Provo MTC Week 5

Buenos Dias Mi Familia!! Shout-Outs. Dad, thank you very much for the awesome package of pens and post-its!! I've already used it tons:) Mom, thanks for all the dear elders! I always die laughing when I read them in my bed all tucked up at night. I almost cried with laughter when I read "true daat." classic. I really needed a good laugh after a long day, so thank you!!! Happy Father's Day, Eric Earl!! I'm sending a package today:) Hosting. So this week, our district had the opportunity to be hosts for the missionaries that arrived on Wednesday. I was really excited for it & we had a blast!! That day set a record here at the MTC-940 missionaries arrived, the most the MTC has ever seen in one day. I helped 4 sisters with their bags, getting their books, finding their residence, and meeting their teachers-one sister was from Australia, it was cool meeting an international missionary. They are going to: Lubbock, TX; Orlando, FL; Chile; Phillipeans. It renewed my excitement as a missionary and was so awesome to see such a large group of other missionaries that are SO pumped to be here and start doing God's work. My comp and I were suuuuper tired after though. Those suitcases were loads of fun to carry up 4 flights of stairs. And it was a flashback of my first day and some of my first thoughts of when I arrived. I'm really glad that I was able to say all of my hard goodbyes to immidiate family/friends before I left, so it wasn't this huge dramatic goodbye at the curb. There was one family that seriously took foreveeeeer saying goodbye and each cried hysterically while they heled the missionary-all while the grandpa was filming it. jaja. I didn't even tear up when I said adios at the airport, but I've sure caught up here:) Please thank Aunt Margaret again for dropping me off at the MTC:) VISA/Traveling. Earlier this week during language study, the Hermanas and I all prayed together for our VISAs and for us to be happy with whatever happens. It was really interesting and exactly what I needed, esp. since Mom said that Dad was wondering why I was so convinced that it won't come in time. This whole time, I've thought about it from a completely wrong approach and just assumed that it wouldn't come in time. But like we read in Isaish "My ways are not your ways, etc." I need to have faith and stop thinking so pragmatically. The Lord will bless me & make up for my lack of faith. I've been praying a lot more and have tried to align my will with His-whatever happens will be what is best and along His timing. With that being said, I should receive my travel itinerary this Thurs/Fri and will know where I'll be headed next. I'm excited!!! Teaching. Really learning the truth of how important it is to realize that our calling is to teach PEOPLE, not lessons!!! During many of these discussions, I've been able to see everything different and with a fresh pair of eyes-as they would. This week, my comp and I taught Hno. Henderson the Plan of Salvation and he said it was one of our best lessons, we didn't bring any notes in spanish, just bullet points in eng. It really tests us how much real spanish we know, which is intimidating, but how we can improve!! We were following up with our "investigator" Moises and he was saying that his daughter didn't want to come to church because she feels uncomfortable in new situations, etc. I randomly suggested that we could talk to Santiago (our other "investigator") and that his son could befriend Moises' daughter. jaja. so random, using one investigator's kid to help another's!! I'm sure they'll become great friends in primary. We did an activity with Hno. Henderson which was really cool, we all sat as if we were on an autobus and practiced sharing a tid-bit about the gospel, in about 5 mins. It was a really cool exercize, esp. since we'll have these opportunities in the near future with traveling! Service. For service on Friday, we had the lovely job of cleaning the bathrooms in 7M. Too bad my comp nor I had our cameras with us!! A classic gloves, goggles, and toilet brush would've been perfect. The best part of it all was that there was a single urinal in one of the larger bathrooms on the 3rd floor. We were a little confused...haha okkk? It's always a really nice break from studying to clean for awhile and do some service! Service with a smile-as mamma boody likes to say:) Devotionals. On Tuesday, Elder Callister and his wife came and spoke. Fellow tax lawyer! He taught about following the blueprint of the New Testament (Christ's Church) and matching it up with our current church and doctrines/beliefs. Everything matches up perfectly and the scriptures back everything up. It was great to view everything as a large picture and organization. And of course comforting to know that I belong to Christ's church. What I really loved and took away from it was remembering the scripture "By Their Fruits, ye shall know them." And our link to heaven is revelation. Esp. since in class, we talked and were reminded of why we teach in an organized, foundational, and chronological order. Then last night for Sunday devotional, Richard Heaton spoke and gave a wonderful talk of how the missionary's and investigator's expectations don't match up some of the time. Robert Heaton's brother, holler for me:) Some really good points that he made: -More than we know, He is helping us and we are God's servants! -Match up the planes of the investigators and the missionaries: Don't assume and try to see eye 2 eye. Understand one another!! -Different expectations of each person -Missionaries are servants of God with a clear purpose and relevant message -God knows the investigators and has been preparing them since before the missionaries arrived= TRUST the spirit -They are being drawn to God, whether they know it or not -Have agency and need to make own decisions -Missionaries are guided by charity: guide and help Zone/District. This week on wednesday, we got a new district of 10 Elderes, no Hermanas:( I played volleyball with some of them on sat with Hermana Laskie and they're cool. Most just barely graduated HS. Also on Sat, we had a Departing District Testimony Meeting for the district that came 1 week before we did. They are leaving this week-half to SC and the other half to AL (spanish speaking). It's REALLY weird to think that we'll be the next departing district in about a WEEK!! crazy. I feel like we literally just barely got here & we're already leaving:( My district has made some goals this week to try to become more unified and feel like a family for one another. The Elders are going to give us each a "father's blessing" on Sunday before we leave the MTC. It was so touching, Elder Buehner lost his father a few years ago and told us all that we've become like a family to him here, at the MTC. He's such a great missionary!! Janice & Dennis Ickes's daughter knows his family:) RS. Sister Anne Clegg gave us "The most important 3 things to know before you go" It was pretty cool: 1. Know your purpose! (PMG) Find everyone to teach, as a representative-INVITE them to Jesus Christ 2. Be BOLD!!! Trust in the Lord and do as directed. Don't be afraid or shy, 3. Expect miracles. They WILL come. Language especially!! Randoms. My friends Brittany & Mckay Warnick are getting married on Aug 10th! And my other Jacob Lake friend Jenna Knight is engaged to be married on Oct 12th. Mom's met both:) I saw my friend from BYUI, Britnii Anderson this week! She's headed to SLC. Hna. Evans Y Yo were on a temporary exchange to go running around the field this week and met Janice Kapp Perry! We ran right past her while she was walking and I did a double-take, she looked familiar for some reason. We each gave her a hug and said how much we love the song that she just wrote-"The Sistes of Zion." What a rockstar!!! Favorite Quotes/Scriptures. " Live worthily of your calling." "Trust the Lord, go to sleep, and wake up happy." If none else, do it for the son of God If we allow it to/make the decision, the mission can change us-my teacher Hno. Henderson Alma 43:1 Alma 17: 2-3 Alma 38: 10-12 D & C 90:11 Goals. Work on the patience attribute of Christ Memorize DYC 4 en espanol Memorize order of PMG lessons Extend vocab to use in bearing testimony & praying Share testimony daily to random people Picture a day! Improve teaching strategies Speak more spanish!! I see miracles and tender mercies everyday. I am amazed when I realize the love that the Savior has for each and every one of us. I know God lives and loves His children very much. I'm so thankful for the gospel and the comfort and peace that it brings in my life. It's just incredible, simply incredible. I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and have a purpose, how amazing it really is to know and understand that. I'm so thankful for my family and the fact that we can be together forever!! Thank you for everything that you've done for me and made sacrifices for. It's weird bearing my testimony in english right now...Yo se que El Libro de Mormon is verdad Y las palabras de Dios! I'm in Enos right now. Love you all more than you will ever know!! I look at our family pictures often and miss you all:) Con Mucho Amor, Hermana Rachel Anne Boody PS ..we got roommates this week! 2 hermanas, headed to Chile. One talks in her sleep, which is naturally quite entertaining. LOVE YOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!