My first week in the MTC

Hello everyone! I am just finishing my first week in the MTC. Well it's really only been 4 days but it counts as a week so I'm only 5 weeks away from being sent to the Philippines. We have a new departure date which is OCT 21 instead of the 23rd. This means that my MTC address is changed with that correction and (drum roll please) I am actually moving to West Campus. My district has been chosen to go to West Campus for the final 4 weeks of the MTC so this means I'll be sending a new address once I find out. It's really exciting and I'll be living in Wyview and apparently the food is a lot better on that campus so I'm excited. I don't really like the food here. It's all super processed and reheated stuff. I just eat it and deal, better than my companion who complains that she's bloated. But that's a different story. I like the MTC and I like that you're constantly drenched in the Spirit. Wow there is so much to tell you but so little time. Like I said, everything is crazy which means that we have no time to do anything. Everything we do is hurried. Showering, eating, walking, writing in my journal. The days are long but the weeks are short. I finally understand that. 

My kasama (companion) is Sister Lau and she's from Provo, Utah. She's 19 years old and she has no clue what she's doing, haha, in a good way. She is so soft spoken and she's like, should we be overbearing and have a prayer for the lesson with the investigator? And I'm like, "yes! we need to be bold with the Spirit. That's the only way they will feel it." So I'm patient with her and I learn a lot of things from her and I already know that we're together for a reason. Our district has 4 Elders and 8 Sisters. This is pretty similar with all the Districts going to the Philippines. So many sisters that we far outnumber the Elders! It's kinda awesome. Our District has goals to speak the language and say the words that we know but it's hard because it's so easy to just speak English and say everything that you want to say. We also have a goal to be exactly obedient and I'm already reaping the blessings of this. Our district is so fun and we just laugh and get along very well. It's hard to study in the same room because we start talking.  

It's been good in the MTC so far. By the way, my P day is Saturday so make sure to email me before then. It still doesn't seem real that I'm going to the Philippines. I heard a rumor that our flight plans had us going to Hong Kong so that's pretty cool! 

Bad news, I can't send pictures because apparently you have to use a card reader to do that and I have to buy it in the bookstore. Fail. No one told me. So, I'll send pictures next week!

Being a missionary is the hardest thing I've ever done. Our time is stretched thin and this language is a challenge and it's so easy to not use our study time and just talk or nap. I haven't been disobedient but I've already seen a lot of missionaries breaking the rules and I just have to remember that I only govern myself. I am grateful for a companion that strives to be obedient and live our life to the fullest while we are here. I have learned a lot, and I"m studying a lot and I'm beginning to learn this language. Sometimes when I'm in class I wonder: when is the gift of tongues going to step in?? I have had this promise and I just remind myself that it's all according to what I do. Work like everything depends on you; pray like everything depends on the Lord. That is the motto for my kasama and I. 

Last night we taught our first lesson in Tagalog with an investigator and we can't use notes or anything and we taught for like 10 minutes and it wasn't so bad. Well, it was bad but apparently we did a lot better than the other companionships. Haha. This language is fun but the words all sound the same and so I have to say them over and over again so I can hear them. I know that the Lord doesn't cal the qualified, He qualifies the called. And so, I keep going and keep trying and I don't let myself be negative at all because that means I'm doubting the power of God. 

I don't really know what else to say not. I still have another half hour for email, haha. I was trying to type really fast. I know that I know so much in Tagalog already because of the Spirit. It is not possible to already know how to pray, testify and teach, even though the messages are simple, unless it were through the power of God. 

Keep praying for me and I pray for you. I guess until next week. I have to go do laundry after this and then we're going to the temple for a session in Tagalog! Booyah! I wish I could send pictures but it's okay. I've only been gone 4 days, so ya'll can wait another week. I say ya'll now because we can't say guys or dude, which is still hard and we all have to correct ourselves all the time. 

I wake up at 6 am and workout and then shower at 6:30, class at 7 to meet and pray with the District, breakfast at 7:30. class from 8-11. Study time from 11-12:10. 

Lunch 12:10-12:55

1-4 we have class and more study time. 

4-5 more study (language study)

5-6 dinner

6-9 Class

9-9:30 Planning the next day and reviewing goals. 

Quiet time and settling down

sleep 10:30

It makes for long days but we sure get a lot done!

Alright, now that I've written a book. It's time for me to go. 

Love you all!