Ma chere famille!!
Je suis un missionaire pour l'Eglise de Jesus-Christ des saints des derniers jours!!
And I have never been happier.
Ok. So this week. I wrote a list down in my planner so that I could remember the highlights, but I didn't do it til this morning, so hopefully some of this will make sense. I'll try and take more consistent notes throughout the week for next week.
It's been a whirlwind of a week, and I have felt almost every level of every emotion, but I am so happy to be here. It honestly does feel like a dream some days, cause I just can't believe that I'm here! But I am! And I am very content. So lets see. To start off, day one. You get into the MTC, get your tag, do all that jazz, (I SAW SISTER WILSON FIRST THING CAUSE WEDNESDAY'S HER P-DAY AND SHE INTERCEPTED ME, THE BEST!), and then they throw you into language class. All french. No English whatsoever. Lucky for me, I understood it all, thanks to my previous, and very recent french classes. However, everyone else seemed pretty overwhelmed. Then. That evening, you get your first teaching opportunity. And that's the part that freaked me out. I don't know how to teach. (I also don't know french church vocab very well, but reading the Livre did help...) Anyways, that night, I get down on my knees, and ask Heavenly Father to, yes, help me with the language, but mostly, to help me learn how to teach with the Spirit as my constant companion so that I can teach with power and authority! (Like Alma and the S.o.M.) So here's what happens.
The next day, Thursday, we meet our real french teacher, qui s'appelle Frere Blosil, and he testifies, along with Soeur Cutler (our first day teacher,) that we have been called of God to teach and preach the gospel to the people in the places we are going. That really hit home. I have been called and set apart as a missionary for the Savior's true church on earth!! How incredible is that?! I am a representative of the Savior! And mon objectif, en francais, is to "inviter les gens a aller au Christ en les aidant a recevoir l'Evangile retabli par la foi en Jesus-Christ et en son expiation, par le repentir, par le bapteme, par le reception du don du Saint-Esprit, et par la perserverance, jusqu'a la fin!" (memorized that on Thursday!!) There is power in this mantle and calling. So even though, I am just me, Pono Santos, an imperfect being, I KNOW that I have been called of God and that as long as I always have the spirit with me and am obedient, I can do whatever the Lord wants me to do. I can invite people to come unto Christ, and the Spirit can testify, through my imperfect french, that what I am saying is true. Also, quote. "Obedience brings blessings, perfect obedience brings miracles." They reeeeeeaaally stress the white Bible at the start of the MTC (the handbook.) It's important to be obedience. And I want miracles! So I am trying my best to be perfectly obedient.
Friday, the jokes about me being district leader started. hah. It's just cause I know french. Everyone thinks I'm so smart. And it's annoying at times, cause I'm really not... But I am doing my best to try and help my companions and district learn with what I do know. I've gained a lot of Gospel vocabulary in this last week though! Which I am VERY grateful for. Cause I LOVE praying in french. AND testifying in French. It's just so exciting!! There is nothing better. It may be my new fave activity... (More than donating blood even!) My district! Soeur Cuthbert, Soeur Lamb, (my kind of comps... more on that later,) and Elder Grigsby (D.L.), Elder Bledsoe, and Elder Fletcher. So it's small. Which I love. 2 trios. We are already bffs. The girls are all going to new cal, and the boys, Elder Bledsoe and Fletcher are going to D.C. South French speaking, and Elder Grigsby's going to Halifax, CANADA (Where Maia's from!! and Paul, another cello studio friend is serving! We also taught our first lesson on Friday! en francais! to Chris! It actually went pretty well! And the spirit was there! I LOVE teaching in french! now I just needa learn how to!
Saturday the fun started. Careful what you pray for, cause Heavenly Father answers... So remember how I was praying to learn how to teach?! Well, my teacher pulled me outta class on Sat and Soeur Kailiponi was there with him (my other roomate who's also going to New Cal, but who leaves in 2 weeks. And Frere Blosil was like, "Soeur Kailiponi's leaving in 2 weeks and she's a solo sister, so she needs to practice teaching with a girl! Wanna teach with her?!" So, we taught a lesson later that day, after My trio taught Chris. We taught Katherine. But here's the thing. Soeur K can actually SPEAK french. So that was quite the experience! Our first lesson teaching Katherine actually went pertty well though. I spoke for some of it even!! The Spirit was there. It was incredible. Words were coming outta my mouth that I didn't even know I knew. The gift of tounges is real!!
And Sunday, we found out that we were comps. So now I kinda hang out with all three of them. Cause me and Soeur K are in different districts. But we teach together still. So I'm getting in twice as much teaching! Which is actually great. Though humbling. I am grateful though. Someone also played cello on Sunday. hah. I cried. But then I got a wake up call and watched the character of Christ by Elder Bednar. Great talk. Watch it if you get the chance. It talks about turning out. towards others, instead of turning inward. Especially when things are tough. So that is my new goal! Turning out. Cause, quite frankly, this mish isn't about me. It's about the people. And I needa get that into my head.
I got letters everyday this week! Merci a tous! (Mom, Amber, Becs, J-Dawg, Case, et Elder Woodward.) Dad! Pup! errbod else!
Everyone, use dear elder or handwrite please! I only have 30 mins on the comp.
I taught twice again yesterday! And I love it.
And Tuesdays are p-days. Gotta go to the temple, and I'm doing laundry and writing letters.
I'm outta time, so I gotta bounce, but I love you all!
This church is TRUE!! Oh man, I love it so much. Read the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11. It's incredible. And the intro. If you read and pray about the book with a sincere heart and real intent, you WILL know of it's truthfulness. I know this to be true. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!
Thanks for your love and prayers. Know that I am praying for you!
Love, Soeur Santos
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