Today is my first Pday here in the MTC... it's been great! Here are some highlights...
1) My first companion! Her name is Sister Dossett. She's from Fredericksburg Virginia, and she is also going to the Temple Square Mission. She's super sweet! She likes to read, she likes music, she has horses that she rides for fun, and she's really nice. I really like her, I'm glad I got a companion that I get along with, especially for the first go around haha.
2) There are so many people here that I know or that I have a connection to in some way! Sister Dossett started counting, so far I've found 22 people here that I know or am connected to. People from BYU mostly, but I've also ran into people from previous wards including Sister Chesley and Sister Caceres! It's a small little world in the LDS community.
3) So there are 16 missionaries in my district. Apparently that's pretty big for an MTC district. There are 12 Elders, most of which are going to either the Ogden, Utah mission or the Baltimore, Maryland mission. Then there are 4 sisters. 3 of us are going to Temple Square, and the other Sister is going to the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors Center. Their names are Sister Madeux (Mah-Doo) and Sister Friel. We share a room together. It's pretty sweet because there are 3 bunk beds in our room and only the 4 of us, so we have a lot of extra space. Also! I'm the senior companion, so that's fun. Sister Dossett is so sweet, everytime we're planning a lesson and are trying to decide what to teach or how best to present something she keeps saying that she feels like she should let me lead and make the decisions. We talk about it and still decide together, but she really feels like letting me lead our companionship study and planning and everything is what she needs to do. It's a little bit of pressure, but it's really fun and is a big confidence builder.
4) Exercise... hasn't been all that bad! Neither has waking up! I mean, it's not my favorite thing but I'm really not all that tired. I think going to bed on time probably helps haha. Sister Dossett and I have gone to the Fitness Center and use the little bike things where you're standing up. (I don't know its name..sorry not sorry ahaha) We also use the little 5lb weights and the pull up bar thing. Don't judge us too hard - we're pretty weak. I'm sooo glad that my companion isn't someone who is a huge exercise buff. That would be a struggle. We're weak together, and we only get stronger.. right?
5) Our zone is pretty cool! Our zone and branch are the same thing, and is full of missionaries going to Ogden, Temple Square, Calgary Canada, Baltimore Maryland, and Denver North. Sister Chesley is in my zone! Our Branch President's name is President Mullen, he's so friendly. When he came in to meet us he came in having done his homework... he greeted us all by name without looking at our tags, and when we told him where we were from he had studied us up and knew something interesting about wherever it was we called home. Super cool!
6) Feeling blessed that I can play the piano - I've already played for the zone a couple times with opening and closing hymns, and when the Branch President's wife taught the zone to lead music she had my play. It's been really nice, I'm really glad I can do it.
7) We have been so spoiled. We spend most of our time in the new buildings that were just constructed - and they're BEAUTIFUL. There are huge murals all over the place with people from the scriptures and quotes, there are tons of windows, and our classroom looks right over the MTC Campus and we can see the whole Provo Temple. It's gorgeous. We have had one or two short classes in the other buildings, and I can see how missionaries would get depressed spending all day in those buildings. The new ones are gorgeous. The tours ended this week, which is nice. It was kind of weird eating dinner and having people come through and looking around and watching us. There was a rope to separate the missionaries from the tourists..but still.
8) We've already taught 7 lessons. 2 of them have been to a girl named Taylor, and another has been to a girl named Olivia. We've taught Taylor about prayer and the Book of Mormon, and she's progressing really well. Keeping commitments, and really starting to open up to us. Olivia we taught about baptism, and committed to prepare for September 16th. We're super excited. We don't know if these people are nonmembers or members helping us with role play, but our purpose as missionaries of Jesus Christ isn't to only invite non members. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Others means all of God's children, not just those who have never heard the name Jesus Christ. It's crazy how attached I feel to the people we teach.
9) Okay, last one I promise haha. The Spirit here at the MTC is amazing. It's so easy to feel God's love for me and for the rest of His children here. I love walking around and seeing everyone in their black badges, either chatting with their companion on their way to class, reading their scriptures, or huddled in prayer. It's such a special place to be, and the Spirit here is so strong. I love it. It's certainly not easy all the time, and there are things I miss about "real life", but it's certainly a special feeling and a special privilege I have to be one of our Heavenly Father's missionaries, and a representative of Jesus Christ.
I CAN READ EMAILS AT ANY TIME DURING THE WEEK. PLEASE SEND ME LETTERS. I love reading them, but can only respond Saturdays.
All my love,
Sister Black
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