Week 4 Still here and still standing....

Week 4  Still here and Still standing

The new sisters in our zone!

Week Recap: 

I really try to make this section interesting but really you do the same thing every day all day so this week wasn't much different than last. Yet in the repetitiveness of our everyday schedule, you learn so much! Just like reading your scriptures every morning or night  (which I all hope you're doing ;) ) although it is the same verses, you aren't the same person when you read them the second, third, or fourth time so you understand a little better, a little deeper, and a little more personally the lessons from the very same words! It is the same at the MTC. You are a different person each night you lay down (exhausted) than you were when you woke up that morning. So this week I was stretched and beaten down and built back up and grew a lot. My teachers have started to give real feedback and one of mine said in 18 months he believes I will be "mas magaling sa Tagalag sa Kanya" (More skillful at Tagalog than he is) Like that was super nice but no way do I see that light at the end of the tunnel. He said to not let the compliment go to my head and it definitely didn't  because when he turned into our investigator the next hour, he corrected my grammar like 1800 times. But hey I am trying my best :) The food is bleh if I may complain for one sentence. I just want something hot and not a salad but cereal is the dinner of champions right? Our district is getting super close and we have some awesome goals to keep us diligent, obedient, working hard, and positive! 

Also KEEP THE DEAR ELDERS COMING. I seriously love them. Thank you to all who were so thoughtful to write me a quick message. And yes I do pray for anything you need :) 

 

You Know You're In the MTC When...

Singing in the shower turns into a full on chorus/competition of who can sing more righteously (and with more vibrato.) So I just try to like whisper sing to myself and still somehow some sister from across the bathroom will join in and I'm like I love unity but ANO BIYEN? (what the heck?!) I do approve of it though when the cute sisters from China sing because it sounds just like the really high voiced anime characters and it is soooo hilarious. 

 

Missionaries Can Laugh Too...

(or Missionaries can lose their marbles too) 

So....I kind of reached a breaking point this week. My kasama and the other sister's loved it because I have been Sister Sunshine and Rainbows the whole four weeks and I got frustrated for like 3 minutes. My teachers bumped up my new words a day goal, I had another lesson to teach to a fake investigator, we learned one too many grammar principles that day that messed with my head, I hadn't slept in a couple days really, and the salad bar girl was obviously new because she didn't spread my vegtables around super evenly and that doesn't even matter at all but it was kind of the cherry on top of a long day. So they saw I was frustrated and took the opportunity to get some entertainment and see how far they could push me. They were like "get all your anger out rhea! Tell me everything that's hard right now! Tell me more!" So eventually I was like punching and kicking a bench and they got a real hoot out of watching me try to get my anger out while being a respectable missionary. I really just needed some Rocky music and a punching bag or a good run outside. We laughed about it later and now I am like way cool with the sisters cause I had my meltdown. It's like official initiation. 

ok ps. I promise I am sane and super positive, that was only like for 10 minutes I swear. 

 

Spiritual Thought:

The past couple weeks I have talked about something I heard from someone else and if it is alright I want to share a thought I have studied about in my personal time. I have learned a lot about the Doctrine of Christ; Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. Faith has become so much more of a concrete, tangible behavior to me. It isn't some abstract principle that we can make fancy comments about and create deep analogies about at church, then leave it at the building when we go on with the rest of the week. Faith guides our life. Faith guides our every thought, action, decision, the way we carry ourselves, dress ourselves, treat others, think of others, and how we follow and use the atonement. Faith is taking Christ's message and his example into our hearts and consciously trying to align our desires with His every day. We have all heard the phrase and scriptures that tell us blessings come after the trial of our faith. We understand that but do we accept that principle in our lives? We must fully commit ourselves to every commandment the lord and Prophet give to us, even the ones we don't fully understand. We cannot expect full blessings if we are halfway committed. The Lord doesn't tell his prophets to say "Hey God wan'ts you to try this out kind of, it's a suggestion, and then you can see what blessings you get, if you like the results you can fully commit." We will not understand everything God asks of us, but what we can understand is who we are and for whom we are serving. And we can strive our best to understand his simple doctrine. "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior" -Elder Packer. As we study his doctrine, we will understand the importance of our actions here on earth and how following the word of God is the only way we can achieve lasting happiness in this life and the next. Then we will want to and be willing to follow every commandment. So when the prophet says "Have family night, pray and read your scriptures as a family every day." Do it, then the blessings will come. When he says "Be modest." Change what you need to. When time and time again they encourage us to share the gospel, share it! I have such a testimony that after this life we all will know of the truth. Those you are acquainted with will see the happiness they could have had and know that you knew how to achieve it. They will ask you "Why didn't you ever tell me?" And if you know it, live it! When our leaders give rules regarding missionaries, whether it's their farewell, their communication, their time to come home, follow them. Even if you don't understand why you shouldn't be doing something. Even if the change will be uncomfortable for you. Follow the gospel completely. Don't fit it's teachings and standards to you by picking and choosing. Faithfully adapt your life and yourself to the standards of the gospel. Study the words of our prophets and follow them. Study the doctrine of Christ in order to be a better and more completely committed witness of Him. (2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 11, 3 Nephi 27) 

 

I love you all so much and can't thank you enough for the incredible support. Every piece of encouragement helps. The mission is tough but how could it not be worth it when I have the cure, the antidote for all unhappiness in the world? How could I be anything but grateful to share what I know, what gives me purpose in life, to all those who are looking. 

 

Mahal ko po kayo! 

(Mahal Kita is apparently like just for your one true love in life so pisensia (sorry) for the unintentional flirting with all of you the past three emails hahaha 

Sister Walters