Hey, y'all

I'm sitting in the Mandarin lab right now, tying up this letter, so excuse the weird everything, Haha

I had a great time this week, learning more than I ever thought possible, but I've also learned that spiritual experiences can come when least convenient, and can also be when you feel the absence of the spirit.

It's weird how the Lord knows us, and sends others to be with us when we need it.

Today, I had the opportunity to kind of be that, when the Spirit whispered to me to go find my companion. She had received a rough email, and was wandering around the laundry room. I heard a voice, and felt a feeling to go find her and then just hugged her for a long time. We didn't talk about it or what had happened, but the Lord wanted my companion to feel loved. We had some tough lessons this week. We're still getting used to working all together and taking turns talking; we all really love to talk, and feel we're being inspired...just in completely different directions. But then, we had a break through, the most connected lesson we've had, and the fact that it could even happen; that we could all take turns, feel the spirit, and connect to the investigator the way they needed, was just enough to get through the next forever lessons. The next lesson we forgot everything our teachers had taught us, and it was awful, because I knew we were capable of more, but c'est la vie. I miss alone time, but not really, as I've never felt less alone spiritually. Pretty much I pray so often, it's crazy. I appreciate all the letters everyone sends; they make me so happy! Sallamat! We learn so much in class, and it's hard to juggle everything we learn, and apply it in each lesson, but we're doing our best and focusing on keeping it simple. The Spirit testifies of the truth. Reading the scriptures, singing,  and praying, brings the spirit like nothing else. The spirit testifies that the scriptures are true. I had a role play I participated in, where the missionary teaching me told me to read John 14: 26-27, out loud. Sitting there, in this like fake thing, the Spirit helped me understand things just for me, from that scripture. The scriptures are always there, but the times of our life change. I connected most deeply with the chapter in 2 Nephi about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Can you believe it? What the weird. I was struggling and praying so hard, waiting for one of my companions to go to a meeting she had. I read this chapter, seriously, like I don't even know, I was like wow, I feel loved and strengthened, and what the what. Beautiful stuff. When we don't get to read our scriptures and study every day, Sister Arts and I complain: we just don't feel prepared. Luckily, Sister O'Farrell is there to calm us down and tell us that the lesson didn't go that badly. Until the time we got really frustrated and the spirit left, and we were just blabbering on about being baptized or else. Yeah. Not a good move. We have to be kind, not back talk, not really complain about anything, or boom, the spirit leaves. Ew.

The best times are when you close your mouth and listen to the spirit. Let the investigator think for themselves. This mission is to figure out their own stuff. We teach them and bring the spirit. The spirit testifies of truth, and then they decide for themselves what's up.

We can't use "guys" to describe...anyone. Haha It's SO HARD. Try that one day! Calling people "Sister" has gotten less weird. Help me. Just kidding. I love it here. We play and have fun, share spiritual experiences, and hard days. It's great. :)

I have grown so much: we have to suppress any selfish desires, and just be like, whatever whatever. I think it's really good for me. I need to grow up. No joke. I just have to bite my tongue, and pray. A lot. And hard. Haha it helps a ton. I love the peace I can feel even though what's happening is disturbing to me. Disrespect, ugh. :)

The way sacrament meeting works here!? Yeah. Everyone in the branch: 4+ districts: 12 missionaries a district, prepares a talk. Two people are then called up, when the time comes for speakers. No one knows who's going to do it. Although, Sister Arts was going to give a prayer, and then she wasn't... Haha cause she ended up giving a talk.

Our companionship has found some awesome sauce stuff, like the fact that if you go to choir, and give up an hour, about, of free time, of which we have little, granted...Haha, we get amazing seats, and don't have to sit there saving seats for the last hour of free time. Haha It's good... :)

Also, we really like the wrap bar. It's like having our own personal L+T, at BYU, in the MTC.

I love you all SO SO SO SO SO SO SO much

Googma (love),

Sister Jenna Susann Bothwell