MTC photos! Dec 2010-Jan 2011

It's official - Jessica with her dork dot! First day at MTC - Dec. 15, 2010

Sister Kemp & Jessica conquering the snow mountain!

Entire district - Back row: Melendez, Scheewe, Haslam, Killpack, Arrow, Collier, Leatham

Front row: Vaugn, Kemp, Jessica, Rowberry, and Dillman

Best Companion ever! Jessica & Sister Kemp

Christmas tree, stockings & presents!

All the girls from DistrictA - Scheewe, Halam, Kemp & Jess

January 28, 2011

Sooo.... How is everyone!!

Happy Birthday Desi! I met to tell you last week but.. I forgot I'm so so sorry! and i think there is another birthday this week?! I'm sorry if i'm forgetting! but just know that i love you!! and that I'll for sure give you a proper happy birthday next week!

Sooo How was this past week? from the amazing e-mails, letters and packages it sounds like things went really well!! thanks so much everyone for all the support! i really love the letters and everything i get weekly. They keep me moving and make me want to stay out on this mission thing even more! I love you all!

ok so about this week!

Funny moment:

on Sunday sister kemp and were running up the stairs and totally fell! Thats probably not anything new for you but it was so funny! sister kemp fell and the next thing I knew I the floor got really close to me and we were laughing like crazy! we just sat there on the steps laughing so hard that we started crying! ahh oh it was hillarious! k you probably had to be there but you have to admit to sister missionaries falling up the stairs could have been funny watching! and to make it even better i fell on my blue card (the most valuable thing here cause without it you don't eat) and it cracked! it still works so no worries but thats how wierd i fell. oh the joys of being a cluts!

so this week has been wonderful! nothing really new but things are really great! still no word on when i'm playing the musical number so hopefully something will come this week! cross your fingers! and about a week and half i'll be getting my reassignment! so dad i havn't gotten any word on where i'm going yet! and thanks for the e-mail. almost everyone in my district read it. it was great reading that and knowing more of whats going on with the visa status. also random question mom. i love all that snacks you send me but the last cracker mix stuff you gave me was pretty funny! I opened up and thought it was cat food for a min.! haha my district and i had fun trying that one out! but seriously mom I appreciate all the food you send! it really gets me through the days when the food it a little interesting!

So that devotional this week was like usual wonderful! elder someone from the 70 spoke. i forgot his name. sorry! But he spoke on the prophet tomas S. monson. it was so good! he gave stories on the prophet and bore his testimony about the prophet Thomas S. Monson. Nothing really stuck out to me but after that talk I know even more without a doubt that tomas s. Monson is called of God and leads our church! I love the prophet!

Its great to hear that kim is doing well! great news! you'll have to keep me posted about all that. I'm working on a letter and should get it out today. I'm so behind on letters! but dont' you worry everyone! You will get replies from me ok! I promised and i love hearing from you all!

thanks so much mom for figuring out all the violin stuff! that helps out tremendously! I'm going to for sure bring it becuase i just keep feeling like I would regreat not bringing it. so it helps know that my violin is inssureed and that its possible to get it fixed easily if somthing happens with it.

so we taught our second lesson in portugues this week! it went alright... but i coudl have been better. oh well thats what practice is all about right! also sister kemp and i did a 24 hour fast only speaking portugues this week! it was tough! but we did it! it was weird because when it was time to stop speaking only portuguese i still kept thinking in portuguese! I realy don't know much i promise but it was weird because when peopel would ask me something or i would try to talk to people i would sit there for a min and come up with a sentence in portuguese! ahh i'm going to be so weird when I get back! ahah oh well at least I know my mind is starting to think in portuguese!

well time is running out! sorry if this letter isn't to exciting! but just know that i love you all1

Kenna have a blast tonight at alyssa's ok! sis kemp and i are so excited! we keep thinking abou tit and get so excited! ahhh

and mom it sounds like your loveing school! keep being positive! I'm srue the kids love you so much! so are you going to take a break after you graduate? or try to find a job right away?

thanks jason and jamie for the pictures! I loved them! I'll send you a letter soon1

thanks for sending me a picture of my paque! it looks great! and mom i don't know where my call letter went. I should just be with all my mission stuff?! i hope it is! i honestly don't know where i put it! is there away to get another one if it got lost? i know i didin't bring it so hopefully it will show up! let me know how all that goes!

glad to know byu is doing great!

well thanks again for everything! I love you all! have an amazing week!

-Love

SISTER GREGORY!

P.S. Mom or lindsey: could you ask Sabrina if she could send me the dr. suess quote she used for her Christmas present a couple of years ago? I absolutely love that quote and a couple of week ago in relief society they quoted it and I really want a copy of it! I hope that gardners are doing wonderful! sorry i havn't written you yet! I get a letter out today ok! I think of you guys all the time! hope school and life it wonderful! love you!!

January 21, 2011

FAMILY AND EVERYONE!!
How are you all?? Happy birthday Grandpa on monday!! I hope its the bestest one ever!! Have a blast in Arizona!! Have you and grandma gotten my letter yet? I'm working on another one and i'll get it sent soon!

Thanks everyone again for the amazing letter, e-mails and packages! I always love hearing from you all! Thanks for the love and support! And I'm so sorry about responding always so late! I'm kinda behind on my letter writing! But i promise if you write me I will write you!!

ok so about this week! So we have a new MTC presidency!! they are so amazing!! oh before I forget. I just sent a package home today! You'll finally get to see some pictures! I sent the packages home through MTC delivery. So you should get a call from them today or tomorrow. And mom they will be calling you. So just a warning you! and kenna I'm excited your going to play with Alyssa soon! AHH that makes me so excited! You will have to tell me all about that k!

ok back to my life. SO the MTC presidency is amazing! they spoke at the fireside. The main things that was talked about was knowing the doctrine for yourself as a missionary. Because the like ELder holland talked about they are worried about losing missionaries after their missions. So its so important to really understand and form a testimony of the doctrines in the gospel. THis make so so much sense! Because thats what your foundation needs to be formed from! But it was wonderful like always! The church is still so so true!

ok then on thursday sister kemp and I taught our first lesson at the TRC in portuguese! and yes it was 100% in portuguese! And guess what! It actually went really well! Its crazy how even if you don't know much portuguese you can still teach. It was pretty amazing! I loved that experience. So the language isn't the greatest but I'm learnging hwo to be more patient with myself and I keep telling myself that despite how much portuguese I know the Lord called me to Brazil for some reason. And becuase he called me to brazil I will find those I am suppose to teach and beable to touch them in some way with the gospel. Even if I am saying a few words and pointing to random things! But yes I'm loving learning portugues!

SO guess what! I tried out for the devotionals and I made it! Sis Scheewe ( a sister in my district) and elder Barr ( an elder in my zone) and I tried out. We played I know that my redeemer lives. I played the violin, sister Scheewe played the cello and Elder Barr played the piano. It was really good! We don't know yet when were playing but at least we made it! oh mom did you by chance figure out what I could use to help my violin not get destroyed in brazil? I'm starting to have second thoughts about even bringing it... I am nervous the humidity will ruin it or it will get stollen. What are your thoughts mom and dad? I would love to bring it but.. I dont' want it to get ruined either.

So a week from the this sunday all fourteen sister in my zone are doing a musical number in sacrament mtg! Yes I did say 14 sisters! and we are all goign to brazil! over the past few week we have gotten ten sisters! Crazy huh! none of them are goign to my mission though... oh well I'll probably be with alot native sisters and be speaking portuguese in no time!! It will be just so great! Oh I can't wait to get to brazil!! ahh and guess what.. still no word on visas... But oh well! I guess some member of the first presidency or some apostle has been talking with the brazilian government and trying to get things moving faster soo maybe Visas will come in soon! Cross your fingers!! And time is flying by! I might get my re-assignment in the next two weeks! Crazy! Everyone in my district thinks I'll be going south. that would be amazing! I'lll let you know what ends up happening!

mom It sounds like things with student teaching is going great! I'm sure your the best teacher ever! It sounds like the kids love you!! to bad I couldn't be there to watch ya teach! good luck with the rest of teaching!!

Jason and Jamie your looking a houses?? Your going to get your very own house? AHHH so fun and exciting! Send me pictures!!

Dad have fun on your trip! Thanks for the e-mail also! Hope you don't get to bored in all your meetings! Love you daddy!!

Kim thank you so much for the e-mail! I love it! I will write you soon and goodluck in New york! tell niki and grahm and grace hi for me! Send them hugs for me!!

Thanks for the recipe books and that lovely package! it was amazing!!

Well I better run. Love you all and hope school and life it wonderful for you all!

EU AMO VOCE!! Hope this next week is amazing!! Hey look I finally found time to sign my name at the end!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!
-Sister Gregory

January 14th, 2011

OI Familia and EVERYONE!!

So first off HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!! I hope its the bestest yet!! Love you!!

Thanks for all the wonderful e-mails, letters, and packages! I always love them and how much they brighten up my day!! Thankyou everyone!

Ok mom so the recipe book that I want is i guess both? I don't know. They both have really great recipes. So maybe just send them both and when I get the chance i'll go through them and send home what I don't want. Thanks so much mom! And I don't need another watch. The one you sent for christmas is perfect!

SO like always i am running out of time so I am going to narrow my week down into the best and funniest moment of the week so here I go!

The funniest moment was so funny! ahh ok so since I am in a room full of 8 elders all day long something stinky is bound to happen. Expecially the food they serve us isn't the best for ya. So yeah it bound to happen with a room full of elders. ok so the other day sister kemp and I were getting really to leave the room so we could get away from the district for some quite study time. Well it just so happened that right as we were grabbing our stuff some lovely elder decided to rip one. And boy was it stinky! I couldn't breath! So told sister kemp to hurry cause was dying!! And the second i got in the hall a bursted out laughing! Yeah I know I'm immature. But ugh it was gross! The elders i guess are getting more comfortable around us sisters or something. So any who Sister kemp and I decided it was getting a little out of control with all the smells in class so we decided to talk to the district leader. Yeah I little strange I know. But it was gross! so yeah as we get ready to talk to the district leader sister kemp turned to me and said You talk to him! Your better with words! and I was like what! I'm better with words? I'm the one freezing in the lessons! haha so yeah I ended up tell the district leader that he should tell the elders if they need to release themselves that they need to do it in the hall or the bathroom. I bursted out laughing as i told all of this. The district leader was also. It was pretty funny! I don't know if you found that funny if now I guess you had to be there! But good news our classroom isn't stinky anymore!! YAY!!

So we got a new district leaders and Zone leaders! Elder melendez is the District leader. and the Zone leader is Elder Killpack and Arnow. Elder Killpack was the previous District leader. SO yeah things are just great!

ok the best moment of the week was Tuesday night! SO amazing because ELDER HOLLAND came and spoke! It was seriously the best talk of my life! Deffinately my favorite! If there is a way for you to read it or listen to it I hightly reccomend it! ahh it was so great! He talked about how as missionaries we must be converted first before we can even expect to convert our investigators. He was so bold about this. Pretty much everyone in the audience were crying or on the verge of tears! He then at the end quoted and read the scripture where Christ is talking to Peter. He says "do you love me?" over and over and then at the end Christ says " then feed my sheep" Elder holland emphasized this line over and over. He said that we must not go back to who we were before the mission. If we love christ then we must feed his sheep. And our missions aren't just for these next 2 year or 18 months. We are missionaries for life! It was so powerful! I promised myself in that moment that would never go back and always move forward with missionary work. AHH it was so amazing! The church is so true! I definately have a lot of work to do as far as being a more effective missionary. But I know I am out here for the right reasons. I can't wait to meet those people in brazil. I know that christ is my savior and I love that he atoned for me that I could return and live with my father in heaven. I am so greatful that I know and believe what this gospel offers to us and I can't wait to share all of this with the lovly brazilian people! It was amazing becuase after holland spoke he blew a kiss to the audience and right at that second I felt grandmom was right next to me. the feeling was so overwhelming and I started to cry! It rememinded me of when I would leave grandmom and grandad house and how we would blow kisses to eachother from the car. Oh I am so greatful for the knowledge of the plan of salvation and the opportunity i have to be with our families forever!

oh what a great week! Sorry that I am all over the place or don't make since!

Thats great things are going well with kim. Best of luck kim as you go to New York! Your in my thoughts and prayers daily! I love you!

Thanks kenna for the letter from travis! It great to know that the best dog in the world is being taken care of! I miss that puppy! give him a hug for me! and take him on a run or something soon! and kenna Sis kemp has a sister your age! You should look her up on facebook and become friends! her name is Alyssa Kemp. I think you too would be great friends!

Thats so exciting that karch Gajdos got his visa! YAY! now lets pray that mine comes in soon! Some other missionaries have slowly been getting there so who knows maybe mine will come soon!!

Glad you got the birthday package kristina! and glad your birthday turned out wonderful!

Thanks for the winter hat!

love you all

-

January 7, 2011

OI Familia and everyone!!

How are you all doing? How was New years eve and all the fun stuff?? Happy Birthday to Kristina, Jamie Brown, and Braxton! I hope all your birthdays are the bestest yet! Love you all! And Kristina I mailed off a little something for you for your birthday today so hopefully you'll get that soon!

Thanks mom and dad for the packages! I sure loved them! And everyone that wrote letters and e-mails you all are so amazing! Eu amo voce!!

ok so for the run down of the week!

For New years eve my district was told that we were having a fireside. But nope! Our teachers totally tricked us! We were so sad! But after class the bubbles, blowers and rice krispy treats totally made up for it! Thanks so much mom! You made everyones new year! Then that night the sisters in my district and I played around with the glow sticks and the fun stuff you brought. We took some fun pictures! I'll send some pictures home as soon as I get them printed off. Sister kemp and I are going to do that later today I think?! We'll see if we have time!

This past Sunday was Fast Sunday! It was so wonderful! The going 24 for hours without food not so much but I loved sacrament meeting! And guess what! I bore my testimony all in portuguese! Go me!! The language is still a little struggle but I'm trying my hardest to not stress because I know theres a reason I'm going to brazil so if I do my part the lord will do the rest! Just gotta keep faith and pressing forward! Then later that day we had a mission conference! So amazing! I honestly can't remember much since it seems like for ever ago but I know it was amazing and all of the mtc presidency spoke. Oh and guess what! The MTC presidency is getting released! Crazy huh? So there should probably be a new one in the next week or so.

So this past week as I've been practicing giving the 2nd lesson I've noticed I have a hard time simplifying! I know by the time this mission thing is over I'll have it down but man its a little tough sometimes! This past Thursday we had our second TRC. my comp, and the other sisters and I taught the same investigator together. She was the sweetest girl. The portuguese part went alright. I ask a few questions and stuff but the other sisters had to take over a bit because Sister Kemp and I arn't quite at their level when it comes the language. But no worries we'll get it down! Our goal this next week is to get the first vision and my purpose down! But yeah the TRC went great and I found out that the investigator we taught went on a mission to Porto Alegre south! I havn't meet anyone till this past thursday that has served there so I got super excited! She told me a bit about the mission and I got super excited! Can't wait to finally get there! ahhh!

Tues we had a fireside. It was amazing like always! The spirit was super strong and I just loved it! ahhh! The speaker was from the 70 I think? And him and his wife were from scotland. They had the sweetest accent! His wife told about how her mom was a convert. The story was almost identical to Grandma and Grandpa gregorys conversion story. So it was pretty cool and easy to relate to. They talked a lot about what romans 1:16 says. "Be not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ" I feel like thats been the focus of this week. And making sure you have a firm testimony of the gospel and when you teach to always always testify and testify. Expecially of the prophet Joseph Smith. The speakers wife (forgot their names at the moment!) Said that if you ever are having a bad day to bare your testimony of Joseph Smith and your day will turn around. I found that so amazing. Because its so true!! I know that joseph Smith was a prophet and that he did see god the father and the sun. That he restored the fullness of the gospel so we could have it today. I know the book of mormon to be the word of god. This gospel is so amazing isn't it!! I just love it and can't wait to share it with the brazilian people!

Well I have about 5 min so I will do my best to answer all you questions!! Thanks for all the quote mom! I loved it! and I'm glad the girls got my letters! Oh and dad there is still no word on visas yet. The older brazilian districts have their reasignments. So thinking there is still no word about visas! But hopefully soon things will change! Grandma and Grandpa Tyler! I loved your e-mails! I'm going to try my best to get a letter out for you this week! Thanks so much and I love you so so so much! Have fun in arizona! Hope school is going great and your not sick of it yet! ANd what exactly is this leadership thing your talking about mom? Is it a class? Well I'm glad you like it! Sounds like life is goign great for you jeremy! I'll try to reply to your letter today. Yay for selling your contract!! WEll I can't remember what else you all said. but just keep asking quesitons!

love you all! talk you soon~!
Love