Week 8

Da jia hao!! Hello everyone! It's that time of the week again where I get to ramble on for the next thirty minutes! Ready??

     Before I start, how is everything? Life sounds pretty good at home! It's getting a little warmer again, which is always a good sign! Mom, I'll bet you're pretty happy about that!! So I got those pictures! Wow! Jessi looks so different!! My first thought was, ''Oh man, we really do look alike!'' When we both have short hair, I can actually see a slight resemblance!! Seeing those pictures made me realize how much I miss you all! In a good way though! No worries, I'm still so happy here, and I promise to remain that way for the next two years!! So I don't know if you've heard the rumors, but here in the MTC, we get more and more people telling us about China opening up. (Elder Noll talks a bit more about this possibility in the full version of his letter)

     Well, now that I've gotten all that exciting news out of the way, we can talk about the MTC! Haha, I wish I could give you more input about this wonderful place, but as wonderful as it is, it can be so very normal at times! Most of the time! This week was a little special, because on Wednesday I had the chance to Host for the new Missionaries! After this experience, I know just how miraculous it was for Elder Ockey to have been my Host. When hosting, you never know who it is, where they're going, let alone be able to find a specific person to host! I had the chance to host for two awesome Missionaries this week. Two very different experiences, but with one of them I felt it was a little more special. Do you remember when you dropped me off? Remember how crazy it was? Well I can only remember a few blur of things. I remember looking around at all of you, knowing that it would be a while until I would see you again. I hugged each and every one of you, until I got to dad and then I lost it! Dad, I still tear up when I think about our goodbye, but my eyes are not full of tears of sorrow, but tears of love and pride. After I hugged dad goodbye, I remember hugging mom. Mom, I tell you every week how much I think about you, how much I miss you, but I don't know if you truly understand or not so I want to tell you. I think of you when I wake up, I think of you as I eat your granola in the morning now (thanks by the way!!), I think of the different things you would have to say about this or that, I wonder how you would react to certain situations, or even just look at the picture of you and dad in the front of my photo album (which, btw, I carry with me everywhere in my scripture bag, and I show each and every investigator that I have). There is not an hour that goes by that I don't think about you, or tell a story about you, or just wonder about how you are doing. I love you mom. I always will.

    I feel like I have a story about each and every hug that I gave each of you that day! And this week I got to relive those hugs!! Jessi, when I hugged you, I still remember the awkward cast on your arm, I remember tearing up as I knew I would be missing my best friend for the next two years of my life. I can barely hold it together right now, embarassing huh?? Macy, as I gave you that hug, I remember picturing you and being so sad about the experiences I will miss with you these next two years and then thinking of how much you will grow, and how I want so badly to be a part of that!! So I promise you, I will never forget to write to you, I will always think about you and pray for you. You're so special to me. I love you Mace. You're definitely my favorite sister!! ;) but for reals, I couldn't have received a better person as a sister. You are the most strong, beautiful, and talented little girl I've ever met. And guess what?? I get to spend Eternity with you!! I love you little girl!! Alec, I don't know if I can even explain to you how special you are to me. The memory that has stuck out to me the most since coming to the MTC is the memory of you wrapped around my legs. I'll never forget bending down to give you that last hug. Alec, you are such an incredible kid! You are so strong, and so happy! I want you to know how much I love you, and how I look at your picture every single day! I love you buddy!

That's all the time I have!! I love all of you! I'll write more in a letter today and hopefully it'll be there by Thursday or so! Love ya!

Zai Jian, Elder Noll