Week 2!

Bonjour!!

So I have hardly any time to write cause uploading pictures takes FOREVER so won't be doing that over email anymore.  Also I apologize for all the spelling and grammar errors that I make because i know I'm usually a nazi about that stuff but, ain't nobody got time for spellcheck in the MTC.

Anyways, this week seems to have gone by a lot faster because of Christmas and everything.  And....I have to admit, Christmas is better at home!  Don't get me wrong, Christmas at the MTC is amazing.  They definitely try to make it nice for us and we had lots of special activities and we got to watch two movies.  One night we watched The Nativity (not a church movie, weirdo one) and then Christmas night we watched Ephraim's Rescue, which was pretty good.  But the best part was President Nelson coming to speak to us that morning!!  He is so wise, and he's 90!  And looks like any moment he could just do a backflip!  He talked about the doctrine of our gospel and compared it to a diamond with numerous facets that each help the diamond itself sparkle and reflect its brilliancy.  It was very nice.  All in all though, I have no regrets in saying that there's no place like home for the holidays.  It's just the truth!  No matter how amazing it was here, nothing beats being with the family at home for Christmas.  Also I hope you couldn't tell when i started to tear up on the phone in our phone call because I didn't want you to think I was sad because I wasn't!  I just wish I had been able to be at home.  But I'm glad I'm here too.  Also, families are exactly what the whole church is all about so I don't feel guilty at all for saying it's better there haha.  

This past Sunday we had another special devotional!  David Archuleta came!  Haha I have never been a huge fan of him I guess but then....he got on the stand and smiled and the camera showed a close up and I was pretty much in love.  No, I really fell in love when he started to sing!  He is pretty dang cute, and very much just as talented as he's cracked up to be.  What's more awesome about it is that Allison just saw him in Lyon!  And it's hilarious she said that he sang "Il est ne le divin enfant" (don't yet know how to put accents on letters because it never works with these computers) because it's such a traditional French hymn but the tune isn't that great but Allison was right and he pulled it off!  And his pronunciation was actually way good!  So that was cool.  He's following the Hurd sisters around.  He brought Richard Elliott who is the principal organist for MoTab and he is soooo talented.  He played a couple songs for us and talked to us a little about his conversion and it was awesome.  Playing the organ looks so difficult!  

After the devotional we watched a recording of a talk given by Elder Bednar a few years ago at the MTC on Christmas Day on the Sabbath.  They only show it at the MTC and it's SOOOO GOOOOOOD.  I can't remember if Allison talked about it but it really was just as good as everyone kept saying.  It's cool to see him not so straight laced and stern as he is in conference.  He was actually funny!  He impersonated the cookie monster to illustrate the natural man.  That talk may have just changed how I view everything and definitely the vision of how I want to be--now I have a more clear idea of how to get there.  The gist of it is, basically the Character of Christ is turning out when the natural man would have us turn in.  So good.

Also I need to make sure that I say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PACKAGES.  Seriously I have been loving being able to open things and spread Christmas across a couple weeks and not just one day.  There are still some things from my stocking that I haven't opened because I try to only open one thing a day and that way I can make it last.  Last week I found those buckeye peanut butter things in there and I was so excited cause those are some of my favorite treats and I was so happy!!  Also how did you even know I love those?  We usually never make them.  

Today we cleaned the Provo temple!  On P-days we normally go do a session there but it's currently closed for maintenance so groups have been going to clean on P-days instead.  Today we went and the sisters got to clean the celestial room!  (we're spoiled)  I spent probably a good hour and a half dusting allllll the walls as high as I could reach (with God I can do all things. And he provided me with a swiffer duster pole).  It was kind of scary dusting around the intricate chandelier light fixtures but thank goodness, there was no accident.  I know the celestial room very well now!  It was a special experience.  

I know in my last letter I was saying how the MTC is kinda hard and monotonous, but it's getting a lot better.  The past couple days I've come home and said my prayer at the end of the day and I've though, today was such a great day!!  I LOVE my companion Soeur Christensen and our district gets along so well.  There are four sisters and four elders and we're all going to Lyon.  The other district is made up of six guys and they're all a hoot, but I think they could benefit from having some sisters in their district....haha.  Sometimes we walk by their classroom and they're playing "Sauver the Soeur" which is basically Hangman called Save the Sister because I guess we're the ones getting hanged??  Rude.  Everyone in our branch is great though.  Our branch presidency is also great and so loving.  So are their wives.  

Shout out to Lacey for her birthday on Friday!!  Love you Lace, I can't believe you're 11 already!!  Send me a pic of you doing birthday things.  It was so good to talk to you and the boys on Christmas!  

Christopher and Stephen, I am SO EXCITED for you to go on missions.  I already know that you will be great missionaries because of how you act now.  Really try hard to read your scripture everyday and you'll be blessed for it.  Pay attention in seminary and try to learn what the SPIRIT is trying to tell you.  As you try and try day after day, you'll learn how to communicate with Heavenly Father and learn the things you should to help you grow in light and understanding.  During this past conference Elder Scott gave a talk and I can't really remember what it was about but I know that I realized I had to wake up an extra twenty minutes early to read my scriptures instead of trying to get it done at night.  I HATE waking up early so I knew it would be hard, but I also knew I was not getting everything out of scripture study that I could.  From that day on I set my alarm twenty minutes earlier so I could read my scriptures early and know that I would spend the right amount of time doing it and I wouldn't be in a rush to go to sleep.  I know that by doing that, I was more prepared for my mission.  I also know that sacrifices are not sacrifices when you're getting more out of it than you put into it.  I encourage you to set a goal of that sort for the coming year--it could be prayer or scripture study or something else that you want to improve.  I KNOW it seems like there are some things you just think you can't do or are too hard to do, but I promise that when we act in faith just do those things anyways, everything works out for our good!!  (Also I invite everyone to do this, not just my brothers. :)) Christopher and Stephen, write me back cause I want to hear from you!  And I want to hear what kind of goal you think you could set for yourself. 

I'm so sorry if I forgot anything but I love you all so much!!  I had a dream last night that I was home and I did something I guess not good and mom said, "you just don't appreciate our family enough."  And I woke up really sad and I want you all to know that I love you so much!!  Je vous aime beaucoup!!  I appreciate everything you all do for me and friends too.  I have the BEST family and friends.  I appreciate all the prayers said on my behalf and know that I'm praying for you too.  

Je vous aime!

Soeur Melissa Hurd