wooooooOOO! (3.25.14)

Soo sorry for the late email, today is actually our pday because we were able to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple(I dont know how to spell it)!!! It was so fun and beautiful of course! Things have been getting kinda busy, so it was good to escape for a little bit....

but lemme just say that if i had to express how i feel right now is if u remixed arianda grande's song and change it to "I love the way the gospel makes me feel, i love it...i love it..." bahahah ive just been singing that lately because ya know the struggle is too real with no radio so whenever we go to the store i try to jam out when i can...like for instance we were at a member's home the other day and their son was playing demons on the piano and i was just like WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! are u kiddin me right now?! thats da kuuuuuuut! And also i heard beyonce's halo and i was tryin to compare it to how it relates to the gospel but it didnt really work... 

so remember when i said that we had a pro photographer take our pic for the flyers?? weeeel one of the members who was in charge of it sent it to her son because of me... bc she wants to set me up with him... uhhh i meaaaan im honored but kinda like aca awkward at the same time...like u know how i was ALWAYS awkward around the brothaaas growing up?? i feel like im EEEEVEN more awkward every day on the mission...like for instance this brothaa around my age sat by me in sacrament meeting and i was like uhh this is weird...i wasnt used to it... but yah so after the mish should be interesting.... 

so as u can tell, so far i have survived riding on the bike and its a MIRACLE!!!! realk talk doe, like wow i survived! 

so apparently i have a problem with saying too many slang words, so my companion and i decided to help me stop saying things by each term i say, i have to do a push up in the mornings..lets just say, im getting pretty fit.... bahaha but omggg i realllllly miss eating rice..:( its not the same... im like in rice withdrawls.... 

and do u know what else is killin me?? the ppl we are staying with have cheetah girls 1 and 2 and its SUCH a temptation to watch!!! but its okay just a trial of faith right???? 

haha so in personal study, ive been reading in 1 nephi and i wonder if he was a rapper naww mean??? just check out 1 nephi 17:45....ya feel me?? lmk what u think lol 

but i had my first lesson last week too! it was INTENSE! the brother we were teaching isnt a member and he is known for kicking missionaries outta his home but we stayed for 2 hrs and made another appt for today and a dinner appt this sunday! i was SOO NERVOUS but it sounded like it worked out! aaaaand it was soo cute bc at dinner last night, they had this 5 yr old son and he was just the cutest! he asked if i could sit by him at dinner and he made coloring books and drawings for me and told me that i was his favorite...i was soo honored but my companion wasnt too happy..haha ill send u a pic lataaa! 

so ive realized that i need to learn spanish! ppl automatically think i speak spanish and im like lo siento!! BUT AFTER THE MISSION IM DETERMINED TO LEARN SOME ESPANOL! 

omg so the other day byu had a big bball game apparently and this brother asked me if i knew what byu was??? I WAS LIKE UHHH IM AMERICAN??? i know im brown but lets be real.... lol it was funny.... 

so this past saturday was our first baptism and it was just amazing! ill send u a pic! she is just the cutest girl and already decided that she wants to serve a mission and go to the temple! it was just an amazing experience bc she had so many ppl there and most werent members that we had to move to the chapel! it was just off da chain!! #baptism lol 

but everything has been amazing! but ive also noticed that as missionaries, you SPEAK A BUNCH! we are responsible for 7 wards and its just crazy busy with ppl wanting us to teach and speak! i dont eeeeven know what im doing still lol 

whenever its cold, it makes me miss hawaii even more but i know that my home is utah for now...like some ppl think that theres no work to do in utah but THERES SO MUCH! its just so awesome to see how the gospel changes lives. I know that each day it is changing mine and i love every minute of it! update me!!! tell me EVERYTHING! i love and miss you!!!! tell everyone hi for me! eats some rice for me! :) 

ahhhh!!!

So remember when i said that at the mtc it got real?? nah nah nah! here in the field it JUST GOT REAL! i dont eeeeven know where to begin!!! 

well last week it snowed during one of our last days at the mtc and it was just soo much fun!! me and my comps were freeeeakin out!! so we were just playin in the snow and were late to class...oops but it was just soo sad to leave the mtc..i freakin LOVED every moment of it!!! met lots of awesome ppl and it was just seriously amazing!!! 

so on wednesday we woke up at 4 to take a train down to the mish and lemme tell u, i was DEAD on my first day! my trainer is sis judd from arizona and shes soo funny! shes really nice. we get to our area which is btw, a new stake that was just made 2 weeks ago, so me and sis judd cover 7 wards and the funny thing is that we are whitewashing the area! so ya know, im REALLLLLLY confused on whats going on.... i actually have no idea whats going on...ha we are just tryin to get around finding new info but its hard bc its a new stake so itll be an adventure...

u may ask how are we "getting around?" oh thats funny bc on my first day, i said i dont have a bike, nekkkk minnut the zone leaders drop off a bike bc WE ARE IN A BIKING ZONE! like say waaaaaaaa?! its funny bc my comp and i arent all that great at bikes..and another funny thing is that our area is kinda hilly, the stake we are over is called herriman mountain view stake... did u see that word "mountain??" IMMA BE BIKING UP A MOUNTAIN!!!!!!! can u eeeven pic that??? so mama, if u get a call from an 801 number its probzzzz the hospital...jokes jokes! nahh but farreal doe! lol like we've been walking for the past few days bc my comp left her bike in her old ward and lemme just say wallking up to one of our areas the struggle is TOO REAL!! like i be huffin and puffin by the time we get to the top, but ya know by the time we get to the top i be singin, "STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW WE HEAAA!" like real talk! and then my comp tells me to stop..bahaha but the song that seriously gets me thru my days is kanyes "that that that that dont kill me, can only make me stronger" thats how ive been feeling lately.... 

but the members are so nice!! we get fed dinner EVERY NIGHT!! good thing im exercising right?? haha but its nice! 

so i thought that sundays were the days of rest right?? weeeell i feel like sundays are our busiest days!! we woke up at 5:55 bc we had a stake PEC meeting at 730 (i didnt even know what it was) and maaaan i was strugglin..but its all worth it!! :) we went to 3 different wards yesterday and ppl were coming up to me but i seriously didnt remember ANYONE bc ive been meeting so many ppl that its confusing to keep up with everyone...like the wards are so big that they go thru the cultural hall...and its funny bc we went to 3 different wards and apparently the topic for each class in those wards was marriage so i learned a lot about that yesterday ha 

but OMG LEMME TELL U...IM LIKE THE DARKEST person here!!! even after i lost my hawaii tan...(rip sunkissed skin) its funny bc like no one can pronounce my last name..haha 

but the ppl we have met are just awesome! we have a baptism this saturday bc of the elders that left the area set it up but itll be exciting to attend! but theres definitely a lot of work to do so itll be an adventure!! the ppl here are so nice!! im just so glad today is pday so we can relax... every night when i get home i just wanna crash but nekk minnut we gotta do our daily planning! lol

today we are getting our pics taken by a pro photographer to make flyers for our ward about missionary work, ill be sure to mail one home...lol 

but the work out here is going! slowly but surely! its exciting and cray at the same time! i still cant believe im here! its soo beautiful in my area bc theres this spot where  i can stand and i can see all 3 temples! truly amazing! the CHURCH IS TRUE! haha nahh but real talk! bc if it wasnt, i wouldnt be heaaa! lol 

but i love my Savior and the work that is gonna get done here in the Herriman Mountain View Stake! #oookillem (my companion doesnt know what that means...smh) 

i love and miss you all!!! thanks for the support!! means so much to me!! oh and btw, i can only receive mail thru my mission address not my actual address...lo siento...:( but hope yall have a good week! enjoy the warmth!! 

love you more than u know<3

-Sister Gariby :)

Sister Gariby Mission Arrival

Dear Brother and Sister Gariby,

What a pleasure it was to welcome Sister Stefanie Celine Gariby into the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission.  Her first day with us included breakfast and orientation at the mission office, a training session, lunch, and of course, meeting her first companion. I am impressed by her desire to serve.  She is well and in high spirits as she anticipates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.  Please be assured that we will be watching over her while she is here.  I'm attaching photographs taken as we welcomed her at the mission office.

After prayerful consideration, an excellent missionary, Sister Judd, has been assigned as her trainer and first companion.  I am attaching our Family Guidelines which we urge you to follow.  We have learned from experience the importance of family and friends following these guidelines.  Please share the guidelines with those who may write to her.  Your compliance of these guidelines can reinforce your missionary's willingness to follow the guidelines in the Missionary Handbook.

Please email your daughter each week and send any hard-copy letters and packages to the mission, addressed to your daughter at the address listed above. 

Thank you for raising such an outstanding young person, worthy and willing to serve the Lord full time in our mission.  I know you will be blessed for the sacrifices that make her service possible.  May the Lord's choicest blessings be yours.

week dos!

okay so i know this will be my last pday before hittin the field so ill try to make it as long as i can..just waitin on my laundry here but HOLY COW IM FUHHHREEEEZING!! Its like sunny but cold...i dont get it?? ha but omg thanks soo much for my dear elder letters and packages! u guys are off da chaiiin! it was funny bc we met with our branch presidency the other day and i got all this mail from my district leader(bc hes in charge of mail) and president mangum was like uhhh sis gariby do u have a significant other??? and i was like umm u mean my mom? bahaha so salamat mama!! all the missionaries in my district were like a lil jelly bc i get mail from yall but what do ya do ya know?? #hatersgonhate

 

soo its funny bc the other night at 1115 pm they paged me to go to the front desk on the intercom and i was like OMG is everything okay with my family?!! so me and my comps run over to the front desk in our pjs and lil did we know is that we had to pick up our new sis in the zone from england. so it was a nice adventure...we also became bffs with the security guard that night bradley and he said hed hook us up with some ice cream before we leave lol

 

but umm not much is goin on heaaa....just class...class....and MORE CLASS! Im seriously soo physically, spirituallu, and emotionally EXHAUSTED! but the good kind of course if that makes sense...like having a good workout and then being sore the next day but in my case its being sore for 2 weeks lol its crayy to think that ill be chunkin up the deuces in a few days..

 

but ooo one funny thing is that the other day, the new sis from england has been hanging out with me too long i think...the other day she said "holla at me" and sis osa also has been sayin "the struggle is too real" and "ratchet" and "real talk" bahahah i guess i gotta watch what i say bc i dont wanna be corrupting these new international sisters now... lol

but aww man this past sunday bc it was fast sunday, it was a lil different bc it was mission conference. it was really cool. i really liked the fireside we had that night and we joined with the west campus as well and omg we sang the song "as sisters in zion" and "army of helaman" but it was like a remix bc it was catered to missionaries, like the lyrics were different and while we were all singing it was just soo POWERFUL! while i was singing i just broke out in tears! EMBUR! but it was only the beginning...the MTC is just soo spiritual! just amazing! that night we watched this talk by elder bednar called the Character of Christ and OMG! it was EXACTLY what i needed! it was about putting off the natural man and instead of turning in to turn out and it was just soo good! bc lets be real errbody and their mamas know that i get selfish sometimes and so it was just perfect!!

omg so one of the funniest and craziest sisters i know is sis manumua from tonga and she freakin cracks me upppp! shes smaller than i am but she like randomly picks me up even tho shes so tiny! shes so funny..guess one of those things u gotta be there kinda moments.. lol

so its funny bc we have been role playing and we have these 2 investigators and as we pray and prepare for them its weird bc i just like fall in love with them even tho theyre just acting which is funny... ha my teachers are freakin OFF DA CHAIIIN! they really make me think and i like that...

and umm i know youve been asking about the food so to answer your questions about the mtc food here just look up in the Bible, Jeremiah 4:19-20..it describes that experience pretty well...lol

so today i was able to go to the Provo Temple and funny thing is that bc both of my companions are international they were able to go to slc and do a session there.. BUT im the only girl in my district going to the Provo temple so the elders in my district had to walk with me everywhere and when we got to the temple i was like uhh where are they?? APPARENTLY WE WENT INTO 2 DIFFERENT SESSIONS!! it was just crazy bc i didnt know which one they weere in or if i should wait for them or where so it was hectic... one of the ppl in the temple said i should just walk to the mtc by myself bc it should be okay and try to page them when i get there but THANKFULLY i waited 30 min for them in the front and they came...they went into a later session than i did... but yah it was weird bc im gettin used to get having a companion and nekk min they leave me... today i deff wish i was international..lol

but umm idk what else to say other than goin to sleep at 1030 is FOREVER difficult! the struggle is too real! bc me and sis arthur just stay up and talk bout hawaii sometimes and how we miss it..we also just eat food from the vending machines...baha like we eat soo early here! at 5 so of course im starving by like 8! haha

but OMG i learned my lesson the other day..we were in gym and me and my companions started playing volleyball with these elders from samoa and tonga and OMG I ALMOST DIED! it was soo much fun but freaaaak i saw my life flash before my eyes a couple of times..they were soo good!!! ha and oh btw, sorry i cant send pics until i get into the field..for some reason the computers at the MTC wont let us send pics from here... but ill deff send some when i get to the mission!!

 umm really cool thing is that my companions and i are singing on sunday bc its our last sunday..we're doing a musical number to the hymn Brightly Beams..have u heard of it?? we're singing a verse in Maori so that should be interesting! we've been practicing and its like soo awesome!!! we leave wednesday EARLY IN THE MORNING to get onto a train to take the field so we'll see how that goes!!

but on a more serious note... im just loving it here. i learn so much every day. the feelings i experience here are just so amazing! Not only in Church and devotionals and firesides but also in class and spending time with my companions. it was so funny the other day bc my companions and i were studying on what to teach for our investigator so we were doing personal stufy and met up after about 10 min and the CRAZY thing is that we all came up with the same topic! like WAAAAAT?! its soo cool to see us be in such unity and that when we really let the Spirit guide, he will take us there if we're doing the right things. I have learned so much about my Savior and its just amazing. I learned a lot about how the gospel blesses families and its so true! makes me so grateful for the one i have both in TEXAS AND HAWAII:) it makes me soo stoked to have a fam of my own one day! well after the mish of course.. ha BUT i love you all so much and am thinking of u always! thanks for the support! it really gets me thru my days! means a lot!! give James a big kiss for me!!! miss yall more than yall know! catch me up with errrthang:)

Love,
Sistah Gariby