I made it! I'm here! This place is amazing. I LOVE IT. From the moment I stepped into the building I knew that this is a house of the Lord. (There are actually 18 buildings, its huge.) The spirit is so strong, and boy is it everywhere. After receiving all my books(ten pounds worth), my name tags and keys, I got to drop off my suitcase and then was off to class by 2.I guess I should explain some of the basic ligistic things about my schedule. We have one classroom for our district(7 companionships)(don't worry I attached a picture), and we basically live there. Its on the fifth floor of our building, and our residence is on the fourth floor, so just imagine how many flights of stairs I walk up a day. Let me tell you, I feel the burn. We have an hour for each meal, a 7am, 12pm and 5pm. The meals are buffet cafeteria food with just about everything under the sun. The food is great, the hard part is not eating too much! Our district is the best, we have Elders and Sisters and I love them all. I have been blessed with a companion who embodies the flaws I see in myself, multiplied by a lot, plus the things that annoy me. I know she is my companion for a purpose-so that I can learn to be more meek and humble, and loving and softspoken. I am learning how to better myself and be more considerate.
So our teacher speaks ONLY Portuguese. NO ENGLISH. From day one. Its insane, but if there is anything in the last ten days that I have learned, its that the gift of tongues is real. By the next day we were praying in Portuguese(short prayers mind you), and by day three each companionship began teaching our first investigator in Portuguese. BY DAY THREE. IN PORTUGUESE. We taught a guy who is about 20 named Pedro from Portugal. (We found out later he is a teacher here) My first lesson, I could not have been more nervous. But we said a prayer first, and went for it, and we taught the first lesson to Pedro, (with some gestures and sign language of course), but it went fantastic. "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." We had some really neat moments teaching Pedro, even though it wasn't real technically, I really felt his spirit and that we connected.
Portuguese is a beautiful language, I could listen to Pedro and our teachers speak it all day long. A lot of words are similar to spanish and english which is very helpful, especially when our teachers only speak in Portuguese. For example, my companion is minha companheira. Cool right? We spend the day studying, eating, studying, in class, studying, praying, studying, teaching, studying, eating, exercising, studying, and more studying. The first few days we were expected mostly to just study on our own and prepare our Portuguese lessons, but this week we got new teachers, Elder Williams and Elder Henry, both RMs studying at BYU and we are finally starting to get actual lessons in the language. I'm loving it. I have to admit, there have been a few moments, that the language gets really overwhelming. Yesterday, we had to practice street contacting our teacher, and it is so frustrating to want to say so many things to your investigators and be so limited by the language. I got really frustrated yesterday because of the language and because of some people in my district, just generally overwhelmed, I actually was crying(so embarassing) but I have to remember how much I already do know, and how amazing it is that I do after just one week. So I prayed for help, and well, last night the most beautiful and perfect rainbow that has ever graced the Earth with its presence appeared last night all the way across the sky. I don't care how cheesy it is, it was so beautiful, and then while walking to my classroom my companheira and I ran into this lady who works here, and I am %90 positive she was an angel. She told us her life story, she has served 7 missions with her husband, from Temple Square to the Philippines to Moscow Russia. The two most important things she told me were to always listen to the spirit, no matter how ridiculous it sounds but to be on the right corner at the right time at the right place. And secondly, the thing that struck me most, was she said I have worked in many temples, and I know that there are more angels than missionaries here helping you. That really hit me. There are thousands of us here! While walking back from the Marriott center after our Tuesday night devotional(which I dont have time to talk about right now, but don't worry, it was amazing) I got to look back and see all 4000+ of us walking. It was an army of skirts and suits and let me tell you it was one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. I feel blessed to be a part of this huge missionary force.
I know so many people here! I see Sister Burton and Sister Crump, and some other people I wen to High School with quite frequently, but my favorite is I keep running into Sister Gearheart, Sister Guftstason(spelling) and Elder Alverenga! Its like a reunion all the time and we are all going to Brazil! I attached our cute reunion picture at the temple. One of my orientation teachers served in Recife and said he knew Mitchell! Small world eh? His name is Elder Mckinley if you feel like telling Mitch.
Holy cow, so much to say, so little time.
Sundays are the best, and the busiest, we have church(in portuguese of course), sunday night devotionals, we get to watch general conference talks and spend an hour walking the temple grounds! My first Sunday was fast Sunday which was tough, but with the spirit so ever present hunger is the last thing on your mind.
Visas are not flowing very nicely. Basically we can expect to be reassigned stateside for a few weeks to a few months, but it is kind of exciting to get to serve in a variety of places! Getting your reassignment is like Christmas here, its fun to watch people read theirs. I am just worried to be called to like New York, and get there mid October dressed in clothes intended for the tropics! But the members help you out, so I would really just love to go anywhere.
Well, I only have five minutes left, and so much to say and express, but I guess I will sum it up and plan better what to say for next week.
The MTC is a beautiful and wonderful place. I love it here. I love studying, and learning and being surrounded by such amazing people. I feel so connected to heaven and the spirit. Boy is it hard work, but I know I can do it! I feel so blessed to know without doubt that THIS is where I am supposed to be, and no where else. I have known that from the day I decided to serve, and knowing that has gotten me through many a hard time. After talking to many people in my district, who had some doubts upon arriving that my firm foundation is such a blessing. I know that my mission is going to be my prize possession and I can't wait to continue.
Te ama!
Abracos!
So our teacher speaks ONLY Portuguese. NO ENGLISH. From day one. Its insane, but if there is anything in the last ten days that I have learned, its that the gift of tongues is real. By the next day we were praying in Portuguese(short prayers mind you), and by day three each companionship began teaching our first investigator in Portuguese. BY DAY THREE. IN PORTUGUESE. We taught a guy who is about 20 named Pedro from Portugal. (We found out later he is a teacher here) My first lesson, I could not have been more nervous. But we said a prayer first, and went for it, and we taught the first lesson to Pedro, (with some gestures and sign language of course), but it went fantastic. "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." We had some really neat moments teaching Pedro, even though it wasn't real technically, I really felt his spirit and that we connected.
Portuguese is a beautiful language, I could listen to Pedro and our teachers speak it all day long. A lot of words are similar to spanish and english which is very helpful, especially when our teachers only speak in Portuguese. For example, my companion is minha companheira. Cool right? We spend the day studying, eating, studying, in class, studying, praying, studying, teaching, studying, eating, exercising, studying, and more studying. The first few days we were expected mostly to just study on our own and prepare our Portuguese lessons, but this week we got new teachers, Elder Williams and Elder Henry, both RMs studying at BYU and we are finally starting to get actual lessons in the language. I'm loving it. I have to admit, there have been a few moments, that the language gets really overwhelming. Yesterday, we had to practice street contacting our teacher, and it is so frustrating to want to say so many things to your investigators and be so limited by the language. I got really frustrated yesterday because of the language and because of some people in my district, just generally overwhelmed, I actually was crying(so embarassing) but I have to remember how much I already do know, and how amazing it is that I do after just one week. So I prayed for help, and well, last night the most beautiful and perfect rainbow that has ever graced the Earth with its presence appeared last night all the way across the sky. I don't care how cheesy it is, it was so beautiful, and then while walking to my classroom my companheira and I ran into this lady who works here, and I am %90 positive she was an angel. She told us her life story, she has served 7 missions with her husband, from Temple Square to the Philippines to Moscow Russia. The two most important things she told me were to always listen to the spirit, no matter how ridiculous it sounds but to be on the right corner at the right time at the right place. And secondly, the thing that struck me most, was she said I have worked in many temples, and I know that there are more angels than missionaries here helping you. That really hit me. There are thousands of us here! While walking back from the Marriott center after our Tuesday night devotional(which I dont have time to talk about right now, but don't worry, it was amazing) I got to look back and see all 4000+ of us walking. It was an army of skirts and suits and let me tell you it was one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. I feel blessed to be a part of this huge missionary force.
I know so many people here! I see Sister Burton and Sister Crump, and some other people I wen to High School with quite frequently, but my favorite is I keep running into Sister Gearheart, Sister Guftstason(spelling) and Elder Alverenga! Its like a reunion all the time and we are all going to Brazil! I attached our cute reunion picture at the temple. One of my orientation teachers served in Recife and said he knew Mitchell! Small world eh? His name is Elder Mckinley if you feel like telling Mitch.
Holy cow, so much to say, so little time.
Sundays are the best, and the busiest, we have church(in portuguese of course), sunday night devotionals, we get to watch general conference talks and spend an hour walking the temple grounds! My first Sunday was fast Sunday which was tough, but with the spirit so ever present hunger is the last thing on your mind.
Visas are not flowing very nicely. Basically we can expect to be reassigned stateside for a few weeks to a few months, but it is kind of exciting to get to serve in a variety of places! Getting your reassignment is like Christmas here, its fun to watch people read theirs. I am just worried to be called to like New York, and get there mid October dressed in clothes intended for the tropics! But the members help you out, so I would really just love to go anywhere.
Well, I only have five minutes left, and so much to say and express, but I guess I will sum it up and plan better what to say for next week.
The MTC is a beautiful and wonderful place. I love it here. I love studying, and learning and being surrounded by such amazing people. I feel so connected to heaven and the spirit. Boy is it hard work, but I know I can do it! I feel so blessed to know without doubt that THIS is where I am supposed to be, and no where else. I have known that from the day I decided to serve, and knowing that has gotten me through many a hard time. After talking to many people in my district, who had some doubts upon arriving that my firm foundation is such a blessing. I know that my mission is going to be my prize possession and I can't wait to continue.
Te ama!
Abracos!