July 9, 2012

Hello everyone!

Another week has come and gone at the MTC. It really feels like it goes by so fast! It's been nice to have a week with a normal schedule and just getting to be with my companions. We now are teaching two "investigators" lessons. They're really our teachers, but it still feels pretty real. Role play is an awesome tool that we get to use here to learn how to be ready for the field.

Tomorrow my sweet companion Hermana Ellingson is leaving for the Guatemala MTC. I have learned SO much for her! If we were in Pride and Prejudice, she would be Jane, because that is how so "utterly agreeable" she is with everyone :) Hermana Lish and I will be the only hermanas in our district, and in three weeks or so we'll be the only hermanas in the zone. Thank goodness for companions! Relief Society is pretty incredible here. It's a time for all the sisters to get together and be with each other. I always feel so great after them. I think it kind of reminds me of home, just being around sisters ;)

My teacher, Brother Ridge, taught us something pretty cool. He said that as we're knocking doors, people are going to open it and see either a little boy or a little girl, or they'll see the Savior. It all depends on how we live our lives. I know I'm not a perfect missionary, but I do know that as I try and put my whole heart, might, mind, and strength into this incredible work, the Lord will help me change.

We also had an awesome devotional by an emeritus seventy, Elder Kikuchi. One of my things I got from his devotional is that the best thing I can come home from my mission with, is a testimony that my Savior, Jesus Christ, and His atonement, are always with me. That I can always hold onto the atonement, hold onto the Savior's hand, and heal. Every time I make a mistake here, I get to practice this so much! Always remembering the atonement gives me the courage to change, cambiar :) I invite you all to do the same. Never forget the atonement is real, it is beautiful, and it definitely works.

Miss Mary Cannon! You asked what we did for the 4th of July here, and I am more than happy to tell you! We got out of class early on the 4th and all went into the gym. We sang patriotic songs for about a half hour or so. Go America. :) It was pretty funny, because two seats away from me was an elder from Africa, and then two rows in front of me was an elder from the UK. The UK elder thought it was pretty funny when we sang "Grand Ol' Flag", about the line that says we never boast or brag. I've always thought that line was a little strange, too. We had a really great devotional, talking more about how important religious freedom is, and how that religious freedom all around the world is letting us go forth to spread the gospel to the Lord's children. After we got to go outside (still in the MTC complex) and look at the Stadium of Fire fireworks. They also gave us Magnum ice cream bars!!!! If you don't know what those are, just know they're incredible stuff :) It was all and all pretty cool.   Thank goodness we normally have a pretty regimented schedule, though. Some of the elders got a little too excited with just sitting around, if you can imagine :)

I love my district! The elders are silly at times, but I love them. Elder Esparza is a convert of 2 years, and has served in the army and the national guard. He'll deploy to Afganistan, and it's a miracle he got to go on a mission. Elder Smithson went to the Airforce academy. He's kind of quiet in class, but he's pretty funny. His companion, Elder Wise, reminds me a lot of my brother-in-law Ben. Take that for what you will. Just kidding :) He's pretty funny. When everybody goes out for gym time, he'll just go sleep under a tree. He's a computer science major. Ben, not that you would sleep under trees. You would go play baseball! But he's got similar personality traits, that's all.

I'll tell you about the rest of them later. I love you all! Don't ever forget how much Heavenly Father loves you, and how he wants you to be HAPPY in this life. It doesn't mean everything is just perfect all the time, but it does mean He can give us peace and strength through whatever we're going through. I know this is definitely true. Try it for yourselves :)

Hermana Lovell