I am so excited to get the picture... I hope I get it in time!
So... exciting news!!! We got our travel plans! I'm leaving the MTC at 5 am on this coming Monday. We leave the SLC airport at 8:36 AM and get to the Los Angeles Airport at 9:35. Then we leave that airport at 1 pm and arrive in Tokyo at 4:25 pm the next day... I'm not exactly sure how many hours that is with the time difference. We leave Tokyo, Japan at 6:35pm and arrive in Manila, Philippines at 10 pm. We will find out how we will get to Iloilo after we arrive in Manila. So, sometime when I am in one of the airports, I will be able to call home. I wish I had known a little more in advance because I have no idea who will be available or when the best time to call is... and the only phone number I know by heart is Dads cell phone. I will probably want to call while I have that 3 and a half hour layover in LA... so I hope someone will be able to answer.
My address until I can inform you of where I will be living, I assume
this is my mission presidents home, is
Sister Heidi McClellan
Philippines Iloilo Mission
Osmena St
Arevalo
5000 Iloilo
Philippines
I'm pretty sure you can still use the Dear Elder if you want. Letters back will be even slower than they have been... pasensiya for that.
Well, this last week has been super exciting. At Relief Society on Sunday, Sister Elaine S. Dalton came and spake and afterwards I was able to meet her and give her a hug. I love her so much! Then that night we heard from Sherie Dew and her talk was amazing as well. Tonight we're hoping for another general authority, but our guess is that they will all be coming in the next few weeks because of the new mission presidents who are coming to the MTC. If we miss the prophet by one day, I will be pretty disappointed, haha. jk. Also on Sunday, our district sang How Great Thou Art in Sacrament Meeting, and then I played the piano for the other district who sang another song. Yesterday we had in field orientation which was an all day thing. It was really neat. We heard from a lot of different people and had breakout sessions and learned more about goal setting and planning and key indicators and things that will really help us out in the field.
Well I feel as though I have a pretty good handle on the language as far as bearing testimony and teaching gospel related topics... when it comes to every day stuff, I have no hope, haha. So... Im excited for me to have to start all over again in Illonggo! haha. My first Sunday there will be fast and testimony meeting and they say its pretty expected for the new missionaries to bear their testimonies... so that will be interesting. Hopefully my companion will be willing to help me write something that I can read to the congregation. I really am still just so excited. Maybe a tiny bit nervous, but more than anything I just want to be there and getting to work.
This morning I went to the temple for the last time in possibly a very, very long time. It made me so sad. But I enjoyed every minute that I possibly could there. The temple is the house of the Lord. I know that without a doubt in my mind. The spirit is so strong and miracles happen there every day. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the sacrifice that He made for me and for each one of you. I am so grateful for prayer and for the opportunity that it gives us to speak to our loving Heavenly Father, so that we can build that relationship that we have with Him. He really does care about each one of us. We are each His child that he loves with an infinite and eternal love. Don't be afraid to turn to Him in your times of need. Turn to Him every day, give thanks to Him for all the things that He has given you. Tell Him how grateful you are for the plan that He created so that we could become like Him and return to Him. It is a perfect plan that is centered around our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It is a Plan of Happiness. I am so grateful for the Restoration of the gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Read it as often as you can. I love you all and I hope you are all happy. Thank you all for your love and support and prayers in my behalf. I am so blessed to have you all. I love you!
Sister Heidi McClellan
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Week 7
Magandang Umaga!
2 More weeks!!! I should be getting my travel plans some time this
week and I couldn't be more excited about it.
Occasionally, we get to play the role of investigators for some of
the newer missionaries so they can practice their door approaches and
Tagalog. The other day, we decided to have a little fun with it and
tried to be these "party girls" who loved drinking and being annoying.
(We knew the missionaries who would be teaching us were good sports
otherwise we would have been a little easier). :) Anyways, during
the lesson I kept moving my invisible beer can from place to place.
It's so cool how when you are playing the role of someone with a
purpose in mind, trying to make it realistic and meaningful for the
missionaries, it feels real. I realized how much more there is to a
person than is just on the surface or that you can find out in just a
few minutes, especially in a language you don't know very well. As I
was being taught by these missionaries I felt the spirit and tried to
act as I felt this person would act in this situation. It was a
really neat experience... and after everything was over and we were
heading back to class, I totally did a double-take (walked in a
circle) because I remembered my beer can and that I forgot to throw it
away... I walked two steps towards the table and then realized... of
course it wasn't there. It was so funny. I was laughing for about 10
minutes afterwards. :) I think the MTC really IS making me crazy,
hahahahaha.
I've learned a lot in the past few weeks. As I was looking through
some of my older journal entries, I noticed a common trend. I kept
saying how I would probably love being here at the MTC under different
circumstances. And honestly, most of the time, I do love it here. But
what I thought about is Nephi. When Nephi's brothers bound him up, he
didn't pray for the circumstances to change. He asked for the
strength to burst the bands... for the strength to get through his
trial. I know that I can do anything that the Lord wants me to do and
that the trials that I have are for me and for my benefit. Serving a
mission is not going to be easy... but it is so going to be worth it.
I can do hard things. :) and so can all of you.
Love, Heidi
2 More weeks!!! I should be getting my travel plans some time this
week and I couldn't be more excited about it.
Occasionally, we get to play the role of investigators for some of
the newer missionaries so they can practice their door approaches and
Tagalog. The other day, we decided to have a little fun with it and
tried to be these "party girls" who loved drinking and being annoying.
(We knew the missionaries who would be teaching us were good sports
otherwise we would have been a little easier). :) Anyways, during
the lesson I kept moving my invisible beer can from place to place.
It's so cool how when you are playing the role of someone with a
purpose in mind, trying to make it realistic and meaningful for the
missionaries, it feels real. I realized how much more there is to a
person than is just on the surface or that you can find out in just a
few minutes, especially in a language you don't know very well. As I
was being taught by these missionaries I felt the spirit and tried to
act as I felt this person would act in this situation. It was a
really neat experience... and after everything was over and we were
heading back to class, I totally did a double-take (walked in a
circle) because I remembered my beer can and that I forgot to throw it
away... I walked two steps towards the table and then realized... of
course it wasn't there. It was so funny. I was laughing for about 10
minutes afterwards. :) I think the MTC really IS making me crazy,
hahahahaha.
I've learned a lot in the past few weeks. As I was looking through
some of my older journal entries, I noticed a common trend. I kept
saying how I would probably love being here at the MTC under different
circumstances. And honestly, most of the time, I do love it here. But
what I thought about is Nephi. When Nephi's brothers bound him up, he
didn't pray for the circumstances to change. He asked for the
strength to burst the bands... for the strength to get through his
trial. I know that I can do anything that the Lord wants me to do and
that the trials that I have are for me and for my benefit. Serving a
mission is not going to be easy... but it is so going to be worth it.
I can do hard things. :) and so can all of you.
Love, Heidi
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Week 6
Dear Family!
Thank you all so so much for your letters. I´m a little behind in my
responses, but I´ve been trying to reply to each one individually
while I can. I have about 3 whole weeks left here... and they are
very very long. Each one of your letters and packages make my entire
week better. I honestly am having a hard time finding the words for
what to write about. Every day is so repetitive and long... and I
can´t remember anything. It´s been super hard. I am trying to stay
positive though. I really appreciate your prayers. I can feel how
they help me get through each day.
Jarom, say Hi to Emma for me! I can´t wait to meet her. She looks
adorable! I am so excited for when you will be able to all be sealed
to each other in the temple.
My friend and old roommate, Carrine Cheatham, is here at the MTC and
it´s always so exciting to see her around. She leaves for Nevada
tomorrow though. I´ll miss her. It´s super weird seeing my friends
coming and leaving while I´m still here. I love to go outside for gym
time. It´s like the only freedom I get. I feel ready to go to the
Philippines and not ready at the same time. They are actually
starting the Illongo language program this week... but I won´t get to
be part of it unfortunately.
Sorry this letter seems so scattered... I think I´m going a little
crazy here. And these computers have issues.
I´m happy though. The church is true and God loves me and each of
you. Miracles happen every day. If you feel there aren´t enough
smiley faces in this letter, don´t worry, I can´t figure out how to
make them on this keyboard for some reason though, haha. I miss you
all!
Heidi
Thank you all so so much for your letters. I´m a little behind in my
responses, but I´ve been trying to reply to each one individually
while I can. I have about 3 whole weeks left here... and they are
very very long. Each one of your letters and packages make my entire
week better. I honestly am having a hard time finding the words for
what to write about. Every day is so repetitive and long... and I
can´t remember anything. It´s been super hard. I am trying to stay
positive though. I really appreciate your prayers. I can feel how
they help me get through each day.
Jarom, say Hi to Emma for me! I can´t wait to meet her. She looks
adorable! I am so excited for when you will be able to all be sealed
to each other in the temple.
My friend and old roommate, Carrine Cheatham, is here at the MTC and
it´s always so exciting to see her around. She leaves for Nevada
tomorrow though. I´ll miss her. It´s super weird seeing my friends
coming and leaving while I´m still here. I love to go outside for gym
time. It´s like the only freedom I get. I feel ready to go to the
Philippines and not ready at the same time. They are actually
starting the Illongo language program this week... but I won´t get to
be part of it unfortunately.
Sorry this letter seems so scattered... I think I´m going a little
crazy here. And these computers have issues.
I´m happy though. The church is true and God loves me and each of
you. Miracles happen every day. If you feel there aren´t enough
smiley faces in this letter, don´t worry, I can´t figure out how to
make them on this keyboard for some reason though, haha. I miss you
all!
Heidi
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