Half-way to Seoul

Family Dearest-

One month down, one to go!

Sorry for my very uneventful letters...life goes pretty much the same around here. We wake up at 6:30, prayers and get ready. Breakfast is at 7:20 and then either class or study time. Then lunch, class or study time. and then, (surprise surprise) dinner and then class or study time! Back in residence halls by 9:30, we usually spend the next 45 mintues laughing and talking and eating food. My room is lucky and has a fridge, so we save stuff in there from sack breakfast...bagels and cream cheese makes for a great end-of-the-day snack! Quiet time at 10:15, then lights out at 10:30. Write in journals, say prayers.

I am pretty sure that I got the best time to be in the MTC. Easter and Conference? yeah. I'll take that. and talk about missionaries! 65,634 out + 20,000 with calls + 6,000 interviewing...that is 91,634 missionaries! We are a mighty band of youth, a modern-day army of Helaman. How grateful I am to be a part of it! When we watched the between-sessions special, I sat and thought about where I was last Conference...sitting in the Willows eating icecream is where. And I remember hearing the age change for the Elders and I KNEW is was coming...19 for the Sisters! I was so excited. And opening my call and getting dropped off, everything happened SO fast. I am so thankful that I didn't wait, because there is NO WHERE I would rather be right now. Sometimes we have to take a leap of faith before we have time to think about it. If we know it is right, just do it!

I won't try and recap how incredibly phenomenal Conference was...just watch it. But since many of you probably didn't watch the YW Broadcast, I'll tell a little bit about it. Sister Dalton is one of my heroes. I just love here. When we are standing on the edge of a big decision, DON'T back down! act in faith. be fearless. I loved her comments of departing from family and a former life to embark on the journey that God has in store for you. I probably really appreciated it because of how much it applies to me. In that same broadcast President Uchtdorf gave 3 ways to joyfully and safely make the journey back to God. First, remember that the Lord is with you. He sees you as you are and if you look for Him, you will see that He is looking for you. Second, learn to speak the language of love. That is everyone's native language, we will be able to do miracles if we practice that language enough to gain fluency in it. Third, be of good CHEER! be grateful for where you are in your journey. Find your way home, in every sense of the word.

Just one quick funny story from this week... there are so many Sister here that they have switched a bunch of the bathrooms from Mens to Womens. so, understandably, it is hard to tell the difference. On Saturday, I told Sister Sieverts that I was going around to the restroom on the other side. The one upstairs had been made into a Sister's bathrooms, and I just sorta assumed that this one was too. NOPE! As I am walking out, Sister Sieverts gives me a funny look and says "did you just use the men's bathroom?" um...yeah...that is exactly what I just did.

Luckily no one was in there! We laugh so much here, but when I come to email, I can never remember why. Probably because we are just so happy. or because the language is coming along just swimmingly ;) it's tough stuff, but we love it!

Love you all!

Sister Bassett

April Fools and Easter

Happy April! Can you believe March is over? I hardly can! This past month has been incredible.

Last Tuesday, after I wrote, we had the big Tuesday Devotional. Lawrence E. Corbridge spoke and it was just what I needed. I probably say that every week, but it is! His wife shared the story of a young Sister missionary...she had just arrived in Brazil and said it was "the most silent week of her life." She couldn't speak the language and didn't think she could teach. Near the end of the week, they were talking to a woman in the street. The woman looked at this Sister and said "You have a light. And you don't need words to share that." Sometimes I forget that I am going to Korea to preach the gospel, the GOOD NEWS! Learning Korean just helps with that. It isn't my purpose. In 3 Nephi 18, Christ says that He is the light we hold up, the example that He has given us. If we follow His example, we can be that light no matter where we are or where we are from. I volunteered for this mission, saying "here I am! Send me." Elder Corbridge encouraged us to "serve a mission, not just go on a mission." and that is just what I want to do.

And then Easter Sunday. What a beautiful day to reflect on the life and resurrection of our Savior. I read through the account of the Savior's last days, His atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection, in Luke and Matthew on Sunday before Sacrament. As I was reading in Matthew,  I came to verse 53 in chapter 26. I was filled with gratitude for Christ. He was willing and able and WANTING to be our Redeemer. In that verse, He says that he could have called down legions of angels. But He didn't. He could have saved Himself. But He didn't. He chose, instead, to save us. Just as Elder Bednar describes, Christ shows His character by turning outward. Because of the atonement, we can present ourselves at the feet of the Savior over and over, to say "help me become clean." We can do that everyday...or several times a day! because, for me, I need that.

"Dear God of new beginnings and second chances, here I am again." {not sure who that quote is by, but I absolutely love it.}

Christ knows what it feels like to be frightened, insecure, disappointed, and hurt. He will weep with us and carry us through our trials if we will let Him. But He also knows what it is like to feel joyful, confident, and fearless. And He wants to be with us during those times as well. He will succor us, run to our aid, when we need it. He hears our prayers. I don't understand how...because here at the MTC I'm pretty sure that at any given moment hundreds of us are praying for the comfort of the Savior. But I know that He does.

We had an MTC-wide Sacrament meeting. The Sacrament was passed to over 3,000 missionaries here. Is that astonishing or what? Bishop Gelrad Causse and his wife spoke. They brought such a beautiful spirit with them. Sister Causse expressed the thought that "Christ is not here to condemn us, but to save us." So rejoice in His atonement!  And Bishop Causse gave a wonderful talk on gaining a testimony of the Savior. To be able to say, as Elder McConkie did, that when we see the Savior, we will not know any better then than we do now that "Christ is the Savior, the Son of God.”

Sheri Dew came for the Easter Devotional. She talked about the influence we have on others and our own tendency to be influenced. So how does Satan try to get us?  He tries to confuse us about [1] who the Savior is [2] who we are [3] how we recieve personal revelation. The Savior is the answer. He already atoned for your sins. He already offered you a way home. We are children of God and He wants us back...our pedigree can be written on one line. and if we ask God, He will show us how He speaks to our souls.

As you can see, Sundays are the best. They are a time to recharge and remember why I am here. Ahhh...love it!

Yesterday was April Fools! We can't pull any crazy pranks here, but a Sister in my District did an awesome one. Sister Washburn and Sister Dorman have been the only two girls in their room until last Wednesday. They got 4 new roommates. Sister Washburn does a pretty convincing Scottish accent. So...we all talked her in to pretending she was from Scotland for FIVE DAYS! It was hilarious! Her roommates were so impressed. So last night, for April Fools, she starts telling this story of her friend who got to the MTC and pulled a joke on her roommates. and then she says (while acting it out) "then my friend stands up, throws her arms out, and says 'April Fools! I'm from Idaho!'" we all start laughing our faces off. The roommates take a minute, and then bust up as well. so good :)

Line of the week that I messed up in Korean- asking if Joseph Smith baptized the Church before we restored it. Yeah. That happened.

I love you all! Thank you for the letters and prayers and support.

Sister Bassett