Hey Everyone!
It's week 3 and SURPRISE! I'm still alive! I have received lots of loving mail (keep it up!) and I'm working my way through responding. We have been asked to only write letters on Friday, so it's taking me some time. I want to personalize them. But really, the majority of my information will be in this email. I love everyone and pray for you guys every night.
I LOVE THE MTC! It's so hard, but totally worth it. I'm growing spiritually every day, but having a blast with my friends along the way. Some interesting things going on in my life:
I'm practicing a pirano/vocal soloist arrangement of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" with the hopes of trying out to perform at one of the big MTC gatherings.
I'm trying to get in to the MTC choir. They're taking 1100 missionaries to the Marriott Center to perform for the Quorum of the 12 Apostoles and the First Presidency. AND THE WORLD. It'll be a worldwide broadcast, so maybe you can watch it and pick me out!? It'll be like Where's Waldo?
My district plays volleyball together during gym time everyday. It's more of an ab workout than anything because we laugh through the whole thing. We stink!
My roommates played a prank on me this morning. They know that I can sleep through anything, so they stayed up until 3:00 in the morning covering the entrance to my bunk bed with yarn to trap me in. I woke up and thought I was in some sort of dream. It's great. I'll attach a picture later.
We have two new "investigators." Bendita is a middles aged woman who has attended church for almost 9 years with her family, but she isn't a member. So we're trying to figure out what we need to teach her. Our other investigator is Benjamin and he's 17 years old. Our second lesson with him was a CRASH AND BURN. He goes to seminary every morning but he doesn't have a testimony of anything (we found out later that he doesn't even have a testimony of God). We had a plan for the second lesson and it was only going to take about 30 minutes. The actual lesson took a whole hour. Finally I said "We are going to kneel and pray about this RIGHT NOW!" and made him kneel and pray with us. I was pretty frustrated with him, but in a good way if you can imagine that. The whole lesson was worth it because we now know better where he is coming from.
 |
| Provo Temple, with Companion |
My language is coming along pretty well. The teachers all commend me on my progress. I can carry on a conversation pretty easily now and understand most of what people say to me. I have hope that I won't be too overwhelmed when I eventually get to Brazil. My companion gets frustrated with her lack of language, so I've been working with her to help her. She was really frustrated yesterday, so I sat her down and had her teach me a whole lesson on her own in Portuguese. She tried to resist, but I would not take no for an answer. She opened her mouth and taught a beautiful lesson on the Restoration for almost 30 minutes. It literally brought tears to my eyes to watch my dear compaion, who has no previous language experience, teach me an in-depth lesson after only 2 weeks of Portuguese. This truly is an inispired work. We are not alone in this work.
Eu gostaria deixar meu testimunho. E simple pero e meu. Eu sei que Deus nos ama moito. Eu sei esso porque posso sentir e ver seu mano em minha vida. Eu sou moito grato por meu Irmao, Jesus Cristo y para o opportunidade a estar perfeito por meio de sua Expiacao. Seu moito grato por o CTM e cada pessoa em minha vida aqui. Eu amo minha familia e para seu (support). Em nome de Jesus Cristo, amem.
"I would like to bear my testimony. It is simple but it is mine. I know that God loves us very much. I know this because I can feel and see his hand in my life. I am very grateful for my brother, Jesus Christ and I am grateful for the opportunity to become perfect through his atonement. I am very grateful for the MTC and every person in my life here. I love my family and their support. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen" (Translated by John-David)
I love you guys! Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. You're constantly in mine!
Love,
Sister McElderry
No comments:
Post a Comment