Dear everyone,
Get me out of this place. I love the MTC.... I really do. But another 3 weeks here is going to be tough. Being cramped in a classroom all day long is exhausting. This last week has been pretty rough. On Tuesday, 2 of my fingernails fell off. If anyone remembers, they started to grow out weird and dad said it was probably a vitamin deficiency (which is ironic since I was in a nutrition class at BYU and trying to eat healthier anyway....) so that was pretty weird. I put band-aids on those digits and called it good. Then, Sunday night, I was changing into clothes after my shower and my toe kind of caught (but not really, it just snagged) and apparently that tiny amount of force was enough to get my entire toenail off. Um what? Also, it looks like some of my other toe nails are possible on the brink of falling off. Yes, I know nails really have no purpose but oh my gosh, do I have leprosy? It sure seems like it. (is it worth me going to the dermatologist? They are shuttling me there on Wednesday...I'm still not sure if I should go or not. But I think yes because I'd rather go now than get to Russia and die of some sort of disease...you know?) So that's scary. Also, the lady from the MTC doctor's called mom about the insurance. And I was standing right now. And it was so dumb how I couldn't even speak to my own mother on the phone. Who comes up with these rules anyway?
Add in to the fact that I already felt pretty homesick this week, and yeah. I have no idea why I'm homesick, in the best way possible there's nothing to go back to for me. I guess I've just been feeling down because one of our sisters left on Tuesday and went home. The whole zone has been pretty worked up over it, and it's crazy. She's from Provo, and it just really hit me that I could go home too if I wanted. I know it would never happen, but it's weird to think about. The worst thing about being here is besides reading the scriptures and studying.... there isn't a whole lot to do.
This week our elders were talking about their circadian rhythms during study time. I had to ask them to stop because they kept saying "circadian" and it sounds so much like my name that it made me jump so much. They laughed like crazy when I told them why their conversation was bugging me.
On Wednesday, our district was hosting-- which means we were the people to help the new missionaries as they jumped out of their cars at the MTC for the first time. Did this help my homesickness? Nope. (I don't even know if I should call it homesickness because part of it is severe "I hate the MTC"-sickness). It was really fun though. Ironically, 2 of the girls I helped (about 45 min apart from each other) were going to the same mission and lived in the same residence and had the same classroom. Pretty cool, huh? Apparently they stick all the english-speaking sisters in the NICEST residence hall on campus. It was remodeled recently and has an elevator. Um.....what? We live on the 4th floor of our extremely run-down apartment buildling and there's no elevator. I about had a cow. Apparently the MTC thinks that since we'll be living in awful apartments for the rest of our mission, we might as well start now?
Another hard thing that I went through this week was teaching the law of Chastity on Thursday. It 's a weird enough lesson without it being in Russian.....and apparently our investigator had an abortion and didn't see a problem with it. I was not prepared for that at all, but wow. I winged it okay, I thought. We were walking back from the lesson, and Sister Smith says, "oh just so you know, I already knew about her abortion. The elders made me promise not to tell you though." I about died. It was such a hard lesson for me because I just didn't have the vocabulary. I really felt betrayed by my companion because it didn't really seem like she cared about our companionship. I just don't understand people, I guess, because I never would have just let someone go through that. It was awful. Even though it's a role-play, I've found out things about my investigator through the other elders (by accident), but it's not like it changes how we prepare for the lesson.... you know? It was an interesting day, but I've finally discovered the reason why people just give up on their missions.
I had kind of a rough night on Thursday because I've just been having all kinds of doubts about being here. Friday I woke up in kind of a depressed mood, and I just was sick of being here. "Why did I do this to myself?," I thought. But then I decided to read my scriptures literally all day long. I seriously read for about 4 or 5 hours while I wasn't in class. I read a lot in D&C (I've always struggled to read there), and it was really great. I read all about temples, blessings from missions, etc. from about section 100 onward. It was exactly what I needed. I felt so much better after reading the scriptures, and I think that's the first time that that's ever happened to me because I've just never experienced it before. I've also thoroughly organized my scriptures by the lessons in Preach My Gospel. I've added all sorts of highlights and sticky notes, so it makes it easier to find a scripture in a hurry. :)
I've also begun reading the Church History in the fulness of Times student manual online at lds.org. I really love it. I've never really cared much for church history, but suddenly that's all I'm interested in-- especially after reading the majority of the missionary library. It's also really helped me in my understanding of the Doctrine and Covenants. I started to get on familysearch.org on like Monday. So interesting to look at all our ancestors. It also made me realize that there is SO MUCH family history to get started on in this family. I'm not sure if it's done already, but past about 1720 on every line, there's a dead-end. At least on the website. So dear family, I encourage you to do our family history work. It's so interesting to look at all of it already done, but there really is a ton more to do. And I can't do anything for at least another 16.5 months, so hop on it. :)
I am sosososo glad that mom and dad sent me a leather version of Jesus the Christ. I had been reading through the paperback copy that I got out of a free-bin, and I thought to myself "I don't really have the time now.... but this book requires deep study" and I realized by the time I had that time/desire to study it thoroughly, I would most likely be in Russia. I definitely did not want to haul a beat-up GIGANTIC copy of Jesus the Christ to Russia either. That leather version has been such a blessing. It's small and beautiful. I love reading it. Reading it has been so wonderful. Reading the New Testament about Christ is great, but sometimes it's a little confusing because there is so.much.information. but Jesus the Christ combines all of it into one place and also does a deep analysis of Christ's teachings.
Get me out of this place. I love the MTC.... I really do. But another 3 weeks here is going to be tough. Being cramped in a classroom all day long is exhausting. This last week has been pretty rough. On Tuesday, 2 of my fingernails fell off. If anyone remembers, they started to grow out weird and dad said it was probably a vitamin deficiency (which is ironic since I was in a nutrition class at BYU and trying to eat healthier anyway....) so that was pretty weird. I put band-aids on those digits and called it good. Then, Sunday night, I was changing into clothes after my shower and my toe kind of caught (but not really, it just snagged) and apparently that tiny amount of force was enough to get my entire toenail off. Um what? Also, it looks like some of my other toe nails are possible on the brink of falling off. Yes, I know nails really have no purpose but oh my gosh, do I have leprosy? It sure seems like it. (is it worth me going to the dermatologist? They are shuttling me there on Wednesday...I'm still not sure if I should go or not. But I think yes because I'd rather go now than get to Russia and die of some sort of disease...you know?) So that's scary. Also, the lady from the MTC doctor's called mom about the insurance. And I was standing right now. And it was so dumb how I couldn't even speak to my own mother on the phone. Who comes up with these rules anyway?
Add in to the fact that I already felt pretty homesick this week, and yeah. I have no idea why I'm homesick, in the best way possible there's nothing to go back to for me. I guess I've just been feeling down because one of our sisters left on Tuesday and went home. The whole zone has been pretty worked up over it, and it's crazy. She's from Provo, and it just really hit me that I could go home too if I wanted. I know it would never happen, but it's weird to think about. The worst thing about being here is besides reading the scriptures and studying.... there isn't a whole lot to do.
This week our elders were talking about their circadian rhythms during study time. I had to ask them to stop because they kept saying "circadian" and it sounds so much like my name that it made me jump so much. They laughed like crazy when I told them why their conversation was bugging me.
On Wednesday, our district was hosting-- which means we were the people to help the new missionaries as they jumped out of their cars at the MTC for the first time. Did this help my homesickness? Nope. (I don't even know if I should call it homesickness because part of it is severe "I hate the MTC"-sickness). It was really fun though. Ironically, 2 of the girls I helped (about 45 min apart from each other) were going to the same mission and lived in the same residence and had the same classroom. Pretty cool, huh? Apparently they stick all the english-speaking sisters in the NICEST residence hall on campus. It was remodeled recently and has an elevator. Um.....what? We live on the 4th floor of our extremely run-down apartment buildling and there's no elevator. I about had a cow. Apparently the MTC thinks that since we'll be living in awful apartments for the rest of our mission, we might as well start now?
Another hard thing that I went through this week was teaching the law of Chastity on Thursday. It 's a weird enough lesson without it being in Russian.....and apparently our investigator had an abortion and didn't see a problem with it. I was not prepared for that at all, but wow. I winged it okay, I thought. We were walking back from the lesson, and Sister Smith says, "oh just so you know, I already knew about her abortion. The elders made me promise not to tell you though." I about died. It was such a hard lesson for me because I just didn't have the vocabulary. I really felt betrayed by my companion because it didn't really seem like she cared about our companionship. I just don't understand people, I guess, because I never would have just let someone go through that. It was awful. Even though it's a role-play, I've found out things about my investigator through the other elders (by accident), but it's not like it changes how we prepare for the lesson.... you know? It was an interesting day, but I've finally discovered the reason why people just give up on their missions.
I had kind of a rough night on Thursday because I've just been having all kinds of doubts about being here. Friday I woke up in kind of a depressed mood, and I just was sick of being here. "Why did I do this to myself?," I thought. But then I decided to read my scriptures literally all day long. I seriously read for about 4 or 5 hours while I wasn't in class. I read a lot in D&C (I've always struggled to read there), and it was really great. I read all about temples, blessings from missions, etc. from about section 100 onward. It was exactly what I needed. I felt so much better after reading the scriptures, and I think that's the first time that that's ever happened to me because I've just never experienced it before. I've also thoroughly organized my scriptures by the lessons in Preach My Gospel. I've added all sorts of highlights and sticky notes, so it makes it easier to find a scripture in a hurry. :)
I've also begun reading the Church History in the fulness of Times student manual online at lds.org. I really love it. I've never really cared much for church history, but suddenly that's all I'm interested in-- especially after reading the majority of the missionary library. It's also really helped me in my understanding of the Doctrine and Covenants. I started to get on familysearch.org on like Monday. So interesting to look at all our ancestors. It also made me realize that there is SO MUCH family history to get started on in this family. I'm not sure if it's done already, but past about 1720 on every line, there's a dead-end. At least on the website. So dear family, I encourage you to do our family history work. It's so interesting to look at all of it already done, but there really is a ton more to do. And I can't do anything for at least another 16.5 months, so hop on it. :)
I am sosososo glad that mom and dad sent me a leather version of Jesus the Christ. I had been reading through the paperback copy that I got out of a free-bin, and I thought to myself "I don't really have the time now.... but this book requires deep study" and I realized by the time I had that time/desire to study it thoroughly, I would most likely be in Russia. I definitely did not want to haul a beat-up GIGANTIC copy of Jesus the Christ to Russia either. That leather version has been such a blessing. It's small and beautiful. I love reading it. Reading it has been so wonderful. Reading the New Testament about Christ is great, but sometimes it's a little confusing because there is so.much.information. but Jesus the Christ combines all of it into one place and also does a deep analysis of Christ's teachings.
I've loved the thunderstorms this last week. I love
lightning. I love thunder. I love rain. I also really just loved how it
was a change up from every other day here too. It's just really funny
how poorly planned everything is here. They run out of food at every
meal. Still. How do you run out of food when you know exactly how many
missionaries live here? That's the mystery of the universe. Also, the
air conditioner in our classroom broke this last week and water leaked
all over the floor. Now our room reeks of mildew, and it doesn't really
seem to be a priority here because no one has come to do anything about
it even though we called maintenance twice.
The free bins here are awesome, as I've said before. That
MTC water bottle I sent retails for like $20, and I got it for free.
WAHOO. I also was able to find a set of scriptures in MINT CONDITION
that I'll be sending home. They're actually the kind that I really
really want post-mission, but I want the updated ones when they come
out. So give them to someone who really needs them in our family.
They're so beautiful! Also, the pictures I'm sending are of me in some
skirts that I got in a free bin here. They are SO GREAT. They are long
enough and beautiful, and they fit me just right. It's fantastic. It's
like D.I. but everything is FREE. I also got a Free People skirt out of a
free bin that fits fine but the zipper is a little weird and ripped, so
I've been repairing it. With the repairs, it's a little tight around
the hips, but hey. I'm only getting skinnier, right?
hahahahahahahahahhaha. Anyway, I've been trying to look for more stuff
for Heather, but the people in my building are not quite at her level of
physical fitness and don't wear her ridiculously small sizes ;) but I
will keep looking. Also, I have been looking for portuguese stuff (and I
really love searching free boxes, so don't think that it's a hassle for
me), but I have some ideas about why I can never find stuff:
1. the portuguese classrooms are ALL OVER. most of the other
languages have classrooms on the same floor in the same building, but I
guess because it's unpredictable how many portuguese missionaries the
MTC is going to get, so they have no idea how many classrooms to plan
for. There are some Brazilians in my building, but then there are
Brazilians in the building next to mine as well (that's where Jessica
Clive is. I've actually seen her around a couple times. She's so cute,
and she looks so happy. So it cheered me up this week. :])
2. the portuguese speakers get sent state side. When people
leave for the airport (we only live with people going foreign), they're
so frantically packing their suitcases and everything goes to the free
bin to lower the weight. But since portuguese speakers get reassigned
state-side (at least temporarily), they bring all their stuff with them
since it's not as expensive. so hence, no portuguese learning books.
3. all the portuguese speakers are dead. Probably from lack of food, I suspect.
Those
were just some ideas. But I love you! Don't think I'm depressed, I just
had kind of a depressing week. But I feel so much better now! I love
you all! Thanks for supporting me on my mission! Thanks for writing me
on my mission! Thanks for paying for my mission! Thanks for praying for
me! Thanks for being awesome! Thanks for being the best family in the
world! Thanks for sending me food! Thanks for finally getting Eric to
write me! (that was awesome....haha)
I love you!!!
(p.s. the other picture of trees is where the elders
hang their suit coats during temple walks. It's funny because it's SO
HOT outside, but they're required to wear them. so then they hang them
up on trees so they don't get dirty. pretty funny, huh?)
THE CHURCH IS TRUE. THE BOOK IS BLUE. SEE YOU IN 2--- minus 6 months and 6 weeks, that is.
No comments:
Post a Comment