HELLO MY FRIENDS!!!!
I just want to start by thanking everyone for their generous support and wonderful warm wishes as I've transitioned into missionary life. I LOVE YOU ALL!! I can read emails throughout the week, but I cannot respond until P-day (Wednesdays). And I only have one hour on Wednesdays to respond.
I just want to start by thanking everyone for their generous support and wonderful warm wishes as I've transitioned into missionary life. I LOVE YOU ALL!! I can read emails throughout the week, but I cannot respond until P-day (Wednesdays). And I only have one hour on Wednesdays to respond.
BEING A MISSIONARY IS SO MUCH MORE FUN THAN I EXPECTED. BUT IT IS ALSO SO MUCH HARDER THAN I EXPECTED!!! (more on that later :) )
I am going to set up these weekly emails by first talking about the work, then the funnies, then a spiritual thought :)
The Work:
Every day in the MTC, we have class (the best), gym time (the best), meal time (the best), and study time (the best). If you can't tell, I really like the MTC lol. My companion's name is Õde Austin.
I love her so much. We have so much in common, and we both came into the MTC knowing a bit of Eesti keel (Estonian), so we are both progressing together very well!
In our district (11 people), we have Russian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian speakers.
Õde Austin and I are the only people learning Estonian in the MTC right now, so it's super fun to speak our own secret language around the halls and at meal times lol.
In our zone, we have Russian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Armenian, and Georgian speakers. So there are about 39 missionaries in our zone, and they are a RIOT! We have SO SO much fun together. We laugh ALL THE TIME and just goof around.
They have really helped me learn that we are not expected to lose our sense of humor once we put on this wonderful name tag.
Jesus has a sense of humor, after all!! (Speaking of Jesus Christ, I just love Him so much. Just saying. Anyway.)
I love her so much. We have so much in common, and we both came into the MTC knowing a bit of Eesti keel (Estonian), so we are both progressing together very well!
The Estonian flag
Õde Austin and I are the only people learning Estonian in the MTC right now, so it's super fun to speak our own secret language around the halls and at meal times lol.
In our zone, we have Russian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Armenian, and Georgian speakers. So there are about 39 missionaries in our zone, and they are a RIOT! We have SO SO much fun together. We laugh ALL THE TIME and just goof around.
They have really helped me learn that we are not expected to lose our sense of humor once we put on this wonderful name tag.
Jesus has a sense of humor, after all!! (Speaking of Jesus Christ, I just love Him so much. Just saying. Anyway.)
Right now, my companion and I are teaching an Estonian investigator. We have only had one lesson so far, but it went well! 40 minutes of stumbling through Estonian!! WOOT WOOT!! Oh yeah and the language is coming along pretty well. It's about as hard as I expected. Which is super hard hahahahaha. BUT WE CAN DO ALL THINGS WITH THE LORD'S HELP, AND THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS SO REAL. I HAVE FELT IT. SO I AM HAVING FAITH.
The Funnies:
Lol - a lot of the funnies from this week require too much context, so I can't explain it all, but I am going to list out a couple of one liners hahahahah.
1. Elder Hunt (Georgian speaker) at dinner: "Real question though. How cool would it be to be an owl?"
I died. We died.
2. In a get to know you game, we asked a sister if she'd rather eat a dog or cat (don't ask why that was the question lol). She said dog. We all groaned hahahaha. BUT THEN, trying to defend herself, she said, “But I've only killed 2 cats!!" I died. Like on a scale of one to even, I just could NOT (email back if you got that reference ;) ). She proceeded to launch into explanations about why she had killed two cats, and it just made it worse hahahah. It was awful but so funny.
Spiritual thought:
Everyone would tell me before coming here, "Missions are so hard, " but no one would explain why. I think I have finally figured out one reason why missions are so hard. Before putting on this name tag, I was an ordinary person trying my best to love others and do what Christ would do. People had ordinary expectations of me. I tried my best to meet their expectations as well as the expectations and goals I would set for myself. BUT, now as a representative of Jesus Christ (so grateful for the opportunity), and as long as I am wearing this glorious name tag, others' expectations of me and my expectations of myself just got exponentially higher. And that increase in expectations results in growing pains. Stretching pains. And I am in the middle of that. I will be for a while. And that is ok! Christ's life wasn't easy! Why should my mission be? :) But through all of this, I have realized that the only expectations that really matter are GOD'S.
Friends, we cannot know God's expectations for us if we do not ask Him. I encourage you all to get on your knees tonight and ask God fervently, "What is it you need me to do? What people do I need to help? How can I better be an instrument in thy hands?" I promise that if you ask our dear Heavenly Father those questions, HE WILL ANSWER YOU. You just have to be willing and ready to receive that counsel.
I know with all my heart that Christ has been here with me through it all this week (and throughout my life thus far). I KNOW that only through Christ and His Atonement, I can do all He asks of me. We memorized Philippians 4:13 in Eesti keel (Estonian), and I encourage you all to go read it and memorize it. Put it up on the wall somewhere. Figure out what it means to you.
I love you all. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. I love the struggle and the joy. I have so so much to learn, and I am grateful for the humbling experience it is every morning to put on the name tag with Christ's name next to my own.
Trust in the Lord. Choose joy. Find peace.
Õde Smith-Driggs
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Note from Sister Smith-Driggs' mom:
I was in Provo today to visit with Abraham at BYU. Afterwards, I drove him to the MTC for work. We got there a little early and visited briefly across the street in a parking lot. Just as Abraham was getting out of the car for work, he looked over my shoulder and said, "There's Eliza," and hopped out of the car. I was so stunned I wasn't sure exactly what he meant. It was only as I heard him say, "Hi Eliza," and give his sister a hug that I got out of the car and saw my incredible, radiant daughter standing a few feet away from me. Because I was so surprised and because I didn't want to break any missionary rules, I asked if I was even allowed to talk to her. She said, "It's OK Mom. We didn't plan this. You can hug me!" I am SO grateful for that unexpected encounter. Sometimes, God's tender mercies are just what we need. Here is a picture Abraham took of Eliza by the car. She radiated joy!
__________________
Note from Sister Smith-Driggs' mom:
I was in Provo today to visit with Abraham at BYU. Afterwards, I drove him to the MTC for work. We got there a little early and visited briefly across the street in a parking lot. Just as Abraham was getting out of the car for work, he looked over my shoulder and said, "There's Eliza," and hopped out of the car. I was so stunned I wasn't sure exactly what he meant. It was only as I heard him say, "Hi Eliza," and give his sister a hug that I got out of the car and saw my incredible, radiant daughter standing a few feet away from me. Because I was so surprised and because I didn't want to break any missionary rules, I asked if I was even allowed to talk to her. She said, "It's OK Mom. We didn't plan this. You can hug me!" I am SO grateful for that unexpected encounter. Sometimes, God's tender mercies are just what we need. Here is a picture Abraham took of Eliza by the car. She radiated joy!
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