Greetings from the “MTC-izzle” as we like to say. April 15, 2010
It has been another glorious week at the MTC. Lots of bland food. Lots of laughing. Lots of spirituality. Lots and lots and lots of learning.
Please let me share so many very random things to edify your lives, both laughingly and spiritually. :)
- One of the branch presidency members of my branch....was mission companions with Jeffrey R. Holland back in the day! I knooow!
The learning factor here has been rather impressive. While each day is so jam packed of personal study, companionship study, Missionary Directed Time, Devotionals, and the like, I still feel like there is never enough time to continue to learn! Our teachers are incredibly awesome, and continue to help our District grow. We have had so many fun activities that really push us! One such thing that all missionaries go through is something called Teaching Assignments. There are people from the community, member and non-members alike, that come in and pretend to be investigators. We are given their profile, and then teach them two times while here, one week apart. It's all role-played. We have to get in the door, get to know them, set up a return appointment, the whole kit and caboodle! Well, we have two different sets of investigators, and our first one was awesome! An older couple, they pretty much fed us everything. Saying things like, "That's so rational" or "And I just want to know the reason I'm here" were some hilarious ways they helped us. Our second TA with the same couple was also amazing. We sang a song (yup, definitely turning into a Sister Missionary) and committed them to baptism. Holla!
Ahem. Our other TA investigators. Ahem. Let's just say it prompted a semi-sad state for our entire companionship. These ladies threw out polygamy, the word of wisdom, priesthood authority, the pope, the massacre thing in southern Utah, and other random things...in the first FIVE minutes. We were demolished. They were resistant. And really argumentative. Our teacher (who watches these on a tv in another room) said that if they had been real investigators, the missionaries would never have gone back. Anyways, while it was difficult, it was an opportunity for all of us sisters to reaffirm our trust in the Lord and use Him as our "coping strategy." During a progress interview (when the teacher takes out each missionary to see how things are going), my teacher Sister Thomas committed me to doing a few things that have incredibly helped as I've been faced with inevitable disappointment and lack of perfection (hah)..duh duh duhhhh pray for twenty minutes a night. Now for the super spiritual, this might be a shocker. I have not always followed my Mother's example and prayed until the cows come home. But oh my word, do I ever now. I think we pray at least 14 times a day, and then there's always the prayer in my heart! It's a little tricky because it is lights out at 10:30PM, and that doesn't mean start calling on the Lord then. It means you should be done with them!
Today I am sporting my fake zebra dress, green scarf and orthopedic shoes, and it is glorious. How on earth am I ever going to go back to shoes that actually constrict my feet? E gads!
I am slowly but surely ridding myself of my pop culture references. It is increasingly hard as everything I do warrants at least part of a song, movie line, or TV show scene. (And it doesn't help that Sister P also likes the same things I do) But, it's being replaced with....HYMNS. That's right. What do I hum now? Not Luda. Not 50. BUT THE HYMNS. Ahhhhhhh. If this much has changed in this little big amount of time, I can't even image what is going to happen after 18 months!!
I have really been trying to dedicate my service to the Lord. I know that sounds like what EVERYONE says, but I am just trying to do all that I can! My teacher shared with us some scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants, particularly D&C 123:11-17. Near the end it talks about wasting and wearing out one's life in the service of the Lord. That has become my mantra. Each night I ask myself, and chat with the Lord about how I did, and whether or not I wasted and wore out my life in every component. As I come to trust Him it is easier to deal with all of my faults, I am being strengthened, and my focus on helping others come unto Christ is helped!
I am only able to e-mail my family but I absolutely love the mail and DearElder.com letters I received.
Peace be the journey! (as my Jamaican sisters say!)
Sister Bolliger
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