Hey everyone! I didn't send out a big email last week, so I'm going to combine both emails today. I hope you enjoy(;
WEEK 1
I'll start with my district. We have ten missionaries, four sisters (including myself) and six elders. All the sisters are going to Phoenix and all the elders are going to St. Louis, Missouri. They're AMAZING. My companion is Sister Mayer from West Point UT, she is a gifted singer, very kind, and has a strong testimony, of course. She had to wait 5 months (!!!) between turning in her papers and recieving her mission call. She's been having a rough transition and is hard on herself if our practice lessons go poorly. The two other sisters in my district are dolls. There's Sister Baldwin, who's a Georgian peach and happens to be obsessed with Disney movies. Sister Pechon is the biggest sweetheart from California. She has taught us to love ourselves and to love others, and she is so funny. Unfortunately she has had untreated depression her whole life, which is clearly a huge trial. She finally got meds here at the MTC, but it's probably going to take some time to find the right ones and right doses. She says that she feels that she isn't going to Phoenix. I want to argue with her, and make her come, because she is the best missionary out of all of us, but it's hard to argue with how she feels, since we're basically teaching others to change their lives because of their feelings. I guess I'll just have to feel it out myself, and I'm open to advice. I'd like to write about all the Elders as well, but my WPM isn't that great. I NEVER thought that that would be revalvent. Just trust me when I say that they are hilarious and surprisingly insightful.
As you've probably heard, the MTC schedule is full of studying and classes. What you might not have heard, however, is that these studies and classes are all in the same room. Although we're always doing something to help us prepare for our missions, getting out of that classroom feels like a break. Not to say I don't enjoy studying & learning, I really do. I've been learning soo much. It's like looking at something you've seen you're whole life at a different angle. Ann M. Dibb came and talked to the sisters on Sunday, it was about her testimony that the prophet is truly called from God and follows the commandments. She's President Monson's daughter, in case you didn't know.
WEEK 2
Sister Mayer's doing much better this week. She talked to the branch president last week, which helped a little, but going to a professional counciler is what she really needed. We've also improved our teaching quite a bit. We've almost got the lessons down to a T. I don't know if I'll be completely satisfied, however, until the end of my mission. Just cause that kind of thing happens to me frequently.
Since the elders are going to such a dangerous city, they decided to start preparing in a interesting way. If anyone shouts out 'bang bang!' they'll duck and hide. It's to prepare for drive by shootings. Here's something Elder Hagman said the other day: 'I'd probably get shot for this, but if I were mugged, I'd say "I don't have any money, but I have the most valuable book in the world."' So at least we know their hearts are in the right place.
There's this thing called the teaching resource center (TRC) where we get to practice teaching to investigators. We've been told that some of the investigators are actors, and some are true investigators. They've also told us that whether acting or not, everyone there shares true, personal stories about what they're going through. So far Sister Mayer and I have taught two, and they've both said yes to our invitations to baptism. It feels great. I still need to learn what to do with rejection though hahah
I've been trying to get used to the white handbook. There are a ton of rules. I've been thinking about it, and I realized that with going all the way to Phoenix, sacrificing so much, everything I've done to be here, it's just silly to serve half heartedly. After all, I made a promise to serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength. The least I can do is follow the rules.
My flight to Phoenix will be on Tuesday morning next week, so I probably won't have a chance to write until the 14th of November. Hang in there until then!
Love you all!
Sister Petty
