Time is so crazy here! It feels like I have been here for forever but at the same time, it has gone by SO fast! Somedays I feel like the MTC is my mission (depressing thought, I know). I've determined they keep you at the MTC for long enough so you can't wait to get out and so you know how to endure to the end! It's also weird to think life continues outside of the MTC walls...people getting married, having birthdays, wearing jeans - crazy things.
This week has been great! Hermana Richards and I had our mid-MTC crisis. We taught a lesson to one of our investigators (Leonardo) that was a little frustrating. We went in with a GREAT lesson plan. Like we were both seriously stoked and ready to commit him to baptism on the second lesson. We asked how his day had been and he said he had just slept all day because he had been out drinking with his friends last night. I didn't know the word "tomar" meant to drink, as in alcohol, so i made the mistake of asking if any of his friends were mormon...oops. Then Hermana Richards called him our old investigators name (Enrique), and our lesson was a little scattered. It felt like we had skimmed the surface of ALL the lessons but at the same time didn't teach anything and just confused him more. haha It's annoying to walk out of a lesson feeling dissatisfied but I think we're finally "friends" with Leonardo which is important. 20 minutes for a lesson is just not enough time. Afterwards we were overwhelmed with teaching just because it seems like all of the lessons are intertwined and you can't teach one without teaching all of them - which is great because they should connect, but frustrating when you don't know how to not get too deep into the material. But we made it through and all is well. I sometimes like when our lessons don't go as well as planned because if forces us to humble ourselves and realize we need to rely more on the spirit.
On Friday our district made a goal not to complain about anything. We have service every Friday morning - which usually consists of picking out and putting up the MTC flags...boss job, I know) - but today we walked in and the lady asked us to clean walls....what?! We had to scrub and then "dab" the walls dry in the main building. I think Heavenly Father was laughing as we smiled and scrubbed our wall instead of put of the flags. We decided to never make that a goal again. ;) We also had TRC where volunteers come in and we get to talk with REAL PEOPLE not associated with the MTC and teach them a short lesson. A few of the elders in my district were sweating like crazy and literally about to pass out before they went in but then came out with the biggest smiles on their faces! It was a BLAST. The spanish flowed pretty well and one of the sisters Hma Richards and I taught shared her conversion story with us. It was the most incredible story I've ever heard. If you're lucky I'll tell you someday:) Afterwards we all just wanted to keep teaching.
Sunday - understandably everyones favorite day at the MTC - was amazing. We had a great Missionary Conference, sang God be With You Til We Meet Again to the departing missionaries, and I bore my testimony in Spanish for the first time in a formal setting like that. I used to think it was scary doing it in English...it actually wasn't that bad! BORN TO SPEAK SPANISH BABY! We went on a temple walk (basically any time we are outside, it is heaven) and then broke our fasts at 5:00 and MTC dinner never tasted so good! After dinner we went to a fireside that is different than any fireside I've ever been to. The speaker did a monologue of Willard Richards in Carthaige Jail with Joseph Smith. Needless to say, I bawled. I think i've cried more at the MTC than I have my entire life. Then we watched a devotional by Holland called Such a Time as This. SO GOOD. He speaks with so much power - it's incredible.
Cool story. So during our mid-MTC crisis, Hermana Richards and I decided to take a walk. We were walking and and saw a group of elders by the fence of the MTC talking to a little boy. They told us to come over and meet their new friend. We walked over and there was a little boy with a spiderman helmet on that had been riding by the MTC and just wanted to chat. He told us his name, his age, what he got for his 5th b-day, what he ate for dinner, how sometimes he doesn't like his sister because she gives him wedgies..you know, the important things. He said one day he was going to be a missionary because he wanted to serve the people. He also told us he has a brother that's in the MTC getting ready to go to Russia. We asked what his last name was and we would look out for him and tell him hi from his little brother if we saw him. We had to go in for dinner but as we were leaving he said, "Thanks! You guys are my new friends and I love you!" Right as we walk into dinner I see Sister Parish (from germany) who is going to Russia and asked if she knew an Elder Oldroid going the Russia (not really expecting much because there are a ton of Russian speaking zones). SHE DOES! He is in her zone! So she took us over to him and we got to talk about his little brother for a few minutes! He was beaming when we told him the things David had said. Making a new friend from outside the MTC then finding his brother that's in the MTC - miracles happen.
Thanks so much everyone for the letters and for the postcard!! You all are the best. (Also, don't let this get around but I have said "y'all" a couple times thanks to my companion. Darn texans! Anyways, just thought the Atwoods and Jake might be proud.) I am seriously PUMPED that Emily is going on a mission! She is going to be amazing and the mission is going to be amazing for her! Keep me updated with where everyone is going! Dad, we go to the temple ever p-day and I only have two more of those (NUTS!) so if you send family names for me to do in the temple and think they will get here on time, i'd love to do them. Sorry about your baseball game Sara! Sometimes the Lord has to humble us though...watch that pride...i'm kidding;) Also, happy 11th birthday!! Only a year to go until Young Womens - woot woot! ;) Maren, there were WAY too many "muahahaha"s in your letter. somethings never change - you're one of them. Alright fam, keep the letters/pictures/prayers coming and I love you tons!
Vaya con Dios!
Hermana Stewart
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