Wow. I can't even believe that it's already been a week here at the MTC. When they say that days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days here, they are serious. Before I get into some of my favorite parts about this week, I'll tell you guys about all the stuff ;) First of all, I feel like I have been losing weight instead of gaining weight because the MTC food is literally the worst thing ever. Me and my companion eat like salad and fruit for every meal so we are always starving. But every once in a while they will serve pizza or chick fil a and we literally cry for joy. It's the little things guys ;) My companion is the cutest thing ever! We clicked like the second we met and have been connected at the hip ever since (which is good cause you super have to be anyways). We teach so well together and she helps me to chill out my dominating personality a little bit, cause lets be honest, I totally like to control stuff. She is such a positive girl and we just have so much fun. The Elders in our district are rocking! Such good guys with such firm testimonies of this gospel and our Savior. I learn so much from them every single day, and they are hilarious.
Alright, now down to business. I absolutely love the MTC and I love being a missionary. The spirit you feel here is just tangible, and my testimony has skyrocketed more than I ever thought possible in a week. Our branch presidency is so sweet and we have grown so close to them already. Our branch president's wife is like my momma here and she is the sweetest spirit. Our district is wonderful! When we study and discuss topics of the gospel, we could talk for hours and the things we feel from the Spirit are so profound and inspired. We have become such a family and it is so refreshing to see them around since you hardly know anyone else. Our teachers are so good. ONe of our teachers, Sister Frampton, usually teaches the Czech group so she is new to this English thing ;) But our other teacher, Brother Henson, is the best! He is so in tune with the Spirit and really knows how to bring us closer to Christ. Lots of my favorite moments in the MTC have been with him as the teacher. We all love him! We learn so much here! Even though 3 hour class chunks are hard to adjust to, when there is focus and a desire to learn, the time flies and the Spirit is so strong. It is such a precious time and I am so grateful for what we learn about how to teach and bring the Spirit.
The MTC is also very challenging. I have gained a very strong testimony of obedience. When I am not strictly obedient, like being late or whatever it may be, the Spirit isn't there as strong and I feel more inadequate and more opposition to my work as a missionary. When I am strictly obedient to the rules, the Spirit is with me so strong and I am able to learn and grow so much closer to my Savior. I love the guidelines we have as missionaries because they are put in place so that we can be the most effective teachers and the most in tune listeners to the Spirit that we can possibly be. I have also really grown to love my Savior more than I ever thought that I would, and I have only been here a week! I know that He loves me and I KNOW that He loves those we teach. I can feel such a difference in our lessons when there is charity in my heart for those I teach and when I can't feel it as strong. I pray for it every time I teach and I have gained a conviction that if you love those you teach as Christ loves them, He will be able to teach through you and it will become His lesson instead of yours, which is what it should be always. When all is said and done, this is His mission and as we do our best to serve Him by bringing this wonderful message to His children, He will bless us with every needful thing.
We are teaching three investigators right now: Caite, Jose, and Mamadou. Caite and Jose are real investigators and Mamadou is our teacher role playing so He can give us feedback. Our lesson with Jose was so poswerful. He felt the Spirit so strong and really felt Heavenly Father's love for him. We had him read Helaman5:12and it was exactly what He needed. We taught Caite the plan of salvation and she loved it! Teaching is probably one of my favorite parts of the MTC because I feel such joy and love for these people and it is such a fulfilling work that I get to be a part of.
The temple this morning was so wonderful! Go to the temple as much as you can because you leave with more spiritual power than you thought possible. It truly is a blessing to be able to go into a building that is closer to Heaven than anywhere else on Earth. And Paul Clark was in our session Dad! Cool, huh?
One last highlight from this week is watching Bednar's Character of Christ devotional that He gave to missionaries some years ago. I don't have much time to go into details but the main message, which I loved, was how when we as natural men want to turn in and be selfish and self centered, Christ always turns out to help others. He only cared for others and never thought about Himself. He gave amazing examples in the scriptures. If we are to make it back to our Heavenly Father, we must become like Christ as much as we possible can. In order to do that, we must turn out and help others, when the rest of the world would rather turn in. It has been a goal for me this week to apply this principle and I have seen a difference in my day to day life. I think more about how I can help others and recognize when I am turning in more than I like to admit, which gave me a chance to improve and become better.
I know that this church is true. It is so true!! I know our Savior lives with all of my heart and I know that it is because of Him that this work is possible. I know that as we pray to become like Him, it may be a painful experience as we are prompted to change things that we don't really want to change, but it is such a blessing and it brings more joy than we thought possible. "The price we pay to know Him is a privilege to pay"-Willy Handcart Company Survivor. That price we pay is truly a blessing and a privilge and I know that as we turn to Him, He can calm the waves in our lives, whether they be inside of us or all around us. He did it for His disciples and He can do it for each of us.
Alright, I think my time is up. Thank you all so much for your love and support! I wish I could sit and tell you all the details but there are too many to type. I love this gospel and I know that I am right where I should be.
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL :)
Love always,
Sister Dorian
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