Jun 28

FIRST WEEK AT THE MTC!!!

Leih Hou Leih Hou everyone!! :)

Tuesdays are my P-days and I have 30 minutes to write my emails so we'll see how much I can cram in!

I am loving the MTC SO MUCH!!!

I am very happy here and I know this is where I need to be right now!

Learning Cantonese is exhausting and hard, but fun, it's like we're singing more than talking, and I'm learning a lot, I enjoy the language,

We have devotionals every tuesdays and a fireside every sundays, but last week we had a special devotional on Thursday where Elder Bednar spoke! He talked about how to be a Preach-My-Gospel-Missionary and it was very encouraging and strengthening talk, I love him very much. And last week was apparently a crazy week for the MTC, because they held the training for all the newly called mission presidents, and so the Prophet and his apostles all came too! I didn't get to see any of them except for at the devotional I saw some of them with Elder Bednar.

I love the Spirit so much here, I can feel it so constantly, and I feel so clean and pure, I am very happy and I am not distracted or depressed at all, except for in class our district can get loud and crazy that we've been struggling with, but we've been doing our best to be better, more reverent and unified, at least for me, I prayed for my district, especially this one elder that drives me a bit crazy, I prayed for unity and reverence, and hopefully things will turn out better. Apparently we are the largest district since for long in the MTC, 12 of us are squished into this tiny classroom which I guess is why we've been struggling a bit. But other than that, things are just great, I have a great companions Sister Kelly (she kind of looks like Becky Heumann from Brighton 1st Ward), and Sister Kiene (pronounced like Keenee) who was a solo sister in the older district until Sister Kelly and I arrived here on wednesday. We are the only sisters in our zone.

Food is good, it's like the Cannon Center at BYU, except I was starting to get a bit discouraged with the food until finally last night for dinner they served Spaghetti!!! I was looking for pasta this whole time whenever we went to eat! haha

Adjusting to MTC schedule wasn't too bad to my surprise, I really feel supported and strengthened here it's incredible.

I have been growing and learning a lot here, my testimony is also growing as well, In thePreach My Gospel, page 17 it says " For you to grow in the gospel and stay on the path that leads to eternal life, you need to develop a habit of gospel study." And that is really true. In life, we can't stay in one spot, we are either growing and progressing towards our full potential, or digressing, forgetting what we have learned, it is important that we continue to grow because otherwise we will only go backwards.

If we want to grow, the habit of scripture study is the best. Because scriptures are God's words, and that's where personal revelations come, it's most effective tool to growth than any other worldly philosophies and helpful tips, if we turn to the Lord, He will teach us, read that section if you have access, I recommand it :)

I have given my 18 months to the Lord, and I know that the time I have now is not mine, it is the Lord's, and I can't waste it, I need to make the most of it.

This time isn't about me, it's about Lord's work and the people I have been called to serve. And that motivates me through the learning of Cantonese and all the work I do here. I really honestly just want to go out there now and start inviting people to come unto Christ, in whom there is hope and eternal happiness, but I know I'm not ready, I need to learn this language, and I'm going to do it because I love the people there, I really want them to have this happiness that I have been able to find. And for them, for the Lord, I can do anything.

Only 5 min left! I hope to write more next week! I will write to my personal messages to my parents now, I love you all!!!!

Leih Jimuih (my chinese name! sounds very close to Burningham! Leih Sister)

p.s. remember you can write me on dearelder.comdearelder.com if you hkave time ;)