Letter Home: Q & A

Q.  What is the first thing you think of in the morning?

A.  “Today is a great day!  I get to do these things (what needs to be done to accomplish the things we need to do).”

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Q. What keeps you motivated?

A. Whenever I see a lady I think, “She wants to talk to me.”  I think of what she needs.  I choose to be excited and to look forward to talking to people, to having lessons.  This is the Lord’s work. It will go on with out me. I need not fear as I rely on the Lord. Happiness comes from being obedient and turning outwards.

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Q. What service has your companion done for you this week?

A. She listened and thought about how I could better communicate to someone I am working with.

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Q. How do you create unity in your companionship?

A. Sister J. says, “by listening, by working through the Spirit, being open-minded, service, constantly working to improve.”  I say, “working on delivery with out giving advice, think of my companion’s needs and seek to fulfill those needs.”

Letter Home: Ice cream and visits

This is a picture of me before we visited a less active. We prayed to know when we would be able to see her. We felt Friday was the day. We went, praying that we would be able to see her. We did. 

Personal Progress Part II

Overview for Young Women 

Purpose of Personal Progress

from lds.org

Personal Progress will help you strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ as you learn His teachings and regularly apply them in your life.

The Personal Progress program uses the eight Young Women values to help you understand more fully who you are, why you are here on the earth, and what you should be doing as a daughter of God to prepare for the day you go to the temple to make sacred covenants. It will help you prepare for your future roles as a faithful woman, wife, mother, and leader in God’s kingdom. Participating in Personal Progress teaches you to make commitments, carry them out, and report your progress to a parent or leader. The patterns you establish as you work on Personal Progress—such as prayer, scripture study, service, and journal keeping—will become personal daily habits. These habits will strengthen your testimony and help you learn and improve throughout your life.

Requirements

         • 
Attend sacrament meeting regularly (where possible).


         • 
Live the standards in For the Strength of Youth.


         • 
Complete the value experiences and value project for each of the eight values.


         • 
Keep a personal journal.


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Attend seminary or participate in independent study (where available).


         • 
Read the Book of Mormon regularly.


         • 
Record your testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ.


You will complete six experiences (three required and three elective) and one ten-hour project in each of the first seven Young Women values. For the value of virtue, you will complete four required experiences and the required project of reading the Book of Mormon. 

 The 8 Young Women Values

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works

Integrity

Virtue

https://www.mormonshare.com/lds-clipart/young-women-border-garden

Mormon History: "Only A Stone Cutter"

Letter Home: Sister Breksa's Ideal Dinner Appointment

"My companion and I go to the member's house by bike so we can talk to people on the way. The member invites a nonmember friend over, we'll have dinner together and share a message with the guest. After dinner, Sister J. and I go door-to-door around the house and talk to people on the way back home." 

Personal Progress Program Part I

Sister Breksa is wearing her Personal Progress Medallion.  She earned this while in the Young Women's program of the church.  The Young Women's program is for girls ages 12-18. 

Below is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches these young women about themselves and the purpose of the Personal Progress Program:

“You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose. You have a noble responsibility to use your strength and influence for good. Your loving Heavenly Father has blessed you with talents and abilities that will help you fulfill your divine mission. As you learn to accept and act upon the Young Women values in your life, you will form personal habits of prayer, scripture study, obedience to the commandments, and service to others. These daily personal habits will strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ. They will also allow you to recognize and develop your unique gifts.

“Always use your influence to lift and bless your family, other young women, and the young men with whom you associate. Honor womanhood, support the priesthood, and cherish faithful motherhood and fatherhood.

“As you participate in Personal Progress, you join with thousands of other young women who are striving to come unto Christ and “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9). Counsel with your parents, and prayerfully choose goals that will help you cultivate feminine attributes, strengthen your testimony, and reach your divine potential. Take advantage of your time in Young Women by preparing to receive the sacred ordinances of the temple, to become a faithful wife and mother, and to strengthen your home and family.”

わたしはモルモンで，音楽好きの母親です。

Sister Breksa's Little Brother's Recent Primary Talk

When we avoid doing wrong and put effort into doing the right…we are doing good. Jesus Christ taught,

“If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:13)

Salvation is the greatest of all the gifts of God.  Greatest!  So, salvation is greater than the earth, our families, Primary, oceans, trees, and every other gift of God.

But to open the gift, we have to do good and keep doing good.  We can’t give up doing good.  Salvation is way in the future – but what we do now is what counts. 

Sometimes we will do what we know is wrong – which is a sin and we will leave undone what we know we should do – that is a sin.  Like stealing is something we should not do and paying tithing is something we should do.

When we sin…and this is the miracle…we can repent!  And when we repent we are doing good.  That is part of using what is in the gift – repentance.

Jesus Christ saves us from sin!  He makes it possible for us to do good so we can enjoy the greatest gift of God. 

1.      He tells us what to do and what not to do. 

2.      He gave us the Holy Ghost

           a.      to help warn us to avoid sin.

     b.      to give us peace and happiness when we do what is right.  

3.      Our Savoir gave us the gift of repentance – of saying sorry and making it right.

I want to do good.  I want to enjoy the greatest gift of God…salvation.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Savoir, Amen.

Letter Home: Japanese Class

We had our 3^rd Japanese conversation class this week.  The ward is getting excited about it. Of course, I remind the members at the church, commit them to come (with friends) and it is a quality program.

We review with a game I made up and learn vocabulary (5-6 words). I’ve decided that the best way for them to learn these words is through using the Japanese word in an English sentence or giving them hints and having them guess the equivalent English word. We teach phrases unique to Japan, Japanese grammar, and conversation.

Sister J and I do the conversation and then I have the class translate it – guiding them.  We are sure to make the conversation in such a way that they learn and understand. Oh, they also tke turns practicing the conversation with different people in the class (each lesson has a theme).

It is so fun. I love it!  I think the members are excited because they can see the progress the students are making. I often remind them of the class and I’m excited, or they just feel great pity and come. Either way, it is fun.

Letter Home

Question

How has the Boy Scouts of America’s leadership development courses helped you?

Answer                                

I can set goals and reach them. Also, I am able to work with different people to get things done effectively. I see a problem and then possible solutions or the ability to see what we want to do in the coming days and form a list of what needs to be done and then prioritize that list.

Question

What is one specific thing you LOVE about your mission?

Answer

Being a missionary.

わたしはモルモンで、家族を優先するプログラマーです。