A Mission Teaches You To Grow Up

22 September 2011

Mom:

It seems like forever since I last wrote.  The mission life is awesome I love it.  My birthday was awesome.  Thanks for the honey you sent thanks again!! I am now 22 years old. One year older and wiser too.

The mission really teaches us to grow up! I can especially see the changes in my attitude and personality to become perfected through Christ.

On the mission I have realized that knowing the gospel and living the gospel are two different things.  There were times I lived the gospel and times I just knew the gospel.

Right now my area is Baclayon Bohol and I love it.  We live right across from the pier and I have been faithful about running almost every morning! I say almost every morning because some days I am just super tired.My companion Sister Canoneo is super supportive about my running. I think she is the first who actually will run with me some days. 

We get along really well but I can tell you that there are times we need space but that's normal being with someone for 24 hours a day.  We never fight or have disagreements.  I hope we stay together one more transfer but its unlikely because we have both been on the mission a long time.  We both will probably train in the next few transfers.  We don't have any sisters coming in this next transfer but the next transfer after we will get 10-12 new sisters.  So everyone that has been on the mission a while will probably train.

This October 20th Elder Holland will be visiting the Philippines.  All the missionaries no matter what island are invited.  I am on Bohol so it will cost 1000 pesos to travel.  If I am still on Bohol we have transfers this September 30th.  We will see what happens.  There are so many missionaries going home in the next transfer. 15 missionaries are going home!  We will get many missionaries the next few transfers.  We didn't have any baptisms this transfer just planting.  But we should have baptisms this next transfer if I am still here.

I miss the family lots. I hope everything is going good! Is Michael starting to date? How's Nikita?  How is Franny liking the college life.  How's Chiara and Gen and the baby.  I hope they are doing okay.  Don't forget to send pictures when the baby comes!

Loving life.

Sister Bruno

Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: December 6


Dear Annika,

You must be getting really excited to go to the Phillippines. I can't wait to hear from you. The time seemed to go by really fast for me, I don't know about you, though. I hope you enjoyed your time in the MTC, it was fun to hear about all of the GAs that you got to hear from. The Apostles don't come out to the Stakes very much any more, so I am glad to know that they are still visiting the MTC frequently.

I looked up the weather in Cebu City and it is 88 degrees with thunderstorms. I'm sure you will be glad to have the warmer weather, although you will need an umbrella and some boots, probably.

I put $100 more in your account so now you have 147 and Cherie just called me to go in to work so i have to go, will talk to you later.

Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: December 2


Hi Annika,

You have $108 in your account when I checked this morning. I have been putting as much in as I can, but we are having troubles lately. So you have more money than I do right now!! My secret account is just about gone!! so sad. We know you are supposed to have at least $400 in there when you leave for the Philippines, so we will try to put more in, but I don't know how much we will be able to manage. I have to go to work now but I hope you enjoy your last week in the MTC. I bet you are really excited that you are going to be going out into the field soon. It will be fun to see if you can communicate with people in Cebuano when you get there!!

Sorry this is so short but I wanted you to have that bank account info, and I will write you more when I get home.

Love you!!
Mom

Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: November 3


Dear Annika,
It was fun reading your letter this week. I can't believe how cold it is in Provo and that it SNOWED! I still have my tan. The outdoor pool was open until Sunday and I worked there last Thursday all day in the sun. Now that it is closed, though, I'm sure my tan will fade quickly. So, I haven't lost any more weight but at least I feel like I am in good shape. I can run for 30 minutes without stopping now. I think that is pretty good for an old woman!

I didn't realize you were going to be in the Philippines for Christmas and that is awesome. In Saudi all the Filipinos loved Christmas and really partied and celebrated it and had so much fun with it. So I think it will be great. I hope you are not getting too cold and aren't you glad I sent you that black suit because even if you don't wear it when you go over there I bet it is good for wearing in the MTC in the winter. Tell me if you need or want anything because after you get out in the field I probably won't be able to send you things very often.

Well, it was good hearing from you, I will try to write more often.

Love you,

Mom

Third Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: October 17


Dear Annika,

Hi, hope you had a great weekend. I remember weekends in the MTC were great. Guess what I did this weekend? I finished your dress and I am sending it to you tomorrow. Also some footies and flip flops. So I hope you got all the books and things you need. I assume you got some journals, too. It looks like you have some money left in your account, so you can get a camera when you get over there to the Philippines. You should have someone in your district let you download a few pictures from their cameras and send them home on your Pday. It would be nice to have some pics of your district.

Second Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: October 11


Hi Annika!

So how do you like the MTC so far? Dad says today is your p-day and you get to write emails so I hope I will hear from you. I'll write you by email as soon as I get your email address. Mine is clbruno@hotmail.com just in case you don't have it.

I always wonder what my girls' experiences in the MTC will be like. It seems like most missionaries either love it a lot or hate it. I really LOVED the MTC. I don't know why. It was just fun being around so many people who were committed to the gospel all day every day. And I liked meeting all the new people and learning French. How is the language going? Can you pray in Cebuano yet? Are they teaching you any Tagalog?

I'm sure you will tell us about your companion, where she is from and what she is like. I hope you are having fun with her. Did you get your scriptures, and all the books you need? Is it cold there?

So around here, let's see, nothing much is happening with me, as usual. This is why I have a hard time writing, because nothing new ever happens in my life. Dad and I went out to Cracker Barrel for dinner because he had free coupons. Also, I started running again, and I did 1 and a half miles, then walked another mile. That is all I did this week, boring, huh?

Well, have a great day, we are looking forward to hearing from you, send pics if you can.

Love you!

Mom

First Parent Letter

Missionary Name: Sister Annika Bruno
Mission: Provo MTC
Date Submitted: October 5


Hi Annika,

I put that money in your account, so you can get your scriptures, journal, and any books you need. Let me know next week how much you spend and if it was enough. How do you like the MTC?

So I hope you had a fun time with Sister Crain and with Gigi, and that you got to the MTC ok and you are enjoying it. I am looking forward to hearing from you and learning about your new companion and how you like it.

Love you and miss you.

Mom