Hey everybody!
I made it! I'm in the Provo MTC now! Still trying to figure out how I want to organize my weekly emails so bear with me if my format's changing from week to week! And this one is going to be a little long so if you don't have time to read it all, at least read the Spiritual Thoughts section!
I got dropped off at the MTC last Wednesday after a week of at-home MTC. Classes over zoom sometimes made it hard to focus so it's nice to be fully immersed now that I'm here, but I'm definitely grateful for that week online because it was a really good adjustment period and prepared me so I already knew my companions and district when I got here.
Saying goodbye to family and loved ones was so hard. The MTC makes the drop-off process really fast, so one second I was crying my eyes out and the next I was being ushered past a million new faces and being welcomed by MTC leaders. It was kinda funny because I was trying to hold back tears and at the same time I was trying to match the energy of everyone welcoming me. My companion Sister Judd said that it's like nursery... the kid starts crying when their parent has to leave and is instantly handed a toy as a distraction. It's honestly true, they keep you busy from the moment you walk into the MTC doors.
I have two companions, so we're a trio! Sister Judd is also from Utah and Sister Zarco is from Connecticut! I love them both so much! They make me laugh so hard and it's nice to always be able to stick together, even though having constant companions has been an adjustment for us all too!
One of my biggest struggles so far here has been learning Spanish. I am in an intermediate district and honestly I have no idea why they put me in it, everyone else seems a lot better than I am. Sometimes I get a little teary during Spanish class because I'm so overwhelmed and embarrassed to talk in the language, so yesterday Sister Judd pulled out a pack of tissues and handed it to me right as we sat down for class. It was a joke but it made me laugh so hard.
SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS:
My spiritual thoughts are long this week but there is so much I want to share! The MTC has the most amazing Spirit. The first day we got here, we listened to a recorded missionary by Elder Bednar called "The Character of Christ," and if anyone gets ANYTHING from this email, I want it to be that you NEED to look up this devotional on youtube and listen to it! It's sooo good!
After we listened to the devotional, a guest speaker came onstage to talk to the new missionaries. He was paralyzed from the neck down and had a machine to help him breathe. I instantly felt so sad for him and it hurt me to see the kind of life he had to live. He told us his story, saying that while he was in a basketball class at BYU-Idaho, he was running through the gym and dove headfirst into a brick wall, breaking his neck and blacking out. The moment he woke up in a hospital, he realized that his life would never be the same. I will never forget what he said next. He said that although we may be able to see 90% of his trial, most people are suffering on the inside and we just can't see it with our physical eyes. He talked about how important it is to treat everyone with love. I was amazed at this speaker's faith and his plea that we treat everyone with such compassion. He was not sorry for himself, he was sorry for everyone else that was suffering too. That is the ultimate Christlike example.
This really helped me that first night because it reminded me why I'm here. I'm not here to feel sorry for myself or wonder what's going on at home, I am here to bless the lives of others! The more that we all try to direct our attention outward to the needs of others, the more inward peace and joy we will feel!
QUOTES FROM THIS WEEK:
"You don't have to impress anyone but the Lord."
"A mission is not meant to be the best time IN your life, it's meant to be the best time FOR your life."
"The change that we need to make in our lives isn't about becoming our best selves, it's about becoming like Christ."
FUN FACTS:
-The MTC cafeteria lines are INSANE. My companions and I waited in line for dinner for an hour and 15 mins a few days ago. This is the busiest time of year at the MTC--I think. I would hope so, because if it got any busier than this I don't know how everyone would find enough time to eat haha
-I think my district might be the biggest one in the MTC (actually I have no idea but we're pretty massive). There are 17 of us!
Love and miss you all so much!
Hermana DeMordaunt
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