Rhea in Baguio : Week 2 MTC

February 25, 2016

Holy cow, week two! I was basically born in this MTC I feel like. But hey no complaints because I am STILL LOVING IT! Yes I am definitely that nerd who is overly optimistic and perky that the other sisters kind of want to hit me but, I think I'll just keep on smiling dahil sa (because) it's good for the soul. Tagalog language is definitely a weird mix of Espanol and all things Asian pero I am having so much fun with it. You get thrown into teaching lessons the third day you're here, but you learn so fast that you can actually teach people the gospel in a foreign language! Our first fake investigator accepted baptism so WOOT WOOT for my kasama and I :) The schedule is still the same almost every day so I try to find things to make each day different and exciting. Whether it is turning studying into Jeopardy games where the consequence for a wrong answer is pushups, or finding ways to translate pop songs into Tagalog, we have good time. This week's devotional was from Rosemary M. Wixom (for all of those lacking in their knowledge of general authorities 1- She is the Primary General President and 2- Pagsisi. (repent) just kidding, I didn't know who she was either) She was an incredible speaker though! Choir and devotionals are the BEST. Gym time is also a definite favorite. We run with flash cards and everyone in my district yells "Kaya Ninyo!!" ("you can do it") every time we pass each other. One new thing this week is my kasama and I aren't alone in our room anymore! Last night we got two new sisters, one from Spain and one from Guatemala, and one sister in the middle of the night from Mongolia. They are so so cute and I just love them already. I got to Host yesterday (bring new sister missionaries in) and that was the highlight of my week for sure. That is just such an exciting/terrifying/awesome day and I got to be a part of it for 3 sisters.

You know you're in the MTC when...

A very alarming deep voice comes over the intercom that sounds like they are announcing the end of the world when really they are just making all the sister's aware that "There is a male worker. I repeat MALE worker coming into the vicinity. Make sure you are covering every inch of your body and stay locked in your rooms." Okay they don't really say that but that is the just of it. So I guess it is basically the end of the world. I mean it's a male for crying out loud. Ano mga iyon?? (What are those??)

Missionaries laugh too...

So funny story. You have a key to get into your room at night. And there's no other way to get into your room, which makes sense, cause we have keys. PERO (but) my kasama and I both decided to leave our keys in the room and go party in another room that had food and we got locked out. We found out we had to go all the way across the MTC to the front desk and get a temporary key. Not too bad, definite 1st world problem, but the catch is we were already ready for bed. I had no shoes on, in my ugly PJ's, and no glasses. My roommate was wearing her pizza. Yes she has a onzie that is literally cheese and pepperoni, she looks delicious. So Sister Pizza and her blind mouse ran in the cold to the front desk to get a new key, all along the way getting "nice pizza" and stares but hey we made their night! AND we got to make it again 20 minutes later when yes, we did indeed lock ourselves out. Again. That was a good night :)

Spiritual Thought...

One of the coolest things about being here in the MTC is the Spirit. It is so unbelievably strong. My kasama and I were teaching the district meeting lesson on Enduring to the End this Sunday and I got to experience one of those "I heard a voice say this" karanasan (experience). We read the scripture Alma 37:44-46. I asked the group to replace the word "easy" with "simple" and "simplicity". I encourage you all to do the same. It tells us to not become slothful because of the easiness of the way, but in sa palagay ko (in my opinion) life is not easy. God's purpose and his plan is extremely simple though. Have faith in Christ and His atonement, repent of your mistakes, be baptized by immersion under proper authority from God, and pitiis hanggang wakas (endure to the end). That is very simple. But we must be continually working our best at keeping these covenants daily and centering our lives on Christ. That is not always easy amidst the trials and obstacles God allows to be placed in our path! And even when are being obedient and doing all the right things, He may still test you. We shared a video of a woman who was the perfect example of trials. A Mormon message called "The Refiner's Fire" is about a woman who loses every member of her family to cancer. If you haven't seen it, watch it. If you have, watch it again. Around the middle/end, they show the hammer pounding the metal, clearly forming it into something else but through a lot of force. It switches from the hammer to the woman sharing her story back and forth. As I was standing on the side, I heard "Pause the video." That wasn't in our plan for the lesson so I was like "um..no". Then the next time the hammer came on the screen I heard it again "pause the video now." At this point I am thinking, my kasama will be like what the heck are you doing and also I had no idea what I was supposed to explain. I couldn't shake the feeling though I walked over to the computer, paused the video, and turned towards the class. I just opened my mouth. I just opened my mouth and hoped the Holy Ghost would fill it. I then asked the class to think who else endured the pounding of a hammer? Who else suffered through trials that mentally, spiritually, and physically wounded Him? Who else thought for a moment they would not be able to endure, but found strength in his Father in heaven and continued on his course? And what became of His sacrifice? What beautiful thing did the hammer and the refiner's fire shape him into? Then I continued the video.

I ask you all to watch that video and pause it at the same place and think these things for yourself. Those words were not my own, and they are not just for the elders and sisters in my classroom. We all need to remember the incredible challenge our Savior endured for us and the incredible, immeasurable blessings we have received from it. How lucky we are to endure trials. How lucky we are to experience the tiniest fraction of the suffering our Savior did for us. Alam ko po na (I know that) as we endure each trial, stage of life, year, week, day, hour, and endure with faith, patience and cheerfulness (Mosiah 24:15) we will not only experience blessings and growth in our life, but also better the lives of all those around us.

Mahal Kita,

Sista Walters