Kenzie+Korea: The Last One from the MTC

안녕하세요!!!!

I am so happy to say that this is the last letter I will be sending from the MTC! Sing Praises!!

Fine, I'll admit it. I'll miss this place. I have had such an amazing experience here and I have been forever changed. I have learned and grown so much over the past 9 weeks. When I think about how much I grow up each semester at school and compare it to these few months here I am just amazed. The MTC not only puts you on the language-learning fast track, but it also accelerates the rate at which you become a big kid. Goodbye pull-ups cause I'm a big girl now and I have what I need to not pee my dress when I get to Korea...maybe.

I think my favorite thing that I learned here at the MTC is why I believe what I believe. Before I was a missionary, I believed that the gospel was true and I was obedient and followed the gospel because it blessed my life and because I always had and nothing bad ever came of it. I only saw good results. However, at the MTC, I was taught to find out for myself if the things I had been taught all of my life were true. Now I can say that I certainly know that this is Christ's gospel. The other day, Goodwin 자매님 instructed us to study the Articles of Faith and contemplate why we believe each one is true. After reading, studying, and praying about this, I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that I truly believe and support the 13 Articles of Faith. These are some of the best places to go to find out what the LDS church is all about. Another really amazing experience happened at our last Tuesday devotional. The entire devotional was themed around Joseph Smith's First Vision and testimony. For the closing song we sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and as I sang those lyrics I've heard about 100 times, I actually listened to what they were saying and asked God, "Do I actually believe this? And if I don't, Heavenly Father, please help me to know if this is the truth." At that moment I felt God's power as the Holy Ghost testified to my mind and my heart (D&C 8:2-3) that Joseph Smith truly was and is God's prophet. What a special experience!

I am so ready to go to Korea. I am so ready to share my testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and hopefully bring some sunshine in to people's lives. I may not be anywhere near to perfect when it comes to speaking Korean, teaching, or sharing the gospel, but I will open my mouth and I will do my best to love everyone I meet.

Okay, now the fun stuff! The 4th of July was so much fun! Our entire branch wore red, white, and blue and we listened to 'Merica music during studies. That night, we had a devotional and afterward we got to go outside and watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks from the parking lot. Some of the sisters had glow sticks and poppers. It felt like the 4th of July scene from The Sandlot. I am going to miss my home country a lot. I guess I didn't realize it until it hit me that this would be my last 4th of July celebration for quite a while.

Grammy Johns would be so proud of me. During the devotional we didn't sing any patriotic songs because they wanted to focus on Jesus Christ and make sure that all of the international missionaries felt comfortable and at home at the MTC. I thought that was really cool, but I was so sad because we didn't get to sing the National Anthem on the 4th of July. The Southerner in me wasn't going to let that slide. You know that scene in Elf when Zooey Deschanel get up and starts singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and everyone joins in. I attempted to do that same thing. I really hate to be that person and it makes me cringe how missionaries sing like the MoTab wherever they go, but it was my last Independence Day for a while, so I just went for it. It was pretty cool, but I felt so goofy. Oh well.

It was so much fun to stay out a little later than usual, but it bit us all in the butt on Sunday, We were all so sleepy. I fell asleep in the Sunday devotional! But it was easy to fall asleep because the speaker was Jenny Oaks-Baker and she and her family played all of these beautiful songs. There was no way I was staying awake during that!

Well, I think that's all I have for this week! I can't believe the time has come for me to leave. Actually, I can because I feel like I've been at the MTC for ages. But it's okay because I was here for this long for a reason. Sometimes God doesn't make any sense until you look back later and think "how the heck did I miss that?!" He always knows what's best.

It was so great to hear from so many people this week! Sorry I have been bad about writing back lately. I have just been so busy trying to prepare to leave. I promise I will do my best to be better about responding to mail.

사랑합니다!!!

"I you love"

Johns 자매

We got to clean the temple last P-Day and we had to wear dresses, but they also wanted us to wear tennis shoes. It was a rockin look. Cleaning the temple was so cool. While the Elders were scrubbing lockers with a toothbrush, we got to clean all of the crystal on the sconces and chandeliers in the Sealing Rooms. SO cool. All of us Sisters talked about weddings and rings and dreses and songs and silly girly things like that. But how can you not when you're at the temple?! After we were done, the temple workers took us all down into the bride's room and we all turned into squealy 12-year-olds for a second. We sang "Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof (so dorky) and I pretended to be a bride and danced around with the silk flowers from the vanity and a Kleenex veil. Pretty sure I've gone crazy.