Monday, October 19, 2015

Week 6


Oct 12 2015

Today, in class, there was a strange negative air.
I didn't really know why I was feeling it, or where it was coming from, and later I found out that some of the other sisters felt the same way.
With the help of our teachers' concern for us, and encouragement to find and fix what was wrong... our district was able to come together and recognize and repent of some things that we needed to change.
Elder Blad posed an important question that set things in motion: 
"How does our district show our love for each other? Being comfortable with each other and showing our love are not the same thing."
And this is when I realized the following...
Heavenly Father has given me a gift...
He has given me the ability to be more sensitive to the feelings of others...It's easier for me to pick up on the feelings of others than many other people...
What am I doing with it?! The answer: Not Much.
How about the things I choose to say? Is is really uplifting another?
Or indirectly putting someone down? 
I decided in that moment that I really needed to stop being so pessimistic!!
Words are what god has given us to work with.
We need to use them WISELY!
Negative words are never a good thing! 
What is the worth of a soul to God? 
The soul of each individual, my soul... is worth the death of a God.
If this is the case, why don't I take care other's' souls, and mine better?

After much heartfelt discussion as a district, we all made a goal to strive to be better in uplifting each other and being supportive of one another by truly showing our love.

To end the day...I had a pleasant surprise!!!
I finally found the soda tree!! (Thanks to the help of some Elders going to Panama!)
The tree happens to be right next to the building with our classroom!!
This whole time, it had been so close! 
I had felt the want to go up to this tree and smell it multiple times in the past...
But because it didn't have a fence around it, and it seemed too simple, I hadn't bothered.
This is an important lesson to me that sometimes, the small and simple things truly are the things that matter most.
And the Lord has promised that through the small and simple things, great things can come to pass.







Oct 13 2015

"The more that a tool works, the more the carpenter is going to use it" - Elder Biggs (One of our new zone leaders)
We were discussing D+C 11:12 in our leadership meeting today and how we need to trust the spirit when serving others.
I really loved Elder Bigg's comment. 
As we use our talents and what we already have to serve others, the Lord will give us more opportunities to serve. 
Instead of doubting if a feeling is from the Spirit, we need to put into action good works because all good things are of the Lord.


Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil



Oct 14 2015

Our district finally got to host new missionaries today!!!
It was a very busy day, but it was definitely rewarding to help newcomers transition into the MTC. 
We have 29 new missionaries in our zone!! 16 of those missionaries are sisters!! How exciting is that?!
We also have our very first, all sister district! (They're cantonese speaking, going to Hong Kong)
We now have at least 90 missionaries in our zone! :)
I am so excited to get to know our new missionaries and to learn from them!

Oct 15 2015

Today, our district had the pleasure of hosting an Ambassador from Singapore! 
He came with his wife, and they were both interested to know why we decided to serve missions and about our MTC experiences.
We did our best to convey to them the reasons we were here, and what we learning here at the MTC.
I think they had a positive experience!


Oct 16 2015

We had our second English Fast today!
It was another success! 
It helped me to realize what I need to work on...
And I have a lot to work on, but I got through the day without English so it was encouraging as well!

We also had the pleasure of playing  beach volleyball with our Nong Thais (there's 12 of them - 11 Elders and 1 Sister) this morning! 
Again...the freezing cold sand was a shock...and it numbed our feet... 
But we had a lot of fun! Thai bonding time ;)


Oct 17 2015 

We had a spiritual experience at TRC today!
If I haven't explained already, TRC is where we get to teach members and get feedback about our teaching.
The second person we taught expressed in his comments that our meeting with him was the most powerful spiritual experience he'd had in awhile.
I was really thankful for this experience, because Sister Smith and I could also feel a strong spirit in that room.
As we each bore our sincere testimonies, I could feel how much we love and appreciate the gospel, and I could feel the same thing from the person we were teaching. 
The Gospel of Jesus Christ really is true. And through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and as we humble ourselves before the Lord, we really can become better. 




And the countdown begins... 




Oct 18 2015

"The test of this life is to understand the desires of your heart. Are you willing to repent and forgive? 
Are our hearts soft enough to repent and forgive? As we do so, we will turn outwards." - Brother Moon (branch presidency counselor) 





All the Thai's at the MTC!! Our district with the Nong (little/younger) Thai's!! 




Our district and the two Laotian Elders! 







Trying to break free.....








Chilling with the Kong Thai's!! (missionaries from Thailand going to Australia! 






Our crazy district!!! 






Residence Fun! Wild animals... 







Who needs a shower when you can stand under a humidifier....- Sister Parker


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