Week 5

This was such a fast week! There was something happening EVERYDAY. On Linggo (sunday) we said goodbye to the "older" districts in the zone. They left early on monday morning. Making my district the "oldest" in the zone. Meaning we should be the smartest with the language but I'm not sure if thats true. On Lunes (monday) it was July 1! The day the Legazpi mission opened! We celebrated as a district with Martinellies Sparkiling Cider. It was fun and silly. On Martes (tuesday) nothing really huge happened but they are always a good relaxing day. We have devotional on martes and heard from Brother Richardson of the General Sunday School Presidency. I learned so much of my purpose as a missionary and got even more excited to go serve in the Philippines. On Mierkoles (wednesday) we got newbies into the zone. 40 of them!!! That was unheard of. There has never been 40 new people in one week. Usually they get 20 at  time. The week I came in they only had us 10 though. They are all so great and have learned so much so fast. Me and Sister Carr have tatlo (three) of them in our room. On Huwebes (thursday) it was the 4th of July! We had a normal day up until the night and then they let all of us missionaries watch 17 miracles. I love that movie and appreciate the Pioneer Saints so much. I could not have done what they did. So many gave their life because they had such great faith to go to Utah and be near a temple. On Biyernes (friday) we got our flight plans as a district which was so fun. On now is it sabado (saturday) and it is P-day and so relaxing. Sadly, because the Provo Temple is closed for the month we don't get to go. But it is still a nice day.

 

The MTC is amazing. I have learned SO much in such little time. I amaze myself constantly with how well I know Tagalog (watch- 2 weeks from now I will being crying because knowing Tagalog will be useless in Legazpi where they acutally speak Bicolano). Me and Sister Carr have grown so close and I am sad to have to say goodbye to her in a week. But she will be such a great missionary in Urdaneta (spelling?). Luckily we get to fly to Manilla together but from there separate. We have done so well with teaching our "investigators" here in the MTC. I hope all my investigators in the Philippines desire the gospel as much as they do! I am so excited to go and it is always on my mind. I always love the people and haven't even met them. And I know after the initial adjustment to the heat and bugs and culture that I will love it.

 

To end I'll share a scripture that I loved this week. D&C 121:7-9. It is all about how you should have peace because you are NOT alone. And all of our trials will be only for a short time. Alam ko po na Diyos helps us in our trials. When we struggle He helps me and you. I love Heavenly Father and am grateful for this opportunity to serve Him and the people of the Philippines. Mahal Kita.

 

Sister Kendal Ianuzi

Week 4

The days are long and the weeks are short. I can't believe I start my fifth week here on monday! The girls in my room moved out this past monday and we didn't get any new ones for wednesday but we do get new ones this wednesday. It has been nice just having me and Sister Carr in the room. The food has been better this past week than usual. I think because so many apostles have been here they were feeding us better ha.

 

The broadcast was this sunday. It was so good! I really noticed how important is it to act on our faith and through that acting God will strengthen you. A cool story about sunday the day of the broadcast, sunday morning my Branch President told me that whenever the Prophet or any of the first presidency is on MTC campus they park on the sidewalk outside our classroom building. And when I got out of Relief Society on sunday we were walking back and saw 3 cars parked on the sidewalk! So me and a bunch of other sisters all stood near one of the windows in a classroom that looked out to the cars and waited in hopes of seeing them. AND WE DID! We saw President Monson going out to his car, and Elder Nelson was talking to him and shut the door for him! Also, we saw Elder Holland and President Packer. It was cool! They had so much MTC security guarding the cars though so we couldn't be outside.

 

So I won't say that it is easy here. It has been the most challenging thing I've ever done in my life. But it is so rewarding and I love it. And I'm not even in the Pines yet!! I am learning so much so fast it is crazy. I know this is exactly what I need to be doing in my life right now and so I just try my best everyday. That is all He requires of me is to do my best. Tagalog is coming alone. I am no where near fluent but I can usually get my point across when I am speaking in lessons or just in general. I am struggling mostly with vocab words!. I made 318 flashcards the other day of just vocab! Now I need to start learning them... But on the bright side I understand the grammer and conjugation stuff. If only I knew more vocab for the sentences I am trying to make. Oh well- It will come! I am just thankful I don't have to learn a new alphabet!! Below is a short and simple testimony. Use a google translator if you care to know what I know.

 

Alam ko po na totoo po ang Simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw. Alam ko po na totoo at mahalaga po ang Aklat ni Mormon. Alam ko po na mapagmahal po anh ating Ama sa Langit at tinutulungan po ng Diyos ang Kanyang mga anak dito sa mundo. Alam ko po na Tagapagligtas po si Jesucristo at perpekto si Jesucristo. Alam ko po na nagbayad-sala po si Jesucristo para sa mga kasalanan natin. Alam ko po na propeta po si Thomas S Monson. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, amen.

 

Thank you everyone for your support as I go serve. Mahal Kita

Sister Kendal Ianuzi

Week 3

Hi everyone! It is ending week 3 here at the MTC. It is crazy that time has gone by so fast. I have learned so much but still feel like I know nothing!

 

Some peoplewere wondering what I do on a typical day here. Here it is:

 

630AM - Wake up

730AM - Breakfast

8-11AM - Class

11AM - Personal Study

1210PM- Lunch

 

Afternoons are a little different depending on the day but

 

Language study for an hour;

Additional study usually 30-45 minutes

TALL (a computor program that helps with learning the language) for an hour

Gym for an hour

Dinner is always at 510PM

And most days (except tuesday because of devotionals) I have a second block of 3 hour class

Then at 9PM it is daily planning

1030PM is lights out

 

Sometimes I'll have class right after lunch and then the other things after dinner but sometimes I have class after dinner and the other things before. During a 3 hour class we usually spend one hour teaching our investigators (but we never take the full hour... so we spend the other time studying) then the next two hours we do language learning or doctrinal learning. It just depends. 3 hours of class (most days 6 all together though) is rough. My brain is always so fried because I amtrying to learn so much in so little time. But luckily it is working! I have learned a ton! Tagalog is a very simple language being a mixture of Spanish and Asian languages with a simplicity of an islander langauge. If that makes sense to anyone. It's really not that hard it's just that English is so complex that i am not used to it. The grammer is all weird and sentence structures are backwards (think Yoda talk... Dancing She Night) They don't really use like all of our little words either like it, is, to, could, should, etc. They makes it hard too. But I am getting used to it and am really doing well I think! I can def feel the Gift of Tongues working! It is amazing! My issue is that I just don't know much of the vocab for verbs so I need to start memorizing works... We are starting to learn how to conjugate things and it's not too bad. I am surprised at how easily it is coming! It is so amazing! In fact! This past week on Thursday my kasama (companion) was sick and lost her voice but we had a teaching appointment. Instead of canceling we decided I would just talk and she would just sit there. I gave a full 30 minute lesson all in Tagalog and the only English word I spoke was July. The reason I had to use July was because I commited my investigator to baptism! We set a date for July 13th (it was the first date I thought of...) I actually have two investigators right now but the other one hasn't progressed that far but its ok! I felt so proud coming out of the lesson because I knew I got my point across in Tagalog. Lets hope I keep this up for the Philippines! For those who are wondering, at the MTC they have volunteers come and be investigators for us, so they are already members. But mostly the volunteers role play an investigator they had while they serve a mission.

 

So if you haven't heard about it there is a big devotional tomorrow night (Sunday the 23rd) with all of the Apostles and First Presidency. It is for the new mission presidents. Because of this there have been a ton of Apostles around campus here. But they are restricting all these areas so that we don't see them. Like right now I know that at least like 6 Apostles are in the building next door...but we can't go in. But I will see them tomorrow in the devotional. All of our devotionals are now held in the Marriott Center at BYU because there are so many of us missionaries. It is cool that it's like that. It's the only time we see just how many missionaries are all here. There are so many! I love it! So anyways, you should all watch this devotional! It will be so great. There has been a rumor going around saying some big announcement is going to be made at the devotional tomorrow, but who knows! I just can't wait to hear from the Prophet and learn!

 

Overall I am loving it here. But I can't wait to get to the Philippines. Everyday I learn more about it and know even more than this is where I am meant to be! I know this is the only true church on the earth. I know God loves me and everyone else here. I know that He answers my prayers. I have seen Him strengthen me everyday while I am here and I am so grateful for that.

 

Mahal Kita (I love you)

Sister Kendal Ianuzi

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Kamusta everyone! The MTC is crazy! It is soooo busy but it's a good thing. It makes it so I don't have a lot of time to just sit around sad which is good. I miss you all a lot. But luckily so many of you have written me and Dear Elder'ed me and sent me packages. Thank you! I tried to write back to everyone but I may not have gotten everyone... Kallina I don't have your address so I can't write you back. Rachel I only had your NH address so I sent the letter there...hopefully you get it. I prayed a lot that people would write me and MAN Heavenly Father answered! I got so many of you guys writing me. It really boosts my mood so keep doing it. I love knowing that I am not forgotten so thank you.

 

This week was long but short. I have decided that each meal I eat (or rather don't eat...) is a start to a new day. Because the days are SO long. Yet it is crazy to think that I have been here for this little time and I know so much. The food is less than desirable... somehow they managed to make the food grosser  than the Cannon Center. But its ok. I will have good food in the Philippines. The more I learn about the Philippines the more excited I get! It will def be a change but it will be so amazing. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to serve. My district here in the MTC is great and we all have a fun time. Sister Carr is amazing and such an example to me. Monday will start my "third" week here. They do time like weeks weird here. So technically I have like 5 weeks and 5 days in the MTC before I leave for the PI.

 

Tagalog is coming along slowly. It is an interesting language. It is like Asian Spanish basically. With a lot of Islander language influences. It's actually really simple of a language but knowing English which is so complex makes it hard to learn. I can count in Tagalog! And say prayers. And bare my testimony. That's like all I need right? Joke-long (just kidding in Tag). The words in the language are REALLY long. FUN FACT the longest word is "Nagsisipagsisinungasinungalingan" which means "to tell fake lies with one another" ... so I don't really need to know that but I do haha. Have fun trying to pronounce it lol they say their vowels differently than English. They tell time in Spanish there which I have to learn. Why did I take French in high school?! Oh well. I know I will learn this language with my Heavenly Fathers help because He has called me to do so.

 

For fathers daytomorrow remember your Heavenly Father as well who has given you so much. Watch the Mormon Message "Early Father, Heavenly Father" I really liked the quote at the end that was like "Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to diety, He has asked us to address Him as Father" -Quorum of the Twelve Apostles I love my Heavenly Father so much and trust Him with everything. This has been a hard experience but I know that He is helping me. I can feel His love as I work hard. This is truly a great opportunity to get to serve my God and serve the people of the Philippines. I came here with such a love towards my Heavenly Father but already it has grown so much. He helps me in everything I do and brings me such joy. It isn't easy here but I love it.

 

Please continue to write me and Dear Elder me. It makes me so happy when I get them from you guys! Remember me in your prayers always. You are all in mine.

 

Mahal,

Sister Kendal Ianuzi

 

Kumusta po kayo?? Mabuti po ako!

How are you? I am good!

 

Well kind of... The MTC is a lot harder than I had imagined. I am missing my family and friends a lot. So if you could all send me letters and Dear Elders (go to DearElder.com and read instructions) that would be great. Dear Elders will get printed out and given to me that day which is really nice. I could use all of you guy's support  right now.

 

It is so hard learning a new language. It has been 4 days and I feel so lost. I am having a problem with comparing myself to others in my district with how they are doing learning Tagalog but really I should just compare myself to myself. In 4 days I have learned a lot of new things... just not as many as I wish I knew.

 

My companion is Sister Carr from Huntington Beach CA. She is soooo amazing. Really she has made me feel so much more comfortable here. I instantly loved her right when we met. She is going to be a great missionary. My district is great as well. There are 4 Sisters and 6 Elders. We all compliment eachother so well and make things easier for eachother. My district leader Elder Finneman did a great job at calming me down yesterday when I had a melt down over not knowing the language. It is nice to have them all as a family while I am here in the MTC. (BUT that doesn't mean you guys don't need to write me! WRITE ME! PLEASE!)

 

Me and Sister Carr taught our first investigator yesterday- Julio. He is so amazing and really wants to know about this gospel. Unfortuantely, he only speaks a little English and I barely speak Tagalog so I am really relying on the Spirit to get my message across. It is hard here but I know it is what I need to do right now. At times I think- If I didn't have to learn a language then I would be having such an easier time here but I nope. I have been called to preach the gospel in Tagalog and I need to remember that. I am trying my best to learn it because this is what Heavenly Father needs me to do.

 

It is hard here but worth it. Everything goes by so fast. It has been 4 days but feels like 4 months because I have been taught so much. I am really missing family and friends so I hope people write me letters. My address is on Facebook so pleaseeeee write?!

 

What is keeping me going right now is that "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies." It is on a poster in my classroom and I stare at it whenever I am lost while my teacher is speaking. I have noticed since the first day I am able to understand more and more of what he is saying which is a great feeling. The Spirit is felt everywhere here if you let it be.

 

I know this is what Heavenly Father has always had in my plan. I know I am supposed to serve my God in the Philippines Legaspi mission in the Tagalog language. As hard as it is for me to do I will do it. I will do anything for my God.

 

Alam ko po na totoo po ang Simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw. Alam ko po na tinutulungan po ng Diyos ang Kanyang mga anak dito sa mundo. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, amen.

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know God helps his children here upon the earth. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Sister Ianuzi

16 days!

Guess what- I am in arizona! Ha! What?! My life is so random. Last week Nathan came and visited me in New York and I loved it. It was hard saying goodbye but I know it will be worth it in the long run. But anyways, my parents decided last minute to take a family vacation one last time before I leave. We went to arizona. We are just chilling by the pool and having fun which is nice. I kind of have A LOT to do to prepare for a mission like buying everything but oh well. It will all get done. I've got 16 days til I report. I really am just wondering why Heavenly Father thought I had to go so soon. Time has seriously gone by so fast! I opened my call with 49 days and am down to 16. So much in my life has changed in the past year its crazy but I love it. I am happy with how things are going and I know that this is what I need to be doing in my life right now. Oh as you probably noticed- the title of my blog has change. I am planning (well I haven't actually asked her yet) on my mom updating my blog while I am out with my weekly emails. Hopefully she does it!? If she does that it will be nice because then everyone can read what I am up to without me having to individually email everyone- I am sorry but I just will not have that much time! That doesn't mean people can't email me though! Or write letters! Or dearelders! Dearelders I think will be the best way to communicate with me because it will be faster than a letter but I won't have to use all my emailing time up by reading peoples letters to me. Instead I can read their letters from the dearelder that were printed out for me like letters. (If you have questions about dearelder go to www.dearelder.com and learn about it! It's a free mailing service kind of to missionaries!) Anyways, I hope I get a change to blog a little more before I leave. I've got a lot to do to prepare in these next two weeks or so. I am excited to go- scared but excited!

So I am a terrible blogger...

Well something kind of big happened in my life. And I am just now blogging about it.. 3 weeks after the fact. Anyways- I have decided to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (although I think I already have said that on here). I received my call to the Philippines Legaspi mission. I report to the MTC on June 5th (soon I know) and am going to be preaching in Tagalog. I am scared to be leaving so soon and feel like there is a lot to do to prepare but I know that it will all work out. I know this is where I am meant to go. Yes I am scared for the culture change but I know that my Heavenly Father will help me if I ask for it. I am hoping that while I am gone that I'll have my mom post my weekly email onto here but I'm not sure if that is too technical for her... We'll see what happens. I have a lot to do to prepare and I think that is hindering my excitement but don't worry readers- I am excited. I am excited to learn and teach and do everything that is asked of me. I don't know why but this blog really failed this past year at college. OH MY- I am done with Freshmen year!! And it went pretty well. I loved all the friends I made and I met an amazing guy. And school turned out pretty well surprisingly. I wasn't sure if it was going to be for a while... but I got a handle on it. I am currently deferred from BYU until winter 2015. Don't you worry- I am going back. I love Brigham Young and it truly is my dream school. I am so grateful I got in. I've changed a lot this past year at school and I am so pleased that I did. I am much happier with myself and have a clearer focus for my future. Of course things may change and that's OK. But for now- I am happy. I am excited to leave my life behind for 18 months and serve my God. After everything I have been blessed with  18 months is nothing to give up. I am sorry again that I didn't blog about this sooner- although everyone who reads my blog probably already knows about all this. Oh and for anyone who has questions about what is a missionary I urge you to go to mormon.org and fine out. Hopefully I will blog a few more times within the next month about my progress with preparing.. hopefully.