Alahai!!

Mom, salamat hari jadi!  I think this may have something to do with the birthday I just had.  Lisa said, "want to hear something crazy about the whole japanese disaster? We have been praying mtc wide for the people and the missionaries but our president told us that the reason they were all safe was because they were at a zone conference somewhere inland.  Some of the areas were destroyed but the missionaries were safe because they were at their meetings.  Also no members were hurt.  It goes to show the Lord's hand is in everything.

Lisa writes each time she has never been in a place where she is so spiritually fed.  She has personal study every morning for an hour, and she says this is her sacred hour.  A few days ago she was feeling very humbled and prayed to keep her energy up and work hard and she found this scripture - John 14:27 - she felt so much better and was reminded once again the Lord does know her.  Then her companion, Sister Norton, shared Ether 12:6 which talks about a trial of faith.  She writes, "I could write a whole email of scriptures that I have found that mean so much to me, maybe I have become a sister missionary after all...haha. But I can still laugh!"

Also it turns out she is learning 2 languages.  "Malay is like a combination of tongan and polynesian with an arabic base.  And Indonesian (the scriptures are translated into this language) we learn so that we can teach them what it says in Malay.  Make sense??  Most of the people we will be teaching are trying to learn Malay as well because it is not their native language."

"We do this thing called SYL (speak your language) so you incorporate all of the malay/spanish/whatever words you know instead of English.  It sounds like I'm in the UN or something!!"

She also misses Dana.  The greatest Pilates teacher in St. George.  Lisa loves hiking, running, and mostly Pilates so the MTC has been a bit of a change for her.  She tried to play volleyball and when the ball came straight for her face she screamed and dropped to the ground.  At which time she was made fun of.  So the next time she tried really hard to hit it and hurt her wrist so bad she couldn't hold a pencil for a week.  She "tries" a little basketball!  She has always been more into the artistic side of being active.

She comments at the end of every letter how much she appreciates letters.  It helps her stay grounded (with Jessica's help) and cheering (this would be you Amanda) for her friends.  She can feel a small part of the world she left behind.

Dare I say, one month down and 17 to go?  I am trying to find the bright spot today.