Friday, October 21, 2016

Week 1: The Pink Donut Incident

(Is this considered week 1?? idk)

Goooooood morning everyone!!! 

What a beautiful day it is. Even though it is soooo cold outside. I keep getting more and more excited to go to California, because it just keeps getting colder here every day! It has been such a great week! 

I just have to start off with how much I LOOOOVE MY DISTRICT!!! Seriously, it is amazing how well we all get along. There is never a dull day with this district. Everyone is hilarious, and funny things are happening constantly. I love it. Eight out of the ten of us are going to Redlands, but the other two sisters are going to Tallahassee, Florida! It is going to be so sad to leave them. I don't want to think about it. 

Basically all we do at the MTC is FEAST. Both physically and spiritually haha.

The food options here are endless. It's amazing. I have started doing portion control because there are just SO MANY OPTIONS. So of course I have to try them all. The good thing is, I'm eating a lot of healthy food, but its still a LOT of food. For example, for breakfast they have a couple of set meals that you can choose from, like bacon and eggs or something, but then you can also get fruit, oatmeal, bagels, endless chocolate milk, cereal fer DAYS, donuts, and then they always have random food items out and I'm like, well yeah I mean I guess I have to try it if its there... hahaha. So much food. 

A day in the life at the MTC:

Wake up at 6:30, get ready
Class
Breakfast 
Class
Lunch
Exercise
Exercise recovery time
Class
Dinner
Class
TRC (Teaching Resource Center, AKA teaching investigators)
At 9:30 we get ready for bed, and that last hour just FLIES by. 

As you can see, we are in class like 85% of the time. There is literally around 8-10 hours of class time every day (which is why we grow so close to our district, because we also eat meals with them and play volleyball, so we are around each other like 14 hours a day). And it goes by so fast! My teachers are AMAZING, so I'm never bored and I'm always learning. I love it. There are times when we don't have a teacher though and we have to work as a district to stay on task and use our time wisely. 

Oh also, we play sand volleyball with my district LIT-rally (<-- british accent) EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. And it is SO MUCH FUNNN. It is so nice to get outside and just play. And my district is hilarious so half the time I'm just laughing. I love laughing, and there is no shortage of that here! AMAZING!

Speaking of accents, my love for doing accents has definitely come out so now I speak in an Australian accent like 50% of the time. 

On a spiritual note, I feel like my teaching is improving every day! It's definitely not easy, and I am trying to get the lessons down whenever I get the chance because I want to be prepared. But it is also all about having the spirit with you, and inviting it when you teach. Because the spirit is the real teacher! Sister Gunter and I have two investigators in the TRC right now, Heidi and Natasha. Yesterday we taught Natasha for the third time, and WE COMMITTED HER TO BAPTISM!!! It was so amazing. The spirit was so strong in the lesson and afterwards we were just on cloud nine. I was so full of the spirit, it was such an amazing feeling. By the way I loooove Sister Gunter! She is so cute. She gets nervous sometimes before we teach lessons, but I admire her courage and her ability to invite the spirit when she testifies. It is so fun to see her learn and grow. We taught an agnostic/atheist "investigator" (our teacher) named Aaron earlier this week and it was ROUGH. He was not being receptive and Sister Gunter and I sort of went into panic mode haha. It was good though to experience that, because I'm sure there will be a lot more of that in the mission field. The second lesson with him was muuuch better. 

OKAY, NOW FOR THE PINK DONUT INCIDENT. 
This is seriously so funny, we were all dying. So, wednesday was just a rough day for our district, especially Elder Eccles. He is the "funny one" in our district, always making jokes and stuff. He's hilarious. So, on wednesday morning, there were donuts with BRIGHT PINK frosting on them at breakfast. Right after breakfast we all had TRC appointments to go teach our investigators. Elder Eccles and his companion had a TOUGH investigator and were really nervous for their next lesson. So they went in to teach (we heard this story afterwards) and Elder Eccles looks down and has PINK DONUT FROSTING alllllll over the front of his pants. Like, right where you would neeever want pink frosting to be, if you know what I mean. Haha. He had SAT on a donut at breakfast!!! The investigator started laughing at him and it ended up being a really great icebreaker for them. It was soooo funny. Then, later at dinner, Elder Pearson got gravy on his nice white shirt, I dropped steak on my dress, Sister Houston got some food on her skirt, and SIster Sjoblom spilled her root beer float ALLLL over the table. The course of events was just HILARIOUS. I mean seriously, I was laughing so hard. That day was so funny. We laugh about it every day. 

Also, my district always jokes about page 54 of the missionary handbook. They're always talking about and making up all these "rules" on that page, it is so funny. That page is completely blank. 

Another funny thing, apparently Elder McDaniel dropped his room key in the toilet WHILE it was flushing, but he still reached in and grabbed it just in time. While it was flushing. We were all laughing so hard when he told us this story. 

Oh, Sister Gunter and I are teaching relief society on sunday!! Sister Gunter is kinda nervous, but I am so excited. Teaching the relief society seems like a breeeeeze after teaching all these investigators and hoping they understand. 

Also, its so weird that I am like 3 and 4 years older than all the members of my district. I admire them all so much, because I don't think I could have done this at their age! 

I have a sore throat today. 

Ummmm lets see what else should I incluuuude.... I think that's all. I would do day by day recaps but I feel like most days are similar and I just want to include the highlights. This week went by faaast. Much faster than my first few days here. 

I love it so much here. Every day I thank my Heavenly Father for the opportunity that I have to be at the MTC. This is such an amazing place! The spirit is so strong and I am learning SO much! Earlier this week there was a devotional where Elder Lynn G Robbins of the seventy spoke. He talked about how we have our daily planners and To Do lists, but do we have a TO BE list? So I made a goal to write down every day what I want to be, and what I am going to do to become that. I encourage you all to do the same! Think of who you want to become, and make goals of how you can achieve that. I am so grateful for my Savior who makes it possible for me to change and to grow and become a better person. I know this gospel is true!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! 

Love, Sister Brown

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Pictures at the temple as companions, sisters, and as a district!




All our mission plaque scriptures



Box of candy


My schedule. All the gray is class time.


Long line in the cafeteria

SO MANY MISSIONARIES AT THE TEMPLE





Sunday, October 16, 2016

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHHHH HELLO!!! I have sooo been looking forward to emailing all of you. Mom I wish I could see the excitement on your face when you see that I emailed today and not like next week or something. So, I LOVE THE MTC. I really do!!! I am having an amazing time here! I was sad to leave my family on Wednesday, but the moment I left and was walking away with my host I couldn't keep the smile off my face! I am so STOKED to be here! Pretty sure on that first day I said hi to everyone I passed, I seriously couldn't contain my excitement. 

It is so cool to be here. I always thought of the MTC as some foreign land, like "what happens at the MTC stays at the MTC" type of thing haha. Like I never knew what life was like here. But life is surprisingly normal! I eat three meals a day, I go to the bathroom when needed (thank goodness), I talk about normal things with my companion (when appropriate), and I brush my teeth and take out my contacts at night like normal. Maybe it was just me, but MTC life always seemed like OH MY GOODNESS WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, and that is so not the case! Everyone walks around in twos here, with smiles on their faces, either going to class or exercise or whatever, and its kind of like a college in a way. Missionary college haha. Sometimes I feel like I'm at some sort of church summer camp. I keep thinking "I'M ON A MISSION CAN YOU BELIEVE IT". 

Some things I LOVE about being here:
1. There is always a set schedule. There is always something to be doing and somewhere for me to be, and I love it! Its so nice to know that every day will be a productive day. Ah! I love it. 
2. I have ONE focus. No distractions (well, very little distractions). It is amazing. Seriously, all the things of the outside world don't matter anymore, and its great! I know why I'm here, and I plan to make the most of my time and work hard! 
3. I am learning soooo much! You know those times when you hear something (specifically gospel related) and it just BLOWS your mind and you're like WOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW! That happens all the time here. The spirit is so strong. Also, maybe I'm weird, but I loooove personal study time. I look forward to it whenever we have it, because I know I have sooo much to learn, and the spirit can teach me so much. If I want to be a better teacher I have to know the material! And have the spirit with me of course. 
4. I NEVER have to cook. Amazing. Plus I can have chocolate milk at every meal, so. 

Things to get used to:
1. Calling everyone "Elder" or "Sister".
2. Everyone calling me "Sister Brown". Half the time I don't answer because I'm not used to it haha. (however, I do LOVE when the elders or sisters are like "hi sisters!" or "excuse me sister". It is so respectful and makes me feel great.)
3. Having a companion with me ALL THE TIME. I am kind of a lone wolf and like to do things myself sometimes, so needing someone to be with my everywhere is definitely something I need to get used to. 

My companion is Sister Gunter. She is great! We get along really well. She is from Utah also. We are both really chill and go-with-the-flow people so its great. She is 19. The other sisters in my room, Sister Sjoblom and Sister Houston, are also 19. So all three of them are 19 and have boyfriends on missions haha. They are all great though! I am so blessed to be with them. 

My district is awesome too. For some reason, the elders in my district have an endless supply of Hi-Chews and they are constantly sharing with us. So I know the Lord placed me in the right district. ;) We have an awesome district though. Also I found out I'm the oldest in my zone! Haha. I feel old sometimes, but most of the time I don't notice. We taught an "investigator" (our teacher) yesterday and it went really well! I have a loooot to learn though when it comes to teaching! ALSO, there are SOOOO MANY MISSIONARIES here. I mean, obviously. But like, so many. The cafeteria gets NUTS sometimes haha. I'm always terrified to spill my food. Its so cool how everyone is from all over the world and going all over the world! I love talking to new people here whenever I can, because everyone's story is so cool and interesting. 

Today is our P-day (obviously), and its been great so far! Sister Gunter and I went and played volleyball with the other elders and sisters in the gym, and it was so much fun! We want to do that all the time haha. Later we are going to the temple and I am so excited. 

I think I was really prepared mentally and blessed with a good mindset coming into the MTC, because in no way do I feel overwhelmed, sad, homesick, or scared! Of course I am out of comfort zone sometimes, but that just means I'm growing! I am just loving it here and I know the Lord is here to help me every step of the way. How can I feel scared or sad when I have the Lord on my side? I know I am EXACTLY where the Lord wants me right now, and I am so grateful to be in such an amazing place! The MTC is kind of like the temple, just less white. Everyone is soooo nice, and there is so much peace here. I love it! I know the Lord has a plan for me, and I know he lives, and loves each and every one of us! I am realizing that more and more each day. I can't wait to see what else the MTC has in store for me. 

Well, I LOVE YOU ALL!!! 

Love, Sister Brown :D

Love you!!!​

Us unpacking! I am on the top bunk. We were all so cold the first night. 




 Me and Sister Gunter, Sister Houston, and Sister Sjoblom (pronounced shoblom)

Sister Houston knocking over a desk. 

Cafeteria

Sister Gunter and I eating breakfast (always with chocolate milk)

 Our classroom and everyone in our district!

Our classroom has a perfect view of the temple! 

Study materials


Hi-chews

Name tag!!!


Sack lunch line (because you can't go in the cafeteria unless you're in church clothes)

I'M HERE

HEEELLLOOOOOO FAMILIA I AM HERE IN THE MTC AND I ALREADY LOVE IT OMG!!!! I mean I haven't really done anything yet but I love it. They told me to write you and let you know that I'm here and doing well, so I'm telling you just that! (also mom feel free to forward this to the other family members haha) I'm going to my class now to meet my district and companion and all that fun stuff. Thank you all who came to drop me off, it was amazing. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! TALK TO YOU SOON!!!

Love, Sister Brown 

:D :D :D 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo