Hi everyone! The MTC is AWESOME. Crazy, but wonderful. I do miss the family and everyone else but we hardly have any time to ourselves to think and I am working hard at forgetting myself and my problems and focusing on others. The best thing about the MTC is everyone else here. EVERYONE here is temple-worthy and has the same goal: to bring others closer to Christ. It is really humbling to look around and see all of the sacrifices that have been made for people to come here.
I have two companions, which can be difficult at times but such a blessing. Sister Brown is from Highland and was in my student ward a year ago. Sister Cox is from Sacramento. I love both of them to death. They are both hard workers and very funny, which is really helpful with all of the stress we missionaries are undergoing. We do have personality differences we need to overcome, but we have been very good about communicating our problems before they get big and are currently focusing on really listening to each other and the Spirit. It has been a huge learning experience. There are 3 bunk beds in our room, which means we share with one other companionship. Sister Lake and Sister Rodriguez are going to the Salt Lake Temple Square mission, and they are wonderful. They have only been here 2 weeks longer than us, but they are very encouraging and have acted as mentors to us new sisters.
My district is amazing. We have our companionship and then 7 elders split into 3 companionships. At first I saw these elders as little 19-year-old boys, but they really are called of God and I learn from them every day. They are starting to be like family. We sit in the same classroom together for 1-3 hours of personal study, 6 hours of class, plus district meeting and companion study EVERY day. We also usually spend meals and gym time at least in the same area, and we go to church and the temple together. So it's a good thing we like each other. :)
Today is my p-day which means we got to go to the temple this morning. It was much needed. There is a lot of stress that comes just from living with new people and being in a new place, let alone all of the things we have to learn and lessons we have to teach and prepare. Don't get me wrong, we all love it, but sometimes it is really hard not to feel inadequate or get frustrated or tired. The temple really provided some much-needed perspective and calm. It was so good to go with my companions and my district. It's always nice to see people we love in the temple! The Provo temple is beautiful, too.
We are currently teaching three investigators. Two of them are just our teachers posing as people they know. One is someone we've never met. I am also acting as an investigator for some elders in our district to practice on. Even though I know that some of my investigators aren't "real," we work so hard to have the spirit with us as we teach and we love them as if we were really teaching them these things for the first time. Mike knows a ton about the gospel, but doesn't understand why it's important so we are trying to help him internalize and apply it. Victor knows pretty much nothing about religion, so it has been interesting trying to strat from square one with him. Lawanna has had a really hard life but is full of energy and actually called us out the other day for telling her that the gospel makes us happy but acting nervous rather than excited about teaching her about the truth. We have a lot to learn from our investigators as well as our teachers!
On that topic, our teachers are great but they really push us. We actually taught a brick on the wall about the first lesson last Saturday night (not as a teaching people exercise, but a learning-the-doctrine exercise). It was actually really hard! But I learned a lot. Our teachers so obviously love the gospel and they Lord and that comes across as they teach.
I got some really great pictures of my companions and our district, but the computers here aren't allowing permissions to download my pictures so I will try to figure that out and get them to you next week. If not, I will just print some out and write a letter.
90 seconds left... food is great, Spirit is strong, I miss and love you but I'm doing fine. The gospel is true! Thanks for all you do. I really need and feel your prayers. Missionaries are totally targeted by the adversaries, but we know that members and family are praying for us.
Gotta go! <3
