First week - check

Well I officially made it through my first week at the MTC and it was something that's for sure. I overheard someone describe this place as a big umbrella and it certainly is that, figuratively and literally as all the walk ways are covered. Spiritually speaking, this is a bubble where the holy spirit hangs out and brings help, comfort, and understanding to everyone here. It's wonderful! It's also quite a bit of a roller coaster, an emotional one. So far I've done super great keeping my head on straight, I'm way proud of myself and chalk that up to having my breakdowns years ago. Here I just kind of stand back and watch as other sisters go through about 500 emotions in under 5 min. It's truly amazing. My companions are so tenderhearted and some of them are really suffering from home sicknesses, it's hard to watch, my heart aches for them. I certainly miss all my family and friends very much, but some how I'm running off the knowledge that all of you are with me, rooting for me and I'm not alone here. I'm so very grateful for all the letters of encouragement I've received, nothing replaces the simple words of people you care about when doing this kind of work. I simply can not thank you enough and please don't stop!

 

I am still trying to adjust to the food. It almost feels like going to another planet, where all the food is brown and your belly just doesn't stop expanding. The Elders seem to like it though, I can see why - it's endless and they get to have whatever they want without even eating their veggies. I love the Elders here so much.  There are 6 in my district and they have already become like adopted brothers. In fact, every time I look at them I'm reminded of Sean and Scott out there serving right now. There is certainly plenty of shenanigans from them, but when they are in missionary mode, it's truly beautiful. They lift my spirits and I've witnessed wonderful acts of pure faith from them...19 year old boys in the MTC for only one week. Miracles. Seriously. We are extremely out numbered here, the sisters that is, by a sea white shirts and ties. The other day I had a meeting with 15 men and just me, so weird.  For the most part they are so respectful. They open our doors, they move out of our way, they say hello, they look to us - well most of us - for advice and support. I'm grateful to their parents and to them for learning respect to women and the real sacredness of their calling, and 90% of the time they have it spot on.

 

There is a girl that sings hymns while in the shower every morning...at 6 am. When I first get in there I usually want to shake her, but then after a few moments her sweet voice and spirit calms my heart and mind. I love that kind of simple change. Especially since all the other kind of changes around here seem to be really hard and a tad painful. The past few days I've really been focusing and learning on how to keep the spirit with me as my #1 goal. I have been so overwhelmed by learning all this doctrine, memorizing scripture AND speaking Spanish that I fail to remember that what really teaches and the only thing that can really express the feelings faith in Christ brings is the Spirit. So, I've been telling myself my terribly broken Spanish doens't matter, my spirit will make up the difference in my poor grammar and lack of vocabulary. I've never had my tongue tied like this before, expressing myself never seemed so impossible in my entire life. Hence, the challenge I have here...of course. As I continue to focus on my personal study, the words of God and keeping myself with the Spirit, I know it will come and no matter what words come out of my mouth, the people I talk to will feel it too. Win win. The good news...I can understand the Spanish and I can read it, almost without fail...but no yo hablo.

 

So, President Monson's nephew is in our Branch Presidency and that's pretty awesome. He looks very much like him and as some of the same expressions and way of speaking, it makes me giggle. He is also of course very wise, loving and fluent in Spanish. Last night we were also pleased to hear from Russel M Nelson during our Devotional. That was so fun, to have him so close. I'm not going to lie, it was kind of boring, but he did bring a strong message. He taught us 9 principles of The Doctrine. He compared The Doctrine to a diamond, with many facets - I liked that...because he was talking about diamonds. I'm running out of time so I'll try to talk about those 9 Doctrines later after I've had time to let them sink in.

 

Don't worry, I've learned a strategy for getting off my top bunk. Everyone can rest easy. Thank you all for your love and support.

 

Love,

Hermana Hall

 

P.S. I could use some cute stationary paper to write everyone that loves me so. :)

I'm at the MTC!

It's Saturday here at the MTC, but it sure does not feel like a Saturday here. In fact, all the days so far have felt the same. The first day here was very strange. I felt like I did Freshman year at BYU, clueless and bug eyed. There are four sisters in our district and we are the only sisters in our entire zone. We share a small room with 3 bunk bends. I was the last to arrive so I'm on the top. I didn't mind it so much until I got up the next morning and realized I had no idea how to get down because there isn't really a latter. I acted cool for awhile not wanting to tell anyone that I was stuck for some dumb reason so I straightened my sheets really good. Finally after 10 min another sister asked if I needed help, to which I yelped with joy. She then held a chair as I not so gracefully half slid and jumped onto the chair below. Now it's a routine...at 6 am. Today I was in the shower...at 6 am...thinking, this is really weird and it's a miracle I'm awake. And yes, the food is as people warned...scary and terrible. I've keep myself out of the dismal digestive darkness by hanging out near the salads, but every day, every day - man it has only been 3 days and I'm tired of it. I found the cookies you were talking about Mom, they were delicious and they have saved me. Now to get over my caffeine withdraws...

 

I was called to be the coordinating Sister for our zone which basically means I have to go to a ton of meetings on Sunday. I am, however, looking forward to the opportunity to work directly with the Branch Presidency and to help the sisters in my zone in any way I can. It's already become clear a few ways in which I can help the others so I've been slowly figuring out how to make that happen. We've already turned into quite the popular room, we had 6 sister visitors last night. Up until then I'd done a really great job staying under the radar as the oldest person in our building, but one sister wanted to chat about personal lives and asked all of us point blank how old we are. When they got to me, I asked them what they thought. In unison they agreed I was surely 23. I chuckled and thanked them kindly and then told them I was actually 31 and I kid you not I had to plug my ears from the squeals and pick every single chin off the floor. I just blew their minds. It was so adorable. And that is how it is around...adorable. Elders are...well they are 19 and I keep reminding myself they are just like my wonderful brothers serving right now, only younger and I have to make myself love them. It's like being in the YSA ward only, the men out number the women by a billion and it feels like you are in a really religious boys locker room all the time. However, they are all so kind to the Sisters. It's really sweet. They open our doors and greet us in our language. For the most part they really get the respect their calling has come with. I appreciate that so much.

 

Yesterday we gave our first lesson to an investigator...in Spanish. I'm sure you can very much imagine how that went. Uh...hola,soy Hermana Hall. There was a lot of silence, but my companion and I somehow managed to do alright. We bore our testimonies in as much Spanish as we could pull out. I'm pretty sure all I got out was corazon and Dios amor, but it is has they say, the spirit is with you when you've asked it to be there and even with the terrible language barrier, the spirit could be felt by all. I found myself thinking a lot yesterday that if only I could speak in English I could answer all this sisters questions and no doubt she would be baptized. This silly language is holding me up! It is so very challenging, but then I wonder how the English missionaries feel. Surely this is not a cake walk. There is still so much to learn about being completely and utterly inadequate and helpless. This is what the teachers keep telling us, we must first realize we rely entirely on the Lord and after all we can do, when we open our mouths, he will fill them with words. I'm certainly not there yet, and it has become very clear it is going to take a very long time, but the purpose of missionary work is rumbling around in my heart. After all, He called me to be a Spanish speaking missionary and He must know I'm surely capable of it. The Lord doesn't let anything stop His work.

 

I love you so much for your support. I'm grateful for the loving friends and family I have who are backing me up on this. It's sure weird and it's hard, but it is going to be amazing.

 

Today is an unusual half preparation day, my normal preparation day for the rest of the time I'm here is on Thursdays.

 

Love,

Hermana Hall

 

P.S. A special shout out to...Rebekah! Thank you so much for sending me a letter on my first day. It felt so good. Thank you so much. And to Lizzy, my BFF, thank you for the greenie package, that was so much fun and I just got your letter this morning and that was so wonderful to read. Feel free to send me some colored pens, I like the Pilot G2 gel thingies. :)

Miracles Still Happen

In about an hour, I will be set a part as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s a strange feeling and I can’t really describe it…but I am excited.

There have been a lot of tiny and some large miracles occurring in my life, my families’ life, and even my friends since my decision to serve a mission. All of these things have been a glorious testament to the value the Lord has placed on missionary work and a direct blessing to the faith of people who honor and support one who is called.

One of my biggest fears when Bishop first encouraged me to serve was how on earth was I going to pay for it. Last year was extremely expensive for me and to top if off I drowned a lot of my woes in shoes and trips around the world (totally worth it, by the way) but this left me seriously lacking enough funds to pay for a mission on my own. As usual, the first words out of my mother’s mouth were to not worry about that, she knew we would find a way. I simply couldn’t see how to not worry, left to logic alone, I knew I didn’t have the money and she was already paying for two full-time missionary sons. I couldn’t let her be burdened with a third missionary payment. But, I trusted her words and let it lift from my shoulders so I could focus on other problems like what to do with my lease, my car payments, my four auto repairs and a pending speeding ticket. Like I said, it was an expensive year.

As I moved forward with mission preparations, sure enough unpredictable things started to happen. A friend purchased my car, relieving me of a heavy loan. Still more dear friends and family began to offer generous monetary donations towards the mission. The Lord is not joking when he says the effort of missionary work is extremely important and He has made it clear the lives that serve as well as the family and friends that support them will be blessed. This has been made undeniable clear to me.

As I’ve set out to serve a mission for the Lord, miracles have truly happened. I’ve seen money appear from thin air and this is no accident. Move over Red Sea, surely there are many more miracles to be had!