Lisa has been so busy the last 2 weeks she has not sent a blog update.  So the following are pieces of her last two letters!!

January 11^th

it has been hard mom!! it has been so hard for me. especially lately. my first week with Sis Ferg was good, she is a good missionary, diligent, really wants to work hard. however, she cannot speak malay. the people laugh at her when she tries (like they did to me in kk) and it is hard for her. I feel it. I remember that. but basically it puts 99% of everything on me. I speak malay all day every day. to everyone. I teach all of the lessons. every single one. and when our first and second plans fall through, its night and its raining, but we still have two more hours left of the day, the stress has been unreal. I'm trying to carry us and trying to be diligent and trying to help Sis Ferg speak and to feel effective and all that. and it is just, weighing on me.

before moody left though, he gave me his bike. I will try to send a picture. it is the rolls royce of bicycles. mine was crap that only had sixth gear.

yeah, my diet is AWFUL. on a daily basis, I eat tea and crackers in the morning. then if we eat out, a little bit of rice, maybe some chicken. or some curry and roti. I keep suckers in my backpack for when the sun kills me and I need something to pick me up. and then every house we go to gives us sugar water and a few crackers. my diet is worse than bad.

the dvd made me so homesick for the cabin with the family. I'm still waking up every day. and following dads instructions, "somedays, you have to dig deep." and I'm getting through it. definitely still getting more and more brazen in the fire of affliction.

gibbons gave me this thing, that he says in his head every day. he called it his title of liberty. it gets him through the day, focused on the work and up, not down. I have stolen it. I write it on the inside of my wrist so I read it all day while I'm biking. but its:

for love

for forever always

for always rise

the things to live by. and I love it.

I get up and go out every day because I really do love mom. I love God so much. and somedays, it is hard for me. but I love God, so I keep trying to be full of love for the people here as well. also, I love you guys more than anything. so I try to keep going remembering that God will bless all of you if I work hard.

the forever always part, is what this is all about. the missionary work is all about. "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" I'm trying to help people find how they can have their families, they can have God, they can have progression, happiness, joy, for forever always. that's what we do.

the always rise part is a reminder to do just that. always rise. some days suck, the wind is so strong plus the heat plus the pouring rain. people won't let you in, people cancel, you're tired, you didn't say something as good as you could have, people smoke, lie, whatever. but the trick is to always rise. stand back up and keep going.

so those three things are also what I live by now. and it helps.

January 18^th

so yesterday was technically our p day but the senior couple here needed my malay speaking skills so we went around with them and a very poor woman to a thousand doctors offices and hospitals so the poor little darling could get some medical attention. it took 9 hours and we were so spent, but I love that family so much. so it was good. I was glad to help and also to be back doing medical stuff:) oh but anyway. that is why I have p day today. on my birthday!

josie called to sing me happy birthday and say sweet sweet things, so did sister lowe, forsyth called, the elders here are taking me out to eat italian food. the hodders are going to take me to get a pedicure. don't even worry, I'm getting more spoiled here than I thought was possible! it's gonna be a good day.

the first time I watched the 2011 family dvd I bawled. haha pretty good. and I went to sleep, and slept it off. I have watched it a few more times since then, won't lie....it's so amazing! tom is so talented. it doesn't make me cry anymore. it is like another reminder to keep going.

I love my mission so much. I can't believe how much I would have missed out by not going. you can't comprehend how much it will bless you and change you. I'm so glad I came.