Hi Maureen,
Here is the info related to System prompts;
About System Prompts in Cisco Unity 8.x
System prompts are standard recordings that come with the Cisco Unity system. The prompts are played in different combinations in multiple places in the phone conversation. All system prompts are located in the CommServer\Localize\Prompts directory and subdirectories.
You can specify the default language in which system prompts are played to all subscribers and callers. See the "Phone Language Settings in Cisco Unity 8.x" section on page 10-5.
You cannot change what the system prompts say by using the Cisco Unity Administrator, the Cisco Unity Assistant, or the phone conversation. In fact, customizing system prompts is not supported. Do not delete system prompts, as this can cause system errors. All system prompts are automatically deleted and replaced when you upgrade Cisco Unity (including maintenance upgrades).
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity/8x/administration/guide/8xcusag140.html#wp1047762
and here is what can be changed to speed up the process
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity/8x/administration/guide/8xcusag130.html
Cheers!
Rob