Hermana Carmen Dunford: July 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wednesday, July 22 Letter

Hello! I love writing this e-mail, although it is possibly the most stressful thing of the week :)
First off, I want to talk about non-spiritual things i guess. I have been playing basketball (baloncesto) in the gym the past couple of days. SO FUN!!! We have been playing with some of the Elders and it's been a blast. It also made me feel good when some of them commented on my skills haha. It is hard though because we cannot guard elders at all. I am also very sore, I'm sad to say. In my zone though in the two days that i played two Elders from the same district got injured! One has to get surgery on his shoulder and one sprained his ankle. Unfortunately the Elder that needs surgery was supposed to leave tomorrow for the Dominican Republic MTC but will probably have to stay here for another 8 weeks.
Another thing- hugs and handshakes are now allowed!! They weren't before because of the swine flu threat. Everyone cheered loudly at devotional last night when the announcement was made. It is nice to hug now! Sisters only of course.
Last week I was able to teach in the TRC which my companion and I and my whole district do every wednesday night to help us complete specific tasks aimed at helping us learn to teach better. Lately I had been worried about teaching by the spirit- which is stressed as the most important thing (well to be honest, everything is the most important thing...haha). But I was scared how would I know what to say or do? Would the spirit tell me in my mind? I felt like I hadn't experienced that before and I was so worried I wouldn't be an effective tool for the Lord's work.
However- God answers our prayers!! He knows me, He knows my heart, and He knows my fears and concerns. Last week we had a volunteer investigator. And we got to know him, ask him many questions, and I taught him. I followed what I felt to do- and at the end he said it was exactly what he needed. I knew then, and now, that what I need to do is be worthy of the spirit and then do what I feel is right. It isn't about a voice telling me what to do, it is about being worthy of the promptings and then my desires will match what is necessary for me to do at the time. I was very subtly directed in what I should teach and I know that it was the Spirit telling me what to do!! I am also able to look back now and see the many times that has been the case in my life before- I just hadn't necessarily realized it. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and that he wants to help and comfort me. I know that when we all turn to Him, he will bless us immensely, and we can look and see all the tender mercies He grants us, even if we may not have even asked for it.
Another example of that recently- I am pretty sure I have mentioned Hermana Crawford before she is the coordinating sister in my zone and has to interview all the senior companions. I love that time with her because I really admire her so much. Anyway we were talking mostly all about me, and then out of nowhere I asked if she is ever interviewed by someone, she said no and I said ok I'll give it a go! haha. I was able then to ask how she was doing. She needed that. I am so grateful for inspiration in our lives to help others. Because then I am helped so much in turn! She said thank you so much- she was able to talk about some things that had been troubling her and that she wanted to talk to someone and so I should consider what I had done inspiration. Yay!! Heavenly Father loves all His children- we just need to be worthy to notice when we need to help others feel that love. I am also grateful for others that have blessed me that way in my life!
On Sunday, it was a day of prayer! It was amazing to talk about it so much. IN Relief Society Sister Madsen talked to us about the blessings and importance of prayer. She said to listen as much as you talk- I had never thought about it that way before! And when we plan, especially as missionaries, we need to leave room for inspiration. Also through prayer we can learn- "Let the Lord teach you what you can become" Neal A. Maxwell.
Hermana Godfrey and I also taught District Meeting and it was on prayer. We based it off of Elder Bednar's talk Pray Always. It was really neat to share our experiences and look back on my life and see all my blessings from prayer. IN his talk he said that if the people we love and serve haven't heard us prayer for them then we need to repent. Prayer for others is a miraculous way to help others and show them our love.
That night for fireside, Brother Richard Heaton spoke to us also about Prayer. He said we need to always begin with it and have our investigators start praying right away! They need to build their relationship with God, so they can gain testimonies. In preach my Gospel it says, those who desire to know the truth must ask God. No matter what Invesitgators say or do, they've got to connect with Heavenly Father. Prayer is so powerful!
last night for devotional we were able to hear from Elder John H. Groberg. He spoke of the importance of the temple- All the missionary work we do should be to help people get on and stay on the path to the temple.
"The temple is the end result of all we do in the church" President Gordon B. Hinckley.
I am grateful for the example my family has set in going to the temple and I know that I can be with them forever! They joy that knowledge brings me, I cannot wait to share it with others and help them prepare to recieve those blessings and joy!
I encourage all to go Mormon.org and watch Elder Holland's testimony of the atonement. We watched it in class with a substitute teacher (all the teachers are so amazing- they bring all different insight, and it is also nice to get a change). The power of that testimony can change your life- as we watched it I could feel MY testimony strengthening immensely. I am grateful for the prophet and the apostles and the wonderful teachings they provide and the examples they set.
Tomorrow two elders from my district are leaving. It is very sad but I know they will continue to progress and become great missionaries! They leave to go to the MTC in the Dominican Republic.
I know this church is true- it truly is the restored gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love being able to teach it daily, and recieve the blessings from a stronger testimony. I know the Book of Mormon is true and I love the time that I have to study it daily. It teaches so many wonderful things. I hope we can all take the time to read it daily and learn to love its message. I love you all and thank you so much for your support and letters! You don't even know how good they make me feel.
Love, Hermana Dunford
P.S. The spanish is coming along well- we taught the first two principles of the first two lessons in spanish. Also we try to speak in it whenver we can! I love you!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Wednesday, July 15 Letter

(Email from the MTC)

Hello Family! This will be pretty disorganized because I have a lot of thoughts and things I want to share with you. First off Happy Birthday Nelson!! I would totally write you a separate letter; alas I don't have your home address.
Ok so yesterday was a very good day. My companion, who is still amazing and thankfully I get along with very well, and I were walking back from gym and a man stopped us. At first we thought he was a member pretending to investigate because he started out with Are you missionaries? I have some questions I want to ask you about prophets. So we said yes, and started talking to him about prophets and answering his questions with scripture even, thanks to Hermana Godfrey. He was from Tanzania and his only friend here was an elderly man so he couldn't contradict him so he wanted to ask younger people. Anyway a gym coordinator saw what was happening and decided to come down. He told us it wasn't our place (which it wasn't, and I feel terrible for breaking the rules, but we didn't know at all how to handle the situation). But he was able to take the Tanzanian and was going to have him meet with some Provo missionaries. It was so crazy to have real contact with real investigator face to face! (I have talked to people on the phone, however it isn't quite the same as face to face.
The truly amazing thing was that the Tanzanian was asking us questions almost exactly the same as what our practice investigator was asking us that morning! Also Hermana Godfrey looked up a scripture that morning that answered his questions. I love how nothing is a coincidence. We were truly prepared for the questions he had!
My companion and I go to choir and it is so fun! The elders in our district also have a deal with us. Because they love our singing so much, if they ever take our trays at a meal then we have to sing to them. It is very fun though and Hermana Godfrey has a truly BEAUTIFUL voice!! Also in sacrament meeting the sisters in my zone sang Nearer my God to Thee while I played the piano. They sang the last verse a cappella, all parts. It was so amazing, and really brought the spirit to the meeting.
Also Hermana Waldrop in my zone is my cousin!!! Well, second or something. But she is so nice and cute and I love her and all the sisters in my zone. Also I think I might be related to an elder, Elder Hardy, in my district- his mom's maiden name is Dunford, we are going to compare pedigree charts very soon.
For sacrament we have to write talks every week and then be called if it is right to speak. Ay!! That makes me very nervous. And I really don't like writing talks. Nevertheless, it is great preparation for the mission field, and also great extra study time for a topic of the gospel- I think it is usually Christlike attributes, this last week was Patience and Humility. I was not asked to speak. :).
On Sunday we were able to walk to the temple and we took lots of pictures with our district. I love them so much. The first week I was a little worried about whether we would be friends, and now I am a little worried about how good of friends we are! Sometimes it is a little distracting when we get along so well. But they are all so spiritually strong and nice. I love being treated how I am here. Everyone is a perfect gentleman.
So Spanish. Coming along ok, I'm trying my best to speak what I can. We are going to do an English fast every night now from 930 to bed. We have done it once so far. It was pretty quiet in our room! HAha, no it was really fun, but definitely difficult to say all that we wanted to. Luckily we already say companionship prayers in Spanish!
Sometimes we play games and the Elders always joke about wanting to make theirs a dream team, and all they need is the sisters. It is very nice that they think we know so much! But we truly are working very hard to increase our knowledge and ability.
I have received amazing packages! Thanks to Candace and my Uncle Mark I have many delicious treats to share with my district! Also my mom- your package was the perfect lift-me-up. I was sitting there opening it, and reading all your letters thinking ah what did I do to deserve this! My mom is so amazing. How can I repay? And it's crazy because I always want to think of a physical gift. But I know I can just be the best daughter I can be. Then I was like, ok, If I feel that way about my mom, how much more do I feel about my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ? How can I ever repay them? I can't. But I am going to be the best daughter and servant that I can be. I am going to try my hardest to share the love that I know they have for me with all others. Sitting here even now, I am overcome with the spirit, knowing the truly wonderful blessing it is to have the atonement in my life.
The MTC is hard work. A different Hard work than I have ever done. There is so much to learn, so much to practice- the expectations are so high!! However whom the Lord calls he qualifies. I know with His help I am already accomplishing so much. I can't wait to see what other miracles he can have happen in my life.
I am so blessed with amazing roommates, who are also spanish speaking (And already know so much! and are very willing to share that knowledge as well :). My companion and I get along so well. My coordinating sister was interviewing me and said wow all the sisters have commented on how well you two get along! You're always smiling or studying. I am so happy that I am happy enough that others can notice that. Also She said that she feels like she is taking a break when she is able to talk to the elders in our my district at meals. Wow, I am so blessed.
My teachers are also so amazing. I have learned so much from them. They are so powerful and filled with the Spirit! we also have a teacher in training who comes in often to help and he is also amazing. His name is Hermano Bilomawicz. Haha it is a mouthful.
Hna Godfrey and I already have an inside joke about our other teacher Hno Nelson. He says perfecto in a way that is very fun to repeat.
Last night we were able to have the temple president of the Ogden Temple come and speak to us. It was so amazing! We learned so much about preparing for the mission. We also had the councilor in the mission presidency speak as well. So amazing! All their kids that have served missions came and gave us advice, it seems like it will be very helpful. I Know the church is true and I am so glad to be able to serve a mission!! I love you all so much. Thanks for all the letters and support.
With love, Hermana Dunford.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Wednesday, July 8 Letter

Here is Carmen's First email from the MTC- at the end of her first full week there.

From: Carmen Dunford; Wednesday, July 08, 2009 10:28 AM;

Subject: Hola!

HI! Wow this is crazy I am going to try and write as fast as I can since I only have 27 minutes. This is for the family!! I love you guys so much. today in the temple I missed you all a lot. But it's ok.

So far It has been a roller coaster in the MTC. I am feeling low and sad, maybe a little discouraged and then I pray for help and the Spirit abounds! My teachers are amazing. Hermano Nelson y Hermana Gutierrez. They both served in the States and are very nice yet also bold in teaching us. My companion is amazing. She is very nice and fun (we get along VERY well) but wants to work really hard and study and learn and practice all she can. Just like me. It is really a huge blessing to be able to have a companion that I get along with so well and is willing to work hard and always pray to have the spirit.

The first full day we were here we learned to pray in Spanish. So now all my prayers, yes including my personal, are in Spanish. Ok maybe my personal have a little Spanglish thrown in :). We also learned to bear our testimonies in Spanish and were encouraged to do so on fast Sunday. I went up and only said this. Yo se que El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios y yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador. It was very short, and basically memorized but I knew what I said to be true. Our goal this week, tonight actually, is to teach in the TRC, the teaching Resource Center. We have to meet people in the park and leave with them our message, ask them if they would like to learn more and then set up an appointment. All in Spanish. My companion, Hermana Godfrey, and I have been practicing consistently with the many Spanish speaking missionaries we see. (There are MANY). Luckily, with the help of our Heavenly Father, we are actually progressing quite well, even though I still get nervous when I go to talk to someone. It was so nice when one sister found out we have only been in the MTC for a week and she asked if we were in an intermediate or advanced class; we aren't, so that was very nice to hear!!

Also in the TRC tonight we are going to teach the first lesson. It has been difficult to find good scriptures, ways to say things simply and powerfully, and ask many questions to teach the investigator (well we haven't had one yet) to their needs. I am praying constantly for the Spirit to be with me and guide me to say the right things. I am so grateful for my testimony because I am able to rely on that heavily to get me through the lesson. As long as I can bring the Spirit and testify of the truth of what I am teaching, I know the investigator will be able to feel that power. I have already experienced that, even just teaching other missionaries.

The MTC is an amazing place- everyone is so nice and smart! I feel inadequate, but hopeful because I know with diligent study and prayers of faith I will be able to learn what I need to throughout my whole mission to invite others to come unto Christ. I get scared often thinking about actually going and teaching real people. I know that I alone cannot do things necessary to teach the gospel, especially in another language. But I know as I continue, and as I have already witnessed, that the Lord is always with and always will be with me to help fulfill His work.

My district is so amazing! I love them all so much. I am sad that two of them, Elder Jacobs and Elder Carpenter will be leaving in two weeks to go the MTC in the Dominican Republic to continue learning. But the rest of us will stay together and will be going to the Rosario mission, Elder Hardy and Elder Glazier. The rest, Elder Thompson, Elder Unker, and Elder Gibson and Hermana Godfrey are going to the Buenos Aires West mission. I am sad that Hermana Godfrey won't be in the same mission. But I know she will be amazing.

I have seen so many people that I know, and that has been fun. Elder Milligan, Elder Harker, Mike Durney, and many others that I know from school. I even saw a friend from an old ward in the temple today. Hermana Godfrey jokes that she would be rich if she had a nickel for every time I saw and talked to someone that I know. It is cool to see many friends from BYU that work here or are even on missions. Another thing that blows my mind is how many Elders there are!! I mean it makes sense but, still very powerful to see. I have to go to class now, but please respond through DearElder!!! I want all of my time on e-mail (which is only a half hour) to write you and not read. Please use Dearelder.

I love you so much. Please pray for me so that I can learn all I can.

love with all my heart, Hermana Dunford

Carmen's First letter from the MTC

Wed, July 1-2, 2009 (this was handwritten her first night/next morning in the MTC and mailed to us)

Family!

Hello! Wow, today has been definitely overwhelming, but also very fun and the Spirit is everywhere. I love it. I don’t have much time so here are a few things:

-An elderly woman who was volunteering said, “with that smile, you’ll get into lots of doors!”

everyone is so nice.

-I saw 5 people I know including Sister Curran (Brooke). We had a great time talking at dinner. Unfortunately we can’t visit each other in our rooms. Bet we said we’d write each other!

-One of the guys elders l knew also was Elder Ramirez, I worked with him at the Crabtree early morning. He saw me and said, “Oh, my gosh I love this woman!” A bunch of elders yelled- “lock your heart!” it was fun to see him, he is in Sister Curran’s district.

-I love my companion- Sister Godfrey. We’re very similar and very grateful we had an automatic friend to figure things out with. My roommates are also wonderful and very helpful. They leave on Tues to go to Kirtland. So I get a bottom bunk!

-The MTC Presidency is amazing. It was so great to hear from them. I also really like my branch and its presidency. I'm going to go meet my teachers this morning.

So far, so good!

I love you guys!

Love, Hermana Dunford