May 18th

Hello Mom, Dad, and family!!

I can honestly say this is the best thing I've ever done in my whole life and I'm only ten days into it! There is so much to tell you and we only have half an hour- so throughout the week I've been making little notes of things I wanted to share with all of you. First, Hermana Aguilar moved up to the advanced district which was probably the best thing for her. Hermana Tanner and I miss her, but are loving the time we have to work together. They both leave in 10 more days, Hermana Tanner to the MTC in Guatemala and Hermana Aguilar directly to Honduras! Before I was a little nervous about being a single sister in my zone with five other elder (another elder is also leaving for the Guatemala MTC), but this week we've bonded. We''ve set goals as a district, including reading the Book of Mormon completely in Spanish before leaving the MTC. Every night before planning, we read a chapter aloud in Spanish and the Spirit just envelopes us. I feel like I have six extra little brothers ( Don't worry, Jason- you're still my best and favorite brother ever!!!!). As we''ve studied, worked, testified, taught, and discussed together we''ve become a solid unit. They have their immature moments, sure, but these elders have strong testimonies of the gospel and know why they are serving the Lord. I am so grateful for their wonderful example of bearing the priesthood. Speaking of priesthood, Elder L. Tom Perry was our devotional speaker this past Tuesday and he spoke about the restoration of the priesthood. More than his stories and lesson, his presence and testimony filled the auditorium. I sat not 20 feet away from an Apostle of the Lord. I''ve also learned here that as a missionary, I am an apostle (with a little a) of the Lord charged with a sacred responsibility to testify of Christ. A scripture emphasized in our zone in 3 Nephi 5:13 simply put, it declares that we are disciples of Christ called to declare his word to all the people that they might receive eternal life.

Sunday was truly a tender mercy of the Lord, after several days of constant work here. In our branch everyone prepares  a 3-5 min talk on the predetermined topic (in Spanish of course) and several are called on in the meeting to speak. It''s great practice and we are writing talks we can keep for our missions on the core elements of the gospel. I''m also grateful I already had some prepared. Sunday night''s fireside speaker was Brother Heaton, an administrative director of the MTC. His devotional was incredibly powerful over striving for real growth (active church members, deep testimonies, and temple covenants) in the Church and by using the principle of looking to the Savior to increase real growth. I could write a whole letter over his talk alone.

It is difficult to find the right words to describe the feeling of the Spirit here at the MTC. One leader described it as there is so much Spirit here, it spills out the doors and windows and pours over the surrounding fences. The power of the Spirit is incredible and has comforted and guided me more than once. Though each day is better than the last, there have been tough moments and I have turned to the Lord. My prayers have become ruegos ( a beautiful Spanish word roughly translated as a pleading of the heart) and I have felt my Heavenly Father''s arms wrap around me in such times. Moments of frustration or sadness are short-lived here however, because it is swallowed up in the joy of the message we are learning and teaching. For example, we have been teaching a Hermana Ruiz since our 2nd day here ( we don''t know if she is a volunteer, actor, or a teacher). Hermana Tanner and I have worked to teach simple and beautiful lessons over the gospel and to show her how much Heavenly Father loves her. No matter ""who"' she actually is, I felt God''s love for her so powerfully throughout our lessons. Yesterday, being the day before preparation day was difficult as we were all exhausted from a week of constant studying and class time. Yet as we taught Hermana Ruiz and invited her to be baptized, she accepted!!!!! Such joy filled our hearts and I can't wait to share this wonderful news of the gospel with everyone in Texas. I''m out of time, but I hope this letter is better than my last when things were a bit jumbled.

I love you all and know I am about the Lord's work.

Love, Hermana Koerner