MTC Week 2!

August 3, 2011

Hi family!!!

I'm so excited I get to write you!! On Tuesdays it takes me forever to fall asleep because I can't stop thinking about what I want to tell you all. Writing once a week is difficult but it's all good. It makes me even more excited for p-day. So i have 30 min, here it goes!

I am still loving the MTC! My experience is getting even better and easier as time goes on. We practice teaching  A TON! We normally teach about 3 different 30 min lessons a day. We practice with the other missionaries, then we have fake investigators that we teach. My companion and I teach about 4 people about twice a week. Even though it's not a real person when you are in the lessons it definitely feels real if you are taking it seriously and it's amazing how strong the Spirit can be. Even when I"m pretending to be an investigator I seriously get really happy and excited when they are teaching a lesson that can be applied to not only my fake characters life but to my own. It's awesome!! Our teacher does lessons with us and pretends to be an investigator with no religous background and after different lessons with him he committed to baptism. It's a really good feeling when somebody commits to follow Jesus Christ and have faith to follow Him. Sister Bergeson and I were so happy and the Spirit was incredible in the room.

We are loving gym. We have an hour each day except for Sunday and Wednesday (p-day). We have a lot of fun playing sand v-ball, normal v-ball in the gym and 4-square. I think 4-squar is the most fun and all my skills for elementary school are coming back!! Not to brag, but i have been doing pretty well and sometimes get to scare the Elders. They stand in line and say, "how are we going to get Sister Jones out?" haha! It's hilarious how intense they get! I'm normally laughing the entire time.

So last week I was given the responsibility of being a Coordinating Sister. That means I take care of all the Sisters in the zone! I make sure everyone is doing well and is keeping the rules. I work with the zone leaders and have a bunch of meetings I get to go to. It's fun! When the leader asked me if i would do this he told me, that basically my job "is to be the happiest person in the zone and be a great example. But you're always smiiling so you've got that down." The branch leaders are older men and they are really nice. On Sunday I had about 4 different meetings so it felt more like my normal SUndays at home. lol. I love Sundays at the MTC though! THey are so relaxing compared to the rest of the week. I also really enjoy the devotionals we have. We get guest speakers every SUnday and Tuesday to speak to us. That's one of my favorite things about the MTC.

My whole district is getting sick... it's no bueno. I think they are coming down with cold-like symptoms. My companion doesn't feel too well right now so we went and got her some meds. My roommates are feeling better now! I've been great except for last Thursday... Ready for a funny but kinda gross story?

Last Thursday I woke up feeling pretty nasty with a bad stomache ache. I thought i would be able to act like nothing was wrong until I started throwing up a bunch. Before breakfast I was throwing up, which was weird because we fasted the day before so i have no idea what I was throwing up. But after it calmed down I went with my comp to breakfast so she could eat. We walk in i hurry to the bathroom and throw up a little. THen sat while she ate and afterwards I thought i could make it back to the room but right when we left the cafeteria I ran to a bush and did my thing right in front of everyone. Sick! then we walked more and I had to hurry to an area where there was grass and flowers. So this happened 3 times outside then I made it to the room and made camp in the community bathrooms. Good times! Looking back it's pretty funny but in the moment it wasn't too fun. I had to miss the first session of classes but slept a bit and felt completely fine after that. My companion was a good sport though she was holding my hair back as I was throwing up outside iin front of everyone. That hasn't happened in a long time! Hopefully your stomache doesn't hurt now. haha!

We had to move 2 floors down yesterday in are living area. It wasn't that bad of a move. With the move I gave Sister Bergeson the bottom bunk since i've had it the rest of the time. I figured we could go half and half. Plus she's not feelign well so the bottom bunk is the least i could do to help her out. Also, our laundry is getting paid for by an elder in our zone because he dared us to eat ketchup covered fruit and we did it. So that's nice we don't have to pay for that. even though it's only 25 or 50 cents.

The sisters in our room love listening to my music! THanks Dad for all of the CD's you gave me!

Also, thanks everybody for the letters and dearelders! It's so good to hear from everybody throughout the week! I get the letters 6 days a week and normally in the afternoon. Our district leaders picks up all our mail and passes it out before class normally. They stilll all make fun of me because of how much mail I get. Then I read who they are all from and it's mostly all family. You are all amazing!

My 2 favorite sciptures for this week are Deuteronomy  31: 6 &8 and 2 Nephi 31:20. These are what I call the HAPPY scriptures. They work really well for people who feel like God isn't listening or doesn't care and just to give people hope and a purpose.

I'll be writing more personal letters later and sending pictures! Finally! Sorry it took so long to do that! Later today we will be going to the temple, doing laundry, writing letters, then class at 6. They don't give us much time to write unfortunately!

Well time is up! Talk to you later! I love you all! :)

Love,

Sister Jones