Oct. 22, 2009

I just read shannon's letter to me addressed "Elder Viehweg". What the heck
shannon, something is seriously wrong with you. Thank you for writing
though, bad girl.

How was Southern Utah? I can't believe I've never been there. Someday I'll
go.

Oh my goodness we have less than two weeks! About 11 days, maybe twelve.
I'm going crazy here. I think last week I may have mentioned not being
ready to leave...I take it all back. GET ME OUT OF HERE. Yesterday we got
to be HOST missionaries for all the newbies coming in. That was so much
fun. Dad, Deb, you remember those missionaries that met us at the curb and
took me away. That was me yesterday. It was kind of awkward when parents
would start bawling, but once we took the missionaries away from them and
got to show them around, get their books and get them to class it was a lot
of fun. The sisters I checked in were so excited, it got me excited all
over again. It also got me in a very nastalgic mood, studying after
checking people in all afternoon yesterday was almost impossible. When I
would tell the new sisters I've been here almost eight weeks now it sounded
wierd coming out of my own mouth.
Still no flight plans yet, I have a feeling they are coming later
today. I can't wait.
It's amazing how different each TRC appointment is every week. This
week it was awesome. It is always amazing to me how everything comes
together sometimes. Saturday I was feeling really flustered again because
my vocabulary was horrible for what I wanted to teach (principles of the
gospel), but yet again, after studying for a couple hours before our
appointment I was able to go in there and give a lesson using words I didn't
know I knew, no notes. We taught an RM who just got back from serving in
Malaysia and he had a lot of good advice for us. He said many of the people
in East malaysia don't understand with their mind, they understand with
their heart. They aren't well schooled and don't really understand the Book
of Mormon (because it's difficult to read and it's not even printed in their
own language, they have to make it out in Indonesian). But he told us that
if they feel good in their heart when we come to teach them, they will get
baptized. That was such a relief to here because the words coming out of my
mouth probable aren't going to make much sense. He also told us that they
love white women, right on.
I had a funny mix up between Indonesian and Malaysian the other day.
Our Malaysian teacher was in class with us and I don't remember what exactly
I said but I used the Indonesian word for "need" in it. Well, turns out the
word for need in Indo has a completely different meaning in Malay. The word
I said made my teacher turn bright red and tell me, "never use that word
again ever". He wouldn't tell me what it means, and chances are I will use
it again. I have a feeling I am going to embarrass myself a lot over there
with my Indo-Malay mix of a language, lookin forward to it.
Also, we learned the other day that if we are giong to be serving in East
Malaysia, which everyone does so I'm told. We are going to have to learn
yet another language when we get there called Iban. Apparently that's all
they speak in the sticks of Malaysia. My teacher says it is very similar to
Malaysian so hopefully it won't be that hard. I'll probably just make up a
combination of all three, Malay Indo and Iban, and hope that at least one
person understands me.
I've decided there isn't enough pink and sparkly here at the MTC. I
walk around and all I see is black and a little white, occasionally blue or
grey when the Elders want to get crazy. Blah it's so dull!
Let's see what else, OH! If Aunt Joyce reads these emails, THANK YOU
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the bread. We loved it, it had to have
been same-day-delivery because wow it was so good. We sat on the floor in
our classroom and had a picnic of sorts. They elders in my District about
died, they loved it. Most of the loaf was gone in about five minutes. I
have such awesome aunts.
I think everyone in our group of 10 Singapore missionaries are ready to
leave, we don't care that we don't know the language anymore, we just want
to get there. A lot of the Elder's girlfriends have been sending them toys,
coloring books, sudoku, cross-words, for the long flight. I'm not sure how
appropriate that is...oh well.
Love you family, thanks for the letters. Have a good one. Take advantage
of DEARELDER while you can haha.

Sister Viehweg