MTC 9/25/13-10/07/13

Hello everyone!!!
(Mom, I put all the contacts I have here on a list, but your job is to make a list and forward these big emails to the people who want them!)

The first week here at the MTC has been really really awesome!
I was the kind of kid who hated EFY, and when I heard that the MTC was like EFYx100, I thought "great...". 

But right off the bat, I left the car and got dropped of by my family to see Nate Nickel! I also ran into Tyler and Andrew Belnap and a few others! Nate helped me take my luggage and get all set up!
When you're new to the MTC you get a "nerd dot" on your tag, which is a little orange sticker. Everyone makes fun of you (in a good natured way) and welcomes you to the MTC.
I heard "welcome to the MTC" over 100 times that day.... so annoying.
Luckily today is the new missionary arrival day so WE get to be the annoying welcomers >:))

Anyways, my luggage got taken by some Sister, and I lost my key but it all ended up working out eventually....! I was actually in a super good mood the whole time. After leaving my family, I thought it would be SUPER hard to avoid being really sad, but I wasn't! I miss you guys so much!!! But I've been able to stay positive and help lift up other people around me. There's lots of people here who are sad! But everyone is so excited about sharing a little bit of Jesus here that everyone is so happy and nice!

I met my District (7 other missionaries), and they are AWESOME!
My District Elder Ellis- This guy is HILARIOUS. He knows anything and everything about cars, and he will tell you stories that will literally make you cry laughing. A little outspoken, but that's the kind of humor I like.

Elder Swett- (yes you pronounce it "sweat) This guy is so responsible and nice, he is always on top of the schedule and keeps us in line. He's awesome. He likes to make fun of Elder Ellis (because he sounds a little Texan) and talk in an emphasized hick accent. It's so funny, the whole district starts doing it all the time.
Ellis and Swett Sister Nielson- She is so awesome! She is really short so we make short jokes to her. But secretly I love her because shes as nerdy as I am, and we talk about Avatar the Last Airbender all the time. I feel right at home, Summer, Dallin, and Austin, you would love her! We both decided that waterbending would be the best. Sister Nielson's companion thinks earthbending is better though??? Hmm.
Nielson
Sister Combs- She is sister Nielson's companion and she and siser Nielson should be sisters because they are hilarious and nerdy and awesome. The description of Sister Nielson describes sister combs almost the same. Except she's not tiny. But she is so nice and we share a lot of the same opinions about things!

Sister Maughn- She is awesome! We call her the Maugnster, because if anyone is off track in class, or goofing off too much, she whips them back into shape. One of the most spiritual and kind people I've ever met, I'm really glad she's in my district! She has a LOT of faith, I love it.

Sister Andreason- She is sister Maugn's companion! She is also so cool, and WAY nice. She is probably the most apt scripture guru in the world. In class, when I need a verse and cant remember the reference, I yell for sister andreason!! She is SO knowledgable, and also has so much faith. Her and sister M. work so well together! All of the companionships in my district were so perfect, it couldn't have been coincidence.

You're probably wondering about my companion!
Well....so was I!
He didn't show up when I got there, and so I tagged along with Elders Swett and Ellis. I got to know them really well, and the lessons and classses were intense and awesome!
The days were SOOOOOO SOOOO SO long at first because we had so many new classes up from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm and so I had to adjust from my usual summer "wake up at noon and watch some netflix, take a nap, wake up and eat some food, go to bed" schedule.
But by saying they were long, I also don't mean they werent good. I feel so productive here, and theres a crazy energy you get by being around people who are charged to do the same thing that you want to do. I also think it helps to pray and ask for energy and positivity, honestly haha.

But finally, my companion got here, (he had missed his flight) and his name is Elder Beus!
He is SO COOL!!!!
We have the same stupid humor and get along REALLY well.
He is hilarious! And he is really dutiful to church stuff, so he's a good guy to be around. I'll send pictures soon!
Beus and I But anyways, the day finished up and I was exhausted! And the next day and the next day!
By lunch time every day, we ALL felt like it was dinner, and we said we could all go to bed haha but we still had 6 more hours to be up and study and learn!
Even though it was exhausting, it was SO good! The teachers here really do a great job, and we learn from eachother as a district a LOT. The first time we all met in a room together, we all shared the reason we where on our missions, and shared our beliefs, and it was SO POWERFUL. The spirit was immediately there, and it's always here! I can almost always feel God's love for me here, while i'm focusing on other people, or investigators!


As the week went on, the days got quicker and quicker it seemed, and I fell asleep easier and had more energy during the day. I think I'm used to it now!

But I've already gone way too much into depth!

Important things that have happened since those few days-
-Gym time is awesome, we play ultimate frisbee or huge volleyball/basketball games
-The food is good!
-We made an MTC rap and even though it makes us feel whiter than our shirts, we rap it everywhere we go on the MTC campus
-Temple this morning! it was good!
-SO MANY LESSONS LEARNED IN CLASSES, DEVOTIONALS, etc.
-SACRAMENT MEETING WAS AMAZING. It is so powerful to be in a room full of missionaries who love the Lord and want to share Him with other people and take the sacrament! I felt Jesus Christ and His love SO strongly that day. And I bore my testimony about how excited I am to share Him with people.
-ASHLEY AND THOMAS ARE HERE!!!! I SEE THEM BOTH EVERY DAY, ITS SO COOL TO BE HERE AT THE MTC WITH BOTH OF MY BEST FRIENDS. I MISS ALL OF MY HOMEWRECKERS OUT THERE.
My last day at the MTC with BFF Thomas
Anyways, the biggest thing I've learned here is that I am so excited to share Jesus Christ with people. I love Him and am so thankful for His atonement. Without it, I wouldn't  be at the MTC!!
I've learned that I am here on a mission to TEACH PEOPLE, NOT LESSONS. I am not here to prove to them why the Book of Mormon is true, or to make them understand the restoration, but I am here to help INVITE them to Christ. I am here to love them as He does, and to help lift up their burdens. I will do ANYTHING for someone who doesn't know they are loved by God, and their brother Jesus Christ, to come to that understanding. I will do yardwork for them for weeks, even if they still wont let me in their home to talk!

Listen to people! Love them as God does. See them through His eyes! The Savior loves the people around you just as much as He loves you. You come into contact with these people EVERY DAY.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A CHRISTIAN TO SHARE HIS LOVE WITH EVERYONE. DO NOT FOCUS ON THE RULES OR THE DOCTRINE OR THE SPECIFICS. DO NOT JUDGE PEOPLE WHO DONT DO THINGS HOW YOU THINK THEY SHOULD, OR PEOPLE WHO MAKE MISTAKES OR HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS THAN YOU!

Only do one thing!
LOVE Jesus Christ your savior. Give Him ALL that you have. Because He gave you more than anyone ever will. You owe Him.
AND because you owe Him, you owe EVERYONE who does not understand that He loves them.
IT is YOUR job to focus on Christ, to lift up people around you, to love them as Christ would.
CHRIST LOVED EVERYONE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU. HE LOVED THE SINNERS AND THE HYPOCRITES AND THE PHARISEES.
You can put in a tiny bit of effort and love your neighbor who doesn't go to church. Or your friend who uses language you wouldn't. Or the person who makes fun of you. Or your siblings. EVERYONE.

Read the sermon on the mount in Matthew. :)
Pray at any time to get help from God, He loves you.
Ask for any time to get strength from our Savior, Jesus Christ. He died for you! He will help you through anything.

I don't have any more time but I love you all and have an amazing week!!!!!!!

I don't have very many people's emails, so hopefully my mom can get this to all of you! I want to hear from you ALL!!!
Brynne, Allison, Mason, Mary, Grant, Siblings, Friends, EVERYONE write me, I want to know how you're doing!