Get Fit

I would like to refer to this week as "Get Fit" week. We exercised a lot! Each morning we actually got out of bed and went out exercising. That was a miracle because we were ending each day completely exhausted from contacting. The Holy Ghost can lift you out of trouble in times of peril, and also lift you out of bed when you're drowsy. 

Recently we haven't had many investigators so we're putting a lot of time into contacting and trying to find those people that are ready for the gospel!

It isn't contacting unless you find a cool place to take a selfie.

All of that contacting is part of the reason that this is Get Fit week. We walked everywhere we went and we walked and walked and walked like those little pioneer children. It was fun to wander around all of the little alleys and see how those people live a different life style compared to the people on the bigger roads of the city. They're a lot more relaxed. We met a huge group of old people just sitting out on the street drinking coffee and waiting for the winning lottery numbers to be announced. They were cool, but they think they're too old to learn English so contacting them was a bust. They made a huge fuss about the Cambodian and Indian girl that could speak Vietnamese though so all the neighbors came outside and we contacted them! Because we don't wear name tags and we don't really have the freedom to tell people exactly who we are, people always think that I'm a nun...that's always cool.

Can you all do me a favor? I want you to all go to your local nail salon and introduce the gospel to all of the Viet ladies that work there. Most of those women still have relatives that live in Vietnam. So, once they learn the gospel, get them to refer their family members to me! Okay?! I don't know about you, but that's what I call unity in the work of salvation! I promise you that this works too! So many of our members are people that were referred by family members in America! So c'mon and help a sister out!

Me and my boy Justin Timberlake.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, Sister Thi and I are the sister training leaders for Vietnam! But we're only leaders over one companionship of sisters - Sister Hunsaker and Sister Tra. Tra and Thi are biological sisters, and Sister Hunsaker and I are most than likely twins separated at birth. So exchanges should be interesting. All 5 of the sisters that came into the field from the MTC with me are now sister training leaders too. So leadership training meeting with President Moon should be fun little reunions. Or they're just going to want to hug a lot...I hate that.

The Elders really disappointed me this week when I found out that none of them are Eagle Scouts. I don't know what it is, but when I hear someone say that they are not a scout I literally cringe. I mean, how am I supposed to trust them when I know that they can't even tie a know or make something as basic as a boondoggle. What happens if we're in some sort of emergency out in the forests of Vietnam? We'll be dead men! #UpsetBeyondComprehension

I hope that you know that all things said in today's email were not sarcastic at all...

They are remodeling our apartment building and the roof is BEAUTIFUL. I just might move to Vietnam after this mission because the new houses are gorgeous. So here's a pic of Sister Thi and I kickin it old school.

I love you all, 

Sister Egelund

You Don't Know What You Have...

I've always had this problem that I don't know what I have until it's gone. I know that's a generic line that people usually say after breakups or financial loss or something like that, but it is almost always true in my life. Until something or someone is out of my life I really don't understand just how much I love them. And I know that's an awful way to be, and believe me I'm trying to change. The Lord sees me and knows exactly who I am though and He knew for me to really appreciate missionary work I had to leave it. That week and a half at home was kind of rough. All of the things that I imagined would be fun to do really were not all that great. Honestly, all of the things I once loved were all just a disappointment. It's probably because I knew that that wasn't where I was supposed to be. I'm supposed to be here in Vietnam serving a mission.

Sister Bailey was crying when I arrived at the airport. Haha. She's the sweetest lady in the world!

I am so happy that all of this thyroid stuff ended up being a small thing. Thank you so much to everyone that kept me in their prayers! Being back feels great! Flying from SLC all the way to Cambodia with the huge group of missionaries was a lot of fun. When we got to Cambodia President and Sister Moon were waiting outside. It felt like coming to Cambodia for the first time (except this time I was I was already familiar with Cambodia's unique smell.)

Now I'm back in Vietnam! Same branch, different companion. This is now my seventh transfer in this one branch! I might as well get my membership records moved here because it just feels like home. My new companion is Sister Thi. She's the younger sister of my former companion, Sister Tra. For the past year Sister Thi has been serving in the Khmer speaking program so her Vietnamese has gone down a bit. She's worried about her language skills but she shouldn't be because I'm one of the best Vietnamese teachers ever (said no one ever.) Sister Thi speaks four languages - Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese and English. This morning when we were reading Preach My Gospel together I read in Vietnamese and she read in Chinese. 

Sister Hong is now a free woman...I mean a returned missionary.

This weekend we watched General Conference. Last week I watched it in the states at Temple Square and this week again here in Vietnam! I could tell you all of the awesome things I learned but that would take a load of time; plus I know that every other missionary already emailed home about everything that was said. One quick idea though - sometimes we receive personal revelation and don't understand why we're supposed to do something. But we just gotta trust in Heavenly Father and take that step into the dark using our faith and go for it!

Mid-General Conference lunch..the greatest time of year.

I love you ALL!

-Sister Egelund