Hello friends and family!
How is everyone?? I hope you haven’t cried too much from my absence 😉 I’ll tell you, I haven’t had a nice big cry yet. I think that might be one of the reasons it doesn’t feel real yet. It feels like I’ll just come home at the end of the week.. but I won’t.
The first day, they through us right into it. I got my nametag and dropped off my luggage and made my way to my classroom to meet my district. I walked in and met my teachers and my companion Sister Anderson! That has been the closest I’ve come to crying! It was just meant to be and I knew it the second I saw her! I constantly thank Heavenly Father for her friendship, desire to serve and loving spirit. After we met our district, we went to orientation and met the MTC presidency. We sang We’ll Bring the World His Truth, but the words were changed to things like “We are now the lords missionaries” instead of “will be” that made me tear up. I can’t tell you how many times that day I heard “Welcome to the MTC!!” Over and over and over again… but it’s great. We had an orange dot on our tag to show that we were knew and everyone has been so loving and welcoming. After orientation, we met with three people as a large group of around 40 missionaries. We met Natalie, Bree and Aubrey, each nonmembers. Our assignment was to get to know them and help them feel God’s love for them. Those who wanted to say something were handed a microphone and either made a comment or asked a question. It was really amazing. It was incredible how much love I love for these people. They each had been through some tough things and had real concerns and questions about the church. Bree told us how she didn’t understand how we could all say “I know….” about the gospel. I felt inspired to raise my hand. I got the microphone and told her that she should know that, at least for me, I do not know all things. There are a lot of things in the gospel that I’m not 100% sure of. Its truly faith that leads to knowledge and I’m still working on it. But I made sure she knew that when I live the gospel, i am happiest. It was a really amazing experience being able to talk to her. I wish i could’ve met with each of them personally and listened to them. Crazy crazy crazy how much love I felt for them.
We ended the evening with our district and I was assigned Senior companion. Basically, I just lead studies with my comp and make sure we get stuff done. Sister Anderson and I started the Book of Mormon again that night and went to bed nice and early. I was waaaaay too pooped.
The second day was a ton of workshops and classes. Holy cow so much information and it was only day two. We did a lot of role playing with greetings and talking with a nonmember. We practiced writing lesson plans and learned we will be teaching investigators starting Monday. It’s called TRC’s and I super nervous. But yesterday was such an overwhelming, trying and tiring day. After all our classes and workshops and taking so many notes Sister Anderson and I sat down to start our personal study and both kinda fell apart to each other. We were real quiet and I said “Sister, I don’t think I can do this.” We both felt the same way. The amount of responsibility, doctrine, standards and work that has been shoved down our throats has been almost unbearable. We talked about how we need to remember it isn’t about us. This work is about the Savior and we’re doing this for his children. I think about my farewell talk and how I talked about things we go through that we can’t do by ourselves. This is definitely one of those things. I can’t do this without my Savior. Period.
Sister Anderson and I had an even deeper conversation that evening during comp study. We cried together and talked about our family and trials we’ve been through. I’m so grateful for her, she’s truly incredible and I couldn’t do this without her either.
I know I’m writing a lot, so I’ll try to finish. Today is Pday! It was harder to wake up today, I’ll be honest, but we went to the temple right after breakfast and did initiatories. “We” being Sister Anderson and I, and two other sister companionships in our district. Our whole district went, but us sisters stuck together. After initiatories we went to the celestial room. I think it was a much needed moment for all of us. We all cried there, sitting next to each other on the couches, dressed in the same white dresses. Me and my sisters. I had another moment, while sitting there, to realize just how hard this next part of my life is gonna be. I simply cannot do it without my Savior. I hope I will be better at turning to him, and learning the gospel. I shared D&C 101:16 with Sister Anderson while in the celestial room. It felt good to be still and remember who’s in charge and who’s watching over me. We’ve since gone to the store to get some groceries and are now home finishing up some assignments.
It has been a CRAZY last few days and I have to remember that this is what I signed up for hahaha. This will be my life for the next year and a half, and its going to be life changing, no doubt about it. Itll be so hard, but I know it’ll allow me to strengthen my faith and testimony in the Savior. This gospel brings me so much joy and I love it eith all i got. Keep praying! Keep studying! I’m already noticing the change that makes in my life! Keep doing those things and choose the right!
I love you all!
Sister Abby Oldham