I am
alive and well here in the MTC!
I just have to start this email by
saying Happy Birthday to the best and most handsome little brother on the
planet! I cannot believe you are 13 Braden... no joke! Cut it out!
Momma Carrie asked for a short update
on what goes on here at the MTC! So, our group is actually a little funny
because the MTC has a set transfer schedule of when they bring in missionaries
for certain missions, but we came in the middle of one of those transfers. That
is because it is SUPER expensive to fly during the holidays and if we would
have come on time, we would have been flying to the field on Christmas Day. We
will fly out of the MTC a week from Thursday, the 14th of December. So YES,
I will be in the field for Christmas! No better way to start a mission
than knocking on doors to teach people why we celebrate this beautiful holiday!
But that also means that our MTC stay is a little different... it has been
super funny because sometimes they don't know what to do with us because we are
throwing everyone off their groove! We also are not getting the full 6-week
program so they are squeezing everything into about 5 weeks. SOOOOOO that is
all fun! But the best thing about that is that we have had the opportunity to
see so many other groups of missionaries come and go!
Let it be known, this week the sister
missionaries outnumbered the elders!!! Is that not the coolest thing you have
ever heard? I get goose bumps just thinking about how this work is hastening so
quickly! The hallways are lined with old photos from the missions and in the
majority of the group pictures there are usually like 30 elders and 4-6
sisters... so crazy!
The missionaries learning Greek left
today and I basically wanted to cry. They have been here for 9 weeks so they
were so deeply rooted here and we became SOOOO close with them! It is a good
thing we have testimonies of forever friends!
Okay, I have to take a moment and
share with you my testimony of the gift of tongues... We have had about a
thousand workshops about how to use that gift and not to lie, I enjoyed them
all, but they kind of just touched the surface because I didn't really have
faith that The Lord would help me learn a language. Anyways, I kind of slacked
on my language studies this week and it was seriously so crazy how quickly The
Lord left me to my own strength... which is about as pitiful as grandma trying
to open a new pickle jar (no offense grandma! I miss opening pickle jars for
you). I had NO IDEA I was being blessed with the gift of tongues until I walked
into a lesson and my mind went blank and I struggled to even say a prayer in
German... it was crazy! Words that I have worked so hard to learn just
disappeared. So naturally, I realized that the gift of tongues is real and I
needed to get my act together! Things are back on track again and I am thankful
every single day for all of the blessings the lord gives me!
I have really felt the gospel in my
heart this week. When you are learning a new language and phrases are being
drilled into your head you kind of forget what you are really saying. But
Sister Schumann reminded us to put testimony behind our words and not just let
them be hallow phrases on a flash card. It made the biggest difference as I
looked into the eyes of my investigators and told them that I know that God
lives and that he loves them. We are his children and he wants to bless us. He
has a plan for us and his hands are stretched out forever. (Obviously I can’t
say that all quite yet in German, but you know what I mean).
I do know that this Church is true
and that it brings so much peace. I love my Father in Heaven and I am so
grateful for the eternal sacrifice that my older brother, Jesus Christ, made
for each and every one of us.
Random Thoughts:
-We went to an amazing Christmas
concert that the stake put on in our area and I was just sitting there enjoying
myself and then they sang "Mary Did You Know" and I could just hear
my momma singing and the tears came...
-All the sisters get together before
bed for a spiritual thought and "Sister Prayer". I offered to say the
prayer last night and they asked me if I would be willing to say in German and
I said I would try! Afterwards, a sister that speaks German found me and told
me that she understood all of it! I was so tickled pink!
-Sister Kjeldsen got a Christmas
package in the mail this week and her Aunt put an "Advent" gift for
me in there! It was so sweet!
-Sister Schumann made us do wall
squats until we memorized Moroni 10:5
-There are a couple different things
for exercise time and I have tried them all, except going to the park to play
soccer because I am beyond awful at that sport, but something came over me this
week and I decided to go play with the Greeks and my District! I felt so bad
for my team... but they were super nice and would sometimes pass me the ball
out of pity... But then a miracle happened! I was standing by our goal and my
teammate tried kicking it into the goal, but missed. Instead, it hit my leg and
bounced off into the goal! EVERYONE was celebrating because they all thought I
made the goal on my own!!! Great stuff!!!
I Love You All!!!
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