WEDNESDAY
Last pday... we woke up early to catch the first bus to the temple at 7 but we got to the temple and realized Hmna Kugath didn't have her recommend. Haha so we stayed on the bus thinking it would just loop but it ended up just sitting in a parking lot for half an hour.... so we read some scriptures :) Finally we got back to the apartment and I said "okay now everyone double check for your recommends!!" And good thing I did because Hna bratts wasn't in her wallet!! We searched the apartment but the bus was waiting for us so we just decided to go. Luckily she had left it at the temple last week and all was all. We did initiatories- I love the temple!!! I am so grateful we get to go every week.
Then to Main campus to print emails and take a dress to alterations. We did SO well on all my clothes being mission appropriate, but that one grey textured dress has a slip in it that is way shorter than the dress and it is see through when you sit. So I took it to alterations and it only costs fifty cents!! For any alteration!! Volunteers do it and it is so nice.
Later in the day after Dinner Hna Boza and Hno mMeek taught us a lesson about recognizing the spirit in our teaching and planning RIGHT after I'd written Dad asking for help with the very same thing. What a tender mercy!
We taught both Luisa and Alejandro tonight. Luisa has been seeing the missionaries off and on for eight years! She's heard it all already so we had to think of a creative way to approach the lessons. We'd been getting the feeling that when she said she'd read the scriptures and prayed and got noothing that she was really not puttin gin the ffort neccessary and we didn't even know if she WANTED to know. So we decided to play a game. We bought a cinnamon roll and wrapped it up. We had her play 20 questions to guess what it was and in the end we gave it to her. Then we said, "Okay, what did you have to do to get the cinnamon roll?"-Learner Enabling!!- Together we came up with that she had to have a desire, had to ask SPECIFIC questions, had to think and ponder, and be patient. We compared this to receiving an answer to our prayers and the effort we have to put into it. I think she really understood! It went so well! It went so well, in fact, that we decided to do the same thing five min later for Alejandro. This one didn't go poorly... but we were short on time and had to rush through it. We just realized that just because it went well with Luisa and her needs... it wasn't what Alejandro needed. We need to focus on each investigator individually and on their needs!! The coolest thing about that lesson was that we didn't really get anywhere and still didn't really know what he needed and suddenly I felt like I should commit him to baptism.... sooo... I did! :) I'm SO glad I memorized that... He said he needed more time to think about it and that we hadn't really talked about baptism before, BUT he DID say lots of other stuff that gave us some clues to his real needs. It was awesome.
THURSDAY
Long day!! They're all long. Lesson with Mercedes... planned to teach POS, but when we got there we ended up talking about repentence and baptism and invited HER to be baptized!! (again... good thing I memorized it). She seemed kind of shocked and said she'd have to think about it because it is a big deal. We said of course and promised that as she continuesd to study and pray she would receive answers.
Then TALL and I sent y'all a package!! Hope you liked the shirts!! xoxo
Earlier in the day Hna Bratt decided to ask the Elders for a priesthood blessing. She's been feeling sick off and on since we got her and then for three days straight. The elders had their white handbooks our the whole time and din't really know what they were doing, but it was a great testimony builder that the Priesthood IS the priesthood... whether the blessing is from the Prophet or Elder Workman who only JUST BARELY turned 18 like the week before he came in (which explains A LOT) and has never given a blessing before. It is the same power!
After lunch we taught Alejandro. We decided we just really needed to figure out his needs so we planned on just asking LOTS of questions. We asked a few and weren't getting anywhere but then he said he didn't understand what was so unique and important about our church. So Hmna Bratt and I tried to explain priesthood authority and saving ordinances like baptism. Hna Kugath didn't say a WORD! It was a rough lesson but we did the best we coudl. Afterward while evaluating, Hna Kugath sat and told us everything we did wrong. I was so bugged because she was no help! But she said the spirit told her to keep her mouth shut so I can't argue with that. It is a REALLY humbling experience to have companions... especially two!! Who have no problem telling you what you do wrong. Esta Bien. I'm leaning.
After Dinner we had our first day at TRC which is when we go teach random people that could be members, but might not be! IT was scary, but we got thisn ice old man from Salt Lake that told us about his Family History and gave us the A. of F. in espanol.
Then we taught Luisa. Again, not our best, but not bad. So we taught four lessons today and it was exhausting!! Physically, mentally, and spiritually. Preparation for el campo!!!! Then more class with Hna Boza. HSE IS THE BEST!!! She is just hilarious. She is from Lima, Peru and has the cutest accent. She always tells us to "Take it easy" and it just sounds hilarious. She ALWAYS kisses us on the cheek and hugs us and tells us to have "dulce suenos" and calls the Elders couch potatoes. :) I love her.
Today I got a postcard from Aunt Linda and Uncle Joe and a package from Brittany with chocolate and a music box!! So nice!
FRIDAY
I got a package from the pages!!!!!! It was a "box of sunshine" with looots of pictures. I was SO SO SOOOO GRATEFUL!!! I LOVE YOU! I also got a letter from a girl Miranda Best that is reporting to Costa Rica in 30 days!
Service makes the days so much longer. Today we scrubbed shutters. They look nice.
Then we went to teach Alejandro, but Hmna Bratt got called to Main Campus. And you know... when your companion has to go somewhere... you get to go too!! So we were all bussed to main campus and found out she has a doc appt tomorrow with an opthomologist porque she told her mom about how her eyes go cross eyed and she sees double vision when we play volleyball and she is tired. It's funny. So we had to pick up our shuttle pass for tomorrow... which means we are leaving the MTC! Haha woo hoo!
Then back... taught Alejandro. Not bad... but we have MUCH to improve one. I always end up doing all the talking. I try not to... but when I don't... no one says anything. I hate it so I just talk. It's no bueno. Hna Meek encouraged "us" (me) to get used to silence.
Then gym... REAL HARD EXERCISE and sack lunches. I wasn't hungry again so I just go cookies. My companeras got all serious about how their afraid of my low eating. So I ate lots of Dinner and esta bien. I'm just not hungry here!!! It's weird but it's fine.
Then back to teach Luisa. It well, again... much to improve on. Then Hna Boza taught us about the importance of the Book of Mormon and how to teach it. So good. She is amazing and I love her.
Today we had to take this language assessment where we had to speak in espanol and record our answers... .NO BUENO!! They ACTUALLY score it and I'm guessing it will say something like "Will be successful in field" "Will struggle in the field" "SHould go home now" So ya know. Maybe I'll see ya sooner than we thought ;) Just kidding. It's all fine. My spanish isn't bad. But it's not outstanding either :)
SATURDAY
First lesson of the day at 8:30 with Luisa. Not bad, but it just felt like something was missing...
Hna Boza taught us past tense. I LOVE HER and her teaching style. And just her. Then she did coaching with us and taught us some key principles about teaching and keeping our purpose in line with God's purpose and figuring out our investigators intentions.
TALL lunch and then... SHUTTLE TO THE REAL WORLD for a doc appt!! I took a picture of our first day in the wild I'll send. It was fun! The drive took us to the wrong place so we had to walk a few blocks. It was so fun, people were honking and waving. I was pretty famous. Hna Kugath was REALLY grumpy and complainy about it but we tried to make it as fun as we could. Hna Bratt's crazy eyes are okay. We got back a few hours later and apparently they never checked us out or had us in the records and had no idea we were gone.... So we could have ditched and no one would have known!! No worries... there's NO way I'd ditch on this GLORIOUS work!!
Lesson with Alejandro... again... not bad... but not very good either. Something is missing in our teaching!! But I don't know what. Then Hno Meek taught us future tense. I LOVE Hno Meek. All our teachers are so different, but I love them each SO much. At the end of the day, he told us he loved us and that we increased his faith. Then he prayed for us and his prayers are always SO sincer and special. I felt the spirit so strong... I'm so blessed!!
It feels like I have more to give. I hav emore focus, more effort, more positive attitude, MORE to give. And I'm gonna do it!
No letters today. Not a single thing for our WHOLE district all day! Esta bien... I don't NEED letters... I just love them. :)
SUNDAY
I love sundays. BUt man can they be rough!! We woke up and went to a district meeting and the hermanas were in charge of teaching. We taught about the changing powers of the B of M and it went really well!! Then I was supposed to teach the District how to lead music like President asked me to... But Brother Dowdle filled my 15 min :) Esta Bien.
Then music and the spoken word. This was hard for me... It was all about Father's and I just sobbed because I MISS my daddy!!! I have the MOST amazing dad and I am incredibly blessed. I love him forever and can't wait to see him!! And all the men in my life- my brothers and my nephews. (and my mommy and my sisters and my future niece too) 17 months will FLY by!!
Speaking of flying time... Today half our branch left for the field (well technically tomorrow at 6 am). It is SO crazy to me. We are in the point right now that they were in when we got here and the past three weeks FLEW by!! We only have three weeks exactly left. I can't believe it. So we spent most of the day saying goodbyes and getting emails and pictures (I got pictures of our WHOLE branch but they are on someone elses camera and I don't know if I'll ever get them...)
Then Devo and Films. Devo was AWESOME. It alwyas is. Sheri Dew spoke about Grace and the power of God. She said, "You can either do this mission alone, or you can do it with the help of Heaven." Well I KNOW I can NOT do this alone. And so I must turn to the Lord in faith!! I know He will help me!! Film- Watched the Legacy. Cheesey, but I still cried. I cried a lot today :) Actually, I cry all the time here. Spirit or emotional?? ;) Oh ya, I forgot about relief society!! It was AWESOME!! 2 sisters spoke. One about not being hard on ourselves and the other about the blessings of climbing the mountains before us. Mountains seem to be the theme of my MTC experience so far. Sis Dew also said something about them. She said, "The Savior doesn't move mountains for you, but he ALWAYS helps you climb them." I know that through the Lord's grace and power I can climb ALL the mountains before me!!
MONDAY
Okay first of all.... LETTERS!! YAY!!! I've been trying so hard to not be upset at the lack of communication with the familia this week and focus on the work and it paid off!!! haha Today I got a letter from Grama with some extra money- so nice, thank you1!! And Dear Elders from Brittan, Samanth Hancock, KATELIN AND DADDY!! And then a package with those delicious cookies dad loves from Mama with a letter from Her, Kenn, and Lettie. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GRATEFUL!!! Made my day. You have no idea how much your letters mean to me!! I almost cried in a lesson today when I mentioned how I am away from my family. Miss y'all so much. How cool would it be if we coudl serve missions as familias??? Maybe in the next life :) Esta bien. I love the work and I know you will all be fine while I'm gone... because I pray SO hard for you cada dia and I know you will be blessed!!!
What even happened today. So much happens every day but its always the same shcedule so it gets confusing.
Lesson with mercedes at 9... but when we got there she had two other sets of missionaries waiting to teach her. haha. So manana.
Volleyball... the WHOLE branch is gone now except one other district so there's only like twelve of us total. And the other district leaves on Sunday!! So it will just be us for a couple days until we get some new people!!
Then Hna Bratt and I started playing name that tune... aaaaaand then an hour went by. haha woops. Waste of time, but it was fun because she knows musicals!!
Then we thought we were teaching Alejandro, but apparently that's not until manana tambien. But Hno Meek taught us some great things! Then we were about to go into grammar lessons when we realized we are in week FOUR which means that today was our first day of REAL TRC when we get this investigator- not a member- and we teach him every day for two weeks. His name is Jose Luis and we just got to know him a bit and briefly started in on the restoration... but we ran out of time before Joseph Smith. Haha woops. Guess we'll start there tomorrow!
Then class with Hna Boza. First we taught Luisa and it went well!! We asked MUCHO preguntas inspirado. Then Boza taught us some grammar and demonstrated teaching a family and told us ALL about her life in Peru when she had a PET MONKEY in the house and iguanas and parrots that spoke espanol and llamas and horses and rabbits and turtles. WOW I LOVE HER!! And the mission. And my family. And the gospel. And the Lord!!
TUESDAY
SO BLESSED TODAY
Lesson with Mercedes=AWESOME! This is the third time we have come prepared to teach her the plan of salvation but after following up on commitments and asking inpired questions it ALWAYS goes a different way. The spirit was so strong as we shared our testimonies and gave her encouragement and she called us her angels!!!
Right after we went to do tall and "randomly" Hna Kugath suggested we did it in a different room for once. Half way through a Latin man came in speaking WAY too fast Spanish. We finally understood that someone was supposed to teach him 15 min ago but never showed. We started chattting with him (our elders were in there too) and all 6 of us spent the next hour sharing with him our testimonies of how he can be healed through the Savior. All 6 of us are teaching him again next week!!
Then later we taught Alejandro. We had a lesson planned, but again asked many inspired questions. The spirit was honestly the strongest I've felt yet. He is sturggling with knowing for sure of the truth and recognizing answers to his prayers. We asked how he felt when we were here teaching him and he said peaceful, happy, and cloeser to God. I then- so inspired I tell ya- asked him if that could be an answer to his prayer and after a LONG silence, he said yes! That was his answer! W recommitted him to baptism and he said he still didn't feel ready, but he would work towards it as a goal.
Then we taught Jose Luis the rest of the restoration. Got through the first vision and I bore (what I felt) was a POWERFUL testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and as if he hadn't heard me he turned to Hmna Kugath and asked where she got her cards/pictures. *sigh* It was a good lesson though. Hard but good :)
Devo tonight= ELDER M RUSSEL BALLARD!!! SOOOO GOOD!! He said to focus on the Doctrine and to keep your eyes on the prophets and apostles. They CANNOT and WILL NOT lead you astray. I am going to write a long letter to Katelin with some more of those notes so if you want to hear about it ask her!!!
I also got another postcard from Aunt Linda and Uncle Joe and a Dear Elder from Andrea!!! I am SO grateful to have had such amazing young womens leaders. All you people involved in young womens...... you have SUCH an impact on these girls lives for the good!! Even if they don't notice it.
I am running out of time and still need to send pictures and I wanna chat with the family so HASTA LUEGO!!!!! Two more PDAYS until I am in the BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF COSTA RICA!!!! Sidenote... Yes... I have been called to the most beautiful country ever... but I we live in a preeeeeetty beautiful place too!! I love Utah. And I love YOU!!! MUAH FAMILIA!!! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!!
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