January 8, 2014

January 8,

I'm trying to think of what news to tell you, but it hasn't been a full week since I wrote last. Our P-day changed since it's a new year and we have a new schedule. I am so anxious to get to Macedonia. Scared, yes, but anxious.

I gave the closing prayer at Sunday devotional, and Sister Stratton had given it at the mission conference earlier that day, so for both meetings I sat up on the stand. So that was cool. 

I think I haven't told you yet about the crazy people that live on our floor of the residence. They stay up really late and make a lot of noise. Mostly screeching in foreign tongues.  We did make friends with this one girl from Vanuatu (I think I'm spelling that right), which she told us is an island near Australia. A lot of people have all their friends write them a goodbye note in a little book or something when they leave, and we met her a few weeks ago when she knocked on our door and asked us to sign hers, even though she won't be leaving until the end of the month and even though we'd never spoken to her before. She is really sweet. Her English isn't very good but her pronunciation is great. She said her native languages are French and something else. She'll be serving in South Provo when she leaves. I can't spell or pronounce her last name though. We feel pretty bad for her because she's always having problems with her companions. That first night we talked to her, she told us, "When we came in on the plane, it was so cold! We thought we are sick! But no, it's just the weather." She showed us all her gospel references in her language and told us she missed speaking it, and that she wished we could visit her there. I did actually find her island on a map when I was waiting for Sister Lefler in the health clinic one day. It was just a black speck. We run into her still from time to time and say hello.

I would write more but nothing eventful has happened.

I love you, and here's my favorite scripture lately:

Ether 12:4

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

с любов,

Сестра Ридъл