Hi everybody! My thoughts are always random so that's probably how most of my letters are going to be. You'll get used to it.
To start off, the tree here at the MTC that allegedly smells like cream soda/bubblegum is roped off so I can't find out if these rumors are true. I am sharing a room with 5 other Sisters, 3 of which are in my district. (“Districts” are just what they call the individual groups that we are in during the day.) I don't think 6 young-adult women could coexist in such small quarters anywhere but the MTC. I'm still getting everything organized.
One sister in my district, decided that a mission is like going to Narnia. You're only gone a few days but it feels like forever to you. And when you go back, you're like an adult in a child's body like I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LIVE!!!!! I think that's an accurate description. That makes it frustrating and hard to be patient because it feels like it's been forever. Even though you learn a lot you feel like you should know more.
They told us day two that all prayers should be in Spanish. We are to “contact” at least 2 people per day and testify in Spanish. (That just means you find any random person in the MTC and share your testimony with them.) On Sunday I wrote my first church talk in Spanish because, in our branch at least, the branch president announces at the beginning of sacrament meeting a few missionaries who will speak. You don't know ahead of time so everyone prepares a talk every week. I don't know how good mine was but I got it written at least. Everyone practices on each other here. My companion and I were outside studying and two different groups of elders came up and asked if they could share a message with us. One was in French the other Spanish so I understood part of it.
Study time is divided up into companion study, personal study, language study and Missionary Directed Time which is whatever you as a companionship need. There isn't much checking-up-on-us so you really do get out of the MTC what you put into it.
I love my district! There are 6 elders and 4 sisters. My companion is energetic and kind of silly and she knows the MTC really well since she volunteered here every day for a few months. Our district already feels like brothers and sisters to each other. Thursday the sisters coordinated outfits within companionships and Friday our entire district wore blue. Yesterday each companionship had a "power-ranger color". We were yellow. That was the elders’ idea. Today is the first preparation day for me. It will be on Mondays so that's when everyone will hear from me.
The food is good and luckily the desserts do not tempt me as much as I thought they would. I've been spoiled too much with desserts from scratch my whole life thanks to an amazing mother, brother and grandma! :-)
The Spirit is here but only if you look for it and ask for it. I've been recognizing it as an outside force more. I can tell it's not a feeling from my imagination but a confirmation of truth from my Heavenly Father. If I get too distracted with little things then I don't notice it as much.
There's so much going on here, I’m not going to get in everything but I’ll try as much as possible.
In class we've been learning a lot of Spanish phrases and practicing teaching each other. Sometimes we pair with more experienced missionaries and they help us and we give each other feedback.
I met an Elder Evans in our district yesterday but he left today for the field. I did get a picture with him.
We got to go to the temple today. It was amazing! I love the feeling there! I always feel God's love for me and everyone else there.
I feel inadequate to be Christ's representative but I keep getting impressions that my weak state doesn't matter. Heavenly Father will help. As my companion pointed out, Noah's ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic by professionals!
The Church is true! Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and there is a living prophet on the earth today, Thomas S. Monson! The Book of Mormon is the word of God!
Out of time!
Till next week!
TTFN (ta-ta-for-now)
Hermana Evans :-)
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