Aaaaaah!

 (Stepper would like to apologize for the delayed posting of this letter from Lizzie. This letter came on Friday - which was 4 days ago. So all the "I leave in 4 days!" actually refers to TODAY, Tuesday. She's actually on a plane to Portugal RIGHT NOW. She called Bill's phone - while I was lamely stuck at work - and they had a nice, long conversation. Perhaps if we ask him nicely, Bill can tell us some of what she said! In the meantime, enjoy the LAST LETTER Sister Lizzie sent from the Provo MTC!)



Ok seriously.... I leave in 4 days.

 

It's crunch time. I'm going to Portugal in 4 days!!!!!!! Can you believe it? I cannot. I'm very excited.

My Portuguese is pretty good. Haha ok that doesn't really tell you much. Ok my Portuguese could be better but it could also be much worse. I have been given all the tools and grammar lessons to know how to speak Portuguese. I can talk to people about the Gospel, I can say please and thank you, and really that is all that matters. But seriously I love Portuguese. It is beautiful and that is what will help me learn faster when I get to Portugal. Also from the many many years of speaking in fake accents and imitating other people's speech patterns, I am most excited to learn the accent. I am starting to get the hang of it with some phrases and words. There are 2 elders that are native Portuguese speakers in the MTC right now. One is from Cape Verde (where one of my companions is going) and one is from LISBOA! Woo Hoo! They are both very nice and we try to speak with them in Portuguese whenever we can. Elder Kapata from Lisboa is heading out to Orlando Florida, Portuguese speaking! I thought that was a real treat. I find that I can understand much better than I can speak. So at least I might know a little bit of whats going on around me.

In fact it is really a miracle, I tell ya. Learning Portuguese so far has been remarkable. It is like being in a math class, learning new principles everyday and if you zone out for 5 minutes all of a sudden you don't know what you missed and you don't know the next step in the equation and you are behind forever and can never catch up because you missed the part about 2+2 actually equaling 4. Ok so it's like that, except we are here on the Lord's errand. So for me I am in this class all day learning Portuguese and not for one second do I zone out. Somehow I can hear everything my teacher is saying in Portuguese. Somehow I am not missing a minute. Somehow I am staying focused in listening. Somehow I am understanding that "para que+ present subjunctive= correct grammar!" Somehow I am doing this thing. I am learning, growing,and becoming more patient. Communicating my thoughts and feelings and the Gospel with other humans in a different language. I even joke around in Portuguese!!! It is brilliant. It is only possible through the Faith that I have that the Lord will take care of me if I just don't give up. If I just don't give up for a minute, he will bless me to do these things that I never thought I could do. It is really incredible. I love Portuguese because learning Portuguese is building my Faith in Jesus Christ.

Ok onto other stuff....

My family....
 

I love you. I miss you. I pray for you ( I really do. In Portuguese I pray for you so that English speaking angels will help you and Portuguese angels will help you). Thank you for your letters! I got a letter from Aunt Christy the other day that slipped into my bag and I found it late. She talked about the reunion. WHAT A BLAST! That will be so great. I hope that everyone is there and you just soak it up. Because I really don't miss a ton right now, but I do miss my family and nearest and dearest friends. Clinton and Elisabeth, you sent me a pie.... we laughed and laughed in my district because I am always making jokes about the pastries and bolos (cakes) I am going to eat in Portugal and I am getting pie's and doughnuts mailed to me from my family! hahaha. Bil and Stepper, thank you for saving me! You sent me all the stuff I needed it was perfect!

There is tons more to tell you about, but time is so short. I have 1 minute. Let me just say that Eu Etou Muita grata pela minha familia e minhas amigas. Thank you so much for everything while I've been here.

I'm so excited to go. Scared out of my brains, but I trust that the Lord will carry me through!!!!!!!

See you in Portugal!

Love Lizzie