I'm going to miss December 15th! :)

Okay I got my flight plans, yippee! I'm leaving on Monday, not Tuesday! We leave the MTC at 4:30 PM, and then we will take the 8:25 flight to L.A. California. So I'll be able to call you either at the SLC airport or CA I think. At 11:30 PM, we'll leave Los Ang. and cross the international dateline, arriving in Taipe Taiwan at 6:10 AM on December 16th! So you all will have to let me know how the 15th was because I'll never experience December 15th, 2009! Crazy eh? :) We have a 3 hour layover in Taiwan and then we take the 9:30 AM flight to Manila! Yay! It's sure going to be an adventure. I can't wait! There are about 48 of us going to the Philippines - 12 are going to Baguio with me! So there you have it.

Well, this week has been wonderful. How did you like the 1st Presidency Christmas devotional last night? Wasn't it great? I loved it! Especially President Monson's message. The MTC taped it at 6 and then let us watch it at our weekly fireside. The MTC also has lots of Christmas lights up in the trees and a nativity set outside. And now that we have lots of snow, it feels so Christmasy! It will be weird to leave this winter wonderland and have my first warm tropical Christmas.

The reason my email is later today is because we had to go on another "field trip" to the doctor for Sister Parks. She is still having some stomach problems, and we will need to go back on Friday for a return appointment. She found out today that she may be facing the decision of whether to go to the Philippines or whether to stay and serve her mission stateside where better medical services are available. So needless to say, it's been a pretty emotionally difficult day. Please pray for her. She has worked so hard in learning Tagalog and we're all so excited. I hope everything will resolve itslef and that we will all be able to leave together. I love my companions!

Every Wednesday morning we have a service assignment cleaning the showers in the sisters' residence hall. So by the time we get out of here, we are going to be epxert shower cleaners! My companions and I like to sing Christmas songs and Primary songs together while we clean. Oh, I found out that Sister Young grew up on Brite music too! So occasionally we sing those together. hehe! Sister Young's parents are planning to pick her up after her mission too, and so you'll probably get to meet them! One highlight from this week was that Sister Cheryl C. Lant (the General Primary President) came to speak to us on Tuesday! And yesterday for Fast Sunday we had a big mission conference where the MTC presidency spoke to us. One of the talks was about the role of Mary as the mother of Jesus. It was so good. It made me really think about how courageous Mary must have been to accept that role. On Thursday at the TRC we taught the Plan of Salvation to Eliza, from the Philippines. We didn't understand everything she said, but we are improving. I'm nervous-excited for leaving! I don't feel completely ready, but I guess the Lord works with what He gets. I'm ready to work hard!Well I'm out of time. I love you very much! Thank you for all you do for me! I love this gospel. I'm so happy. I love sharing what makes me happy. Life is good! Take care!

P.S. thanks for the kindness from Grandma Maria and the Tuminez's that you've passed on! I hope sister Tuminez recovers well from her surgery.