getting real sick of missing ya'll so much to be real honest! I was just waiting for the glorified Sunday that everyone talks about! ANNNND woo hoo it came! We went to choir practice and Sister Carter (my WONDERFUL COMPANION) had some meetings to go to so we had to separate :( worst ever! But she came back and we went to choir, which is amazing! When you get 600 Elders and Sisters together and sing Redeemer of Israel...wow! Talk about tears of HAPPINESS! Then I had a priesthood blessing from two Elders in my district to help with the homesickness and nausea that for some reason I got "blessed" with here at the happiest place on earth! But, oh my, it was awesome! I am SOOO THANKFUL for the Priesthood in my life! SOOO MUCH! And it made everything better! I am still homesick, but now it is bearable! I now have a better focus on my purpose as a missionary: to invite others to come to Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end! woo hoo! That was all memory! I have the first vison memorized too! yay! I even said it in a lesson!

Okay, but where was I...so that was Sunday night and it was great! Then Monday... blessed of all the blessed days! We had a TRC investigator and we had an appointment to meet with her at 5:30 and after 6 hours of class I was wearin' down...a lot! Then we went in to the trc and woooow... the Spirit was there and I cant even remember what I said but... wow! We all cried and she told us her life story. If you think of everything bad that can happen to a sister...it happened to her! So we talked about the atonement and how through the Lord, He can take away those pains and He knows what she is going through. We taught her how to pray and she thought it was the coolest thing ever that you can talk to God whenever you want! So just remember that you can ALWAYS talk to God! I am praying like ten times a day at the LEAST! Then we all hugged after the lesson and cried and hugged some more and she kissed us each on the forehead and said "how blessed am I to meet you and your families are proud!" By the way, TRC is when real:)...or fake :( ... investigators that come to the MTC to be taught. I am pretty sure she was real, but no matter if they are a member or not, their stories are true. It was THE BEST experience ever!!! The spirit was so strong and that was the first time that I had ever actually taught by the Spirit. And can I tell you... COOLEST THING EVER IN MY LIFE! Then we walked out of the room and Sister Carter and I just hugged and hugged and cried together! Ahhw I love her soo much!!!! She is the best companion I have ever had....and the first...haha. But I LOVE her. We get along so well and everyone we meet wonders if we knew each other before... we just say "uh probably in the pre-earth life cuz we are besties!" I have to catch myself to not call her by her first name! Chalet Carter! (stalk her on facebook because she is so stinking adorable! and so positve! just what I need right!)

We went through the Provo Temple today and it was soooo PRETTTY! GORGEOUS! but unfortunately I was trying not to fall asleep! This 16 hour day is killing me hahahahah! I saw Jeff, Cole, and Guppy, and Drew! It helped with the homesickness! I see Jeff Tingey at every meal and every gym time! We played volleyball together yesterday night. It was so much fun and gave me a piece of home!!! Then one time we all had lunch together and we all met up and "hung out" for like five minutes. I felt like a normal person! And let me tell you....I AM SO THANKFUL I AM NOT LEARNING A LANGUAGE OR GOING OUT OF COUNTRY!

Guess who is coming TONIGHT?!?!? ELDER L TOM PERRY! Ask me if I am pumped...uh yeah! And I am singing in the choir right behind him! You might be able to find it online...just look for his devotional at the MTC and ya might just see me!

Okay, I will write ya'll letters! Oh and write me letters because they really are like the best here! Everyone loves mail and it is heaven sent if you get a letter... so make EVERYONE write me!!!! I love the place I am going to! Heavenly Father knows me and oh boy, can I see his hand in every thing that happens to me!!! All his tender mercies that happen on a daily basis are such a blessing!!! I am so happy to be where I am at even though it is BY FAR THE HARDEST thing I have EVER done!!!

I wont even lie to you... sometimes I sit there and count the weeks and think "what did I get myself into?!" But after meeting with my TRC investigator I KNEW this is where I am supposed to be without a doubt! I have no clue when I started email so I hope it doesn't cut me off! Forward this to everyone! Write me lots of letters! And know that I am okay! The Gospel is true and Priesthood blessings are just wonderful! Really! Such a tender mercy in my life!!! I love you guys so much! I always knew that I did, but it wasn't until I was really homesick that I realized how much I really relied on each one of you and how much all of you meant to me! Heavenly Father was just teaching me to NEVER take anyone for granted because you never know how much they mean until they're gone! Praying is such a blessing. Never take it for granted because some people just try to do it on their own and don't know that they can always talk to Him! Know that he is always there! I love my district so much... all of them are amazing and half of them or going to Boston! Love you all so much!!!!

Sister Oswald