Tonya's Adventures: St. George and Awesomeness

Dear Sis. Johnson the Greatest,

I'm writing to you later than usual this week. That's because it's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I'm remembering all the awesome stuff he did by sleeping in and having fun.

Tragically, I did not get your facebook figured out before I came back to school. I give that assignment back to Dad, so ask him about it.

Point of fact, you didn't teach me how to lead climb. I knew how to lead climb before I started climbing with you. I don't think we ever lead climbed together, actually. However, I do owe to you my renewed interest in climbing post-mission. A fact that I thank you greatly for.

That's cool that you're looking for Spanish speakers in your area. I'm sure that you'll find lots of people to teach. How's your Spanish coming? All those years of high school Spanish starting to pay off, eh?

Tips for learning a language:

Read the Book of Mormon in that language. Read aloud to work on pronunciation.
Speak it as much as possible. Since your companions are Spanish speakers, speak with them. *Note of caution: if you really need to communicate something important, though, use English. Also, you will get tired of trying to speak Spanish, so don't fell bad about speaking English with them.
Pray. A lot.
Make flash cards. Carry them around with you.
Carry a little notebook around with you in which you can write down the words you hear but don't understand. People will like it when you do this because then they'll feel like they're participating in your language learning and that you really care about what they're saying.

Let me know if those help.

Good job on using the area book. That's crazy that your have five of them. Sounds like you're doing exactly what you need to do to be an awesome missionary, and I'm sure that the Lord will reward you awesomely.

When is transfers? I feel like your chances of staying in Lake Charles are a a lot smaller this time, but then again, your third could be called to Brazil at any moment....

Things I did this week. Well, it was a pretty regular school week until Friday when we went to St. George. My friend,Ammon, and I had been planning a climbing trip to St. George for the long weekend. Luiza, Ammon, Daniel, Kevin, Tyler and I all piled into the twinkie. All six of us. Just like when we were kids.

We drove down and listened to music, talked, and had a great time. We were staying with Tyler's grandparents who are retirees in Hurricane. They had a super nice house and they were out-of-town for the weekend, so it was super nice of them to let us use it.

We spent the night there, and I tried to get everyone up early to go climbing the next morning. It was like herding cats. Now, I know how Mom felt trying to get us all out the door in the morning.

We finally left at 10:00 and drove over to Snow Canyon State Park where we climbed the rest of the day. We used my new rope and your rope. We set up a total of three routes. With six people, it took a while to send everyone up all the routes. I led two, one was a 5.9 and the other a 5.10a-c. Ammon led the other one.

The place was beautiful. I love southern Utah and St. George in particular. I attached pictures as evidence.

So, climbing was awesome! All the gear worked great and everyone felt super hard core, and no one got hurt. All plusses. Also, the weather was perfect. 65 and sunny. We didn't want to come back to cold, smoggy Provo.

Sunday we went to a YSA ward in St. George where all the Dixie State College students go. We were only able to stay for sacrament meeting because Tyler's grandparents came home early, so we had to run home to clean up the house, which we might have left a mess...

We finished cleaning right as they walked in. They were super nice folks with this tiny Yorkie named Biff. Seriously, this dog was smaller than the neighbor's dog, Jasmine. Wish I'd gotten a picture for you.

We chatted for a bit and then went for a walk back over by the State Park. It was again beautiful. I love the contrast between the light blue sky and the orange-red rocks. The desert flora makes it interesting too.

Then we went back to Tyler's house, and Ammon cooked everyone an amazing dinner as thanks for letting us use their house.

Then we drove home, and now it's Monday morning and I'm writing this to you.

Your quote this week is from the guide book that Daniel bought for me in St. George about the city, "As a base of operations in the war against gravity, the city of St. George makes an admirable headquarters," also, "The landscape of southwestern Utah is a geological stew. Take a few million years of detritus accretion, add some precipitate, and metamorphose on low for three eons. Fold, wrinkle, then fault, and top with several lacolithic orogenies and serve.... In layman's terms this means you can't swing cat without hitting some type of climbable rock. Previously swung cats may be adopted at the city animal shelter."

I love you!

Tonya