Tuesday, August 20, 2013

MTC (Missionary Training Center) Week 8 (August 20, 2013)

Ola amigos!!!

Looks like I've finished up another week here at the MTC already! The last two weeks seem to have flown by when I look back at them... I had to say goodbye to almost all of District H -- my second family here at the MTC -- early Monday and Tuesday morning. It's been hard, because we got so close in these last two weeks. It's a blessing though to be able to grow to love so many amazing people! I keep joking that I'm going to have a LOT of friends once I finally get back to BYU because of all the extra time I've spent here. Today is my last day with the only remaining member of my district, Sister Matheson, before she leaves tomorrow morning for LA and I switch to another district. I'm grateful for the time I get to spend with her. She's great!

So I'll give you a quick run-down of my week. Lots of awesome things happened since I last wrote! Last Tuesday night, Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (!!!!!!! SO EXCITING!!!) spoke to us at devotional, and his talk was FANTASTIC!! It was an amazing experience. I felt the Spirit so strongly when he entered the room. I have such a testimony that there is a living prophet and apostles on the earth today, and that they are witnesses of Jesus Christ.
On Wednesday we got to host new missionaries, and that was lots of fun!! We basically met them at the curb where they get dropped off, helped them take their luggage to their room and get all their books and things, and then took them to their classrooms. It was really neat though. I kind of got to relive my first day, which helped jog my memory about a lot of things that I was too tired and overwhelmed to remember in the moment. Lots of fun. :)
On Thursday I went to in-field orientation for the second time. It was basically about 8 straight hours of classes and lectures about how to be good missionaries in the field. So fun. I'm looking forward to round three next week!
Also on Thursday my district got their reassignments! That was so exciting! Four of our elders are now in Gilbert, Arizona. One is in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the other is in Houston, Texas. One sister is in Cleveland, Ohio (YEAH OHIO!!!), one is going to Los Angeles tomorrow, and my companions Sister Colvin and Tingey are now in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Tacoma, Washington.
Friday was rough because I received some not so happy news about my foot... I'll be here for another two weeks at least. It's hard getting left behind when I want to be in Brazil so badly, but I know there's a reason for it, and I'm just praying for patience and opportunities to serve here. My whole district was so supportive and helped me feel so much better though. I miss them a lot, they're all such great people!!
On Saturday the district had its last gym time together, and afterwards we all stayed outside to talk and spend time together before going back to our rooms to pack. As we were standing around outside, it started POURING. So naturally we all took the opportunity to dance and splash in puddles like little kids. It was the closest thing to swimming any of us are going to do for the next 18-24 months... It was definitely the highlight of my week though.
Sunday was a fun day too! I was randomly called up to give a talk during sacrament meeting. Every week they call on two random missionaries, almost always from one of the departing districts, to give a 3-minute talk in Portuguese. The first week we got here, they gave us a schedule of the topics and told us that every week we should prepare a talk about the topic for that Sunday, in case we were called on to speak. Well guess who didn't prepare a talk for the first time since she got here. Yep, me. It went fine though, and a lot of people told me it was really good (probably because they were impressed that I didn't take any notes up with me... but that was only because I didn't have ANYTHING prepared). It was a fun experience though. :) Also on Sunday my district went to the departure devotional (second time for me) and my amazingly talented companion Sister Colvin and her brother, who is also going to Brazil and arrived at the MTC the same time as his sister, performed a piano duet as the special musical number! It was super great.

Anyway, that's most of the exciting stuff that happened to me this week! I go back to the doctor on Friday to hopefully get a little clearer of an idea of how long I'll be here. Hopefully all goes well!

Tchau tchau!!
Sister Gold

Me, Sister Colvin, and Sister Tingey after getting drenched by rainInline image 1Inline image 2
Awesome picture of the sisters in District H taken on Sister Matheson's FREAKING SWEET polaroid camera! This picture doesn't do the real picture justice though.
From left to right: Sister Matheson, Colvin, Warden, Tingey, and Gold


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