November 29--Little missionary expresses feelings

Dear Family,
We switched our P-day to today, Saturday, because at Interviews, Presidnet Dunaway told both Sorella Glass and I to take 2-3 days off because Sorella Glass has been sick forever and is not getting better. So we came in Tuesday night after Interviews, and Sorellas Glass hasn't left the house until this morning. I did scambi, companion exchange, on Wednesday night and Thursday. I'm really glad I was able to do that because I think I might have gone insane if I was in the house for that long of a time. So 2 weeks in a row I have done scambi. It was kind of interesting but it went well. We are really going to have our P-day this Wednesday :)

Time is so weird in the mission. This transfer is half way through. It is going by fast and yet slow at the same time. It helps me to remember to use my time wisely and productively so that I will not regret anything on my mission.

I saw a scarf and umbrella today in the old sister apartment that we went to today, that reminded me of Jenny. They were bright colors and it said Jenny all over it :)

I want to share things with all of you, but I can't bring myself to do it; I'm feeling a little down today and I'm not completely sure why. Hopefully our lessons tonight will cheer me up and then partaking of the Sacrament tomorrow. Be what it may, there is a reason to everything. Perhaps this is just a time for me to truly turn to the Lord and ask for His everlasting help.

Sorry this is so short. But I think I'm going to close this email now. I love you all and all your prayers, letters, emails, help, advice, and everything from all of you. I appreciate all that you do for me so that I can help the people of Italy come unto Christ. I love you all!!!

Love from,
Sorella Megan DeVocht

21 November--Amo di essere una missionaria

Dear Family,
Sorry I didn't get to write on Wednesday. We had some guys come to our house then to fix our ceiling because our roof was falling in and they were there from 10-4:30 and we couldn't leave the house all day. So we went grocery shopping, came home, dropped the groceries off and I got my bag for scumbi, companion exchange, and we went to the Duomo, a really awesome and cool, and large church. I was with an Italian for 24 hours and it was great. And then today we did weekly planning, and now we are here doing email. So that is that.

How is everyone doing? How is everything?

Life is getting better here in Milan. My companion and I are pretty much on the same page about everything and we're working together and we have some AMAZING investigators. Mara, she is from Brazil, and she reads the Book of Mormon like none other. She is the ideal investigator. She reads in the Book of Mormon and then asks us questions and we research and then we tell her what we learned for her. It's really awesome. Her testimony has totally helped MY testimony. She is so awesome. She set her baptsimal day for December 20th!!! I hope I am still here to see it. If so, it will be my first baptism and totally awesome!!! Oh yeah, I can't remember if I told you or not, but one of my investigators from Genova told me when we went bowling that one day she might be baptized!!! I was SO happy when I heard her said that. She gave me her address so I can write her. She also said that when she gets baptized she will let me know. Oh it is so awesome!!! Just thinking about it now makes me happy and I can feel the Spirit. Doing scumbi yesterday also reassured me that what I'm doing is right. This is where the Lord wants me to be RIGHT NOW. I am so grateful to be a missionary, to help bring souls come unto to Christ and stay true to Him. Also, this is where the Lord wants me to be and needs me to be now, in Milano 2. It is great here. The members, the investigators, the missionaries, I love it all. This past week was great, it feels like it was forever, like I've felt that I've been in Milan for a month, and it's only been 2 weeks. I am learning tons. One of the things that I am learning is how to be a good member missionary. They say when you go home, be the member that you always wanted. I am learning so much about missinary work, how important members are and that when I'm not a full-time missionary, I'm a full-time finder. Share the gospel with your friends!!! Don't be afraid if they reject it. You never know who is going to say Yes again. Everyone who is on this earth said Yes once before. Help them remember why they came to this earth. Don't be afraid of the missionareis, help them, get to know them, have a good relationship with them. And when you've gained their trust, give them a referral and help them out with lessons and what not else. When members and missionaries work together, missionary work happens and it is successful. Don't you want to be apart of it? Doctrine and Coveants 18: 15,16 is an awesome scripture. I actually just shared it last night with a member and FHE because we were talking about that kinf of stuff. I feel like I'm always asking for things in my emails, but the one thing that I want to ask from all of you this email is to do missionary work. Get involved with the missionaries. That reminds me, how is Kalyani? I received a letter from her awhile ago, but I haven't written here back yet. Is she reading the Book of Mormon? I don't know why I'm going off about missinoary work to all of you now, but I guess that I am starting to see the fruits and it makes me happy and I want all of you to have this joy too. My challenge for you: Bring a friend to church this Sunday. You can do it. How about we make a deal. You bring a friend to church and I'll bring someone to church too. How does that sound? Good? Good. Let me know how it went :)

I do have one question. Does anyone know or remember the analogy you use for repentance? I know someone used it in Davenport, I think it was Sister Gowdy, but I can't remember. Something with water and vinegar or something I don't remember. But I want to use it for our investigators and I was wondering if any of you knew.

Well, it's been great and I'm actually glad we weren't able to email until today. Things just worked out great. I love you all and I am so thankful for all your support and love. It means everything to me. I hope to send pictures before Christmas. A Christmas gift, I suppose. But I will probably do pictures next Wednesday or the week after. Anyways, I love you all. Thanks for all you do. You are the best!

Keep me in your prayers. And don't forget to bring a friend to church! I love you!

Ci sentiamo!
Ciao,
Con amore,
Sorella DeVocht

P. S. This is for Terri Weilder: I met Sorella Pitkin. She is awesome!!! She is going to do great here. I love her so much and I don't even really know her. Also she reminds me a lot of my friend in Davenport, Ashley McPherson. It was great to be able to 'see' my friend in the mission.

P.P.S Ashley! I love you!

21 November--Amo di essere una missionaria

Dear Family,
Sorry I didn't get to write on Wednesday. We had some guys come to our house then to fix our ceiling because our roof was falling in and they were there from 10-4:30 and we couldn't leave the house all day. So we went grocery shopping, came home, dropped the groceries off and I got my bag for scumbi, companion exchange, and we went to the Duomo, a really awesome and cool, and large church. I was with an Italian for 24 hours and it was great. And then today we did weekly planning, and now we are here doing email. So that is that.

How is everyone doing? How is everything?

Life is getting better here in Milan. My companion and I are pretty much on the same page about everything and we're working together and we have some AMAZING investigators. Mara, she is from Brazil, and she reads the Book of Mormon like none other. She is the ideal investigator. She reads in the Book of Mormon and then asks us questions and we research and then we tell her what we learned for her. It's really awesome. Her testimony has totally helped MY testimony. She is so awesome. She set her baptsimal day for December 20th!!! I hope I am still here to see it. If so, it will be my first baptism and totally awesome!!! Oh yeah, I can't remember if I told you or not, but one of my investigators from Genova told me when we went bowling that one day she might be baptized!!! I was SO happy when I heard her said that. She gave me her address so I can write her. She also said that when she gets baptized she will let me know. Oh it is so awesome!!! Just thinking about it now makes me happy and I can feel the Spirit. Doing scumbi yesterday also reassured me that what I'm doing is right. This is where the Lord wants me to be RIGHT NOW. I am so grateful to be a missionary, to help bring souls come unto to Christ and stay true to Him. Also, this is where the Lord wants me to be and needs me to be now, in Milano 2. It is great here. The members, the investigators, the missionaries, I love it all. This past week was great, it feels like it was forever, like I've felt that I've been in Milan for a month, and it's only been 2 weeks. I am learning tons. One of the things that I am learning is how to be a good member missionary. They say when you go home, be the member that you always wanted. I am learning so much about missinary work, how important members are and that when I'm not a full-time missionary, I'm a full-time finder. Share the gospel with your friends!!! Don't be afraid if they reject it. You never know who is going to say Yes again. Everyone who is on this earth said Yes once before. Help them remember why they came to this earth. Don't be afraid of the missionareis, help them, get to know them, have a good relationship with them. And when you've gained their trust, give them a referral and help them out with lessons and what not else. When members and missionaries work together, missionary work happens and it is successful. Don't you want to be apart of it? Doctrine and Coveants 18: 15,16 is an awesome scripture. I actually just shared it last night with a member and FHE because we were talking about that kinf of stuff. I feel like I'm always asking for things in my emails, but the one thing that I want to ask from all of you this email is to do missionary work. Get involved with the missionaries. That reminds me, how is Kalyani? I received a letter from her awhile ago, but I haven't written here back yet. Is she reading the Book of Mormon? I don't know why I'm going off about missinoary work to all of you now, but I guess that I am starting to see the fruits and it makes me happy and I want all of you to have this joy too. My challenge for you: Bring a friend to church this Sunday. You can do it. How about we make a deal. You bring a friend to church and I'll bring someone to church too. How does that sound? Good? Good. Let me know how it went :)

I do have one question. Does anyone know or remember the analogy you use for repentance? I know someone used it in Davenport, I think it was Sister Gowdy, but I can't remember. Something with water and vinegar or something I don't remember. But I want to use it for our investigators and I was wondering if any of you knew.

Well, it's been great and I'm actually glad we weren't able to email until today. Things just worked out great. I love you all and I am so thankful for all your support and love. It means everything to me. I hope to send pictures before Christmas. A Christmas gift, I suppose. But I will probably do pictures next Wednesday or the week after. Anyways, I love you all. Thanks for all you do. You are the best!

Keep me in your prayers. And don't forget to bring a friend to church! I love you!

Ci sentiamo!
Ciao,
Con amore,
Sorella DeVocht

P. S. This is for Terri Weilder: I met Sorella Pitkin. She is awesome!!! She is going to do great here. I love her so much and I don't even really know her. Also she reminds me a lot of my friend in Davenport, Ashley McPherson. It was great to be able to 'see' my friend in the mission.

P.P.S Ashley! I love you!

12 November 2008

Dear Family,
How are you Mom, Dad, Nancy, Evangelina, Neil, Amy, Ben, Katie, Annabelle, the little Clove on the way, Emily, Becky, Daniel, Spencer, Kevin, Stephanie, Sade, and the little DeVocht on the way, and Jenny?

I am doing great. I am now in Milan and am enjoying the big city and talking to lots of people. Our district consists of 5 missionaries: Sorella Glass is my companion, me, Anziano Boshell is our District Leader and his two companions are Anziano Elkins and Anziano Pfeifer.

I really do like Milan. We use the Metro a lot and it is great fun. I'm learning more of how to talk to people and how to be the best Sorella DeVocht missinoary that I can be :) Things are going really well.

I can't believe that I have already been on my mission for 5 months!!! And 3 months in Italy, and this is my 3rd transfer that I am currently in! I think that after a certain point, it is going to go by real real fast. Just now I need to remind myself to enjoy the moment and not look too deep into the future.

Oh yes, I almost forgot!

My new address is:

Via Pisacane 47-15
20129 Milano, Italia


I love you all and learning more and more everyday that I love my family and I am so grateful for the plan of salvation that our Loving Heavenly Father has for us. Vi amo tanto! Vi voglio bene!!!

Con amore,
Sorella DeVocht

October 22 Sick...again

Dear Family,
Thanks for all the letters and emails, you are great. Well life is going pretty good here in Genova. At the moment however, I am sick, yes, again. Last night I went to bed a little later and then I woke up at 3:30 in the morning because I couldn't breathe very well. It took me about 15 minutes to get myself out of bed, and take 2 garlic shooters, half a lemon squeezed, and one clove of garlic. I also took an advil because I hoped it would help me to go back to sleep. I ate crackers and nutella with it and then I washed my feet because I had been walking around the house bearfoot and my feet were dirty. Then I went back to bed, said a prayer that I would be able to breathe and sleep and be able to wake up on time. Well, I slept in a half hour and then I couldn't sleep anymore. Today we learned how to make pasta noodles and gnocchi. So we were at the church in Sestri for about 4 hours. But it was a lot of fun. I took a lot of pictures. Anziano Barker was wearing a red girly apron and it really made me laugh. Hopefully soon, before the end of the year I will send some pictures. I have a lot.

I love you all and thanks for everything.
Love,
Sorella DeVocht

October 29 WE WENT SWIMMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....in the street last night


LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!
La vita è bella!!!

Hello Family, life is good. It always seems like so much has happened and changed since the last time I email you all.

Well, I was sick last week and am still sick now, but I'm getting better. On Wednesday night I didn't sleep that much at all. I went to bed early and then woke up in the middle of the night and went back to bed and then I woke up again and this time I stayed up and read from Jesus the Christ for a few hours and thought about that. Then I went back to bed at 4am, woke up at 6:30 when my alarm went off, turned it off, went back to bed and slept until 8. we had one appointment with a one of our investigators at the church, and then one of the elder's in our district gave me a blessing. we went home and I slept pretty much all day. We cancelled the rest of our appointments for the day. the same thing pretty much happened on friday. expect we did have an appointment at 6:30 with Cate, who is the BOMB. she is from south africa and she has been a member of the church for 10 years i think. we are helping her prepare herself for the temple. even though i was still sick, it was really good for me to go. we went with our district leader and his companion, Anziano Robbins and Anziano McKinnon. Anziano McKinnon made german pancakes which were really good, and sorella harris and i gave the lesson and then we played a game and had snacks. sorry for all the lower case, this keyboard's shifts aren't working too well. but i really needed that night. it really helped me as a missinoary.

every tuesday night we have our english class. it is always fun and i love our students. sometimes we go get pizza with whoever wants to go after english class. but this time, we invited those who wanted to hear more about the church and what we as missionaries do. it went really well. there was one lady who said she would be coming to church. she said she always gets bored at church (catholic). and a few other people were interested as well. i'm excited!!! then after that, all the missionaries and Sara, one of our investigators daughter, she is 24, i think, well we all went to good ol' McDonalds, to eat food. it was great fun. and then it was so fun walking sara home because it was raining like mad and we only had a few umbrellas and anziano robbins wasn't using anything, so he was soaked and then sorella harris was getting soaked too. to get to our apartment, sorella harris and i need to go under a tunnel, well, it's just the bridge for the train tracks. we were about to go under and sorella harris stopped, but i kept going and a car came by and there was a lot of water on the road, and i got wet!!! it was funny. but he best part was at the end, when a car was coming and there was a LOT of water in the road. it came rushing down and sorella harris yelled and i tried to block the wave of water coming towards me with my umbrella, but it didn't work out. we were completley soaked. i was laughing SO HARD. and this morning i was laughing hard too. rain and umbrellas make me laugh, hard. yes, i'm having a grand time in Italy. :) :) :)

we are doing scumbi today, which is a companinon exhange. i am staying in Genova and another sister from torino is coming down and then sorella harris is going up to torino. i'm a little nervous because i will be in charge of the phone and stuff and i'm just a little nervous but it will all be good. it will be a good experience. i've just got to fake it until i make it. i did that the other day, and it worked out just fine.

i can't believe that this transfer is almost over. we find out next tuesday, who is leaving and who is staying. sorella harris and i were thinking and trying to figure it out. but then later, i prayed for help not to worry about it because i worry about it a lot. and now i don't even really have the desire to think about it. I know God lives and He hears and answers my prayers. the Lord has helped me so much while I've been on my mission and i am so grateful for all that He does for me.


I am learning a lot about life here in Genova, Italia. oh, by the way, in english, Genova is Genoa. JFYI. I plan to soon send a few cds of pictures so you can put one in the Christmas newsletter. Be sure to send me one!!! even if it's through email.

with Sara, she offered to help me with my italian. so we are going to start tomorrow for the first time. we will teach her a lesson of the gospel and then after, she will help me with italian. i'm so stoked for this. sara is great, she helps me so much.

i am grateful for the gift of tongues. i love praying in italian, by myself because then i am not afraid and i say whatever and i think i actually speak better italian. this morning i prayed a lot of times. when i first woke up. when i woke up again. when i said my blessing, i didn't just ask for Him to bless the food, i talked to Him, and then for my personal study prayer. I LOVE ITALIAN!!! It IS becoming a part of me. there are times when i translate, just to myself what people are saying, and i think it sound so much better in italian. or sometimes, like last night when anziano robbins was giving an introduction to the church, i was sitting there listening and then it hit me: he's speaking italian. and i can understand him. i love those moments. i love italian and i love italy. there are things about this place and culture that are becoming apart of me. and there are some things here that i just love so much. like packaging for foccaica, a really good bready snack. sounds and smells, and tastes and everything. i've alson discovered more so on my mission that I LOVE TAKING PICTURES!!!! last p-day i took around 168 pictures. i love candid pictures and i love just taking pictures and videos of peopole being themeselves. the elders don't really mind it, but i need to be more respectful of sorella harris because it drives her crazy. ;)

just about 2 months until Christmas!!! which means i get to talk to you all!!! please let me know who is going to be home. i'm excited for Christmas. this will be my first Christmas away from home; but i am still really excited. I'm going to see if i can make our homemade peanut butter cups. that will be grand.

well, that's about all for this week folks.

this has been Sorella DeVocht reporting live from Genova, Italia.

Have a nice day and watch out for the rain!!!

November 5 TRANSFERS THIS WEEK!!! AND I'M GOING TO........................

MILAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Family,
How is everyone doing? Life is good just right about now. Yesterday President Dunaway called to tell Sorella Harris that she is training and then he talked to me and told me that the Lord has called me to be junior companion in Milan 2. Sorella Glass, who has only been out here 3 more transfers than me, will be my companion. Oh family! I'm so excited. I am really happy. It's time to go. It's time for a change. I don't feel real real sad to leave, just, no, I don't really feel sad. I'm excited for Milan! It will be an adventure!!! I am going to miss a few people here. Like some members that come to FHE and some of our English class students, and some missionaries here. Like Anziano Barker, I sort of knew him at the MTC, he wasn't in my district, but that's because there were 2 districts. I've gotten to know him pretty well and we're good friends. But hey, I've got my whole mission ahead of me. He's way cool, you all would like him.

I might write more later, I just want to write a few other people.

Ciao per adesso
Con amore,
Sorella DeVocht, reporting live for the last time in Genova

15 October 2008

Dear Family,
How is everyone of you doing? How is school, work, life, the kids, everything? Life here in Genova is going pretty well. I have noticed that the Lord blesses us when we obey His commandments, even if it is small and we think that it will not make a difference. I'm sorry that I really don't have anything to say.
Nancy, yes and thank you, we did receive the letters, awhile ago. But if you want to be on the safe side, it's ok if you send them to the mission office\home, which ever one it is, I can't remember.
Well, I am learning lots and Italian is coming along. Yesterday we were speaking in Italian for a lot of the day and my head hurted a lot.
I've never really had seafood before but I've been having it here it Itali. Sorella Harris said that this morning :) It made me laugh :D But the other day I had mussels and octopus which the octopus is not my most favorite thing in the world.
Mom, I was wondering if you would be interested in creating an email account so I could email you :) And you can practice using the computer. I love to write letters but last week I did, I'm going to send them today, and I got really distracted and well at least for now, email is pretty good. But this doesn't mean that I'm lazy or that I don't love you all! It just means that email is what is working best for me, but I will have time and I will write and send snail mail before I come home ;)
Last Thursdsay, we taught the 3rd lesson, The Plan of Salvation to Silvana. It went really well. During language study I prepared some things that I wanted to say and I also made a little diagram thingy for her. When we gave the lesson, I spoke up a lot, I explained the diagram and it just went great! I'm excited to be more of an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
Well, thanks again for all the love and support and letters! I love you all. Even though at times, being on a mission has been hard, I know this is where the Lord wants and needs me to be. Besides, I can do hard things :)
ETTE and RWYA and RWH and CTR and NGU because "because you are loved" Alma 7:11-13

Until next week this has been
Sorella DeVocht
Reporting live from Genova, Italy

TEMPLE IN ROME, ITALY!!! (8 Oct 2008)

Dear Family,
I am SO stoked, you don't even KNOW about the temple in Rome, Italy. We were able to watch General Conference, but it was all in Italian and I didn't understand a lot. But when I heard about the temple, at first I wasn't really paying attention, and then I looked at Sorella Harris and she was crying her eyes out and I said, "The temple?" and she said, "Yes, oh my gosh." Then I started crying and could not focus on the next talk. Ben, the Italians cheered. It's crazy because when I was in the MTC, one of our teachers, Fratello Garlick, told us that there was a rumor going around that they would be able to build the temple soon. And then Anziano Hooker said something like this, "Yeah, we'll be in conference, and they'll annouce the temple in Rome, and all the Italians will cheer." And that's excatly what happened. So our district in the MTC guessed it right!!! Ben! That is SO exciting about Billy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can hardly believe it. I remember that letter you sent me in the MTC telling me about him taking an Italian class in school and you were saying wouldn't they be cool if he went to Milan, Italy? And I thought, yeah, he's going to go. I am SO stoked!!!! I told the missionareis who are here now doing email, my companion, Anziano McKinnon and Anziano Robbins. We figured that Billy will come in when Anziano Robbins leaves because he leaves in March. Then Anziano Robbins said, "Man, I won't be able to train him." ANd then Anziano McKinnon said, "I can." That would be crazy if he did.
The other day after district meeting we went to get kebabs, but the zone leaders didn't come with us. As we were sitting on our bench eating, Anziano McKinnon says, "I feel pretty young. I'll be going home the same time Sorella DeVocht does." It's weird to think that he still think he's young, when he has beeen out here for about 6 months and I have only been here for about 2 months.
Well, life is real real good here in Genova :) We have zone conference next week, and Elder Per Malm wil preside. I'm pretty stoked. President Dunaway gave us some promises so I'm going to work on those things. I'm feeling pretty good just about right now. My companion and I had a real great bonding experience/time last night. I am so glad that we are companions!!! I am SO glad that she is my trainer!!! She is "THE BOMB" you don't even KNOW!!! I know this is where the Lord wants me to be. I was talking about this with Sorella Harris last night and telling her about that this is right. This is the right time, the right place, and everything. I woudn't trade this for anything. Even the hard times I had because it has made the goood times stand out even more. I am know that the Lord wants me to be a missinoary and that He has a plan and purpose for me. I haven't figured it out yet, but I am so grateful to be here. I just KNOW that this is EXACTLY where the Lord wants me to be. I am so grateful that we have this gospel and that we can have assurances like this that we KNOW something. I love you all and I love all the support you give me. Being away from home, and living a completley different lifestyle, you start to appreicate the things you had back at home more. You start to realize that your family is the BOMB!!!! Thanks for all the things you have said to me in the past, whether for my mission or not, because they have really helped me. Nancy, I told Sorella Harris about the thing you told me about music and if you're having a bad day and your favorite song comes on, just listen to it. We were having one of those days last transfer and we were in the metro and a song came on that just calmed us. And now whenever we hear that song, it reminds us of that day. And we are closer too because of that. Sorella Harris said that she's started to do that now, she never did it until I told her about it. so i wanted to say thank you. the things all of you say really help me and change me and affect me, but they can also do the same for those i come in contact with and so by you saying just that little thing, you have affected people's lives. Thank you.
I love being a missionary and I love inviting others to come unto Christ. I am learning tons out here and I am also changing tons too. Last night I was thinking about how I was just a couple of weeks ago, which feel like months, and I thought to myself, "I've changed a lot." Time is so funny and strange on the mission. Something that we did last week feels like a month ago. This is only the 2nd week of our transfer and it feels like it's been forever. it's not because it's bad, it's just how time rolls here.
I always feel bad about not writing actual snail mail letters. I might be able to today, but I am so thankful and grateful for the letters you have sent me. Thanks so much. It's great to get something in the mail from home :)
I love you all so much!!! Thanks for being a great family and being so awesome!!!
Until next week
This has been
Sorella DeVocht
Reporting live from Genova, Italia

1 October 2008

Ciao Family!
Time is so weird to me these days. It feels like a year that I last wrote my 'weekly' email and I don't even really remember what I wrote. But I can't believe that I have been here for a whole transfer already! At first, time was going by really slow and I thought about the future all the time, which didn't help with the days going by slow for me. But now, time is going by slightly faster, and I'm thinking less of the future. Ok, you are my family and you all know me, especailly Mom because I was around her all the time before coming on my mission. You know that sometimes, or a lot of times, I am unmotivated. So, a couple weeks ago, I think, I was feeling like that. And I didn't want to go home, but I was trunky. Now I know I've only been here for less than six weeks at the time, but yeah, that's me for ya. I was trunky, but different. But, I've decided that since I was trunky in the beginning of my mission, I'm not allowed to be trunky at the end of my mission. Just like with my calling in with the stake singles: At first, I didn't do a lot and felt kind of bad about not doing anything. And then towards the end I was working hard and I was doing just about everything I could do. Now don't worry. I'm not doing nothing here in Italy, but I do struggle with some rules and I beat myself up a lot for not being better. A few weeks ago, I wrote to Presidnet Dunaway and said something about it's taking me awhile to get into the groove of things. He wrote back the next week and said: It takes a while to get all the elements of missionary work and life in place. Don't be hard on yourself if it's not all clicking just yet. Keep doing your best and striving to make those little improvements. I'm very pleased with the progress you have made and the direction in which you are headed. -Presidente Dunaway. That really helped me out. I'm like a lot of different things, like a child learning how to read and write for the first time. I guess that's basically what I am, I'm a little child in missionary work because I do not know a lot of things. But I hope that soon, once I start striving my hardest everyday and keeping all the rules, even the ones I struggle with, the Lord will see my willingness and I will be happy. Just so you aren't freaking out or anything, the rules I'm struggling with are, going to bed on time, beause I'm busy writing in my journals or getting other things done, waking up on time, mostly because I don't want to exercise, and exerising in the morning. And also small ones, like being completely ready to go before starting studies, leaving the house on time, having language study everyday, talking to people, and little rules like that that make ALL the difference. But I am working on these things so do not worry.

Well, I love you all and I appreicate all the letters and packages and emails and prayers and love from all of you. I also feel bad for not writing ANY letters to ANYONE. HOPEFULLY, today we will be able to.
Anytime anyone is online when I am, feel free to write back :) That would be a pretty cool experience!!! It would totally make my day!

Well, until next time,
Love from,
Sorella DeVocht

24 September 2008

Hey Family!

Sorry that last week's email was so short. We were in a hurry. I hope that today we can write letters; I feel bad for not having written ANY letters at all. We've been doing a lot of P-Day activites. And I've been taking a lot of pictures, of random things, but also of the scenery. Last week we went to Portofino, it was beautiful. I ate some cactus fruit, it was really good. It tasted a lot like pomegrant.

You all are so good at writing me and emailing me. I feel bad for not writing any letters at all :( I know everyone likes to receive snail mail, especially when it's from ITALY!!! ;) ;) Thanks Kevin for the tips on learning the language, that was what I was asking about. I actually have a cool experience about the language. I have'nt really been reading the Book of Mormon. It's funny because some things that I LIKE to do, I don't do them. Like, I've always liked writing in my journal, but for a long time I didn't write in my journal. But now I do almost every night. So, I hope that my weakness of not reading the Book of Mormon everyday, will turn into a strength. So sometimes I know I have to do something and I do it right then. So yesterday, getting back to my story, we were having personal study, in the afternoon because we had an appointment in the morning during our usual studies, and I wasn't really doing anything and then I saw my quad, I looked at it, and I picked it up and I started reading where I had left off, in 3rd Nephi. I read and I read. I think I read just a few scriptures. Then the last 10 mintues of companion study, Sorella Harris and I did some scenarios, where I was the missionary and she was someone on the metro. We did it twice, and it really helped me because I had been beating myself up for not being a good missionary. And then we had an appointment. But then after that we had English class. It was really good. And then after English class was even better. I talked with Pilar, a less active that we teach every week, in Italian. And I wasn't afraid to speak in Italian, like I usually am. I didn't always understand what she said, but it was still good. And then Sarà came, she is the daughter of our investigator, Silvana who lives in Sestri. And on Monday when we went to teach Silvana, which by the way, was a really great lesson, Sarà said that I am her favorite missionary. She says that she understands how it is to be somewhere where you can't understand anyone and you can't really speak to anyone. She moved to Germany with her boyfriend, long before I knew her. Anyways, so I talked to her and it was fantastic! She talked to me in English and I talked to here in Italian. (Oh yeah, she speaks English really well). I think that that is awesome. We're both speaking each other's language and we can understand each other pretty well. That just makes me smile :) Sarà also said that I am learning and improving more day by day. She is a great friend to me. She always helps me and translates for me if I look like I am confused. But she is awesome!!! I really like her and she's just amazing!!

Sorella Harris and I will be going shopping today for some clothes. I definitely need some winter clothes since I don't have any. But the weather has gotten much cooler and as the Italians say, "Fresca" which means fresh. Fa fresca - it's chilly.

Transfer calls were last night! The only change in our distrcit, is that Anziano Johnson is leaving and Anziano McKinnon is coming in.

How is missinoary work going in Davenport? Anziano Allen is sitting next to me and he says that he only talks to his family about missionary work. So I thought I would ask. Asking!

Somethings don't always appear to be what it really is.

I can't believe I've been here for a whole transfer!!! 6 whole weeks!!! At first, time was going by pretty slow, but time is starting to pick up and before you know it, it will be Christmas and I'll be calling home!!!

I'm really glad to be here. I've been learning a lot, learning to let go of myself, forget myself, and serving the Lord by serving others. I'm also working on finding my calling. What God called me to Italy for, to Genova for. And also, what my style of missionary work is. I'm really excited.

Well, I think I'm goint to write to President Dunaway now. I feel bad because last week I was rushed and I didn't do a very good job. He asked for more details. I have to remember why and what I'm here for!

Ciao!!! Vi voglio bene!!!

Until next week
This has been
Sorella DeVocht

17 September 2008

Dear Family,
Thank you all for your emails and the words you shared with me. They really helped me.

On Monday, the sisters in Torino and us, did a scumbi, a companion exchange. For training and learning. So I went up to Torino, and Sorella Booth who was in the MTC for 3 weeks with me, came down to Genova for a 24-hour period. It was really good. I learned some new things and I was able to see how another sister missionary does missionary work and it was a great experience.

My P-day is on Wednesday.

Something crazy happened on Sunday: As Anziano Allen, our Zone Leader was giving a talk in church, I saw, literally saw, Kevin's face in his face. It was really weird but as I saw Kevin's face I realized that Anziano Allen is also my brother and he has great potential.

Got to go, sorry it's short, but THANKS FOR EVERYTHING AND I'LL TRY TO WRITE MORE NEXT WEEK AND I MIGHT GET TO WRITE SOME LETTERS TODAY. Sorry for not writing letters.

ciao, I love you all

Sorella DeVocht

10 September 2008

Dear Family,

I don't know the reason for all things, but I do know that God has reasons for all things and that usually in the moment we don't know why, but sometimes after we see. I love being in Genova, it is fantastic!!! But it is also hard. Hard in lots of different ways. Sometimes I wonder why the Lord sent me to Genova at this time. But, from this, I am able to turn to the Lord and ask for His help and do my best to be like Christ. That is something that I am realizing: That I need to be more like Christ. To think, say, and do as He would think, say, and do. I'm also learning more about autocontrollo, self-control (I had to throw in some Italian). Self-control is KEY for missionaries. I've been learning and I told this to President Dunaway at Interviews on Monday: It doesn't matter if I would or would not do something, this is not my time, this is the Lord's time. So if He asks me to exercise for 30 minutes in the morning, I better do it. President laughed at that :) By the way, I really like my mission President. He is totally awesome. Everything is done by inspiration and he is just fantastic. I am so grateful to have him as my mission president now.

Thank you all for everything. I know that because of your support I am strengthened. I am becoming stronger and I thank you all for your help.

Kevin, I had a question for you: What kinds of things did you do to learn Portguese?

Yesterday and this morning I have been trying really hard to think in Italian. When I pray, I pray in Italian, of course, but I try to really pray and I am feeling better about learning Italian. I don't get discouraged, I give myself pep talks often. In fact, I gave myself one last night, but for a different reason. It reallys helps.

I love you all!!! Time is still going by somewhat slow, but I just need to FORGET MYSELF AND GET TO WORK!!! But I'm looking forward to talking to all you, or at least some of you at CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Well, I better get going. But thank you again so much for the letters, emails, packages, prayers, and everything!!! They help so much and I know that I am not alone.

I love you all. You're the BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD!!!!!

Love,
Sorella DeVocht

3 September 2008

Dear Family,
I'm sorry if my first 2 emails from email have been kind of strange. I hope that they will be better from now on.

Yesterday was my first Zone Conference and it was AWESOME!!! Our district was also fasting for a memeber in the ward and that was amazing. Let me tell you my little story:

On Monday we were at a investigators house, Silvana, and we were having a get together thing for Simona from English class because she is going to Germany for 6 months but she'll come home for Christmas - and I hope that I'm still here - and we were eating food and chatting. I didn't really know that we were going to start a fast that night. I had heard stuff, but no one had acutally told me what was going on. So we had to catch this train because we were in Sestri and we had to get back to our area in Genova 1. But they kept wanted to feed us and give us food. We ran to the train station. We missed our train. We walked to the bus stop. We missed our bus. We waited for 20 minutes. We got on the bus, which is about a 30-45 minute ride. We were the only females on the bus and the only sober ones too. We could smell beer. I think that's the first time I smelt it. It smelled like very strong yeast. So we got off and walked to the church and we had 1 and a half pizzas with us and a large bit of cake. The Anziani ate our pizza, more like devoured it in 10 minutes or less and then we started our fast. I was EXTREMELY thirsty and I thought to myself that when I get home I will just take a quick swig of water and that will be it. We got home, late, and I fought it. I wasn't sure if I should drink the water or not. I was even thinking that I would go to bed and then get up later, in the middle of night and a get a drink of water, so my companion wouldn't know. I finally just decided not to drink it. I brushed my teeth and went to bed. The next morning we prepared ourselves for Zone Conference. The night before I had also thought that it was a bad idea to fast during Zone Conference, that I would get a headache and not be able to focus. But that goes to show how little I know, and that God is in the one in charge. Zone Conference was fantastic and I believe that it was even more because I did not give into the temptation to drink that water. That Zone Conference gave me strength. I was able to fast and not think about food. Sure, I had pains, I always do when I fast, but they were nothing to what I was receving, all the many blessings I was receving from my Loving Father in Heaven. I firmly believe that because I did not drink that water, that the Lord gave me extra strength to fast. I never received a headache and even after breaking our fast, after english class, at about 8:30, which was one and a half hours away from beng a 24-hour fast, I still could have continued fasting. I only didn't because we were doing it as a district; and we already had some problems with that. So we went with some of our English class students to get pizza, which I'm really glad we did. I was able to see the students as people, children of God, and not just some people that came to English class. And I didn't even talk to them. But we went to this pizza place and on the way we ate some chocolate chip cookies that we had received from Zone Conference. And all I wanted was water. About 5 liters of water. Everyone was telling me I had to get something, so I ordered some chocolate mousse. It was SO delicious!!! So delectably. And I drank about one vase of water. We had 3. My first 2 or 3, or 4, I can't remember, were just guzzled down. I can't even described to you how wonderful that water tasted and how fast I drank that water. Ask me about it at Christmas. :) We took the bus home. Our whole district was on the bus and we were standing next to each other and they were all talking about motorcycles and junk and it didn't feel right to me. Then I noticed a girl sitting right in front me and I also noticed that she was looking at my tag. I caught her eye and I didn't even think, which I usually do, which isn't always the best, and I said, "Buona sera. Come sta?" She didn't seem to understand and I asked her in Italian, "Lei non parla in italiano?" I heard her say something about English, so I asked her in English, "Do you speak English?" She does. She's from Romania, living in Genova for work, living with her boyfriend, she's Christian but doesn't have time for church. She told me her name because I asked, but I can't remember it. I wasn't too agressive but it's ok. When I got off the bus, I was smiling so big. :D I was so happy!!! I am so grateful for that experience. And I know that it was the Lord who put her in my path. And even though I wasn't very agressive in telling her about the church, I actually didn't really tell her much, come to think of it, but I did the best I could. This I know. It was not perfect but it was the best that I could do at that time. And I believe that it was because of not giving into temptation and having Zone Conference, and feeling the Spirit and being spiritally fed, that the Lord gave me extra strength and power. He did give me power. Power to forget myself and speak. God says that if we open our mouths, He will fill them. It's true. I did not have fear, I just spoke. I am grateful for my Heavenly Father. I know He has a plan for me here in Genova. That's why He called me here. Presidente Dunaway said this in Zone Conference yesterday: The Lord wants me to do something in (the city you're serving in, so for me, Genova) Genova. Ok, I actually can't really remember, but something along those lines. But there is a work fro me to do here and I want to be able to do it. I CAN!!! POSSO FARLO!!!!

Mom and Dad, you're never going to believe what I have a strong desire to do today: CLEAN!!! I really want to clean the house. We haven't been cleaning it and then I realized yesterday that everything they ask of us to do in the mission, is for the Lord. And it doesn't matter what we used to do or didn't do before the mission, that was on our time. Now, we're on the Lord's time. I want to do these things for the Lord. I want to do these things because the Lord asked me to. Time is precious and I need to foucs on what the Lord asks me to do. So that I can be ready for when the Lord needs me the most.

Well, thank you all for everything. Thanks mom for the letter. I received it yesterday at Zone Conference. But I haven't read it yet. Don't worry, I'm saving it for a precious time.

Well, I better get going. I love you all and thank you so much. Someday I will write you my schedule.

Until then
This has been
Sorella DeVocht

27 August 2008

Dear Family,
I spent 20 minutes writing you all an email and then I accidently hit a button and I lost it all. So let's try this again.

Life is good here and I enjoy being a missionary. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DAD!!! How was your birthday? What did you do?

The bugs love me here. I have a bug bite on my left hand and my hand was swollen for a few days. And then while writing this email, it just started to itch like nothing else. So I started to scratch and scratch. I just picked/clipped my nails a couple of days ago so they are pretty short. I scratched and scratched. And then I used the velcro on my bag to scratch it and that felt good and then it started to bleed a little, the bug bite. And then I scratched some more and then I noticed that I scratched some of my skin off. In one part, I can see the second layer of my skin. And it kind of burns. But it feels much better than when it itches. I forgot my anti-itch cream at home or otherwise I would have resisted. I'll have to see if I can get a picture of it when we return home and then I'll send you some pictures sometime before the end of my mission :)

I have a better attitude of the mission and everything else than I did last weeek. Time is going by kind of slow for me. It feels like I was at the MTC like a month or more ago and it's only been 2 weeks today. Buh.

I have my first Zone Conference next Tuesday. I am pretty excited. I will be able to see one of my friends from the MTC who was 6 weeks ahead of me, her name is Sorella Booth.

Life is getting better and so is speakin Italian and lots of other things too.

We are going to hike the mountain tonight, I think there is like 500 stairs. It will be a lot of fun.

Well, I think that's all for now. Sorry for all my requests. But I do appreciate you all so very much! Thank you for all you do, for all your support, love, and letters! Thank you!

Until next week
This has been
Sorella DeVocht :)

20 August 2008

Well I have been in Italia for 1 week! It's been pretty great. It's defintely not what everyone said it would be like, it's better! My disctrict consists of these missionaries: My companion and trainer, Sorella Harris, and then our district leader Anziano Robbins, his companion is Anziano Johnson, and then our zone leader is Anziano Allen and his companion is Anziano Heur. This is for Genova 1, but we, the sisters are also in Genova 2, we are in both words. The 2nd ward Anziani are as follows: Anziano Cook and his new companion, Anziano Barker who was with me in the MTC but not in my MTC district, Anziano Porter and his companion Anziano Bingham. We live right next to the train tracks, so we get to hear them all the time and my companion just loves that...not. I'm really liking it here in Genova.

I'm still struggling with jet lag and my district tells me that i will for the next few weeks. i pretty much wander around italy with my companion and stare at people, trying to understand what they are saying. it's good it's goode. if this email seems strange to anyone, it is. well, since no one has really written me i cant reply. and i dont know what esle to say. if you want to know someting, ask. i'm liking italy and italian more everyday.we ride the bus a lot. and i get dizzy a lot. but its' alirght dont worry.

i really do like my district. they're pretty funny. i will tell more later when you ask questions and when my head isnt't in the clouds. i love you all and i really appreciate all your love and support for me. thanks for being there for me.

Kevin, Anziano Robbins, our district leader, sometimes he reminds me of you. He calls me GG. Greenie Girl. That sounds like something you would call me. He also said that this one family, the Gentings, they want me to eat more so I become a porker. Just the way he says Porker reminds me of you. I love you Kevin thanks for everything!

well, i will say good bye now because i dont know what esle to say.

Vi voglio bene
con amore,
Sorella DeVocht

MY LAST WEEK AT THE MTC!!!

Ok, so I just made this email and then I exited out of my account and then I realized : "Hey! I didn't send that email to anyone!" Sorry. but flight plans are in the room, but i leave SLC at 8ish, from SLC to chicago, to Frankfurt Germany, to Milan Italy. I think I may be able to call home sometime, somewhere on my journey to Italy, I'm not sure when or where, but when i found out I will tell becky and then she can tell those who need to know.

The Temple was great today, we did an Endownment session at 10:30ish, Anziano Hooker, Anziano Morris, and Sorella Jensen and I. Then we had lunch at the temple cafeteria, then we did initatores. after diong initatories i realized the importance of attending the temple often. both for ourselves and also to do the work for the dead so that they may be able to enjoy all the blesssing of God

Thanks to all for you support, love, letters, packages, advice, wisdom, and anything esle. I love you all! I love being a missionary and I am excited to get into the field and invite souls to come unto Christ.

Thanks for everything everyone! You've all been great! Don't be afarid to share this wonderful message of the Restoration with everyone and everyone who does not have it! Don 't be afraid, throw your fears away. I love you all and am so thankful to be a tool in the Hands of the Lord.

God be with you until we meet again

Vi voglio bene!!!

Ciao,
con amore,
Sorella Megan DeVocht

July 29 email

Hey all!
So two exciting things happened today: 1. I saw and talked with Scott Carlson, I used to work with him at Fazoli's in Orem and he's brother, Becky, is Dan, whom I'm good friends with. He has been here for 7 days and he is going to Little Rock,, Arkansas. We had some roommates go there. He looks the same and it was GREAT to see him.

2. Anziano Waktins, Anziano Hyde, Sorella Jensen and I went to the Temple but today we were children proxies for Sealings. I'm really glad I was able to participate in that. Needless to say, I fell asleep, something that seems to be a habit. Anziano Hyde says that I'm just being carried away into visions. IT was quite enjoyable though. Next week, Sorella Jensen and I would like to do intinartories - I know I spelled this wrong. That will be good because I've only done it only one other time, for myself and this will probably be the last time in 2ish years, give or take some months.

I am beginning to love my district more and more, day by day. It's so fun because we really are like a family and we have all these inside jokes and whatnot else.

Thank you all for the letters and packages. They really brighten my day :) Hopefully when I arrive in Italy and get settled and everything that email will be a little more easier. I can print the emails out, but, this is Megan here, and sometimes I'm a little unusal and picky. Anyways, I'm only here for one more preparation day - YIKES!!!

A new district came in on Wednesday: 4 sisters and 1 elder. Emily, I'll have to send you a picture of Sorella Gadd, she reminds me of Luke from Joan of Arcadia. She kind of looks like him. I noticed that last night.

So I saw Dustin a few days ago, it's always so fun to see him. One time I was talking to him and he says, "I have to get back to work." It just cracked me up. Anyways, he told me that he talked to you, Neil, the other day. He said that you, Neil had moved out of your house. Is that true and if so I need your new address, or is Dustin just making things up? Let me know because I want to make sure that you, Neil get my letters and no one else.

Oh yes! I was chosen to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, in Italian. Yeah, you don't know if you're speaking until they call you name and then 1 mintue later you go up to the stand. Anziano Standfield and Anzaino Morris were also chosen. I thought I did pretty good. My Italian sounded good and I wasn't nervous. The only problem I had, which I've struggled with my whole life is looking out into the congeration. But that's ok, all in good time, all in good time.

Mom, how was Oregon and Aunt Debbie? Did you and Aunt Peggy do anything togeher? I'm assuming she was there.


I can't remember if I said this last week or not, but when we go to the airport, we're allowed to call home. We get our flight plans this Thursday or Friday, so I'll let you know what time.ish.

Well, i can't think of what else to say, and i'm not sure why. i'm kind of a space cadet when i'm on the computer tying. you can believe it or not mom.

I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for all the MANY, MANY, MANY, things I have learned.

I love you all!

Love,
Sorella Megan DeVocht

MTC Photos

The photos are pretty self-explanatory, so I won't say much. Her companion, Sorella Jensen, is from Springville and that's about all I know about her, except for that she has a great last name :)

Looks like they got to see the fireworks on the 4th of July.

A good, random picture of Megan's.

These are the sisters in her zone, all going to Italy.

Her district.

Email from June 24

I hope you are all doing well and that you got my last email. Becky, if you could please forward my MTC address and these emails to the list marked Mission friends, or something like that.
Well, Sorealla Jensen and I were writing letters while we were waiting for our laundry and who should come walking down the sidewalk than Elder Jeffrey R. Holland? He walks down the sidewalk and says some things to some of the Elders sitting there. And then he points to Sorella Jensen and I and says, "Sisters, you look great under that tree." And walks on. Then, after I hurriedly pack up all my stuff, we were heading down to the Mail Room and we saw Elder Holland along with Elder L. Tom Perry and some other people, getting a picture by the statue of Joseph Smith. Let me just say that Elder Perry is HUGE!!! He's like a GIANT!!! Anaziano Merrill, Watkins, and Conklin were walking down the sidewalk. They're like, "Ciao Sorelle." And Sorealla Jensen says, "Elder Holland is over there." They're faces lit up too. It was great. Well, we went back to get our laundry and told our Elders, and they're faces lit up and they pretty much bolted out of there. We got our laundry and went back to the mail room and as we did we saw them still getting pictures. It was pretty neat to see them. But at the same time, they're ordinary people. But it was still pretty cool. Tonight is our MTC Devotional. I hope President Monson speaks, that would be fantastic! But whoever it is will have a message just for us.
Everyday I'm liking the MTC more and more. I'm beginning to love my district more too. I think our district is like gorp or a trail mix: we're all pretty much our own person and very, very different from one another. But I'm beginning to love them and I hope that we WILL be friends for life.
We get to go to the Temple today and I am so excited about that. This will be the first time in my life that I've gone 2 weeks in a row! I love being a missionary and I love the people here at the MTC. Becky, I did see Dustin here, but he was eating his lunch and I didn't want to bother him. But I have 7 more weeks to look for him. I would love to talk to him! He's so funny!
It's amazing how much you (can) change when your thrust into a new and different schedule and lifestyle. I go to bed at 10:30, I wake up at 6:30, I get ready for the day, looking nice in 30-40 minutes. I've just seen a lot of change in my ownself. To thine ownself be true. That jsut came to me.
Well, I love being a missionary and am so grateful to be here and to be a part of God 's glorious work: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I am learning SO much both in Italian and in the gospel. Going on a mission is the biggest and best decision I've made in my entire life! I KNOW this is what the Lords wants me to do. I have not felt homesick of my old lifestyle and I am very grateful for that. I have learned a lot about myself and others, and love, and service, and becoming like Christ. I know God has many things in store for me, thougth I do now know what they are. The Lord has blessed me very much and I am forever grateful for Him, His love, and His atoning sacrifice for all mankind. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

Oh, family can email me but I don't think friends can. I can only email to family, but I would like you, Becky, to forward my emails to my friends.

I love my life and I love the time I have here now at the Missionary Training Center, to be trained how to be an effective missionary. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that He lives. I am so, so, so blessed to be here and am feeling a million different things right now.

I'm so glad to be a missionary. This IS what God wants me to be doing right now in my life. Not in 3 years, not in 1 year, but NOW. I am so eteranally grateful for my Saviour Jesus Christ. I love being here.

Well, I don't have much time left on the computer now, so I will say:

Ciao la mia famiglia!

Love,
Sorella Megan DeVocht

Reporting to the MTC

I, Megan's sister Becky, am taking over this blog for the next 18 months or so while Megan serves as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hopefully we will get her digital pictures without too much trouble while she is in the MTC and then later when she is in Italy, but here are some pictures from my camera from today as she entered the MTC. (For those used to Megan's long-winded entries on this blog, please do not be disappointed, but the future entries will probably be mostly pictures since I am not Megan and I have a blog of my own to keep up. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will try my best to keep the photos coming.)

On the way to the MTC.

With her 3 siblings who are here in Utah: Becky, Neil and Jenny.

With her brother-in-law, Daniel and nephew, Spencer.

Amy, This Is For You

Amy, this is the picture I was talking about tonight. I love Annabelle so much and I'm going to miss her so much too!

Recharging Myself

This is one of my most favorite music videos. Enjoy!




I'm sorry I'm not very lively and festive right now. I took about a 2 hour nap and woke up close to 8. Then I ate some dinner, not much, and got started in packing; well, I had started earlier in packing my smaller suitcase but then I got quite tired and had to go to sleep. And then this second packing was for all my "worldly" things that I would not be taking with me on my mission. If you've seen the photos of my room, and the fact that it has taken me this long and it's still not clean, then you can probably guess how horrible it was for me tonight to pack. And it was hot. Oh, I just have too much junk. But that's not true because I don't really have any junk just a lot of papers, and cards, and letters, and all sorts of things. And while I was packing and moving and doing all sorts of things, I was listening to Narnia: The Magicians Nephew. I really do love listening to these books because they are so wondrous and the words they use are quite lovely and the way they are put on paper and the way they are spoken is almost like an enchantment of kind. The words are delicious in your mouth and you just want to eat it all up and never have to eat again. And then after you've listened to these books for awhile, you tend to speak and write differently. But it is a very good differently and very lovely indeed. Well, that was most extraordinary: At the beginning of this post, I did not feel creative or clever or lovely in any way. I felt very draggish and stupid. Amazing how that has changed in accordance to talking about Narnia.





I'm listening to Ashley's music on her blog while I'm trying to upload some self-portraits; and I REALLY like her music. Like it's just what I need right now. Thanks Ashley!





I know I've been spending a lot of time on the computer lately. But I think I'm just trying to get everything ready before I go on my mission, that's all, or at least I think so. I think I may be also trying to find myself and perhaps define who I am. And maybe also, like Ashley and I talked about, to recharge myself and have some me time. I rather like it and am surprised at how much I like to blog. I think it's my new hobby and talent. I think it's also another way to express myself. I am actually really, very grateful for blogs. They're different than journals, much different. For one, no one usually reads anyone else's journal. This is a public journal and it's almost like a journal meant for our friends and family and loved ones to see what truly goes on in our lives and what we think is really important. I am glad that I can have this to sort out all my thoughts and really see me. To be me and to see me and to breathe me. I had talked about earlier what my love language is. They say that you can't love others unless you love yourself. Well, why shouldn't we speak the same love language to ourselves that we wish others would speak to us in order for us to feel loved? We do need to be loved by ourselves. Everyone should love their own self. My love language is quality time and I think I give myself a lot of quality of time, with myself. I need a lot of alone time and I just thought of it now - maybe that's why I like the computer so much: Because then I can focus on whatever I want to on the computer and I am not obligated to speak with anyone else because in a sense I'm 'speaking' to the computer. This is making so much more sense to me now! I am truly blessed and truly happy!!!

I have also noticed that often times, or most times really, I'll start my blog and not mean it to be long at all, just saying a few quick things and then my mind starts turning and I start POURING myself out. I really do like it. And I really do feel most happy; and I feel loved by me. Isn't that amazing? That we can love ourselves that much and not be vain? Because as you can see this blog is a lot about me and it's deep and rich and I hope that you can see that I love myself, and what with all these pictures of myself, one would /might think that I am a very vain woman. But 'tis not so. It helps me to define myself, to discover who I really am, to see that this is who I am and I love this beautiful young woman called Megan DeVocht. Again, you may think I am vain, but I am not and I do not care what you think, no offense meant.



Well, here are some real pictures of me. Self-portraits, this is what I really think of myself and this is who I am and who I want to be.

This Is Whom I Am

Ok, I don't care what anyway says, I really like this one song by Miley Cyrus: See You Again. And you have the option of listening to it:

So, how did you like it? Was it the best thing you've ever heard? Did it kill you? I'll tell you my responses: It was very enjoyable. No, it was not the best thing I've ever heard but it was still really great. And no, it did not kill me. See? It's not that hard.

Then, while I was trying to find a good version to post on here, I came across this one:

I thought this was pretty cool and they are awesomely good! They call this one: I Can't Wait to See You.

Becky, I think I finally figured out why I am always on youtube and listening to music and watching little videos and then posting them on my blog: Music, videos, movies, media is my life. Like I told you yesterday, it's my way of expressing myself. And I want to share that with other people. Even though I didn't make the music video or whatever, it still speaks to me in a way I can't describe, plus I really like it and I want to be able to both remember it and have easy access to it. And Becky, I'm not hounding you, if that's the right word to use, but I just want to make it clear, to you, and to anyone else you reads my blog, that this is who I am, and this is my way of expressing my deep, deep feelings.

Oh and by the way: I LOVE to DANCE!!! I know that sometimes I can get really shy about it, but I honestly love to listen to the music and let it speak to me and then in return I speak back by dancing! And I may not know all the techs, or whatever you want to call it to dancing, but I love moving my body and feeling that energy that comes from music!!! Something I learned from my good friend, Ashley: Just let the music speak to you, just let the music flow through you and dance! It doesn't matter if it looks silly or anything. This is for you!

I love music that has an awesome beat and great rhythm. Just listen to my playlist and you an get a taste of what I like to listen to. I also like soft music like Enya and church music.

Well, I'm going to get off the now because my computer is being very stupid and I can't even see half of what I'm writing it won't appear onto the page until after I've typed it up and it's just STUPID!!! So, good bye for you, i MEAN NOWi but i will definitely come back and post some more later today, I'm quite sure of that.

A Strange Attraction to Strangeness

I just finished watching EVAN ALMIGHTY and am currently reading TWILIGHT. Mom thinks I am soaking in as much of the world as I can before I leave. I don't see why some people are so stupid and weird about Twilight. I mean, maybe it is about vampires, but it's not. Well, I can't say too much for certain, I'm only on page 221. I wasn't going to read the book, honest. But then it was there, right in front of me, and I knew I had to read it. Well, I guess I just really wanted to. But what I think is interesting is that no matter WHAT I do, Mom and Dad always find something about my life and lifestyle to complain about. I spend too much time on the computer; I'm lazy; I read too much; I stay up too late; I waste too much time; among another million other things. Well, I just watched the shallow preview of Twilight and now am attached to it so, so I must go into my room and read it. I think I am attracted to strangeness.

Megan DeVocht

Reasons people come into your life

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on. Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

One Thing Led to Another, Really Feeling Loved

Ok, so I was going to post an entry on May 16th, but that never happened. But this is what I was going to say, or something similarly the same.

That Thursday night changed everything. Well, not everything, just a few things. I discovered that I really did enjoy playing mini golf. And it was totally fun with great people: Craig, Shane, Tony, and Marianne. But it's more about who you're with rather then what you're doing. That's something I've also learned from the Five Love Languages; which all of you should read because it's super cool! I read the one aimed towards singles, it's called, "The Five Love Languages for Singles." I think the first time I heard of those, was when I was at my friends' house, Ashley, and the missionaries were over and they were talking about that book. Huh, that was a while ago. Anyways, I had a lot of fun that night at Singles. And I do like playing mini golf, when we're having fun and getting to know each other :) I know I said it wasn't my favorite thing to do but I would do it anyways. Well now I like it a lot but I'll gladly play now!!!

I am feeling very grand right now. And I think there are a number of reasons as to why. I also believe that I may have been a little low on Thursday and Friday, but now I feel that I am back to my normal level of happiness.

It's funny how one views themselves. Other people may think or believe that I'm a quiet goody goody who does everything right and I never get sad, I'm shy, and a million other things that I don't know how to put down. I think we all view ourselves very different than everyone else views us. For instance, what I think is a great picture of me, may not be a glamorous shot, and I will probably be looking silly or funny. This picture below is a great picture of me because it is me. I see myself when I look at that picture, me, the way I view myself.

This is the me that I like. Me being silly. Which is totally me :) Not a lot of people get to see this real me. What a shame, for it is far better then the me I pretend to be. I think the reason we don't always show our true selves to every person we meet is because I think we're afraid to get hurt. I wish I and everyone else as well, could just be themselves! Just be YOU!!! I remember when I was in high school and Becky told me to not worry and to just be me because I have a lot to share and I would be selfish by not sharing myself with others. I WANT to be me! I want those I interact with know who Megan DeVocht is. The real me. The real deal :) Ok, I remember last summer I was at a YSA fireside. I remember just talking and eating food and having fun. We had an excellent lesson. Then afterwards, a guy, who is now a friend of mine, came up to me and handed me this little piece of paper with his phone number on it. I asked him if he usually gives out his number to people. He said, no just you. I asked him why. He said that he thought I was a cool person and I can't remember what else he said. But do you know what was the coolest of it all? It was that I'd never really talked to him at any of the other YSA activities before, and then now he says this. It later hit me that I was just being me and he was attracted to that. It also opened my eyes to this: Be yourself ALL the time. If you're off trying to be someone else, the people who will like and love you the most won't be able to find you because you're trying to be someone else. Besides, if we all tried to be like everyone else, life would be blah. Take an orchestra for example: It sounds so beautiful because there are many different kinds of instruments and they're all playing their own part. If all the cellos starting sounding just like the violins, it would sound horrible! I stumbled upon this website and have really enjoyed it. This is the link: http://www.ehow.com/ I found something pretty cool on it that goes right along with what I'm talking about right now. This is what they said; "Feel positive about yourself, don't get frustrated and have fun. Remember, the real goal is to find someone who will like you for who you are." I think that's what I've been trying to say all this time.

Below are pictures of me that I took of myself. But these are no glamor shots, these are pictures of me, the real me, the way I see myself, and the way I wish I could be all or most of the time. Instead of being this phony Megan that I don't really know who she is. Here are the totally and awesome pictures of me being me. Enjoy!

This picture reminds me of my friend Adam. It's something he would both laugh at and do! :)

I like to be silly. I don't always like being an adult, meaning being serious and totally mature all the time. Sometimes it's fun to be a kid. The last YSA dance I went to and it probably will be the last one I go before my mission :( was a BLAST!!! Give us cheap little toys and we can have a lot of fun. Balloons make us happy and giddy! I do like having fun as an adult because there's more to do and more interaction with the people you're around and more relationship building to do then we when were kids. I like doing spontaneous things. I like to dare myself to be more social and confident and bold. I like to talk, a lot. I like to talk about what's going on in my life, but deeper. I'm a deep thinker so I like to talk about deep things. Like things I've learned, which is a lot and could go on for hours and hours. I like to be around people. My primary love language is quality time, listening. That means, that if I talk and talk and talk and talk, and you're just sitting there listening and you think you're being horrible because you haven't said anything, don't worry. I love to know that someone is listening and hearing what I am saying. I love it when people are patient and let me talk to them, maybe even for hours :) I love to talk about what's going on inside of me, my feelings and anything else. I do like to talk of other things that aren't quite as deep, but that's what I love the most. My secondary love language is physical touch. I love it in Nursery when the little children climb all over me and want me to hold them and want to be right there beside me. It makes me happy and I feel loved. Last week in Nursery, one of my favorite little boys was really clingy to me. He wanted to be right by me for the whole 2 hours. It just melted my heart. That really made me feel loved by him. I love hugs, they're very important for you emotionally. But physical touch isn't just hugging and kissing. There's lots of other ways. A lot of times for me, sitting close to someone I like, friends, family, etc. is good enough for me. You might ask, why is Megan writing all this down and sharing it with others? I guess maybe the reason is is because I do feel loved, but sometimes I don't feel loved by the people I love or like. Or maybe I would like to get to know someone better but am having a hard time opening myself up and am feeling really bummed about that. Whatever it is, I'm glad that I was able to get it all out, it even helps me, to see all my thoughts and feelings down on paper. So thanks for listening everyone. And I highly recommend EVERYONE to read "The Five Love Languages." It will really help you with any relationships in your life.

Since this post seems to be all about me, I thought I would post some pictures I took on Friday when it was raining. I absolutely love the rain! It makes me so happy and feel at peace. These are pictures I took and every time I look at them I get this amazing feeling inside of me :) Thank Thee Heavenly Father for wonderful things like rain, and trees, and earth, and skies.

Oh, by the way, I took these pictures from my bedroom window. I jut opened the top of the window, so there's no screen, and took this fabulous pictures!

And no, this has not been S.T. Harriot as it usually is because today

This has been

Megan DeVocht