Halfway through the MTC! It's so hard to believe that in two weeks from today, I'll be in NY! The MTC is awesome; I always go to bed exhausted but I am learning so much. One thing we are all really learning is how to teach by the Spirit. It is more than living worthily (although that is very important), we have to be super conscious all the time to listen for the Spirit and speak the truth so it can testify but not get in it's way once it is present. Especially as a female tripanionship, we are all trying super hard not to be too talkative. We also are finding out the importance of being as prepared as possible, but being open to the Spirit to say the things we need to say and to address the investigator's concerns using doctrine (hopefully the doctrine we prepared). We currently have I think 6 investigators, and we teach up to four of them in one day. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of who has done what and which lesson each one needs, but we are trying to stay organized and record as much as we can. It is amazing how much I love my investigators, even though most of them are either our teachers or another missionary acting as a nonmember. Their investigator profiles have become very real to me as I think about and pray for them so often.
It is pretty awesome how much we pray here. I remember going to mission prep about a month or two ago and dad (who teaches a mission prep class in our stake) asked how many times a day missionaries pray. I think I said probably like 12. That sounded like a lot back then! Truthfully it is more like three times that number. Every day we are learning that even when we do our best, we can do nothing without Heavenly Father's help and without the Spirit (but there is so much we can do WITH that help.) We pray for strength, for investigators' needs, for our companions, for charity, for meals, for our families, for class, to invite the Spirit...I have honestly prayed just because it has been 45 minutes or an hour since my last prayer and I could feel a difference. Prayer works. I know Heavenly Father knows our needs and that he hears and answers our prayers--- often through feelings or thoughts , through the scriptures, and through others.
Something cool this week: we had our first relief society meeting at the MTC since last week was fast Sunday (which means mission conference). For relief socity, all of the sisters in the whole MTC (a few hundred I'd guess) gather together in the auditorium and we listen to a speaker. This week it was Ann M. Dibb (she is Pres. Monson's daughter and I believe is a counselor in the general YW presidency). After the meeting, we got to meet her! We talked a little bit about our mission experience and all got hugs. :) It was a cool experience. She talked a lot about her dad and also about her life. She has an awesome attitude and it was really inspiring.
Sacrament meeting is also always awesome. I have been conducting the congregational hymns since my companion got called as music coordinator for the branch. We really need the pick-me-up that comes from renewing our covenants with the Lord each week. That is a big reason that p-days are so awesome: we get to go to the temple! We spent a good three hours in the temple today and it was really wonderful. Sadly, it is our last time to be able to attend here in Provo, since the temple is being closed for cleaning on Saturday for the rest of the year.
Speaking of temples, I am so excited! Since we are going to be working in visitors' centers in our mission, we get a week of extra training. This includes a day where we take a field trip up to temple square in Salt Lake City and work with the sisters there for the afternoon! It will be so great, especially right before Christmas with all of the lights and just the Christmas spirit everyone has. My two roommates that are not in my companionship will actually have just left for the Temple Square mission before our trip, so maybe we will get to see them too, which would be nice.
I am really excited to spend Christmas in the MTC. I hear a lot of good things. It will be weird not to be with family but I hear that celebrating the holiday here really helps you to focus on Christ, which I think will be a great experience.
I don't have a whole ton of computer time left so I will just end with some additional things I have learned or had reaffirmed to me this week:
-Pray for charity. Everyone around you is going through something and your life will be enriched as you love and help them.
-Act excited about the gospel! Does it really make you happy? Then show it in your face and in your voice! People will be interested if you make it interesting, and bored if you act nervous about sharing this joyous news.
-Many things in this life are really hard, but worth it. This week, these things include running, keeping mission rules, and preparing to teach.
-Never ignore a generous prompting. Compliment people. Smile at them. Do something nice for them. Focusing on others will make your problems seem small.
-Think about Christ often. We promise when we are baptized and every week when we take the sacrament to "always remember Him." The promise to always have to Spirit to be with us in return is huge. And we are happier when we remember and apply the Atonement daily.
-Prayer works. I know that I have made it this far in the MTC because of the prayers of friends, family, and members around the world who pray for the missionaries. We need your strength and faith, and we can feel it.
With love,
Sister Schank
Moroni 8:3
