Weekly letter from Shawn (Breanna) #1

Gus,

Your Weekly news from Shawn

HI! :D So begins the update of all things I wanted to text you (well not all, but many of the things) since Wednesday.

I bought two brand new lenses for my camera. They were almost $500 combined but I am so excited to start using them! There is just one more on my list of lenses that I want for now (and then I'll be good for a few years) but it's not out yet. I'm hoping when Christmas comes around again that it will be out and possibly on sale. :) I got a smaller lens for portrait photography and just every day photography (that one was $135 through Walmart) and then I got a lens with a much longer zoom (my current lens is 18-55mm, this one is 55-300mm so I can actually get a clear close up picture of the mountains while standing in my backyard) and that one was $360. I did some research and it is more important to spend the extra money on the good lenses rather than buying the cheap ones because the lens is what really makes the quality of the picture. Joan and I got together on Saturday so I could take pictures for her (more about that later) but my current lens had to do because the portrait one won't be available for pickup at Walmart until valentines day. The one that isn't out yet is for extreme close ups of small things (which is the kind of photography that I LOVE doing with my phone) so I can't wait until I can get my hands on it.

I slept through my alarm on Friday morning and missed Angela's funeral. I felt bad and a little angry about it but there wasn't anything I could do. I guess I was just so exhausted I didn't even hear it go off. I had planned on getting up at 7:30 to get ready and leave by 8:00 so I could catch the tail end of the meet and greet before the funeral at 9:00 but I woke up at 9:50 and missed everything. I felt so bad. I guess I just wasn't meant to go to that funeral. For whatever reason, it was better for me not to. I don't know. So I just got dressed, got my packages ready to go to the post office, and took my Del Parson picture (the “Lost Lamb” one) to the craft store to find a frame (something that has needed to be done for over a year now). The frame looks beautiful. I also ended up getting a lot of valentines day stuff for the girls I visit teach. I bought this cookie pan that makes cookies in these different heart shapes with cool designs pressed into them. I tried it out using the rest of our frozen chocolate chip cookie dough because chocolate chip cookies are yummier than sugar cookies. :) They turned out okay, you can kind of see the designs. I also finally caught up on Arrow. I was surprised to see yet another actor from a Sci-Fi I've watched and loved show up. I told you Captain Jack showed up in it right? Well now the guy who played John Chrichton in Far Scape showed up too . It was only for one episode but still...I wonder what other Sci-Fi actors will appear along the way. :)

I was far too lazy the last few days. I got to Saturday and I still hadn't done any more hand sewing on those ponies I started last week (and there were three other ponies ordered since then that I still hadn't cut out the pieces for). I got all my chores done but then I sat around for a while and watched MLP and caught up on some other shows (update, David Anders—Sark in Alias/Dr Whale in Once Upon a Time/Adam Monroe in Heroes—also showed up in an episode of Arrow) until Joan came. She brought me some chocolate. :) I really like how the pictures turned out too even though it was snowing the entire time we took photos (just our luck that it started right when Joan came and ended right after she left). I'll include one of my favorite shots. I used her photos to update my Deviant Art portfolio. I decided to make it all photography and not a mix of digital art and other things. So far I just have her portraits up but I'll mix in other portraits as I get the chance to take them and when we go to the cabin in May I plan on taking some landscape, wildlife, and macro photography during our hike so I can fill in the other sections of my portfolio. I am excited. :)

Seeing as I have no idea when your MTC P-day will be, I will send this in on Sunday, making that the last day in this update letter. I'll start the next one right away and once we figure out your P-day I'll adjust accordingly. :) So, lets see...Sunday. Sunday I gave little Valentines gifts to the girls I visit teach. They each got two of those cookies, some candy, and an awesome valentine. One of the girls wasn't there but I'll get her gift to her one way or another. :) I hope that your lessons are going well and that you are having fun learning the language. I sent you a letter on Thursday so hopefully it gets to you soon. I am also putting together something else to send you. :) I love you and keep up the good work!

<3 Shawn

One Final Text Message

My best friend Danielle reported to the MTC (Missionary Training Center) yesterday. Before she did, I sent her one last super lengthy letter of a text. That was one of the last texts I was able to send her before the 18 months of no direct connection to her through her phone began. From here on out it is an email once a week and letters as often as I can send and receive them. The last text read:

Dear Danielle,

You are going to be an amazing missionary. Heavenly Father has sent you to an area where there are people waiting for you to bring them to the gospel. I am so proud of you and so excited for you as well. Keep yourself safe, soak in the experiences, take lots of pictures, and write lots of letters. As I said before, your family email is the most important but you type faster than Jess so if I can hear from you once a week too (even just a little) it would make my week every time. Hand written letters and post cards are great too, especially if there is a week where you run out of time at the computer. I will be looking for random cards to send you myself. :) 

Let Sora have some fun too. If you and your companion decide to go sight seeing or hiking or exploring, take her along for the ride and for pictures (unless she isn't feeling up to it and by that I mean unless you don't want to go hiking with a pony strapped to your back ha ha). Enjoy the country, the culture, and the people. As you explore and learn about them you will better be able to bring the gospel to them. Love the people...just don't go finding yourself a husband there (unless he is an American there on vacation or there on his mission) or your mother and I will be very cross with you. 

Things will get hard, you will get lonely and your inability to call or text your mom, your dad, your sister, or your best friend will get frustrating. It's in these times when you should take your fears and your frustrations to your Heavenly Father. Your contact with us will be limited compared to what you are used to, but your contact with him will be unlimited. Always follow the spirit and listen to his promptings. Heavenly Father has great things in store for you and for the people of Romania. Just do your best and don't sweat the small stuff. You are loved by so many and we are proud of you. Remember, your joy shall be great if you bring just one soul into the gospel in your year and a half among the people. Don't focus on the numbers, focus on the people. Love them and they will love you.

Remember, I believe in you, return with honor...and don't get eaten by wolves. :) I love you to pieces my muffin bran apple cake. See you when you return.

Love, 

Breanna (the Shawn to your Gus, the Angel to your Fluttershy, the apple to your pie)

P.S. I find it interesting that you are going to Romania where you may get to see Bucharest because our budding friendship began with that team project for YA literature and we spent a lot of our time talking about Blood and Chocolate sitting at a table in the Smith lounge. It was meant to be. :)

We sent a few more messages back and forth before saying our final goodbyes. I have already begun my first letter to send to her while she is still in the MTC in Provo, Utah. She will hear from me a lot. :)