JULY 8
FINAL DAYS AT THE MTC
PEOPLE!!!! MISSOURI HERE I COME!!
i
get to head out of this magical place that i will miss on WEDNESDAYYY!!!!
woo
hooooo!!!!
So
this week was super awesome!!! we got to celebrate the fourth of july last
saturday hahah but they called it the "International Freedom
Celebration" haha we were celebrating the freedom of religion that lets us
go on missions and the restoration. the newsletter for the week said that we
were allowed to stay out past 10:30 and "ponder on the
restoration" as we watched fireworks from the stadium of fire in the
parking lot of the MTC. hahah it was so fun!! we all wore red white and blue
and sang patriotic songs ALL DAAYY. we also had a huge awesome game of kickball
for exercise time with our whole zone and all our elders before they would
leave! it was an awesome day ahha we actually stayed out till ike 11!! cus we
had a devotional about how the world was being prepared for the restoration and
freedom and stuff and then went out to watch fireworks. sooo yeah sunday the
next day we definitely slept in till like 6:50lol. hahah
Sunday
was good! it was hard because it was fast sunday so i almost died but i made
it. haha we had like 3 different devotionals that day and i have to admit i
fell asleep and started dreaming in one of them whoops. hahaha but my whole
district has a hilarious inside joke from our teacher about how this one
missionary was in a lesson and the teacher was watching (cus they do that) and
the missionary was like completely straight-faced and was like "the gospel
brings me so.much.joy." so we always imitate that and its hilariuos. but
for fast and testimony meeting we joked about how we all had to get up there
and incorporate that into our testimonies and we did!! haahah those of us who
got up almost all of us said it and it was hilarious. but dont worry the spirit
was still really strong. i just love my district. ALSO for after the sunday
night devo we watched hollands talk "a forever missionary" which HOLY
COW IS SO POWERFUL!! if you ahve seen character of christ this one is on the
same level. if you can find it anywhere on the internet listen to it or read
it. then send it to me so i can read it again.
also
we were released as STLs!!!!! it was sad cus i liked the calling, but nice to
not have to worry about it now!
ALSO
last pday we got to clean the provo temple since it was closed and that was SO
COOL!!! we got to clean all the crystals in the chandelier and put them all
back together!! oh it was beautiful and such a neat experience!!!!
i
have also run into so many people!! like more random people form home and a
random cousin on the bleaks side! i now cant remember but i think that grandma
and grandpa are her and and uncle? it was awesome!! ive seen a few more peple
from school like Jacob Evans!!! haha good to see him and also a friend from NC
who i havent seen in YEARSSS!! and carlyn from work!! :))
It
was sad though because we had to say goodbye to our elders who had truly become
like our brothers out here!!! they make you say goodbye to your real family and
then put you in a district that becomes your family and then you have to say
goodbye to them too!! so if any of you find an elder sherwood, belisle, drew,
brown, or hutchinson in salt lake south GO FEED THEM. hahah they will be great
missionaries. and we got so close!!
so
yeah it was sad saying goodbye. sister bishop cried. i was sad too but didnt
cry. it was especially sad because we come to class the next morning before we
would start Visitors center training and they werent there and it was so sad
but they all left us notes and wrote "see you in the celestial
kingdom" on the board and we all cried a little :(
Tuesday
we had the most powerful and fun lessons with our teachers just us sisters and
them. i love my teachers so much. my teacher sister smyth is literally like my
mom/big sister out here. hahah we have so much fun and she teaches us soooo
much. she is so christlike. hahah she also is like if we could have a slumber
party like that would be so much fun. hahah and she actually had a dream that
we all had to stay at her house with her and her husband HAHAH
FUNNY
STORY so tuesday we were out writing letters and catching up on journal writing
in the nice warm air outside on the grass instead of exercise time and
were just peacefully writing WHEN THE SPRINKLER SPURTS ON AND SPRAYS ALL OF US
DIRECTLY hahah it was hilarious. we all started screaming and ran away. my comp
was like "SHIZ!!" hahahahha and ran away its okay she is not a floosy
who swears it was just hilarious but like all our evelopes got wet and we were
like so sorry everyone else who is outside here studying the word of God ha ha
haa..... :)
Wednesday
we started VC TRAINING!!!!!! woooooo!!!!! it made me sooooo much more excited
because we are going to be doing SUCH COOL STUFF!!!! basically we are
missionaries just like everyone else but we just talk to people that come into
see us and ask about the church in a nice spiritual dedicated building!! What
will be challenging is like yo we are not here just to give tours and be a
pretty face. we are there to touch peoples lives and help their needs as christ
would just like any other missionary but we just have to meet them, get to know
them, figure out what they need and what we could share with them to help them
IN LIKE THE FIRST 5 MINUTES OF MEETING THEM. so that is kind of crazy. also its
hard to plan and we dont have much study time which is a little lame because we
literally teach more than the average missionary because we literally have all
the people we teach that come into the VC and then we have appointments with
people CALLING AND CHATTING ONLINEEEEE!!!! ISNT THAT THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!!
we got to chat with people on thursday who got on from mormon.org who
just have questions and stuff and want to know more.IT IS SO NEAT!!! GOD IS SO
GOOD AND IS A GENIOUS!! like literally we can teach people from TANZANIA who
get online!!!
but
whats so cool too is that we can keep in touch with them!!! for people who come
into the visitors center who we hand off to the missionaries, we call them to
check up with them and see how their lessons are going and stuff and we set
return appointments for the people we chat with online!!! SO WE DONT HAVE TO
JUST TOUCH SOMEONES LIFE AND THEN SAY GOODBYE FOREVERSS!!!
literally
the work of the lord in hastening the work is sooooooo legit. haha when we were
chatting yesterday i was like AHHHHH THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER AND WE GET
TO DO THIS OUR WHOLE MISSION!!!! and seriously the technology they have and how
smoothly and efficient it all is is AMAZING!!!
They
also told us some cool things aobut VC sisters. first of all we are down-played
but we are kind of held to a higher standard or we just have to plan an teach
and be just on top of it all the time. we cant just turn into push-play vc
sisters, because we really care about these people and we are not just here to
show people exhibits. we bring people closer to christ and invite and help them
strengthen their faith and feel the spirit and use the exhibits to enhance that
experience!! :))
We
never know when we might be that persons "election of grace" (what
our teacher told us about in class) where we are the opportunity or
circumstance where that person will be able to receive the gospel. SO
COOL.
The
coolest thing that our teacher Sister Lewis said was that how VC sisters are
assigned is like when their mission paper information comes up on the screen
the brethren see us and they say, that sister needs to be in a visitors center.
and then they look at all the VC and assign us to the one they feel the best
about. WE ARE NOT ASSIGNED THERE BY ACCIDENT. the Lord called us specifically
because they knew that we had special talents that would help the lords work in
VC and that we could handle the high work load.
L.Tom
Perry said that visitor center sisters are called based on "the light in
their eyes and the testimony of the atonement thats in their hearts" that
warmed my soul!!! God loves me and knows me and knows the experiences that i
have had and knows that from that i will be able to help so many people -
through the spirit and power that he has given me and with my testiomony. SOO
NEAT!!!
we
also have been practicing how to teach osmeone and share a spiritual message
that caters to their needs even though we have just met them. and WOW FAITH IS
SO REAL AND SO NEEDED BECAUSE THE SPIRIT WORKS MIRACLES. every time we have
taught a volunteer that comes into the MTC (we take them on a tour of the mtc
and all the beautiful paintings it has) whether its a member or a non-member we
have felt the spirit so strong and because of our faith and prayers and always
striving to have the spirit, we have touched those peoples hearst and helped
them feel the spirit and recieve answers. last night we were just talking to a
lady who was a return missionary and the cutest little person and we just asked
about how it was being home and just simple get to know you questions an we
came upon a picture of the savior crying and it seriously is the most beautiful
and moving picture ever and as we bore our testimony of the power of the
atonement and the realness of our savior jesus christ and shared a scripture,
she jsut started crying and we started crying with her!! it was so powerful. we
shared how christ cries with us when we are having a hard time and rejoices in
all the good times. she was so touched and we just felt soooo much love for
her. she ended up taking a picture with us and sending it to my mom!! so im
glad you got that!!! (btw you can forward that to other family if you
want:))
I
CANNOT WAIT TO GET OUT THERE AND DO THIS IN MISSOURI!!!!!!
we
get to go to SALT LAKE TEMPLE SQUARE TOMORROOWWW!!! yayyy!!!! but DO NOT I
REPEAT DO NOT come and find me. thats too hard and i gotta stay focused okay
haha this i my time for the LORD and nothing else. but i still love you all.
but it will be so fun!! we get to go on splits with the missionaries there and
have an awesome experience!!
I
have learned so much this week though just with the lord showing me my
weaknesses, which has been hard, but he does that on purpose so that we will
know that the ONLY way we can do this, and do it the right way is by doing it
his way. we just need to humble ourselves and have faith and rely on the
spirit.
sometimes
i worry about whether i will be able to say the right thing or if im doing it
all the right way, but i dont need to worry because its not about me!! the
spirit is the teacher! And thats been proven to me time and time again. its
amazing.
other
little thoughts and things ive learned before some pictures:
all
we need to do in life according to elder bednar (and to not worry about whether
we have the spirit or not just worry about these things:)
-be
a good girl or boy
-keep
the commandments
-honor
your covenants
-try
your best
and
the lord will bless you.
in 3
nephi 19:30 i love this because as we do the things we are supposed
to do and call upon the lord in prayer, he smiles upon us :)))
READ
THE TALK BY PRESIDENT MONSON called "finishers wanted" sooo
good.
we
should never be content with our weaknesses or flaws. we should always be nice
to ourselves, but always striving to be our best. DONT BE COMPLACENT.
also
read and study ALMA 17 because its amazing. read it with a question and think
about every verse as you go.
Something
my teacher told us as he was sharing his last wealth of knowledge on our last
day with him in class was that our missions are just like this:
As a
missionary, you are just the person on the front row seat, watching the Lord
unfold his own work. God says in 1 nephi that he can do his own work, but he
sends our the weak things of the world (young 18 and 19 year old boys and girls
in the prime of their life) SO THAT WE MAY BENEFIT so that we can have our
faith strengthened.
YOUR
ABILITY INCREASES AS YOUR FAITH INCREASES!!
the
plan of salvation isnt just a bunch of boxes and circles and arrows...
JESUS
IS THE PLAN FOR OUR SALVATION.
okay
those are my words of wisdom. now pictures.
LOVE
YOU ALL. THE CHURCH IS TRUE. AND JESUS IS SOOO GOOD.
Much
love,
Sister
Bleak
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