Last week started off with a bang!

Good morning!

 

Yes, it's true. This is my last week at the MTC. I got my flight schedule this week and I leave Monday morning at 4 am. My companions laughed very hard when I was designated travel leader and it said total in group: 1. This means that it is just me going to my mission. No wonder I never could find anyone going to the same mission as me. They have 22 in their travel group and leave Wednesday. that will be a sad goodbye. But because I know I will have a missionary opportunity on the plane and am very nervous for it, I have been practicing plane contacting a lot. That's fun.

 

SO what is this bang I mention? Well let me tell you. Did I mention last week we got cancelled to say the closing prayer at devotional and were devastated? Yes? This week we got to say it! Well actually I was the one who said the actual words, but it was a group companion effort, because when I found out who was coming five minutes before we sat down I needed some excitement and nerves calmed down. Elder Russel M. Nelson came! And he winked at me! His talk was great. He gave a bunch of random points about how to be better missionaries and about keeping in contact with your investigators after your mission. It was such a special experience to be that close and to also watch from the stand 2000 missionaries sing called to serve. The choir sang This is the Christ, which I love so that was special too.

 

This week we started visitor center training. It's...different. I had been warned by previous sisters that it was the hardest week they had had in the MTC. I wouldn't say that. It wasn't harder or easier necessarily than any other week {and honestly the MTC has felt like an extended party or girls camp but with a lot of boys dressed in suits walking around} but it's just different. You still teach the same way you teach the PMG lessons, but you tie it into giving a tour. It's different than when I gave tours of the Capitol, but I have seen how much that helped me. God was preparing me in advance for this :) The visitor center training terrifies Sister Smith, which is strange, because she is always so bold, but she is liking it more. Our classes are upstairs on the third floor of 8M in this room with a cardboard cut out of the Christus and some Kiosks so we learn to teach with the media as well. Our teachers are cool. Sister Cannon served in St. George and Sister Maxfield {who is in Grandparent's stake and knows the Matthes'} served in winter quarters. We love them. Sister Adams joined our group - who was a friend of mine at BYU - Idaho and Sister Yu from Taiwan {both going to Oakland with my sisters}. Sister Kim from Korea and sister Matsuka from Japan are going to Temple square.

 

So mom, you asked for a normal daily schedule. It's changed since starting visitor center but before it was usually something like this {although it changed everyday}

6"30 wake up

7:00 personal study

7:30 Breakfast

8:00 class until 11

11:00 Zone teaching or TRC

12:00 Lunch

12:45 Gym

2:30 TRC or personal study

5:00 Dinner

5:45 Class until 8:45

8:45 planning

9:20 Back to rooms

10:30 in bed

 

That is more or less what we did, but sometimes we had service days or more TRC. Last night we had TRC as if we were leading a tour, and it went well. I learned that even when you are teaching members there are things they need to hear in their lives.

 

Something that I loved this week was teaching pictures. At every meal I have to pull someone aside in the hall by the cafeteria and teach a picture. It's more like a discussion. Yesterday I pulled a sister aside and taught about a picture of Christ walking on water {the one Emily has in her apartment} Then I asked if she had been thinking of someone who she wanted to hear the gospel since coming to the MTC and she said yes and was excited to fill out a referral. When she was leaving she got teary eyed and said "thank you, this was an answer to my prayer this morning. The MTC has been a very hard time for me." It gave me a strong testimony that I can share the gospel both proselyting and in the center. The lord is mindful of all of us and meets our needs.

 

We did miss our zone a lot this week {especially playing 4-square} because we got a new schedule when we went to training. They took care of us, but now we get to take care of the cute sisters in our group. Their english is getting stronger everyday.

 

Thanks everyone for the updates! I want to respond to the letters, but it may take a few weeks. I love hearing the sweet stories of your life and enjoy the support and testimonies you share.

 

Okay, love you all!

Sister L