So pumped to be a missionary!!

! Ok. Let's start with
 the fact that I have been here amonth already! What the what??? If the
 next 17 go by this fast I will be home by tomorrow....no bueno. Don't
 get me wrong, I love you guys, but I'm really starting to love it here
 (not MTC here, but mission here). In fact, my district had become my
 new family and I am beside myself sad that I only get to spend another
 10ish days with them. We all decided that we are going to go on a
 cruise when we get back in all of our "wealthy" post-mission glory.
 Really though, I am goint to miss them all so much!
      My Spanish improves daily so thank you for any and all prayers in
 my behalf. The gift of tongues is real because there is no way I would
 be able to do this well on my own. Funny thing though, I am learning
 more about English as well. Added to my vocabulary in the last week
 are subjuntive, noun clause, adjective clause, gerund, and all of that
 other stuff that i was SUPPOSED to learn in high school...One thing
 that has been super cool this week is really teaching and learning by
 the Spirit. It's amazing how, in a lesson, I can recieve a prompting
 to share a certain scripture or say a certain thing that I didn't
 previously know. It's kindof hard to explain unless you experience it
 for yourself...just know that I am working super hard with Hermana
 Syphus.
      So, the highlight of my week was probably our devotional on
 Sunday. *Quick side note: fast Sundays here are insane and I'm pretty
 sure that is the first time I have legit fasted for 24 hours. Anywho,
 the devotional was Chad Lewis. You know, played for BYU and the
 Philedelphia Eagles for 9 years, is now the NFL ambassador to China
 because he served a mission in Taiwan Chad Lewis. Yeah, that talk was
 more like an intense pre-game pump-up speech. Like, Ray Lewis got
 nothing on this guy status. He basically told us that our mission
 starts here in the MTC and it should never end-even when we are
 released. We need to make the commitement to be missionaries ALWAYS!
 He also told us that in our most challenging times we need to focus on
 our blessings. Strange how we never realized how blessed we are until
 we don't receive them, huh? The best line, though, was when he said.
 "When you are tired, DIG DEEPER!" Yeah, it sounds like a stereotypical
 sports guru, but it really got to me. It made me want to work that
 much harder this week. Let's be honest, I have never felt more pumped
 to be a missionary! And this week has probably been the best because
 of it. I have never felt so blessed before in my entire life. This
 gospel is amazing and the Lord is really shaping me :)
      So, one thing that our branch president told us this week was
 pretty funny. He was telling us about his stepmom who passed away when
 she was 94. He asked her what she has learned in her 90+ years of
 resisting Satan's temptations. She just waved her hand like it was no
 big deal and said," Whenever Satan tries to get to me I just look him
 straight in the eyes and tell him to go back to hell where he
 belongs." No joke...he said that and I about died laughing! But it is
 so true. Satan wants us to fail. He wants us to focus on the hard
 things in life-especially the missionaries! He wants us to focus on
 home or school, or being lazy, or past sins you committed. It reminded
 me of a quote, "When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his
 future." Don't let him get to you!
  

Love Always, Hermana Freestone