The 4th week!‏

October 10, 2013

Kamusta pamilya!

Crazy crazy week again. We got notice Tuesday night at 4 pm that we were moving BACK to Main Campus at noon the next day. Ahaha. So here I am, at Main Campus once again. We live in the same building, but different floor. We have a corner room, which means it's bigger than the one he had here before, so that's cool. It's been good practice to keep moving every 2 weeks we've been here... Now we're really good at packing :) Thank you to Cliff and Julie for the package, Megan for the amazing and beautiful calendar, Drew, and Megan for the packages!!! They are much appreciated! :) Thank for for the mail and support. My new address (sorry... AGAIN) is:

Sister Amy Luke

OCT 23 PHI-BAC

2011 N 900 E Unit 260

Provo, UT

 84602

So... Conference!! RIGHT?! So amazing. The Most amazing. Love. I love watching conference anyway,but watching it at the MTC with so many Sisters and Elders is inspiring. The Spirit really resides here, and hearing from so many amazing speakers and our beloved prophet was an experience I'll never forget. That Sunday night for Devotional they had Vocal Point come and perform and do a fireside! Wowza. Pretty much as close to a concert as you can get here. They were amazing to listen to... I really have missed music like that. Speaking of which, I just got back from Auditions to sing here at the MTC and they said they'd send me an invitation in the next few days to sing at a meeting they'll pick. So that's cool. 

Rumor has it that someone "big" is coming for Devo next Tuesday night... The Devotional is getting broadcast to all the MTC's Worldwide, so... I'll for sure keep you posted!

This week our whole branch left. It was sad... and sort of lonely. Those elders and sisters were for sure powerhouses. It was bittersweet to say goodbye! I'm so happy for them. That will be US in nearly 10 days! We are supposed to get our flight plans TODAY which is pretty much like your whole district's second mission call. We get to open them all together and I cannot wait :) We got our new intake of missionaries yesterday and I love them! 5 new districts. Wow. Good thing we're over here at Main Campus with them so we can show them the ropes!

I'm loving my experiences here. I can feel that I'm growing leaps and bounds. Can't wait to do more. The language is as good as it can be, although I know I'll be pretty much back to square one by the time I land in the Philippines but it's all good! Heavenly Father knows us. 

I loved that Conference was all about all kinds of missionary work. It's no longer enough to stand idly by and simply enjoy the gospel in our lives! It's our duty as members and missionaries alike to share the gospel in any and all ways that we can, and where the Spirit directs us to. I challenge anyone reading this to find a friend to invite to church. Invite others to Christ, everyone, everyone's lives can be improved by the gospel, it doesn't matter how happy their lives may already be. The gospel makes bad men good and good men better. Sorry, off my soapbox :) 

I also loved that the women were spoken to a lot, and that commandments and covenants were emphasized so much. We must stand tall in the gospel. As President Monson said, "Shall I falter, or shall I finish?" 

Okay, some conference highlights for me (although it's very impossible for me to pick a favorite talk. Don't even ask.) :

I loved that Sister Stephen's and Elder Christofferson's talks were about woman and womanhood. I loved how much Elder Christofferson addressed the moral influence of women, and gently urged us to step up in our callings. Step up our level of virtue and make sure we are sharing with others that strong moral influence we are blessed with.

President Eyring's talk... AMAZING. Just... Read it. "Man's laws cannot make moral that which the Lord's law has declared immoral.  .....Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God." You just can't cheat the commandments! They are there and they are solid and immovable. I love that.

Neil L. Anderson's talk on the Priesthood and blessings. Lovely stuff.

Terence M. Vinson said, "Give the Lord your heart." I love that! Give your heart to Him.. Our hearts will alwaysbe safe in the Master's hands.

Elder Nelson's talk was one of my faves. Each day is a day of decision. We are "never too young to learn, never too old to change." We are eternal beings, therefore, progressing eternally. Change is repentance... and repentance needs to be constant. "Freedom from self-slavery is the ultimate liberty.... Self-mastery: the strength to place reason over appetite." When we master our natural man tendencies and appetites within the bounds that the Lord has set, we can enjoy greater love... What a tender blessing! and my last favorite quote from him, "The Doctrine cannot be changed by man, just because it is legalized before God." The gospel is not ours to change... it is ours to maintain. I know that the gospel is the only thing here on earth that will bring enduring happiness.

I'm running out of time as usual but Elder Bednar's and Elder Holland's talks were amazing (0f course) "Though we be a broken vessel, we are a vessel in the hands of the Lord".

 President Uchtdorf, and Timothy J. Dyches had some really solid, awesome stuff in their talks. 

May we all carry on in the work of the Lord! I love being a missionary, I love you, and I pray for you every night. I invite you all to read Elder Ballard's talk and write me and tell me your thoughts. Tell me who you will reach out to by Christmas this year, and how you will do it! I love to hear about your missionary work. I love you so so much, Keep on keeping on!

Sister Luke

1. After our long walk in the brisk morning air back to Main Campus to watch General Conference! It was quite like the walk one makes down the stairs to open presents on Christmas Morning.

2. Distrito ko. The Bomb.

3. Our amazing temple walk and the beautiful fall day! God is amazing.

4. Saying goodbye to our French Canadian friend who speaks 5 Languages and is learning Mandarin! Wowzer

5. Goodbye to Elder Hosch and Elder Heimuli! Love these Elders.

6. Saying farewell to our smashing Sister Training Leader's, Sister Wolfe (short one) and Sister Sears.

7. Look who I ran into walking home from Devo!! So fun so see a familiar face! Love you, Ryan!

8. I'm pretty much a rebel. Even the signs say Sisters and Elders for the bathroom! I Love our titles. 

9. .....Surprise! We moved again! Got notice at about 4 o'clock on Tuesday that we were moving at 12 the next day back to main campus. So... Coming to you live back at main campus now!