Week 3 -Skal vi møde hvis van floden

HALLO EVERYBODY!

Ok this week has been crazy - so my sickness transformed itself into a sinus infection so I went to the doc and he hooked me up with some of that amoxicilin and permission to sleep in HOLLA!

Saturday and Monday were glorious to sleep in until 8 haha. I'm feeling loads better after getting a blessing of healing from some sweet elders in my district and getting some rest and taking it easy.

So - because I was sick and stuff Søster Keller og Jeg got to go off the MTC campus and go to the pharmacy to pick up the drugss - this is me being sick with the goods in the bag.

I feel like I'm so behind in the language because I've had sick brain BUT it's a new week so danish get ready to be spoken! Today's been the firstt day where I'm not blowing my nose every 5 minutes, but I'm still coughing up my lungs so we'll see how that goes..

Last Thursday we got to teach this older danish lady who's a member and lived in Copenhagen her whole life. She was super funny and said something cool - we were talking about enduring to the end (på dansk) and she said that sometimes it's too difficult to think about enduring to the end, so you take it day by day or in some cases hour by hour - "Ok, I just have to endure this day and then tomorrow we'll get to it tomorrow..." It's true, you gotta do you. She was awesome. Tomorrow we'll be teaching someone else from Denmark in danish. 

My district and I have been playing LOADS of Sand Volleyball - it's been a blast. My knees are raw from diving and there's tons of sand in my ears but it's lovely. And it's so lovely to be outside and enjoy the weather. 

So in the blessing my lovely elders gave me - Ældste Howe said something cool he said that the Lord needed me to work hard here, now for the people of Denmark. That's why he'll heal me. Because of my need to work hard. I'm grateful for you mor og far for teaching me how to work hard and to focus, stay on task, and when I see something that needs to get done - BOOM I do it. You guys are great.  

My district - from left to right: Elders Shuppy, Halling, Fairbanks, Reed, Hager, Jensen, Allred, Sister Keller, me, Elder Murtonen (who's not in our district but we were missiong the other Elder Jensen and Erickson so he said he would replace them), Elders Howe, Adams, and Weese.

Ran into Elder Campbell at the temple on Sunday! He's doing so good and will leave before I do which is so dumb ha. He get's here 2 weeks after I've been here, and leaves 2 weeks before i get to. C'est la vie.

Sunday - fast and testimony meeting. Honestly, best fast and testimony meeting ever - Dad you'd have loved it. Everybody's testimony was MAYBE 2 minutes long. So many people got to get up and speak the truth that was in their hearts. I mean, testimonies don't need to be long - think of the apostles and Prophet, when they're talking in gen conference they don't take an additional 15 minutes to testify, they speak the truths in their hearts and it's quick, simple, and POWERFUL. Oh man, it was great. 

OKKKKKKK - the coolest thing by far about this week is this actual investigator Søster Keller og Jeg found - there are these gold name tag investigator people that sign up to be taught by noob missionaries because they're curious about the church. Well, we found one. Her name is M and she is incredible. She's the real deal ( I think, I'm still skeptical but Søster Keller is 100% sure she's legit) and we've been able to teach her twice and we're teaching her again tomorrow. We've taught her the first lesson and the second one we just answered all questions she had and were able to bear powerful testimony that the Holy Ghost speaks with us and God loves us. We gave her a triple combo and she accepted our invitation to read and when she finds out that it's true to be baptized. She's really awesome - grew up baptist in Florida and followed her boyfriend to BYU but her bf is on a mish now. Ugh, it's cool. I love her so much. 

Also, got to watch Elder Richard G. Scott's funeral service which was so cool. My favorite story was him and some other member sof the 12 were in New Zealand and they came across this beautiful river. Everyone admired it and walked back to the car - Elder Scott, instead, jumped into the river suit.tie, shoes,  and all and swam around. How awesome.

Last night we got to hear Elder Corta of the presidency of the 70 speak - it was incredible. Favorite part "You can open an apple and count the seeds in each apple, but you can't count the apples in each seed. You're not going to know the fruits of your labors here on your mission until the life to come. You're not going to fully understand the impact you're having on peoples lives." Whoa, right? So cool. 

Anyways, life is good, I'm feeling better!

Love you all so much!

Have a happy happy week! 

3 more weeks and then I'm in Denmark which is so crazy to think about - like, I don't know enough Danish...but oh well....life works out!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO  MUCH!

Jeg elsker jere!

Love,

Søster Chesley

It was already pj time for me - but these were our lovely Romanian sisters who are in Romania now! Sister Yost, Sister Keller, me, and Sister Jerez.

Look guys, my hair can be put into a teensy tiny pony tail...

Week 2 -Daus daus!

So this past week FLEW by - like I'm thinking what has happened this week and it is SO much a blur I am so grateful I journal every day or else I wouldn't remember anything.

Me and the dansk flag

1. I've been SO sick. Can't breath, everything hurts, my brain is all foggy, super duper fun. BUT I've been taking tons of medicine and I have a 2 hour nap planned out for today so HEALTH HERE I COME! I just keep telling myself that I really am grateful that I have a body that can be sick... what a blessing! Seriously, I have this body that feels pain and feels things and within a week it'll somewhere miraculously heal itself! How beautiful of a thing is that!? Life is good man, even when you're a sicky.

Sunday night devotional was stellar. Lloyd Newel came and spoke to us. For those of you who don't know who Lloyd Newel is (because I didn't before he came and spoke) He's the man who announces "This is the 186th Semi-Annual General Conference....) at the beginning and end of each conference session - what?? Seriously? yes, seriously. He's done it for 20+ years - it's his calling in the church. He did the voice for us and it was insane. He also does the spoken word Motab show thing and that's what we did. The choir (which I go to) sang songs by request of him about Power, love, and a sound mind. Also we watched a super rad Motab music video that EVERYONE SHOULD GO WATCH RIGHT NOW (  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq-3XLXVL6Y ) PRAISE TO THE MAN MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR - ORCHESTRA AT TEMPLE SQUARE - seriously I got all teary eyed and it strengthened my testimony that Joseph Smith truly was and is a prophet of God. It was beautiful. I've realized something really cool while being here at this here MTC. The only things that really get to me that make me go all gooey inside and make me get all salt watery is music. On Sunday we sang "How Firm a Foundation" we sang verses 1-3 and verse 7. When we got to verse 7 I had to stop singing it was SO powerful:

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, I'll never, no never,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake!"

I know I will never forsake this gospel. Man - powerful stuff people. The church is true.

The only other sister in our zone left this week for her mish. So me and Soster Keller are the only sisters in our zone of 48. Lots of elders. lots of testosterone. ew. Soster Keller and I taught relief society last Sunday about Repentance. There is 6 of us in relief society, now only 5. The branch presidency wives (there's 3 of them) and the sister missionaries ha. 

Me, Sister Keller, Elder Jensen, and elder Reed being incredibly studious and reading from Mormons Bog.

We've started teaching lots more lessons this week all in Dansk. It's difficult but the language is coming along. We have 3 class blocks throughout the day from 9:50-12:50 *lunch* 1:35-5:45*dinner* 6:30-9:30 they're long days and typically the middle block is for personal. companionship study, planning for the next day, and personal language study. it's nuts. but good. 

Also this week we learned this Dansk happy birthday song.

Honestly, the Danes know how to sing birthday songs WAY better and Way more festive and catchy then we Americans. I can't wait to sing it for you all in 18 months. It's fantastisk. (dansk for fantastic, it's a fun word to say)

Sister Keller and I have started playing volleyball with the Italian district during gym time - if you can even call what we play volleyball. It's more like get the ball over the net in whatever way you can within 3 hits or less - good luck. It's so fun and so light-hearted, it's great. 

Sister Keller, Elder Adams, Elder Jensen (2 elders in my distrikt), oh Jeg  have been singing a TON of Les Mis lately. So there's that for you all..

The Provo temple Sister Keller, me, Elder Murtonen, and Elder Holt. They're in our zone - Elder Murtonen is a teddy bear from Finland and has a super thick finnish accents and I want to squish his face. Also - I didn't feel like smiling. No reason - just the principle of the thing of not smiling.

Challenge for everyone this week: if you SEE a need be sure to try and FILL that need. Sunday night Soster Keller og Jeg were watching a video on Thomas S. Monson's ministry and just that he is so so self-less and serving and loving. and I thought of that movie "Meet the Robinson's" and their battle cry with everything. It's really so applicable to everyone in life. So I'm going to try and be better and you all try and do it too. Yeah? yeah. WHOOP! Also, I'm grateful for President Monson and his example to all of us. What a great man, amirite?

Elder Craig A. Cardon of the seventy spoke to us last night. With Elder Richard G. Scott passing away yesterday he told us a story of when he was able to talk to him one on one. Elder Cardon said Elder Scott told him that "When you have very strong feelings towards something it's more difficult for the Savior and the Spirit to get through to you - the Spirit comes in subtlety. Make sure to keep your emotions in check." I really love Elder Scott and his words of wisdom, and even

me and Sister Keller in our prison cell aka classroom

 though it's sad that he's no longer here anymore - you KNOW that him and his wife (who passed away 20 years ago) are just having the happiest of reunions. That thought makes me so so happy. 

Here's some words of wisdom that I'm about to drop on you all:

"Worry more about DOING right than BEING right." - somebody's mission president from like 5 years ago.

"The only person you should be comparing yourself to, is the person you were yesterday." - Elder Jensen's mama. 

Jeg elsker jere hojt. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here learning about the gospel and learning Danish of all freakin languages. Crazy, right? right. 

That's all I got for this week. See a need, fill a need! Pray! God loves you all! I love you all! Thanks so much for the letters and emails and words of love, support, and friendship. 

Have the happiest of days! It's a beautiful day to be happy! So smile smile smile because the sun is shining and fall is coming! 

Peace out homies!

xx

-TT

THIS IS A SHOUT OUT TO SARA WRAY - I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTACT YOU- thank you for your sweet letter and I wish you the best of luck in your adventures! I love you!

Week 1 and DONE- AREEEE YOUUUU READDDDAAAYYYY

Venner, venner, venner!

Hej hej hej!!! Goddag everybody!!

That little pink dot means I'm a noob and everyone yells "WELCOME TO THE MTC" and makes me uncomfortable - I took it off after a an hour. 

Oh man, this is just so surreal, emailing you all, being at the MTC, learning Danish, my arm is smarting because I had to give in and get a flu shot (I'm not happy about that but whatevaa)

I'll be trying to email around this time each Wednesday while I"m here. 

I leave October 19 for Denmark - WHOOP! 5 more weeks to goooo.

So this week has been crazy nuts. (Also excuse typos I don't care enough to go back and edit - you all can do that on your own)

My district consists of many many guys - all 18 and 19 and they are 18 and 19 but I love them and I feel like their mom. Everyone here is from Utah. It's so crazy weird. Like everyone. There are 4 of us out of the 14 who have never lived nor are from Utah. Crazy stuff. One elder reminds me SO much of Ty. It's funny. Our zone consists of the Scandinavian countries and they are a hoot! We've become close with the Netherland/Belgium Mission elders - the Dutchy's. They're a hoot. 

A picture of me and some elders in my district, I'm sitting next to AEldste Wees and next to him is AEldste  Adams (who's fluent in Norwegian and German already and he helps us out tonsss)

MTC living is crazyyyy I've been exhausted but it's the kind where you know you've been working so hard and your 16 hour days are coming with results and successes. 

We've taught 4 lessons in dansk already to Torben, our faux investigator. We only speak in dansk and within a week I can now pray in dansk, I can bear testimony in dansk and I can give lessons on Gud, Mormons Bog, First Vision, and prophets (not very well ) but in dansk. It's crazy the growth I've seen already while only being here a week. 

Me and Soster Keller studying (tehe) 

Last Sunday we watched an awesome video called "Characters of Christ" by Elder Bednar that's only available at the MTC. It's so great. We all need to be a bit more like Christ in our lives, and not only that but we need to be fully converted to Him. If we just have a testimony, that's not going to cut it. Our faith, love, hope, EVERYTHING needs to be because of Him. He's my strength during these long days and I'm so grateful for it. 

Also a random elder said something cool this week "Anything is possible when you're positive" - A-FREAKIN-MEN TO THAT! POSITIVITY is the ONLY way you're going to have a good time on a mish. This is hard stuff, away from family and friends, learning dansk, feelings leepy, gym time (ew) - there are so many challenges but there is SO much GOOD! The sun rose this morning! I get to wear my big sweater today! It rained the past few days and the weather is beautiful! I'm getting dansk and even though I can't pronounce anything well for squat - I have the Missionary purpose memorized in the language! I'm getting along with my comp and my district and my zone - I got laundry done! Miracles happen - even these tiny ones- when we have faith in our Frelser, He is so good. Also I realized I'm writing some words in dansk - you guys can look it up (like a treasure hunt tehe) 

Yesterday I sang in the MTC choir for Sister Wixom - the general primary president of the church! We sang Hurrah for Israel, I got those goose bumps - it was so cool. A choir of 1,003. whoa. Every Tuesday a member of the auxiliary, 70, or 12 come and talk at a devotional for missionaries. She talked about how am I going to let the mission affect my life. It was so interesting to think about. 

So on a lighter note - we've become homies with the Romanian sisters. Sister Jerez (who speaks Spanish,English, and Finnish and is learning Romanian like what?) and Sister Yost who is the funniest sister ever. They're great and we've become close with the Italian sisters as well - one is from Switzerland and the other is from Germany and the church sent them to this MTC just to send them to Italy, it;s kinda funny to me. 

Oh also funny story about yesterday:

the big sweater is backkkk - P-DAY after we did laundry

I was feeling so icky so I got in the shower. I've been in the shower for maybe a minute when Sister Keller comes in and asks "Hey, Soster Chesley, do you happen to have your key?" 

We were locked out haha - not only that BUT there were 4 BATS on our floor (the tippy top floor #4 and our classroom is in another building on the 5th floor aka tons of stairs - if I don't have super awesome legs by the end of my stay here I will be borderline pissed) ANYWAYS, so there's bats flying around, I'm in the shower, we're locked out...what's a sister to do? Well Sister Yost comes to the rescue and we make a companion exchange, Soster Keller and Soster Yost go get a new key, no one was in the showers because bats were hanging out so I had the bathroom to myself and took an extra long shower because no one was waiting for me to get out haha - it all worked out. We got into our room, some men took the bats away, and the sister missionaries lived happily ever after. 

Also, I always have to pee. I don't know what it is but I seriously am always running to the bathroom. I've become Dad I think. 

One big thing I've really come to learn, like my sweet Pops told me before I left - don't let the little things bother you. It's so not worth it. It's so much easier to shrug stuff off and realize there are such greater things in life to stress/worry/get upset/angry/sad about. Having milk spilled all over my shoes? Whatever, you just wash your feet, wash the shoes. Only having the company of loud 18 year old guys? Learn to love them, everyone has a story. Getting locked out twice in one day? SO WHAT?! We could get in! I had to get a flu shot, no worries! Life is good! Things work out, there are worse things in life to happen then bats flying around and chilling while I"m showering. 

Life is good everyone. Man do I feel so happy and so blessed to finally be here. There's no where else I'd rather be. 

I miss you all and Jeg elsker I but I don't want to see any of you for another year and a half!! (tehe) 

Send pictures! Write me dearelders! I'm getting the dearelders that are sent to me! Other than that, I am doing so so good!

I am getting your hand written letters you're sending me and I appreciate and cherish every single one.

I pray for you all every day. 

Dansk is coming along. 

Jeg ved at Jesu Kristi Kirke af Sidste Dages Hellige er sandt og Jeg glad at vaere herr laere om Kristus og larere dansk. Liv er godt. Gud er godt. (that wasn't google translate or notes - that was all from my headdd! As Austin Powers would say: YEAH BABY!)

Jeg taknimelige for you all! 

Have happy Wednesday and happy weeks! Until next week my lovelies! 

Miel Kaerlighed,

Soster Taylor Mariah Chesley

P.S. Imagine when I write Soster that there is a line going through the o - I'm not just misspelling Sister I just can't figure out special characters on here..tehe. Jeg elsker dig!

Week 0 - I am alive and slightly exhausted but life is rad

Hi everyone!! Oh my goodness gracious do I love you all! I am alive and well and kicking and going off of major sleep deprivation and the food is cafeteria food and this is a crazy run on sentence but I am so good!
The MTC is crazy and boy oh boy what a different experience. My district got permission to write you guys today to let you know I'm alive and my P-Days are on Wednesdays! So expect a longer email next week!
My district consists of 13 other missionaries all going to Denmark. The MTC hasn't had Danish missionaires in a few months which is a cool thing. My companion is Soster Keller from Paradise Utah and she's great with a super good heart. We are the only 2 sisters in our district and the only 2 sisters in our 6-person bedroom which is super nice. Our zone consists of the Dutch speakinf (dad, wink wink knugde nudge), Norwegians, Swedes, Fins, and there are 2 Icelandic elders coming next week. It's the Scandinavian district. Out of the WHOLE district there is only 1 other sister going to Trinidad, Dutch speaking. So in the whole zone there are 3 of us sisters which is crazy.
I love my district oodles, they're all young and fun, and I'm so pumped to be here.
I can't write a super long email BUT know I love you guys, the weather's beautiful up here, the food could be worse, and I plan on eating some funyunstonight...maybe some chocolate as well. LOVE YOU ALL! SO SO SO MUCH!
Thanks family for helping me get to this point.
Still haven't cried yet (fingers crossed, knock on wood)
Be safe and have a great night!
Love,
Soster Chesley
P.S. Danish has already been shoved down my throat.
MANGE TAK!
P.P.S.
The church is true.
LOVE YOU ALL!

Oh I forgot to tell you all that Me and Soster Keller will be teaching an "investigator" tomorrow - IN DANISH. *Jake the dog throws up*
but I"m stoked for the challenge and super duper up for it.
Also - dearelder.com's if you write them they will be given to me that same day so I'll leave that information with you to do what you'd like with that...(tehe)
Also - Kyley, Ty, Wyatt "hvad betyder det" means "what does this mean" and it reminds me of CLarence and I giggle to myself.
LOVE YOU GUYS SOSOSOSOSOS MUCH! Mange mange mange love!
Love,
Soster Chesley