Dear Family & Friends,
I hope this letter makes some sort of sense, because I am SOOO tired! :D My
days are definitely very full here at the MTC, but I love it. So I don't forget
anything, lemme just go through the days one at a time...
Wednesday, Jan. 22nd -
So, when I got to the MTC, it was crazy-overwhelming. They herded me around
and I had no idea what was going on. I was a little bit late because someone
(*cough* mom *cough*) wouldn't let me go. :D I have two companions, Soeur Ridd
and Soeur Rasmussen. They are both amazing and I've come to love them so much
even though we're all very different. (Me = nerdy/weird/shy, Them = outgoing,
sporty, AWESOME!) They're both from Arizona, so they knew each other a little
bit before they came here. Like I said, I love them. It feels like I've known
them for years instead of days. We're already good friends. I also love my
district! We get on random tangents (like one day I asked Soeur Ridd how she
felt when she repented, so she could bear her testimony about it in French, and
she said "I feel happy!" And we got off on a random Monty Python tangent).
Anyway... on Wednesday, we had a teaching experience thing where all the new
missionaries contributed and tried to teach an "investigator". I remember
feeling unhappy that I didn't participate. Wednesday was confusing and I only
got 3 hours of sleep on our hard bed. I prayed fervently for comfort and help
from the Lord until I fell asleep.
Thursday, Jan. 23rd -
It's amazing how Heavenly Father answers prayers so quickly sometimes. On
Thursday I felt 1,000 times better! I felt the Spirit so strongly when we went
to a purpose workshop where we talked about how we're supposed to invite others
to come to Christ, not convince or manipulate them. And that everyone has some
sort of connection with God, that he is in everyone's lives, whether they
realize/believe it or not, and that we are supposed to help them see that
connection and help it grow stronger. As a district, we learned a lot of French.
Soeur Ridd had only taken Spanish before, so she was worried about how she would
do. But she's progressing really quickly. There was actually an elder in our
district who did so well at French that they gave him a test and moved him to an
advanced language district. They gave me the same test, but I'm still in my same
district, so I'm thinking I didn't pass. Which is okay with me, because I love
my companions and my district so much. Plus I help them know how to say stuff in
French. :) Besides learning French, we prepared a lesson for our first
"investigator" (someone who speaks French, playing someone interested in the
Church), Quentin. We also met our branch presidency and their wives. I can tell
they love us so much.
Friday, Jan. 24th -
On Friday, we did our service project. My companions and I did some
cleaning in the main building, which reminded me of my janitorial job at Smith
Optics. And that was actually a good thing, because I loved working there and I
seriously miss it (especially the people there!). Which seems kind of strange,
but it's true. We also taught Quentin, and it went better than I thought,
considering we didn't know French very well. We taught him about how Heavenly
Father loves each of us, how he is our literal Father, the father of our
spirits, and that he has a body like we do. We also taught him how to pray. The
most amazing part of the lesson was that I felt an instant love for Quentin and
wanted him to have the pure joy that the gospel brings. I know the Lord loves
him so much and can help me love those I teach. (Even though Quentin is a fake
investigator, we're supposed to treat him as if he were a real investigator, so
I am, and it's working pretty well). After teaching Quentin, we were much more
united as a companionship. We were a lot closer and more comfortable with each
other. I was a little bit less shy. It was fantastic.
Saturday, Jan. 25th-
We went to a workshop about using scriptures in lessons that helped me know
how to teach Quentin better. I know that if I study the scriptures, and do my
best, that the Spirit will bring them to my mind when I need them. We also
studied a flapjack-load of French on Saturday. That was the day we got
distracted by Monty Python. And a Flight of the Conchords song got stuck in our
heads because Elder Wallace and Elder Amaya (he's the one who is in the advanced
district now) started singing it.
Sunday, Jan. 26th -
This was an amazing, wonderiffical, fantabulous day. A sister in our
branch/zone gave a talk in French, and I can tell she'll be an amazing
missionary, because I felt the Holy Ghost so strongly during her talk. Even my
companion who didn't understand her felt the Spirit. Janice Kapp Perry came and
talked to the sisters for Relief Society. That was a great experience. We sang
some of the songs she'd written, and I felt the Spirit. I knew without a doubt
that this is where the Lord wants me to be, and I had a greater desire to be
more like Jesus Christ in my everyday actions. The best part of the day was when
a man from the Quorum of the Seventy came and talked to us. He said he didn't
have a talk prepared and that we should pray to have questions answered, and
that he would follow the Spirit and answer them. I felt the Spirit so strongly.
I felt peace and had my testimony confirmed that God really is there, that the
Savior loves me, and that this is his true church. There was no doubt in my mind
and no way I could ever deny it. That feeling was stronger and more effective
for me than any physical evidence would have been. My questions were answered
that day.
Monday, Jan. 27th-
On Monday, I had to... um... poop in a cup. 'Cause in order to go to
Belgium we had to be tested for parasites. It was a distressing/traumatizing
experience. That is all.
Also, we taught Quentin about the Restoration, and it went pretty
well.
Tuesday, Jan. 28th-
Yesterday we (my companions and Elder Wallace) flew to San Francisco at 3
in the morning to go to the Consulate and get our visas. Then we went to
Ghiradelli Square, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Chinatown.
I hope you guys are doing fantastic! I'm actually taking way more time than
I should to write this, so I gotta go!
Love,
Soeur Cathryn Williams
I'll send pictures later when I figure out how.
