WEEK 6 at the MTC...

May 22, 2013

This week has been pretty great! Just learning here at the MTC.

So our speaker last week at the devotional was..... Elder Russell M. Nelson! Haha I was so stinking excited. He reminds me a little bit of my Poppie and so I was glad to see him :) He gave great advice! Something that I loved a lot was when people ask us what we do as Latter-Day Saints, reply with "We Follow Jesus Christ". Don't worry, I can have that memorized in Spanish :) He and his wife talked about how the temple is the vision for our investigators and I loved it! I have learned a lot about that this week :) The people on the other side of the veil are very much alive and waiting to help us! So they said we could pray for their help, I have never thought about that before, but I assure I most certainly will be using it :)

Because it was our "last week" here we had In-Field Orientation which was a great learning experience! They shared an experience of President Monson when he was a mission president in Canada. They had an area that everyone dreaded going to and they had only one baptism in like five years. It was just "spend your time then get out" kind of area so President Monson closed the area. A couple months later he started rumors (haha maybe not exactly that way but that is how I interpreted it!) that there was an area that Brigham Young and served in and had baptized 45 people in 30 days! Sidenote: This is true about Brigham Young, he had served in that city and received this many baptisms, Sister Monson had read it in an account of him. President Monson was going to open up this "awesome area" again and he had missionaries asking to go there haha. After three months of opening, it became the highest baptizing area in the mission! So, have expectations of yourself and your area :)

We were in anticipation all day during in-field because we would be finding out if we got reassigned. During lunch, we received a slip in our mail to go to the travel office immediately. I nearly ran the whole way squealing haha. I was sooooooooo excited but when we got there, nada. But it's okay :) just a little funny how excited I had gotten :) Haha it's like getting a new mission call! I thought I was bad waiting for my real call, this is worse haha. But we are doing good honestly. We aren't sad to be here another week, we are learning A LOT already. Personal study yesterday was enough of a reason for me to have to stay. No worries about it :) This week we are on the top of the list to be reassigned so most likely! :)

Remember how I sleep talk? Well it sure hasn't changed :) haha the other night we had a pretty good one. My companion had awaken and heard me say "Seguira la ley de casidad?" Haha and if you don't know Spanish... That is "Will you follow the law of chastity?" Funny thing is, my companion didn't think anything of it until in the morning haha. Moral of the story, you know you are learning when you start sleep talking in Spanish :)  It is getting more and more difficult to read in English which is a good sign! The Spanish is coming! A lot of memorizing has been going on lately so that's been good. Just the different tenses and when to use them and what not. It's been good, I am trying to do it  in an organized manner so my brain can remember it easily. So far, I can remember the chart but I can't remember when I am supposed to use it. Haha I'll get it soon enough.

I had this great revelation this week on family history, temple work and missionary work. They all fit together so well! It has taken me 19+ years to realize this! I was able to look at my family tree chart and I am soooo excited to get doing some work when I get back :) Although I wouldn't be sad if someone did some before I got home.... :) There is sooo much to do! Missionary work helps those investigators/converts find their family so they can get their work done in the temple to have eternal life for their family :) It just makes me happy! I think family history will be one of my "hobbies" when I get home haha but until then, I will do the missionary work part :)

I am so grateful I am serving a mission right now. It really is the best time for me. I am learning a lot about myself and my strengths and especially my weaknesses! I know the Savior lives and I feel it everyday. I am sooo grateful for the Holy Ghost, I don't know what I would do without it's comfort and guidance. The Gospel is true and I can't wait to share with the people of Peru(eventually!) :)

Love, Hermana Joslyn