Mar 11, 2011

Hi Mom,

 

I'm leaving in less than 3 days!! Wow I'm so excited :D :D :D

 

Last Sunday, Elder Dick (he is from Oxford, England!!) sang in the fireside.  A song called "He Healed Me".  And I accompanied!! It was so nervewracking.  While something is going on (A fireside, a devotional, etc) the media people have a recording of what is happening going on.  Like in General Conference.  The camera will be on the speakers.  When there is a musical number, it will be on the performers.  While I was playing the piano, I could see the screen, and what was going on.  So I was trying to decide which would be more nervewracking:  Being the singer and seeing the whole audience of missionaries, or being the pianist and seeing yourself on camera.  Needless to say, I tried not to watch what was going on, or else I'd get way too distracted.

 

The foreign missionaries had the opportunity today to go to the Salt Lake Temple!  Elder Dick is gone.  He is in Salt Lake right now.  And I think I told you about the Elder from Switzerland, Elder Aubin (Don't think I mentioned his name).  He is there, too.  It is awesome that they give them the opportunity to go there while they are in the country and nearby.

 

My companions and I met a couple of guys from Switzerland yesterday! One of them was taking pictures.  He was working on a project for his diploma.  He and his family were Catholic, but he found the Mormon community interesting.  He noticed that at our church meetings, there were families and kids and babies, which was different from what he was used to.  In Switzerland, Mormons are often viewed as a sect, and kind of weird, because they are always wearing suits and walking around knocking on doors.  He wanted to see how it was when Mormons were a majority.  He said he'd learned a little bit about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and he wasn't interested so much in whether or not it was true.  What he was focusing on was on the Mormon community.  He took a picture of my companions and I, and then some more later (I don't like pictures... :P).  He said maybe he will see us in Switzerland or France. Which would be awesome for his project, having pictures of us here in Provo and then again in Europe.  The most awesome part for me, though, was that he explained most of that in French.  And I understood most of it!! Unless I completely misunderstood, and it was nothing like that... Just kidding XD

 

I bought a cool new watch that has 2 times on it!! So the top one has the time here, and the bottom one has the time in Switzerland.  It'll help a bunch when I'm trying to figure out what time it is there.  Not that I'll have to do that often, but...

 

Some people here know Elder Matt Smith!! Elder Howden is a missionary here at the referral center, and he knew Matt.  Also, Elder Fitch in my district is from Kaysville, and he knows Matt, too!!

 

Ok I will write again after I get to Switzerland!  Look forward to calling!! Bye

 

Sister Bartlome