Saturday, September 29,
2012
Hi Family!
I can't believe it's already time for me to leave the MTC. It still feels like I just got here; probably because I did. The big news for this week is that I've been reassigned. Spain missionaries have been having tons of trouble getting visas for the last couple months so every single missionary going to Spain has been reassigned. We got our reassignments last Friday night! And I'm going to the... UTAH PROVO MISSION! Waiting to find out our reassignments was like waiting for a mission call all over again. They're keeping me close so that when my visa does come I can go meet with the Consolate up in Salt Lake City. I'm actually suuuuper excited about serving in Provo for a few months. It's like a second mission! And the Provo mission is pretty big. Apparently it goes from Heber, all the way down to Cedar City. So I leave Monday at 2:30 in the afternoon and will hit the ground running.
This week was pretty good. Last P-day after we did our email and laundry we hit the pinata that Elder Ponce got in his package. Saturday we taught in the TRC. Not sure what that stands for, but we've been teaching in there a couple times a week. We teach an actual progressing investigator who volunteers to be taught by missionaries at the MTC. It's been a pretty cool experience for the most part. Our progressing investigator's name is Hely and she's from Guatemala. Our lesson last week was super cool. The Spirit was so strong. She was telling us how she sometimes doesn't feel like God loves her. It hurt me to hear that. We bore testimony to her that He does. So so much. I think she believed us because afterwards she kept crying and crying and told us how grateful for us she was. Our last meeting with her was a couple days ago and we just shared our favorite scriptures and she showed us some pictures of her family and life in Guatemala. I'm gonna miss her! But we got a picture with her! .
Our teachers (especially Hermana Koth and Hermano Adams) have been focused on not concentrating on the curriculum if that's not what the Spirit tells them we need. The last week we've had more powerful and helpful lessons because of it and I love it so much. Hermano Adams felt impressed to read us a talk called "The Fourth Missionary." It was incredible. I would hiiiiiighly recommend it to anyone who is or who is preparing to serve a mission. I learned so much and I'm going to try my best to be the fourth missionary. Go read it!
Oh! Best part of the week was definitely Sunday. It's my absolute favorite day here. We got to go to the Brigham City Temple Dedication. It was awesome. I've never been to a temple dedication before and it was a cool experience. It was especially neat because President Packer grew up in Brigham City and had been praying to live long enough to see it dedicated. After Sacrament Meeting we went on our "temple walk" with our branch. I love temple walks! Sunday night for the film viewing we chose the Joseph Smith movie. So good. I've seen it at least 5 times and it gets better every time. I can't deny the testimony I have of Joseph Smith. I know he was a true prophet and that it was through him that the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth today. I know it times a thousand. I love that man. I really love this certain line from the movie. Emma says, "Do you ever think God asks too much of us?" and Joseph says, "I don't let myself." I want to strive to have that mentality.
Monday started off so terribly, but had the best ending. We had class with Hermana Koth. Everything was going well until she brings in this guy Brother Wood and tells us to pretend he's our investigator and all 7 of us are teaching him. It was so unfair - we had zero time to plan or even attempt to gather our thoughts. Hermana Wilcox, Hermana Barrera and Elder Alvarado were the only three who spoke and the lesson went horribly. Then we went to the TRC and the coordinator guy told us that he can't feel the Spirit when he's around us and that he can't afford to have missionaries like that in the TRC. That just about killed us. We already feel inadequate and incapable, but then to hear that, and from a man who's been around us for a total of 5 minutes really sucked. The rest of the day was okay. Then, class with Hermano Adams. The best part of any day. We walk in and start class. He's like, "We're just gonna have an open honest talk. I've thrown out the lesson plans for today because I had the impression that you could just use a talk." We hadn't even told him about out day! He is so in tune with the Spirit. We told him everything that had happened and he closed the doors on all our concerns. He told us again that he loves us and that being with us is his favorite part of the day. I believe him. My favorite thing he said was, "Your mission won't be the best 2 years (18 months) of your life, but if you let it, it will be the best 2 years (18 months) for your life." I'm happy.
The quote I've been trying to remember on a daily basis is by President Monson. He said, "Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies." I've never felt so incapable in my whole life. I'm not a perfect teacher, companion, Spanish speaker, or missionary right now, and that's hard for me. I thought for sure that the hardest thing about a mission would be missing my family and friends, not working, not going to school, and giving up technology and entertainment for 18 months. But honestly, that hasn't been too big of a challenge at all. I don't really even have time to think about any of that. The hardest part is not feeling like I'll be able to give all of myself and teach this message that's so important to me. But I am qualified. And I'm learning that just being me, and loving the people with all my heart IS enough. If I give 100% every single day, the Lord will take care of the rest.
Our last class with Hermano Adams was Thursday. It was SO SAD. I has taught me so much these last three weeks and I'm going to miss him terribly. I wish there was a little mini version of him I could have in Provo/Spain with me, but at least I can write him and get some encouragement when I'm struggling! Hopefully I see him when I'm walking around Provo for the next few days/weeks/months.
Yesterday we had in-field orientation. The 500 of us who are leaving this week all had 12 hours of workshops and vision meetings preparing us for the next 12 weeks with our trainers. We watched a video about the three Sweet Water Creek boys who at just 18 years old carried pioneers across the freezing creek and later died from the effects of the freezing water. We talked about how it wasn't a split second decision they made, but a lifetime that built up to it. I love that story. We also talked a lot about the difference between faith as a principle of action, and faith as a principle of power. Faith can bring miracles. In fact, it does. We're taught here to not only hope for miracles, but to expect them. Think about that...
Well, I can't believe it's finally time to go! Next week I'll be writing from my new mission. I don't feel ready at all. My Spanish isn't where I want it, more often than not I can't teach a good lesson, and I'm nervous about leaving the safe bubble of the MTC. I love it here. I love it so much. I could do another 6 weeks here no problem. But it's time for me to go, and everything will be okay. I don't completely believe that. But I figure as long as I tell myself that, I'll eventually believe it.
I love and miss you alllllll. I appreciate the letters, packages, and emails. They've been such a mood booster on the bad days. I'll send my new address as soon as I know it, but for now, emails are the best. Enjoy General Conference! I'm so grateful for a living prophet of God and can't wait to be uplifted this weekend! You're the best. Miss me.
Love,
Hermana Munden
I can't believe it's already time for me to leave the MTC. It still feels like I just got here; probably because I did. The big news for this week is that I've been reassigned. Spain missionaries have been having tons of trouble getting visas for the last couple months so every single missionary going to Spain has been reassigned. We got our reassignments last Friday night! And I'm going to the... UTAH PROVO MISSION! Waiting to find out our reassignments was like waiting for a mission call all over again. They're keeping me close so that when my visa does come I can go meet with the Consolate up in Salt Lake City. I'm actually suuuuper excited about serving in Provo for a few months. It's like a second mission! And the Provo mission is pretty big. Apparently it goes from Heber, all the way down to Cedar City. So I leave Monday at 2:30 in the afternoon and will hit the ground running.
This week was pretty good. Last P-day after we did our email and laundry we hit the pinata that Elder Ponce got in his package. Saturday we taught in the TRC. Not sure what that stands for, but we've been teaching in there a couple times a week. We teach an actual progressing investigator who volunteers to be taught by missionaries at the MTC. It's been a pretty cool experience for the most part. Our progressing investigator's name is Hely and she's from Guatemala. Our lesson last week was super cool. The Spirit was so strong. She was telling us how she sometimes doesn't feel like God loves her. It hurt me to hear that. We bore testimony to her that He does. So so much. I think she believed us because afterwards she kept crying and crying and told us how grateful for us she was. Our last meeting with her was a couple days ago and we just shared our favorite scriptures and she showed us some pictures of her family and life in Guatemala. I'm gonna miss her! But we got a picture with her! .
Our teachers (especially Hermana Koth and Hermano Adams) have been focused on not concentrating on the curriculum if that's not what the Spirit tells them we need. The last week we've had more powerful and helpful lessons because of it and I love it so much. Hermano Adams felt impressed to read us a talk called "The Fourth Missionary." It was incredible. I would hiiiiiighly recommend it to anyone who is or who is preparing to serve a mission. I learned so much and I'm going to try my best to be the fourth missionary. Go read it!
Oh! Best part of the week was definitely Sunday. It's my absolute favorite day here. We got to go to the Brigham City Temple Dedication. It was awesome. I've never been to a temple dedication before and it was a cool experience. It was especially neat because President Packer grew up in Brigham City and had been praying to live long enough to see it dedicated. After Sacrament Meeting we went on our "temple walk" with our branch. I love temple walks! Sunday night for the film viewing we chose the Joseph Smith movie. So good. I've seen it at least 5 times and it gets better every time. I can't deny the testimony I have of Joseph Smith. I know he was a true prophet and that it was through him that the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth today. I know it times a thousand. I love that man. I really love this certain line from the movie. Emma says, "Do you ever think God asks too much of us?" and Joseph says, "I don't let myself." I want to strive to have that mentality.
Monday started off so terribly, but had the best ending. We had class with Hermana Koth. Everything was going well until she brings in this guy Brother Wood and tells us to pretend he's our investigator and all 7 of us are teaching him. It was so unfair - we had zero time to plan or even attempt to gather our thoughts. Hermana Wilcox, Hermana Barrera and Elder Alvarado were the only three who spoke and the lesson went horribly. Then we went to the TRC and the coordinator guy told us that he can't feel the Spirit when he's around us and that he can't afford to have missionaries like that in the TRC. That just about killed us. We already feel inadequate and incapable, but then to hear that, and from a man who's been around us for a total of 5 minutes really sucked. The rest of the day was okay. Then, class with Hermano Adams. The best part of any day. We walk in and start class. He's like, "We're just gonna have an open honest talk. I've thrown out the lesson plans for today because I had the impression that you could just use a talk." We hadn't even told him about out day! He is so in tune with the Spirit. We told him everything that had happened and he closed the doors on all our concerns. He told us again that he loves us and that being with us is his favorite part of the day. I believe him. My favorite thing he said was, "Your mission won't be the best 2 years (18 months) of your life, but if you let it, it will be the best 2 years (18 months) for your life." I'm happy.
The quote I've been trying to remember on a daily basis is by President Monson. He said, "Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies." I've never felt so incapable in my whole life. I'm not a perfect teacher, companion, Spanish speaker, or missionary right now, and that's hard for me. I thought for sure that the hardest thing about a mission would be missing my family and friends, not working, not going to school, and giving up technology and entertainment for 18 months. But honestly, that hasn't been too big of a challenge at all. I don't really even have time to think about any of that. The hardest part is not feeling like I'll be able to give all of myself and teach this message that's so important to me. But I am qualified. And I'm learning that just being me, and loving the people with all my heart IS enough. If I give 100% every single day, the Lord will take care of the rest.
Our last class with Hermano Adams was Thursday. It was SO SAD. I has taught me so much these last three weeks and I'm going to miss him terribly. I wish there was a little mini version of him I could have in Provo/Spain with me, but at least I can write him and get some encouragement when I'm struggling! Hopefully I see him when I'm walking around Provo for the next few days/weeks/months.
Yesterday we had in-field orientation. The 500 of us who are leaving this week all had 12 hours of workshops and vision meetings preparing us for the next 12 weeks with our trainers. We watched a video about the three Sweet Water Creek boys who at just 18 years old carried pioneers across the freezing creek and later died from the effects of the freezing water. We talked about how it wasn't a split second decision they made, but a lifetime that built up to it. I love that story. We also talked a lot about the difference between faith as a principle of action, and faith as a principle of power. Faith can bring miracles. In fact, it does. We're taught here to not only hope for miracles, but to expect them. Think about that...
Well, I can't believe it's finally time to go! Next week I'll be writing from my new mission. I don't feel ready at all. My Spanish isn't where I want it, more often than not I can't teach a good lesson, and I'm nervous about leaving the safe bubble of the MTC. I love it here. I love it so much. I could do another 6 weeks here no problem. But it's time for me to go, and everything will be okay. I don't completely believe that. But I figure as long as I tell myself that, I'll eventually believe it.
I love and miss you alllllll. I appreciate the letters, packages, and emails. They've been such a mood booster on the bad days. I'll send my new address as soon as I know it, but for now, emails are the best. Enjoy General Conference! I'm so grateful for a living prophet of God and can't wait to be uplifted this weekend! You're the best. Miss me.
Love,
Hermana Munden
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