Sisters going to Sweden and Norway: Syster Vistaunet, Syster Detinne-Cassel, Syster Juker, Sister Ray, Sister Fredrikson (Syster is Sister in Sweden.)

Hello!!

I have been here for one month!!! That means that I have one more month to go. The MTC is great and I am learning so much. This friday we are only speaking in Swedish all day! Each week we teach "investigators" and this last week went really well! We spoke with a lady in Swedish for 30 minutes! I am starting to get the hang of it. The hardest part for me is understanding all the different verbs. I have learned that speaking Swedish is like speaking the language of Yoda. All the sentences are put together in the opposite way we would say in English. One of these weeks I will write some Swedish for you.

Conference is this weekend and I can't wait! I have so many questions that I am excited to have answered. My teacher challenged us to think of 5 questions we had and to write them down and he promised that they would be answered during General Conference. That makes me excited and I challenge you all to do the same. Last week I started writing in my journal a miracle for every day. It is amazing to me how well the Lord knows each of his children and how much He loves them. Sunday was a really good day! It was Fast Sunday, so we had mission conference. Our MTC President Brown gave a wonderful talk on the Atonement. He walked us through Christ's last hours here on the Earth. Very eye opening. I don't think I ever realized that Christ suffered even more than He did while He was in Gethsemane for three hours on the cross. President Brown pointed out that God was closer to Him at the moment of most suffering. I feel like people usually think that that is when God forgets us, but in reality it is when He remembers us the most.

My testimony has grown so much and every day it continues to grow. I LOVE being able to have this much time to really feast upon the words of Christ. I have never read the scriptures this in depth and I now understand why people say it is their favorite book. I am even starting to understand it in Swedish! Ahh.

Last night at the devotional I saw Mr. Mendenhall - my Provo High choir teacher. He was playing the organ and it was very exciting to see him. He is a great man and was really excited to see me too. I LOVE you all and miss you like crazy!!! Be good and sing some Wanda Jackson for me.

Love, Talisa

Our Zone at the MTC.
My room at the MTC.
Spending time outside writing letters home!
With the only Sister going to the Netherlands.

I am doing good. This letter will just be photos, because I have no time. General Conference is soon! I can't wait. Love you all!

-Talisa

My district.

Hello once again!

Ahh...of course the new Elbow, and the new Sounds come out within weeks of me leaving. I miss music so much!! This past week one of my teachers was talking about Sweden and the music scene there and I said that two of my favorite bands are from Sweden. The Sounds and The Hives. She freaked out! She jumped up and down and gave me a huge hug. Then she told me how much she loves Sweden and the music there. She made my day. It is always nice to get a little taste of the outside world. Even if it's just through singing songs in my head or talking with Syster Ronndahl about the music in Sweden. I love her, she's a great teacher!

I am so happy to hear that my friends still come over to our house, even though I'm not there. I am so grateful for my good friends. Knowing that most of my friends have served a mission really helps me stay focused on the work and brings me comfort when I don't think I can do it anymore. There have been many times I have thought, "Well, if Kamalei, Mat6t, Alex, David, Nate, Danny, Amy, Sarah, Ilse, Jared, Luke, Rob, Tom, Dallin, Steven, and so many more have done this, then I can too!" So thank you friends!! I really look up to you.

This past week has been a lovely week. I feel like I am finally in my groove here and it makes me happy. I am finally feeling able to focus on others and strive to make the MTC a better experience for them. We get three new roommates on Wednesday and I am really excited! Every day here I learn a million new things. I have seen the Lord bless me in areas where I lack and point out weaknesses that I need to work on in order to be more humble. I have faith in the Lord that what I am doing right now is the right thing for me to be doing. I am becoming the BEST Talisa I can be, or the best Syster Vistaunet that I can be. Last night we had a devotional and Elder Costa from the Presidency of the Seventy spoke to us. His wife spoke too. They stressed the importance of being the best missionary you can be and to be the kind of missionary my parents would be proud of. My favorite quote from them was "I am a chosen spirit chosen to serve at this time." It is amazing to me how much I have grown up and how much I want to share this wonderful message with everyone!

This past week we have been learning about how to be the best kind of teacher we can and how to really listen to the Spirit when we teach. I have three teachers here and I love them all. I seriously feel like I am learning more here than I ever did at UVU. Haha. I am grateful for my schooling because I believe it has helped me more than I know. My branch president has stressed how important it is to stay an active member when I get back from my mission. I think the idea of me, one day being a return missionary, hit me today. What I am learning now is going to bless my family and life more than anything else I could be doing. I am very grateful for this chance to give back to the Lord and show Him what I can do! A question that I think would be good to ask ourselves daily is: Am I an active Mormon?

That's all folks!

Love, Syster Vistaunet!

AKA: Talisa

Talisa is going to Sweden!
Syster Vistaunet!
Talisa and her two MTC companions.

My area in our room.
Sister Juker, Sister Detinne-cassel and Sister Vistaunet.
Hello one and all!

Sister Talisa Vistaunet here, reporting from the Provo MTC. I have been here 2 weeks!! It is amazing to me how quickly time is going by. Time in the MTC is strange...it all feels like one really long day. The fact that I will actually be in Sweden soon, for the next year and a half, is so unreal. I am getting more and more stoked about that fact. My Swedish is coming along! My great companions are really helping me to feel confident about talking in Swedish. The more I get to know my companions, the more I love them. I am learning a lot from them.

Guess what!? Sister missionaries can wear basically anything. I shouldn't have stressed as much as I did about that. I am wearing my cute black and white mod shoes all the time and wearing LOTS of bright clothes and lipstick. I am SO grateful that I can be myself and wear the clothing I want. I really miss all of my clothes. But I guess that is one sacrifice that I can deal with. I'm excited for P-days in Sweden when I can purchase some amazing clothing there.

I am LOVING it here! Our P-days are on Wednesdays and I love it because it breaks up the week nicely. I get to see all of the new missionaries coming in that day. Since being here I have realized the importance of having a good family. I feel so loved. Thank you all for your great examples to me. I really look up to you! The scriptures are amazing and I am learning so much. The church is TRUE!! I love having personal, companionship, and language study every day.

So, we have gym every day and sometimes I just don't feel like doing much. So I shoot some hoops or stretch. A couple of days ago, as gym was ending, I was waiting at the door for my companions and the bell rang telling us that gym time was over. Within minutes about 40 Elders ran towards me to get their name tags and leave. I have never smelled something so strong. I thought I was going to pass out. I have learned my lesson and now I stay far away from the Elders during gym time. Haha. They may be serving the Lord, but they sure don't smell good during gym!

I have so many things that I want to write about and tell you...but the fact is that when I am sitting here, in front of a ticking timer, I just can't focus.

I have been studying the Atonement every day and I am so grateful for my knowledge of the Atonement. I know my Savior loves me, and each one of you. Someone told me that every time we pray we are praying to and using the Godhead. We say Dear Heavenly Father, we receive answers to our prayers through the Holy Ghost, and we end in the name of Jesus Christ. I thought that was a good point. So now, when I pray, I think of that every time, and it has made prayer that much more important to me.

Tell everyone to write me, they can use Dearelder.com while I'm in the MTC. It's free and super cool. I have received a lot of letters. Thanks to everyone! I am pretty sure people can email me - I just can't email back. I really miss my friends!

Well, I LOVE you!!

Love, Talisa!

AKA Sister Vistaunet

Hello Family!!

So, I just realized I don't have everyone's email...like Corryn and Serina's. I will have the chance to email every Wednesday for 30 mins. Man, I miss you guys like crazy!

My district is very jealous of me. I get the most letters. I have gotten something every single day! I really do have the BEST family and friends. Today I will be writing letters back to everyone. Meredith Blackburn has sent me a letter and rice krispy treats.

The MTC is a crazy place. There are 2,000 missionaries here at once and the Spirit is amazing. The first couple of days were rough, but I made it through the first week and now it is all starting to fly by. The swedish is actually coming along and I am very grateful for all the prayers I feel from home. I have never prayed so much in all my life. I can tell that while at the MTC I will be able to learn a lot.

Here are answers to some of the questions you asked:

1. I have two companions and they are both great! They are both from Northern California! Sister Detinne-Cassel (Jessica - you met her) and Sister Juker. We all have very strong personalities and sometimes I think I will go crazy. It's hard, but I am really learning a lot from them. We are like Charlie's Angels - red hair, brown hair and me, the blonde!

2. We have six in our district - 3 elders and 3 sisters.

3. P-day is on Wednesdays! I am LOVING p-day. We have a lot of free time and then we do laundry and go to the temple! Then we have class at 7pm.

My brain is totally gone right now...I have a feeling that I will be more in depth when I actually write letters. Tell people to email me! talisa.vistaunet@myldsmail.net

I LOVE you all and I am so grateful for all the LOVE from home.

I have realized that I can wear a lot more clothing than I thought I could. Please send me my skinny jeans, purple Vans and my black and white mod shoes. I will purchase some cute clothes in Sweden once I get there. We really have no way to send pictures...so I will figure something out, I promise.

Well, time is a tickin' and I miss you all!

LOVE, Talisa

Aka: Sister Vistaunet

The first (very short) note came from Talisa on Saturday:

The MTC is wonderful! Of course the first night was crazy and I couldn't fall asleep. Haha. Today is the 2nd day here. The language is insane but my teachers are so great! I have three teachers. Guess what Dad? I am in a threesome. My two companions are great. Both of them are from California. Guess what else? No music in the MTC - bummer. Oh well, I guess I will really focus on the Gospel and Swedish. Please don't worry about me. :) I am learning a lot and the Spirit is very strong. Thanks for everything. I love you! More later!

Love, Sister Vistaunet

The time has come.

My family and I on Feb. 27, 2011

During the past couple of days I have felt so loved. When I spoke in church on Sunday, I have never felt so happy and loved. I would like to thank all my dear family and friends for supporting me on this new adventure in my life!!

Now onto the list.

• Make a music compilation that I can listen to while on my mission and not go crazy without MY music. Done! With the help of my wonderful Dad.

• Finish my video project. Almost done. My dad will be working on the finishing touches.

• Visit friends I have not seen in a long time. Done. I visited so many people that I love.

• Work on a final education portfolio. Haha. Oops.. I started on this one.

• Go to the temple with my friends. Yes done and done. I had the chance to go a couple of times with the people I love.

• Print off some college pictures and scrapbook. Well.. thought about it.

• Throw a couple of parties!! Yes! And I think my mom will miss them. Haha.

• Finish reading the Book of Mormon. Almost. This will be done in the MTC.

• Live in the moment and enjoy all my free time! YES!! It's been good.

All I can say is, SWEDEN here I come!