Week 1 email (July 12, 2011):
The language is hard, but I love the Spirit
Dear Friends and Family,
First off I want to say thank you so much for your encouraging letters the day after I came in here. I am a solo sister, which means I am the only sister going to the Czech Republic. I study with the three other Elders going to the Czech all day, and then I also have sister companions who are solos as well with whom I room with and go to gym with etc. Their names are Sestra Black and Sestra Meyers. Sestra Meyers is going to Bulgaria and Sestra Black to Croatia. "Sestra" is how we all say SISTER. So, I am now Sestra Izatt. Cool right? The language is HARD. And I am catching on SO SLOWLY! I thought I'd be really good at the language because of those blessings but here I am staring at flaschcards all day while the Elders are whipping out words from thin air. I am really good at accents though (thanks to my Finnish), and my teachers keep saying "whoa, your Slovak accent is fabulous." Or," You sound very Czech." So I am proud of that at least.
Our District (so those going to Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and CR--Czech Republic) are all in something called a Pilot program or the Immersion program. (It's the program brother Crook was telling us about, except I got to keep my English "Preach My Gospel" manual at least!) But from day one our teachers have only spoken Czech to us. On day TWO we had to teach an "investigator" in Czech. IT was pretty funny, but I just went with it. My companion for teaching Rene (the investigator) is an Elder which makes things interesting. He is great though and catching on very quickly. It's funny because in order to get the message across we use lots of hand signals and pointing at things, quite funny. I also made a joke yesterday in Czech that made him laugh. I am glad that humor translates. Yesterday I was able to bear part of my testimony to him without looking at my papers, and it made me so happy because I felt somewhat FREE finally.
Learning another language is hard, but what is the worst is knowing exactly what he is saying, and what he needs but not being able to say what I want to say to him! It's quite humbling but also quite grand because it gets me excited to learn more. And it's not school. God doesn't give out grades about how well my mission work is going, so really, as long as I do my best He will help me out the rest of the way.
Ever since [a teaching experience on the first day] I have made a goal to always say what I need to. And it has proven very helpful. The Spirit needs us to say things and do things. If I'm not willing to do what He tells me to do then He will tell someone else to do them! And I will lose out on the blessings. I need blessings haha. I love being able to bear my testimony all the time here though. OH! Hey I got called to be the Senior Companion in my companionship. Sestra Meyers has been here for a month, but she has another calling so I got that one. It doesn't mean much more than I get to pick who will pray every morning and night but just thought I'd throw that out there.
My teachers are great, all RMs (Returned Missionaries) from the Czech so that is fun, and I keep harassing them about bringing pictures! They keep forgetting but I will make them do it. Speaking of pictures, the MTC (Missionary Training Center) picture printing machine is broken but once it is fixed I will send y'all some, and life will be happy, and my blog that my fabulous Mother dear is keeping will be more interesting to look at. Good heavens the 30 minutes they give you to write emails sure goes quick! I am in the sweaty basement laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry.
THERE IS A SWARM OF MISSIONARIES DOWN HERE. Getting food at the cafeteria is a joke, the lines are always out the doors, so I convinced some of my District to not take their ten minute break in between personal study and language study every day so that we can leave five minutes early and almost beat the food lines. It's worked pretty well so far.
I've really felt the Spirit here. Heavenly Father sends tender mercies every time I am homesick or feel lonely or like I will never learn this language. It is interesting how all tender mercies come in forms of people. As long as people are in tune things go smoothly, and Heavenly Father gets the things done that He needs to. I love that concept. And I love that if I work my hardest He will use me to help his children in the CR get the gospel, and maybe I will be the tender mercy they need to get through the day or through a hard time they are going through. I've really learned to rely on the Spirit this week. The Spirit is the only thing I can teach with right now because my words are sure not getting me far. I sound like Tarzan. Some day I will be able to speak it though, and that will make me happy. I love the gospel, I love families. I love knowing that my future family will be blessed because of this gospel and because I have the opportunity to serve. Being here really is a privilege.
I hope you guys are all doing well. I love you all. Please keep sending letters and love notes. They help like crazy. We get www.dearelder.com letters TWICE a day so please feel free to use that. Keep checking the mail as well because my minutes are over, but I can send letters all day. I love you. The gospel is true. I am happy, well fed, and dressed very nicely (thank you SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME OUT with that). I love you. Gotta run! P.S. P-day (weekly Preparation day) is Tuesday so expect emails then.
Love,
Sestra Izatt
Excerpts from a July 7, 2011 letter:
We are now the Lord's missionaries
-When I checked in, I also met a Sister missionary going to Finland! I waited till they were done talking to her, and then I jumped on the chance to talk to her and tell her how fabulous Finland is. She was worried about the language. Don't worry, I didn't tell her that there are over 200 ways you can end a verb. She may have dropped dead. [Mother's comment: There she goes exaggerating again--she is talking about participial phrases, not regular verbs. ;)]
-[The first] night all the newbie missionaries were herded into a big room where we sang songs and listened to the MTC presidents. When we sang the song "Armies of Helaman," we didn't sing the regular words "we will be the Lord's missionaries," but instead we sang "we are now the Lord's missionaries," and it felt good to say that. I already feel a Spirit that I cannot describe. It's as though I am somehow stronger here. I'm learning to really know what feeling the Spirit is to me personally.
-The gospel is beautiful because it is simple.
-I'm not scared to speak anymore. I love the gospel, and I love being a vessel in the Lord's hands that carries the gospel to His children.
-Today we started learning Czech. It is a beautiful language. My teacher told me today that "Sestra Izatt, you have a lovely Slavic accent, and I don't know why." Yay for speaking Finnish! I felt really excited, and I am taking the time to not only learn vocab but to also speak it with the best sounding accent I can. I know that once you get used to speaking the wrong way, it is hard to snap out of it.
-My mobility freedom definitely has changed, but at the same time I love where I'm at, and I love learning so much. I think the MTC experience will really help me with school when I get back! Fifteen hours of studying a day? CHECK.
-I met a Finnish girl who is going to be serving in Russia. She said she bawled when she got her mission call. HAH! I told her about how because of my Finnish background I've always imagined Russia as this really dark, gloomy country. She has had the same impression. Funny. She's excited now, however, because she's looked at pictures, and it's prettier than she imagined. [Mother's comment: Isn't the gospel such a beautiful thing, being able to heal even historical and political hurts as we realize that we are all brothers and sisters, Heavenly Father's children with the capacity to love each other...]
-The gospel is true. Thanks so much for making it possible for me to be here.
Love, Sestra Izatt
Week 2 email (July 19, 2011):
The Spirit makes my hair stand on end
Hello everyone!!!
Thanks so much for sending me the stuff I asked for, Mother dear! Showering with flip flops is HEAVEN. Oh, and thank you for the candy! I am always sneaking cookies and fruit out of the cafeteria to take to class so that I have something to munch on during the day. We spend almost sixteen hours a day in one room! I go crazy. As I adjust to the MTC, however (I’m definitely totally adjusted by now), I have figured out that I can study outside during personal time as long as I take people with me, so that’s saved my life this past week. It’s beautiful, and getting fresh air is critical!
This week I did something naughty. I HUGGED Brother Jackson and Brother Ruffner. AAAHAHA oops. I forgot that wasn’t allowed! I don’t hug Elders, but I forgot you can’t hug any one of the male species. Brother Jackson was coming out of my residence hall, and I was like, “HI do you know me or are you the twin?” [Mother's comment: Brother Jackson lives in our neighborhood, and he is our former bishop and also our orthopedic surgeon! He has an identical twin brother.] And he laughed and we hugged. He probably forgot the rule as well for a second. Then he told me that Sister Jackson would come and visit me sometime, but I was showering (with my fantastic lime green flip flops) last night when she came by so hopefully she’ll come by again! Then Brother Ruffner came into the cafeteria one day and since he towers over everyone by a foot or two it was easy to notice him. Brother Ruffner and I have a bond. So I ran up and hugged him without thinking. He pushed me away and told me there were too many witnesses because he is a Branch President and all. I felt stupid, but I wasn’t purposefully breaking the rules. We talked for a while, though, and he made me smile and laugh. It is so good to see familiar faces every now and then. I am lucky to be from here, though, because I get to see more than usual. All the Elders in my District were giving me a hard time about hugging Brother Ruffner until I finally said, “Guys listen. He played for the Bulls. If you knew that you would have hugged him too.” And of course now the Elders are going crazy looking for the NBA basketball player on campus. Needless to say they don’t bug me about hugging him anymore. I think they all want a hug now, and maybe even an autograph.
This week was our last week teaching our first investigator, Rene. I’ve learned here that you really need to rely on the Spirit big time. It’s funny that when you bear your testimony, with real sincerity, the Spirit really does testify, even if your words make no sense. I love this gospel. I really do. Sometimes I feel the Spirit so strongly. It’s funny, since being here the Spirit speaks to me in chills. Literally. My hair starts standing on end when I feel that something is true. That’s never happened to me before, but I love it! It happens almost daily.
This week the Elders in my District have really started getting closer. I love being a Sister, too, because there aren’t as many Sisters as Elders so any time I talk to Elders in lines or at devotionals they remember me even though I may not remember them! So whenever I walk around campus Elders always yell out, “HOLA HERMANA IZATT!” and I die. My laugh has also become my trademark here. I can’t help but laugh all the time because the Spirit is with me so I am happy all the time! It’s great.
Also there are two FINNS here on my floor who are going to Greece. I talk to them a lot, and it feels so nice to speak in a foreign language where I can actually express myself. The Finnish classroom is also on my floor so I practice with them. Everyone knows me, and because of it they come to the door of my classroom when they hear me laugh and in Finnish say, “I found you!” It’s hilarious. Also there is a Finnish Sister on my floor of my residence hall going to Russia. We talk a lot and she LOVES my Finnish. It makes me feel so good. I’ve gotten some compliments on my Czech accent this week again, and those keep me going strong. One guy who served in the Czech came to my classroom yesterday and introduced us to some new “youth missionaries” who are going to Prague soon. With the few words I used he asked me if I was from Russia. I said no and started speaking English. He was surprised I was American. HOLLAH!
On Sunday I watched the Joseph Smith movie (Andrew is in it ‘cause he is a hottie movie star), and I LOVED IT! If you haven’t watched it FIND it on the Church website and watch it. I was amazed that 70 thousand members went with Brigham Young to Utah. Ok, the Church just started a few years before that and they had THAT many members? That’s fantastic. I think it’s because everyone was SO converted to the gospel. Perfect love and faith casteth out fear. Nothing is more important than the gospel. Alma 7:11-12 shows that we can use the atonement for anything. I love that. My future babies and family will be so blessed because of this experience, and it’s because the Spirit is changing me. I can feel it, and I love it. I love scripture study, and hours FLY by because I love it so much. I know I’m supposed to be here. I read my Patriarchal blessing last night, and it is so obvious NOW that it mentions my mission. Before I couldn’t see it. But after going through the temple and being here I can tell what it is saying in some parts, and I am so glad and grateful for the chance I have to serve.
Ok, I gotta run. I love you all soooo much. I’ll write a letter too. God loves you! There are so many blessings out there. Just ask for them.
Love, Sestra Izatt
The language is hard, but I love the Spirit
Dear Friends and Family,
First off I want to say thank you so much for your encouraging letters the day after I came in here. I am a solo sister, which means I am the only sister going to the Czech Republic. I study with the three other Elders going to the Czech all day, and then I also have sister companions who are solos as well with whom I room with and go to gym with etc. Their names are Sestra Black and Sestra Meyers. Sestra Meyers is going to Bulgaria and Sestra Black to Croatia. "Sestra" is how we all say SISTER. So, I am now Sestra Izatt. Cool right? The language is HARD. And I am catching on SO SLOWLY! I thought I'd be really good at the language because of those blessings but here I am staring at flaschcards all day while the Elders are whipping out words from thin air. I am really good at accents though (thanks to my Finnish), and my teachers keep saying "whoa, your Slovak accent is fabulous." Or," You sound very Czech." So I am proud of that at least.
Our District (so those going to Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and CR--Czech Republic) are all in something called a Pilot program or the Immersion program. (It's the program brother Crook was telling us about, except I got to keep my English "Preach My Gospel" manual at least!) But from day one our teachers have only spoken Czech to us. On day TWO we had to teach an "investigator" in Czech. IT was pretty funny, but I just went with it. My companion for teaching Rene (the investigator) is an Elder which makes things interesting. He is great though and catching on very quickly. It's funny because in order to get the message across we use lots of hand signals and pointing at things, quite funny. I also made a joke yesterday in Czech that made him laugh. I am glad that humor translates. Yesterday I was able to bear part of my testimony to him without looking at my papers, and it made me so happy because I felt somewhat FREE finally.
Learning another language is hard, but what is the worst is knowing exactly what he is saying, and what he needs but not being able to say what I want to say to him! It's quite humbling but also quite grand because it gets me excited to learn more. And it's not school. God doesn't give out grades about how well my mission work is going, so really, as long as I do my best He will help me out the rest of the way.
Ever since [a teaching experience on the first day] I have made a goal to always say what I need to. And it has proven very helpful. The Spirit needs us to say things and do things. If I'm not willing to do what He tells me to do then He will tell someone else to do them! And I will lose out on the blessings. I need blessings haha. I love being able to bear my testimony all the time here though. OH! Hey I got called to be the Senior Companion in my companionship. Sestra Meyers has been here for a month, but she has another calling so I got that one. It doesn't mean much more than I get to pick who will pray every morning and night but just thought I'd throw that out there.
My teachers are great, all RMs (Returned Missionaries) from the Czech so that is fun, and I keep harassing them about bringing pictures! They keep forgetting but I will make them do it. Speaking of pictures, the MTC (Missionary Training Center) picture printing machine is broken but once it is fixed I will send y'all some, and life will be happy, and my blog that my fabulous Mother dear is keeping will be more interesting to look at. Good heavens the 30 minutes they give you to write emails sure goes quick! I am in the sweaty basement laundry room waiting for my clothes to dry.
THERE IS A SWARM OF MISSIONARIES DOWN HERE. Getting food at the cafeteria is a joke, the lines are always out the doors, so I convinced some of my District to not take their ten minute break in between personal study and language study every day so that we can leave five minutes early and almost beat the food lines. It's worked pretty well so far.
I've really felt the Spirit here. Heavenly Father sends tender mercies every time I am homesick or feel lonely or like I will never learn this language. It is interesting how all tender mercies come in forms of people. As long as people are in tune things go smoothly, and Heavenly Father gets the things done that He needs to. I love that concept. And I love that if I work my hardest He will use me to help his children in the CR get the gospel, and maybe I will be the tender mercy they need to get through the day or through a hard time they are going through. I've really learned to rely on the Spirit this week. The Spirit is the only thing I can teach with right now because my words are sure not getting me far. I sound like Tarzan. Some day I will be able to speak it though, and that will make me happy. I love the gospel, I love families. I love knowing that my future family will be blessed because of this gospel and because I have the opportunity to serve. Being here really is a privilege.
I hope you guys are all doing well. I love you all. Please keep sending letters and love notes. They help like crazy. We get www.dearelder.com letters TWICE a day so please feel free to use that. Keep checking the mail as well because my minutes are over, but I can send letters all day. I love you. The gospel is true. I am happy, well fed, and dressed very nicely (thank you SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME OUT with that). I love you. Gotta run! P.S. P-day (weekly Preparation day) is Tuesday so expect emails then.
Love,
Sestra Izatt
Excerpts from a July 7, 2011 letter:
We are now the Lord's missionaries
-When I checked in, I also met a Sister missionary going to Finland! I waited till they were done talking to her, and then I jumped on the chance to talk to her and tell her how fabulous Finland is. She was worried about the language. Don't worry, I didn't tell her that there are over 200 ways you can end a verb. She may have dropped dead. [Mother's comment: There she goes exaggerating again--she is talking about participial phrases, not regular verbs. ;)]
-[The first] night all the newbie missionaries were herded into a big room where we sang songs and listened to the MTC presidents. When we sang the song "Armies of Helaman," we didn't sing the regular words "we will be the Lord's missionaries," but instead we sang "we are now the Lord's missionaries," and it felt good to say that. I already feel a Spirit that I cannot describe. It's as though I am somehow stronger here. I'm learning to really know what feeling the Spirit is to me personally.
-The gospel is beautiful because it is simple.
-I'm not scared to speak anymore. I love the gospel, and I love being a vessel in the Lord's hands that carries the gospel to His children.
-Today we started learning Czech. It is a beautiful language. My teacher told me today that "Sestra Izatt, you have a lovely Slavic accent, and I don't know why." Yay for speaking Finnish! I felt really excited, and I am taking the time to not only learn vocab but to also speak it with the best sounding accent I can. I know that once you get used to speaking the wrong way, it is hard to snap out of it.
-My mobility freedom definitely has changed, but at the same time I love where I'm at, and I love learning so much. I think the MTC experience will really help me with school when I get back! Fifteen hours of studying a day? CHECK.
-I met a Finnish girl who is going to be serving in Russia. She said she bawled when she got her mission call. HAH! I told her about how because of my Finnish background I've always imagined Russia as this really dark, gloomy country. She has had the same impression. Funny. She's excited now, however, because she's looked at pictures, and it's prettier than she imagined. [Mother's comment: Isn't the gospel such a beautiful thing, being able to heal even historical and political hurts as we realize that we are all brothers and sisters, Heavenly Father's children with the capacity to love each other...]
-The gospel is true. Thanks so much for making it possible for me to be here.
Love, Sestra Izatt
Week 2 email (July 19, 2011):
The Spirit makes my hair stand on end
Hello everyone!!!
Thanks so much for sending me the stuff I asked for, Mother dear! Showering with flip flops is HEAVEN. Oh, and thank you for the candy! I am always sneaking cookies and fruit out of the cafeteria to take to class so that I have something to munch on during the day. We spend almost sixteen hours a day in one room! I go crazy. As I adjust to the MTC, however (I’m definitely totally adjusted by now), I have figured out that I can study outside during personal time as long as I take people with me, so that’s saved my life this past week. It’s beautiful, and getting fresh air is critical!
This week I did something naughty. I HUGGED Brother Jackson and Brother Ruffner. AAAHAHA oops. I forgot that wasn’t allowed! I don’t hug Elders, but I forgot you can’t hug any one of the male species. Brother Jackson was coming out of my residence hall, and I was like, “HI do you know me or are you the twin?” [Mother's comment: Brother Jackson lives in our neighborhood, and he is our former bishop and also our orthopedic surgeon! He has an identical twin brother.] And he laughed and we hugged. He probably forgot the rule as well for a second. Then he told me that Sister Jackson would come and visit me sometime, but I was showering (with my fantastic lime green flip flops) last night when she came by so hopefully she’ll come by again! Then Brother Ruffner came into the cafeteria one day and since he towers over everyone by a foot or two it was easy to notice him. Brother Ruffner and I have a bond. So I ran up and hugged him without thinking. He pushed me away and told me there were too many witnesses because he is a Branch President and all. I felt stupid, but I wasn’t purposefully breaking the rules. We talked for a while, though, and he made me smile and laugh. It is so good to see familiar faces every now and then. I am lucky to be from here, though, because I get to see more than usual. All the Elders in my District were giving me a hard time about hugging Brother Ruffner until I finally said, “Guys listen. He played for the Bulls. If you knew that you would have hugged him too.” And of course now the Elders are going crazy looking for the NBA basketball player on campus. Needless to say they don’t bug me about hugging him anymore. I think they all want a hug now, and maybe even an autograph.
This week was our last week teaching our first investigator, Rene. I’ve learned here that you really need to rely on the Spirit big time. It’s funny that when you bear your testimony, with real sincerity, the Spirit really does testify, even if your words make no sense. I love this gospel. I really do. Sometimes I feel the Spirit so strongly. It’s funny, since being here the Spirit speaks to me in chills. Literally. My hair starts standing on end when I feel that something is true. That’s never happened to me before, but I love it! It happens almost daily.
This week the Elders in my District have really started getting closer. I love being a Sister, too, because there aren’t as many Sisters as Elders so any time I talk to Elders in lines or at devotionals they remember me even though I may not remember them! So whenever I walk around campus Elders always yell out, “HOLA HERMANA IZATT!” and I die. My laugh has also become my trademark here. I can’t help but laugh all the time because the Spirit is with me so I am happy all the time! It’s great.
Also there are two FINNS here on my floor who are going to Greece. I talk to them a lot, and it feels so nice to speak in a foreign language where I can actually express myself. The Finnish classroom is also on my floor so I practice with them. Everyone knows me, and because of it they come to the door of my classroom when they hear me laugh and in Finnish say, “I found you!” It’s hilarious. Also there is a Finnish Sister on my floor of my residence hall going to Russia. We talk a lot and she LOVES my Finnish. It makes me feel so good. I’ve gotten some compliments on my Czech accent this week again, and those keep me going strong. One guy who served in the Czech came to my classroom yesterday and introduced us to some new “youth missionaries” who are going to Prague soon. With the few words I used he asked me if I was from Russia. I said no and started speaking English. He was surprised I was American. HOLLAH!
On Sunday I watched the Joseph Smith movie (Andrew is in it ‘cause he is a hottie movie star), and I LOVED IT! If you haven’t watched it FIND it on the Church website and watch it. I was amazed that 70 thousand members went with Brigham Young to Utah. Ok, the Church just started a few years before that and they had THAT many members? That’s fantastic. I think it’s because everyone was SO converted to the gospel. Perfect love and faith casteth out fear. Nothing is more important than the gospel. Alma 7:11-12 shows that we can use the atonement for anything. I love that. My future babies and family will be so blessed because of this experience, and it’s because the Spirit is changing me. I can feel it, and I love it. I love scripture study, and hours FLY by because I love it so much. I know I’m supposed to be here. I read my Patriarchal blessing last night, and it is so obvious NOW that it mentions my mission. Before I couldn’t see it. But after going through the temple and being here I can tell what it is saying in some parts, and I am so glad and grateful for the chance I have to serve.
Ok, I gotta run. I love you all soooo much. I’ll write a letter too. God loves you! There are so many blessings out there. Just ask for them.
Love, Sestra Izatt