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Dear Family,
P-day today!!! Even though it is only my third full day here. It seems like it's been a month already though. So much has happened. It really is an amazing place here.
On Wednesday, after you dropped me off, they took me around, checked all my info, got all my stuff (including my awesome "Sister Howard" name tag), then we took all my luggage to my room, left it there, and then I went to class. My new companion for these two weeks while I am here is Sister Piutau. She is full-blooded Tongan, and just awesome! She actually grew up in the Los Angeles area though, and hates Tongan food. We get along well.
My four other roommates have been here around five or six weeks now. They're learning Spanish, so they won't be leaving until a week or two after Sister Piutau and I leave. Only a week and half left before I head to Texas!!!
Thursday:
Since it was Valentine's Day, the MTC was decorated up a bit for it. Hearts everywhere, little quotes on the mirrors. It was fun. One really cute sign I saw said "Let's Bring the World His Love!!!"
I loved learning today. Practicing some teaching was so great too. We met with our Branch Presidency and Zone leaders today. We practiced the official invitation that we memorize to invite others to be baptized.
There is a very strong emphasis on listening to the Spirit, also on becoming truly converted ourselves first. There are a lot of little things we need to learn how to do, including responsibilites, TRC's, companion inventory, planning, etc... A TRC is when one of the teachers here pretends to be an real investigator, and we teach him, and he acts just like he would. It's interesting, because, as Brother Leah said, they are as real as you make them. You can really feel the spirit and the promptings even when just teaching a "pretend" investigator. Although sometimes (but only with us English speaking missionaries), people from outside the MTC will volunteer to be an investigator, and sometimes, they really are non-Mormons that are seeking to know about the church. So it's like we are starting already. It's so great!!!
You know, a year and half can seem so far away sometimes, but tomorrow doesn't. Even next week, or next month don't seem so far away. And when you think about it that way, a year and half just seems like way too short of a time to get to be out here in the mission field.
I finally got some pictures these last couple of days. I was going to bring them down here and get them sent to you, but, I need to find my cord first, and I just totally forgot today. Oh well! Next time. There's some cute ones already. I have some great friends here already.
Friday:
We had two 3-hour classes today. Almost back to back. We just had a zone meeting and dinner in between. At the first 3 hour class, that was our first real TRC. It went.... well, but there was so much we needed to fix. We sort of just poured the lesson down the investigator's throat, and we need to be a lot better about reading the signs, and actually finding out what his background is like first, and what sort of things he knows, what sort of things he's got questions about, etc... Especially on the first lesson. Teach them, but find out what they're looking for too, and what's on their mind. We did give him the Baptism invitation on the first lesson (we were taught that right before, and committed to do it). He told us he had already been baptized into the baptist church, and that it was a "good experience". So we discussed proper authority, and he accepted that well.
Then we had zone meeting. We started talking about the importance of prayer, and why it is so important to get an investigator to pray. If they never pray, they can never actually be converted. We're just here to hook up the phone line to God, but they have to take a hold of it themselves. If they don't, there is no way we can ever make any progress.
Then we went to dinner. The food here is interesting. Sometimes you're not quite sure what it is, but usually it's really good. I promised myself that in my lifetime, I would never eat tofu. Well, I took a bit of something that I thought was chicken in a noodle salad, and nope! It was tofu. I didn't really like it that much. But we had pizza for dinner yesterday too, so that was great.
I am loving these treats that you gave me. Any day is good with some chocolate! :)
After dinner, we had another 3-hour class. Every single one of these classes are in a tiny room, with a total of twelve of us in there. It gets really hot and stuffy sometimes. But the time passes fast, because we are learning so much, and just having a good time. We do lots of role-playing, and we are all gradually getting better and more comfortable with it all the time. We are gradually going from the phase of "the investigator has to say yes" to "the investigator isn't sure, or is hesitating" to "the investigator says outright that no, they won't". And you know, it's alright. And we're learning, and we all make mistakes and totally forget what we're going to say. But we love it, and my district is great. And we all love each other, and we're all good friends already. We sit with each other at lunch, and laugh, and have fun, and share things we have learned. It is altogether just such a great environment, and am loving every second of being here.
I have found great comfort and peace in following everything that I am asked to do with complete exactness. We study at certain times, exercise at certain times. Some girls here will just sleep in through their exercise time, and it really does make a difference. I just feel so good all the time while I am here, and it is really helping me to really remember just how much I am really worth. These investigators.... well, I just love them already. I sincerely want to help them to the truth, and to help them to see all the great things that they can have, all the blessings, and the infinite amount of happiness that can come through these teachings of Christ.
Well, my time on the computer is almost up. Since it's P-Day, we get some free time to write a few letters, and to finish up our journals, and clean, and do laundry. We also get to go to the Provo temple today!!! And I am so absolutely excited about that!!! Going to the temple with all of my friends here, is just going to be so great!!!
Oh! And I sister Hermana (Andrea) Rane here (one of my good friends from high school), as well as one of the Elder Robbins, and Hermana Holbrook (one of my favorite roommates from college), and one or two other people that I can't remember.
Life is good, and I love being here. Everyone here is just so happy, and smiling, and everyone says "Hi Sisters!!!" or "Hi Elders!!!" or "Hi Hermanas!!!" all the time.
Life can be glorious!!!! But only if we choose it to be. And only if we can be humble enough to lose our pride and selfishness, and to think of others first!!! Be good, and don't be a hypocrite!!! You cannot teach others what to do, if you are not following you own advice first!!!
Favorite scripture of the week: John 7:17.
Love to you all!!!
Sister Howard
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