Sister Watts: 4th of July

Hello!!

I got to celebrate my first 4th of July in America! We didn't have any food which was that special. I really wanted a hot dog. We usually finish class at 9pm and then go back to our rooms but instead, we got to break curfew! We had a special religious freedom devotional video that we watched and it was funny because we started it by singing the American anthem and I have no idea what that is so I'm just standing there while everyone else is singing and I look around and people see me and just start laughing haha it was kinda funny. THEN! we got to watch the fireworks! actually, I was kinda disappointed by them but they got better for the finale but that was when they were like come on we've gotta go to bed. so sad. I saw these people parachute out of a plane though with these sparkler things coming out of them, they looked like shooting stars which were pretty cool! Our zone was pretty crazy and we had all these finger lights and crazy things and then if you walk past all the other rooms where they were watching fireworks they're all just dark and they're sitting there quietly haha boring!

I was talking to Sister Cowley about Australian chocolate while eating favourites and then I went onto gospel library because we were planning a lesson as well and I went to the search bar to find a video about the plan of salvation but instead wrote the plan of Australian. I am so tired all the time, especially at night, haha I can never think straight.

Me and Sister Cowley were walking across the grass to get to the building where our person we're teaching is ( we don't call them investigators anymore) and then suddenly the sprinklers shot on and were like ahhh it surprised us so much and we quickly ran off the grass, we were laughing so much! Luckily we didn't get too wet but it was so funny!

We were in line for lunch one day and some elders started talking to us and they found out I was from Australia and they were like oh we've got two elders in our district from Australia and I was like what are their names? They said their names were elder Parker and I was like aw yup I know him and then they said the other elders' name was Elder Watts and I was like did you just say, Watts? and they were like yeah. I pointed to my badge and I was like I'm Sister Watts. We were all like what and then they were like are you brother and sister like did we just reunite twins! They were like come and meet him and i was like sure. I met him and we just thought it was the craziest thing ever. What are the chances that amongst all these Americans we're both from Australia and have the same name! He's from Melbourne too so maybe he is my long lost twin and we were separated at birth?

We did an activity in class where we were in small groups of three or four and in each of the little groups we read 1 Nephi 11 and talked about it and shared insights and stuff and we thought we had just spent a few minutes on it but 45 minutes had passed!! Elder Bednar visited our teacher's mission, his name is brother Abadillo and was with them for five hours but it only felt like 30 minutes. Elder Bednar explained that there's no time in Heaven so the closer you're to Heaven the faster time flies. That's why missions fly by so fast. MIND BLOWN!!!!

Our teacher is so spiritual and amazing and we're convinced he's one of the three Nephites.

No surprise I fell asleep for the Sunday devotional but for the movie that night we chose to watch legacy, I love that movie. It's so funny watching with missionaries though because we find the lamest things funny just because that's our only form of entertainment and then everyone's reaction in the room when the characters kiss hahaha.

I got to visit Temple Square on Monday! That was really good! We left at 7:30am and didn't get back until 5pm. I didn't get to take my companion with me which is sad but oh well. I was paired with two other sisters, one is from Brazil and the other is from Japan and doesn't speak any English haha. Elder Haerewa went to Temple square too that day so that was cool.

We caught a train and it was a double-decker train! we saw seven temples just on the train ride there. I got to drive right past the Provo City Temple and it's even bigger and prettier in person! I really wish we could have stopped there.

We visited all the church buildings and it was a pretty cool experience.

Guess who I saw in the Conference centre! Candice! I saw her and I was like what that's so crazy to meet up in another country!

I also found a Sister from India on Temple square and that cool. I talked to her and she said that northern India isn't as spicy and that it's milder so that's good! She got my email and she said she'd email me when it's her P-day on Thursdays. She has a friend who's an Elder serving there and that if she meets people from India on Temple Square that she refers them to him, she just gave him seven referrals recently so now she's gonna give some to me! Yay!

On the train ride back to the MTC I was passed out from tiredness and when we were approaching our stop apparently they were trying to say my name to wake me up more than five times but I was just so out of it haha I woke up eventually though.

When I arrived back at the MTC I arrived too my whole district waiting there to pick me up! Aww, I love them so much! The Elders tried to play it cool saying that the Sisters made them come but I know everyone missed me and they were super excited to see me again haha.

One of the districts in our zone is leaving this week and it's so sad! I'm gonna miss our volleyball games in exercise time, and even Elder Hiatt calling Sister Cowley milkmaid and calling me Joey. Everyone wants to come and catch up in Australia though so that works for me! I think I'm gonna be totally over flying after my mission.

I got my Travel details for next Tuesday and in the email, they're like your time at the MTC is rapidly coming to an end ahh. I leave at 11:25am on the 17th and don't arrive until 1:25am on the 19th! I only have two layovers for an hour each so I'm literally flying for two days! The Elder's haven't got their visas so they've been reassigned to missions in Texas and Arizona to visa wait. I'm still praying they get them in time so I don't have to do the massive haul by myself!

I have a strong testimony in this gospel and while listening to a hymn on Sunday the line that really stood out to me was I believe in Christ, so come what may. As I have my faith firmly anchored on Jesus Christ I can face any challenge that comes my way.

Love Sister Watts