"Who you gonna call..."

YAY! blog entry.

Ok, so the MTC is alright. Lots of happenings in a single day, so you can't remember all of it; days blend to weeks, and weeks blend into months. The other day I asked Sora Lund if we had been here for 2 or 3 weeks. It had only been 2, but I thought it was longer.

If you like cafeteria food, then the MTC is the place for you! not me. I eat fruit for every meal, and at least 2/3 of my meals include a salad. Sometimes I eat bread...that's it, nothing on it, just plain bread. Yes, most people think I'm weird, especially because I refuse to eat their candy and treats, and the ice cream the cafeteria gives the missionaries.

The other day Sora Lund, Syster Chesley (our new Solo Sister going to Sweden), and I went to the fitness center. I sat on the row machine, and guess what! There is a fish game on there. Depending how hard you row and how soft you row, you can move your fish up and down the screen. The object is to eat as many of the scattered fishies for points, but there are also these sharks or pirannas that can eat you and subtract your points. You get 4 minutes per game. It was really hard for me to not scream at my fishy to get away from the shark.

 

For service on Tuesday we had an awesome job. We got to vacuum the mats to all the entrances of 1M. The vacuums were these really cool pack vacuums. Naturally, I thought of Ghost Busters and "ran" (as fast as I deemed sister missionary appropriate) around "yelling" (again, sister missionary appropriate,) "I'm coming for you SATAN!" Followed by sucking noises like I was trapping him in my vacuum.

On a normal day we get up at 6:30, or earlier, get ready, study, eat, class for 3 hours, study, eat, study, class, eat, gym, study, plan, bed. That's it, and we live in the same room all day.
 

Sora Lund and I are teaching 2 new investigators, Brady and Sophie. Brady is so great. He loves his family so much, and we are so excited to share with him next week that he can be with his wife and 3 boys forever. His wife isn't interested in religion, and he says if she was, that it would be orthodox. Though, I know if we can get his tesimony strong enough and help him feel the spirit that he'll share the message of Jesus Christ with his family. Sophie isn't interested at all. She's a student studying Biology, and she doesn't think religion is important to her. We asked her to pray, but she doesn't yet know the necessity of developing a relationship with Heavenly Father. The plan was to introduce her to the idea of baptism, but I didn't feel like it was right. Once again, my plan is to bombard them with the spirit when we teach, so she will be open to finding truth for herself. She did say she would read the resoration pamphlet though.

BAD KENDRA!!!

July 19, 2012

I am soooo bad.  Other missionaries are astonished I have 'technology' with me.  My iPod with my scriptures, Romanian dictionary, church publications and books, along with my hymns, also had a camera on it... and internet capabilities.  BAD KENDRA for being born in the age of technology.  I have it locked now so I cannot use the net.  I was reading Jesus the Christ, not allowed, I guess.  I just do not want the weight of all the books.

Our days are pretty long.  We get up; study; eat; study; eat; study; go to bed. They should just put our beds in our one classroom, it would save some steps. Devotionals are on Tuesdays. Our meetings are split up on Sundays just like the 'old' days so we have time to study.

Sister Lund and I have a new companion: Syster Chelsey.  She is a solo sister going to Sweden, so it is our job to escort her to and from Elders in her district. Our two roommates, Sister Heupal and Sister Pearce are going to Italy.

Sunday's devotional was Jenny Oaks Baker.  She played the violin for us.

Tuesday's devotional was Emeritus 70, Vaughn J. Featherstone. 

 

He had just had knee surgery and tried to stand for the entire time but eventually had to sit down.  He is so cute. He quoted Pres. Kimball a few times.  My favorite: "Don't make small plans, there is no room for miracles."  And, he told us a story about a big white rooster and a little red hen.   Just like home, I sketched him while he spoke. Don't want to get rusty in the next 18 months.  Bro. Featherstone told us our generation would see and be a part of a great influx in the church membership.  I don't know how many times I have heard that but I am curious to see what happens.

I had some pictures to send of our district, our roommates and our other roommates which are now gone to Norway and South Korea.  A new change here is we can no longer print or send pictures from the MTC. So much for posting on my blog.

Tuesday is Sister Lund and my service day so spent the day sweeping the pathways outside the main building.  We have met two Elder missionaries and a Sister missionary going to the Washington Spokane mission.  I tried to give them an idea how awesome Washington is.  We have met many missionaries going to many different places: Korea, Seattle, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Chili, New York, Texas, Norway, Switzerland, Hong Kong, just to name a few.

I am playing the piano this Sunday for prelude.  Too bad I have not had a piano while in college.  I used to play all of the hymns in the hymnal.  Not anymore!  I really need practice and prayers. 

Kendra

Day 2 -- Full steam ahead!

July 12, 2012

Well, I arrived yesterday.  Forgetting things has become my trademark.  I have been here for two days and keep forgetting things all over the place. (But, that gives my parents embarrassing stories to bring up in the future.)  Well, just in our room. Sister Lund is an angel though, and does not 'hold it against me'.  Either the forgetting or the apologizing will most likely get to her one of these days.

The food is about as good as bulk food can be.  With no regard to organic, whole wheat or fat/sugar content being prepared... I just don't trust it.  Plus... I have only seen WHITE rice.  No one should eat more than a cup in one sitting.  It's genetic composition will make you bloaty and/or gassy!  

I am only supposed to scroll a few lines to let you know I am here and fine.  (Guess I might have forgotten you brought me or else they think you might be thinking you lost me with the sudden 'departure' at the MTC.) Class is fun, not very hard.  I learned more in my first day in my BYU Romanian class than we have in the first couple of days here.  This is a nice review for me. I need to get my 1500 word vocabulary back and then some.  I am trying to push myself as it would be easy to sit back and take it easy at this time.

There are 9 Elders and Sister Lund and I in our district.  There are 3 other Romanian Elders getting ready to leave in the next couple of weeks.  They like to think they are impressing us by rattling off in Romanian as fast as they can but the are really only asking How are you? Welcome to the MTC. or How is your first day going?  I have been impressed by how much they know in such a short time but then then cannot write or spell.  That is such an important step in learning, understanding and comprehension. 

Today we taught our first 'investigator'.  Each companionship has 20 minutes but I do not think they expect us to make it 20 minutes as we can only speak in Romanian.  Sister Lund is picking up the language much faster than the Elders.  But this was the way it was in Romanian 101 also.  I pray that the Lord will help me find the words I need.  I know they are filed in my brain somewhere.

Yesterday, I was also set apart.  This blessing makes some reference to my Patriarchal blessing, which is WAY COOL!  I don't know what mission blessings are usually like, but I LOVE mine!

Kendra

Dropping Off Sister Heim

It was a beautiful, 'hot, HOT day in July' (7/6/2012) to travel to even the hotter state of Utah, but, we made it thanks to air-conditioning. Our first stop in the state of Utah was the Bountiful Temple. It is beautiful in the evening sky. And, the only temple any of us had seen with underground parking! Loved the archways and the glassed in garden planted with, what I think are, Japanese Maples. Here I we saw the BIGGEST cockroach in the garden area any of us had seen. It must have been four inches long!!!

The following day we took a trip to Mount Timpanogos for the early morning session. The rest of the Saturday (7/7/2012) and Sunday (7/8/2012) we spent with Bro Mike, Chioma and Soleil. They had arrived in Provo at 3:30 am Saturday from New Mexico to wish me farewell. We went to an early and very Spanish ward meeting on Sunday. We weren't able to catch much of what was said, except Mike who is fluent. After Sacrament Meeting, Mike and his family left for the return home as they had to work the following day.

Monday (7/10/2012) was spent gathering the last minute items I needed in preparation for my big adventure and the Lord's work. To avoid going home to a hot house (my Utah apartment has no airconditioning), we went to the movies and spent five hours in the dollar theater before going home to sleep. It remained cooler outside than inside the house.

The Jordan River Temple was magnificent (7/10/2012) against the still hot Utah sky when we visited. It never seems to cool down in the evenings, unlike the beautiful Palouse. The thermometer continued to reach the high 90's-100's during the day and stayed in the mid-high 80's at night.

We have a little family tradition of attendin a 'live session' before starting missions, but the Salt Lake City temple was closed for cleaning. So, we headed South to the Manti temple  (7/10/2012). Manti is indeed a Mighty Fortress. Reminding me of a Castle – the Lord's Castle, protecting the Saints from the world outside. We traveled there with my high school friend, Adam George. I had seen Manti once before as a small child when we went to the Manti Pageant, but Adam, who is attending BYU - Utah this year after returning from his mission in Florida, had never been there. It was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside.

This is the new sign to take pictures of outside the MTC campus. We asked about the 'old' PROVO MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER sign we had taken pictures of when my brothers entered the MTC several years back and found that for safety reasons they had removed it when re-landscaping the grounds. Although families loved that photo opportunity, it created too much congestion and small children were playing far too near, and in, the busy street. It was an accident waiting to happen. So, in the spirit of what we've always done outside the MTC we took a picture next to the only sign on display– a small little beacon of welcome to those about to enter the gates of spiritual development prior to service in the field.

Here I am on my "drive by" arrival. (7/11/2012) Two Elders were waiting at the curb, met me at my car, took my luggage and I was off. Mom and Dad in a daze somewhere between wanting a emotional goodbye filled with words of wisdom and a meaningful embrace, and the necessity to vacate the parking spot for another unsuspecting family to be torn from their missionary by two baggage thugs dressed like Elders.

Tip for current missionary drop-off: 1) say your goodbyes the day before or arrive in the parking area across the street for that last hug, because you have no time once on the the MTC grounds; 2) keep the car rolling at a steady, yet safe, 3.5 mph; 3) throw out the baggage first so your young missionary has something to break the fall while leaping from the side door. (It may be helpful to do some training prior to this event to avoid any injury.)

And, you're off!

You'd think this would be the last time my parents would see me for 18 months...you are wrong! The heat has already affected my brain, and I forgot my purse and wallet in the car in the hustle bustle. They found it when they went back to my hot house to load my remaining posessions into the van for the return trip home. They brought it to the office at the MTC and whom do you think they ran into while taking a tour of the MTC???.... ME!!! oh yeah, and my companion, Sist Lund! Sist Lund's uncle, Bill Smith, lives in Pullman and goes to the Terre View Ward with my family. Dad got his wish, he made it inside the gate!


Tip for seeing your missionary one last time before they lock them in: Forget something.

I am going to the MTC in 1 hour! This is going to be awesome. I hope I have everything, but not too much. In a couple days pictures and a post from my trip to Utah will be up. All the temples were amazing.

MTC Address

I will be at the MTC starting this Wednesday, July 11th until early September. That's 2 months. Here is my address:
Sister Kendra Lizbet Heim
MTC Mailbox # 172
ROM-MLD 0911
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793


You can also send same day delivery mail by using dearelder.com. It's free to send letters to the MTC! I love free stuff.

Farewell and Final Weeks

My brother Josh and my nephew Xander signing in on the guest list.

Thanks to everyone who came out to my farewell BBQ.  It was great! I hope all of you enjoyed the little bit of Romanian food, music, and pictures.  If you wanted one, two, or some of the recipes here they are:
Pulled Turkey

Sarmale (Cabbage Rolls) These are traditionally made with meat, but we substituted artichoke hearts for that to make them vegetarian, which is also done. 50 leaves is about 1-1.5 heads of cabbage.

Salata de Boeuf (Potato Salad) This is also traditionally made with beef or chicken, but we made it vegetarian also. We substituted all the mayonnaise for yogurt (be cautioned that this will not keep for days as the yogurt will separate.) Equal parts of all ingredients, except mayonnaise, yogurt, and spice to desired taste and texture.

Ingredients:

Potatoes with skin (yukon gold hold their shape the best)

Cooked Carrots

Cooked Peas

Pickled Peppers (or just cook fresh ones)

Pickles

Mayonnaise

Plain Yogurt

Salt and Pepper

Baklava I substituted 1 cup of pistachios for this recipe, but you can do what you want.

Heceta Beach

After I had my farewell we went to Eugene Oregon to visit my brother Derek.  We camped next to Heceta Beach in Florence, saw some sea lions at the Sea Lion Cave!, and ate clam chowder at Mo's. Then after a few days we traveled to Portland where I hung out with a couple cool cats Micah Cruver and Stefan Dolan, and went to Amber and Kody's wedding (CONGRATS!)

Cobra Lily!