Buna Ziua

Ok, so today I don't have a lot of time as it is, but first of all I want to tell you what happened 2 days ago...the reason why I couldn't write till today. Pres. Garrett (one of the district presidents)called me into his office Wednesday morning. I was really scared because if something has changed with your mission then you go to him, and he tells you. Of course it didn't help that Elder Cook just got his call changed. Oh yeah, he's not going to Tucson anymore. He got re-called to go to NY Rochester! That's quite the difference but he's excited. Anyways, so here I am about to pee my skirt cuz I don't want my call to change, and Pres Garrett asks "has anyone talked to you about your future?" "Which future?" I venture to ask with a chuckle. "Your mission future." My heart started beating really fast and I just looked at him with a blank face hoping the lump that had formed in my throat because of my heart somehow jumping into it was not too visible. He just blandly said, "well, you're supposed to be in visitor's Center training today and somehow we forgot to let you know." Is that all I thought?!?!? Then we went on: "You're set to leave Monday for DC." Yeah that's right Monday. I basically freaked out (not really, but it sounded cool). So my flight plans (according to Pres Garrett) are the craziest he's ever seen. We report to the travel office 8:30pm Monday night, and our flight leaves at midnight. We fly to Atlanta and change flights around 5:30 am Tuesday morning, and we should arrive at the Dulles airport around 8:30am. It's an all night flight. Crazy! I was
hoping to have one in the morning so I could study all the say there, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be sleeping through this one. That is the news of the week. Since I was switched to Visitor's Center training my schedule is totally different. My preparation day is today instead of yesterday, and I only seen my district during lunch and dinner. Really sad.
I wish I had some kind of warning, but I guess there's a reason. I have a new companion, Sister Hamblin. She's going to DC as well, but Mandarin speaking. She's a really good companion so I am grateful. Sister Myers is suffering greatly from the loss of my presence (really it's because she's stuck with the elders all day without me to protect her =]). I swear the elders are afraid of me. I love it =]. Makes me laugh. Really they're not, but they definitely know where I stand when it comes to being obedient and actually taking advantage of our time here at the MTC. It's been good. Right now we're down to 8, and after Wednesday they'll be down to 6 because I'm leaving Monday and Elder Carn is leaving Wednesday morning. Ok, so hopefully I'll get anything you send before I leave, but if not I don't know if they'll forward it to DC or just send it back. Anything you send from now on is probably gonna have to be sent to DC. I already have a whole bunch of stuff to send in a box before I leave. Also, that site
www.dearelder.com is only free while I'm here at the MTC, so you can send me mail through that only till Monday afternoon. Cuz it's same day
delievery...Beth that includes you, um.....beef jerky sounds good =D. Other than that things are going well! The Lord is obviously going to stretch me with this Visitor's Center stuff. It's so hard. There's no way you can do it without the spirit, absolutely no way! I have no problems teaching hearing people or deaf people in their homes where I can sit down and share scriptures and discuss the gospel of Jesus Christ, but there's something about the Visitor's center that's gonna take some time. If they only have 5 minutes to see what's there then you have to really rely on the spirit tohelp you know what's the most important thing to share with that person. Also, sometimes the only impression they might have about the church is you, so you've really gotta be obedient, ready and prepared or the spirit can't work through you. It's hard and I know it'll come when I get there, but I definately feel inadequate and not ready. However, I also know that the Lord has called me and He will make me equal to my call if I just put my trust in Him. So Washington DC here I come!!!
As far as everything else goes...the vests, I'll probably just get some in DC since I'll be there by Tuesday. Thank you so much for sending the speakers and cd player! I should get that soon. I'm finally done with that tape, so I'll send it with all the pictures I developed.
Oh, by the way, I think I'm only gonna do that for the MTC time cuz it was $41 (expensive!!!) and everyone's name throughout my mission will be in my journal since I write in it every night (and yes that will continue cuz it's a goal I made before I left....no worries about that one). I'm also learning a little Mandarin, it's such a musical language! So much fun. Anyways, I think that's it. I love and miss you all!!!! Te eu besk (I love you in Romanian). Stay strong and be happy. The Lord loves you. This I know.

~Sister Witbeck~