It's my last week!
Howdy Doody Everybody!! I hope you're all doing swell! I sure am!
I can't believe I only have one more day in the MTC! We'll be leaving for the Mission Home in Edinburgh Tuesday morning around 6:00, so President told us to do our emailing today. Being in the MTC has been the most wonderful experience, and I'll be very sad to leave, but I'm still super excited to get out into the field. It feels like I just got here, rather than being here for three weeks! I just keep on thinking how I'll miss everyone here so much. They really are like a family to me, and I can't imagine never seeing some of them again. We had a lot of testimony sharing during our church meetings, especially in our district meeting, and everyone was getting pretty emotional.
Sister Hammond and I are still really really close. We've been bonding through Disney and Barbie songs, spinning each other down the hall, and just having nice long chats. A funny thing about the singing. Sometimes during transitions between a meal and class, we would come into our classroom singing, and then Brother Wilford, one of our teachers would just start dueting with us! haha. He can also whistle beautifully, and it always reminds me of dad.
One of the area seventies, Elder Tunnicliffe, and his wife came to speak to us Wednesday evening. They gave a "presentation" about walking in the Lord's chosen way. As part of it, they would have a missionary volunteer to randomly pick a type of walk from an envelope (silly walk, rigid walk, timid walk, etc) and showcase it for everyone. Afterwards they likened these types of walks with how some missionaries may act, and finally at the end did the happy, confident walk. WELL. I volunteered, and mine was of course the MOST CRAZY ONE. I had to "walk in frantic circles, act in a panic, and pull my hair." It was so embarrassing but I took it like a champ! Some of the elders came up to me and told me that I did a really awesome job and it had looked like they were "watching a movie." hahaha One of the most humiliating moments of my life. But it was a really beautiful visit from them, and we were all able to shake their hands and chat for a minute.
I've always said that I'm accident prone when it comes to sports, and this week has proved it once again. We were playing volleyball on Wednesday, and I came out of it with badly bruised arms and hands that still hurt. A couple of days later we were learning how to play rugby, and I twisted my ankle really hard, so Sister Hammond and I did some stretches and "yoga" for the remaining time. I've discovered that I really enjoy sports, but I ALWAYS GET HURT.
Friday evening we met with a member and taught her a mini lesson! Apparently they just get some member volunteers to come to the MTC to be visited by a bunch of missionaries one right after another. So all five companionships in my district taught this 21 year old girl named Jess Mckenna. She was baptized in December this last year, and we were able to get to know her a little bit. She was so sweet! We had twenty minutes with her, and showed her a little Mormon message and shared a thought, and it was great!
Oh! AND ALSO. So the past couple of weeks we've been teaching new people (our two teachers acting as investigators they taught). One was Tiffany (Sis Hughes) and the other was Tristan (Bro Wilford). We have two classes every day, and usually Sis Hughes would teach one and Bro Wilford would teach the other, so all of us would teach either Tristan or Tiffany that day. Anyway, Tristan has been this sad, sullen 18 year old who didn't really believe in a god because his mom had had cancer when he was younger, and praying never took her suffering away. So, our first two appointments we talked about the Restoration and God and committed him to begin praying and read the Book of Mormon intro. He did follow through on his commitment after the second lesson, but still hadn't felt anything when he prayed. Fortunately, in class right before our lesson, Bro Wilford demonstrated and had us role play what we would do if the people we are teaching don't feel the spirit while carrying out commitments. So we did that, and Tristan said that it made sense, and that he would keep on praying! Now, backing up a little--before our lesson, we were thinking of just teaching him the next lesson-the Plan of Salvation, but I was thinking of this Mormon message called "Mountains to Climb" that I had come upon the night before, and told Sis Hammond that I really felt we should show it to him instead and she agreed. And it was so entirely perfect! Our previous lessons with him had either been "not good" or "not incredibly bad," but this one was the best lesson during our entire MTC stay. The spirit was so strong, and tears were streaming down my face as I told a personal story and testified that there is a God, that we do have a Savior, and that they are really there and love us so much. And HE was even tearing up! Absolutely incredible.
I wish I could express to you everything that has happened here and every feeling I've been feeling. This is truly the Lord's work, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I love you all!
I can't believe I only have one more day in the MTC! We'll be leaving for the Mission Home in Edinburgh Tuesday morning around 6:00, so President told us to do our emailing today. Being in the MTC has been the most wonderful experience, and I'll be very sad to leave, but I'm still super excited to get out into the field. It feels like I just got here, rather than being here for three weeks! I just keep on thinking how I'll miss everyone here so much. They really are like a family to me, and I can't imagine never seeing some of them again. We had a lot of testimony sharing during our church meetings, especially in our district meeting, and everyone was getting pretty emotional.
Sister Hammond and I are still really really close. We've been bonding through Disney and Barbie songs, spinning each other down the hall, and just having nice long chats. A funny thing about the singing. Sometimes during transitions between a meal and class, we would come into our classroom singing, and then Brother Wilford, one of our teachers would just start dueting with us! haha. He can also whistle beautifully, and it always reminds me of dad.
One of the area seventies, Elder Tunnicliffe, and his wife came to speak to us Wednesday evening. They gave a "presentation" about walking in the Lord's chosen way. As part of it, they would have a missionary volunteer to randomly pick a type of walk from an envelope (silly walk, rigid walk, timid walk, etc) and showcase it for everyone. Afterwards they likened these types of walks with how some missionaries may act, and finally at the end did the happy, confident walk. WELL. I volunteered, and mine was of course the MOST CRAZY ONE. I had to "walk in frantic circles, act in a panic, and pull my hair." It was so embarrassing but I took it like a champ! Some of the elders came up to me and told me that I did a really awesome job and it had looked like they were "watching a movie." hahaha One of the most humiliating moments of my life. But it was a really beautiful visit from them, and we were all able to shake their hands and chat for a minute.
I've always said that I'm accident prone when it comes to sports, and this week has proved it once again. We were playing volleyball on Wednesday, and I came out of it with badly bruised arms and hands that still hurt. A couple of days later we were learning how to play rugby, and I twisted my ankle really hard, so Sister Hammond and I did some stretches and "yoga" for the remaining time. I've discovered that I really enjoy sports, but I ALWAYS GET HURT.
Friday evening we met with a member and taught her a mini lesson! Apparently they just get some member volunteers to come to the MTC to be visited by a bunch of missionaries one right after another. So all five companionships in my district taught this 21 year old girl named Jess Mckenna. She was baptized in December this last year, and we were able to get to know her a little bit. She was so sweet! We had twenty minutes with her, and showed her a little Mormon message and shared a thought, and it was great!
Oh! AND ALSO. So the past couple of weeks we've been teaching new people (our two teachers acting as investigators they taught). One was Tiffany (Sis Hughes) and the other was Tristan (Bro Wilford). We have two classes every day, and usually Sis Hughes would teach one and Bro Wilford would teach the other, so all of us would teach either Tristan or Tiffany that day. Anyway, Tristan has been this sad, sullen 18 year old who didn't really believe in a god because his mom had had cancer when he was younger, and praying never took her suffering away. So, our first two appointments we talked about the Restoration and God and committed him to begin praying and read the Book of Mormon intro. He did follow through on his commitment after the second lesson, but still hadn't felt anything when he prayed. Fortunately, in class right before our lesson, Bro Wilford demonstrated and had us role play what we would do if the people we are teaching don't feel the spirit while carrying out commitments. So we did that, and Tristan said that it made sense, and that he would keep on praying! Now, backing up a little--before our lesson, we were thinking of just teaching him the next lesson-the Plan of Salvation, but I was thinking of this Mormon message called "Mountains to Climb" that I had come upon the night before, and told Sis Hammond that I really felt we should show it to him instead and she agreed. And it was so entirely perfect! Our previous lessons with him had either been "not good" or "not incredibly bad," but this one was the best lesson during our entire MTC stay. The spirit was so strong, and tears were streaming down my face as I told a personal story and testified that there is a God, that we do have a Savior, and that they are really there and love us so much. And HE was even tearing up! Absolutely incredible.
I wish I could express to you everything that has happened here and every feeling I've been feeling. This is truly the Lord's work, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I love you all!
2 Volleyball bruises
Ammon District sisters in our Classroom
Gorgeous/delicious Stephen dessert (I'm getting so fat)
District plus other friends!
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