Dearest family!
I want to start by saying I love you so much! It's so surreal that I'm here in the MTC. I've wondered what my first email will be like for so long and now it's finally here. I have so much to tell you that I just won't have time and I don’t remember everything I wanted to tell you! We just got back from the Temple and it was great! The session was so packed, a bit different from my 8 person sessions back at home! So Friday is my p-day for the next two weeks, make sure you remember me ;) I've gotten emails from lots of my missionary friends and the Hughes's and the Bull's! It's so nice to remember that there is a real world out there ;) Seeing people I know in the MTC is great too. I'll be walking and people are like...CHARLOTTE?!?! I mean...SIster Nicholls?!? Haha and they seem to know me from some party or other at BYU but I don’t know who they are! But its comforting nonetheless. Then there are lots of workers and other missionaries from my BYU ward!
It's been so up and down. I heard someone say that you have so many emotions every few hours and it's so true. I was fine the first day, and then on Wednesday morning I was fine but by the evening I just couldn’t stop crying. I felt so low and rubbish as a missionary. We went to this teaching experience where you just have to teach in a massive group this actor and everyone else was teaching but I was so nervous because there were so many people listening and critiquing that I ended up saying nothing at all and just felt rubbish. I prayed for strength that night and felt fine again in the morning. I think the Spirit comforted my dreams because I just remember thinking really spiritual things while I was asleep, I woke up fine on Thursday morning but then as the day progressed I got really sad again and couldn’t stop crying in the evening. I just find it so hard when people are listening to you JUST purely to tell you what you're doing wrong. But it's really good for me because I'm learning that the more people point out the things that aren't perfect, the more perfect a teacher you'll be. We'll never be a perfect teacher like Christ but we can follow the Spirit. I just couldn’t feel the Spirit the first few days because I was SO worked up but I'm starting to relax and do a bit better. I think it will just be different out in the field when I'm not being watched and critiqued and its a real investigator. I prayed so hard for strength on Thursday because no matter what I just couldn’t stop crying! I think the Elders in our districts felt awkward haha! But we met with the Branch Presidency that evening and it was such a spiritual feast and I felt like I was glowing afterwards. They just love us so much. And now I love them so much, it reminds me of that scripture how we love them because they first loved us. Dad, President Washburn reminds me of you so much. We were asked one by one to give a brief introduction of ourselves and bear our testimonies and of course I continued to cry through my testimony about how I know the Lord knows me and loves me so much and has had His arms around me, and how I know that Joseph Smith was also confused about what to do like so many of us here are but he knelt and prayed and received an answer that has changed millions of lives. I felt the Spirit really strong. Then one by one we went to be interviewed by President Washburn and he was so full of love for me. You'd like him a lot. He said how he and his wife want to be our parents away from home, not to replace our parents but to give us the love and support we need. He even reminded me of you when he said he just wishes he could hug me haha! It was just exactly what I needed. Then I went back to the main room and the next missionary went for their interview. Afterwards he called me and the other two sisters in (my companionship) and the Branch Presidency counsellors gave us each a blessing. It was so tender and I just felt like I was walking on cloud nine! I was so happy and glowing! Everything was perfect. He blessed me that I would have strength of heart and of mind, and would have the power in testimony to say that I KNOW Jesus is the Christ. He said that my parents love me too :) so thanks guys ;) I've learned from that experience with my Branch President how each Priesthood holder really does hold the authority from God to be our personal shepherd and receives such inspiration to help us. The blessing they gave me was wonderful and worked way better than rescue remedy pastilles! Also I haven't had trouble sleeping at all. Getting to sleep is hard because you're working from 7am-9.20pm with few breaks then BOOM you get into bed and you're buzzing but it's not major. It's not hard to get up in the morning. I love getting up early and being productive.
So my companions are Sister Pearson from Newcastle (she talks a lot like Cheryl Cole, haha when we're praying - so our eyes are shut - it could be Cheryl giving the prayer!) and Sister Miller from Minnesota. We are all really different, but they are sweet. I love them and am glad they're my companions because we're so different so I'm learning a lot. Sister Miller is really soft spoken and really really sweet when she does speak, like very knowledgable about the Gospel. And Sister Pearson is really down to earth and we can joke together with our British senses of humour.
Our district is great too. I love the Elders. As soon as we all met we all just hit it off. They are really funny and are just typical 18 year old boys. Its so funny how whenever we walk anywhere they hold the doors for us and we're like thank you Elders and they’re like you're welcome Sisters. Its just weird being a Sister! All over campus the Elders hold doors for us and it’s sweet. In the communal bathrooms the other Sisters just say "Good Evening Sister!" and its weird cos everyone's a Sister! We only have three Sisters and four Elders in our district so we're really small but I like it that way! We are getting to be like family. Our teachers are so good too. The biggest thing I feel is that everyone has so much love for the missionaries here in the MTC. They just want to help you and support you in any way possible and the teachers are constantly checking that we're okay and doing good. I do love being a missionary. I love putting my name tag on in the morning. I love wearing Sunday dress and learning about the Saviour all day. I love teaching when there isn't an audience listening haha. I love being called Sister Nicholls. I love never being on my own but having my two companions with me all the time. I even love having to wait outside the bathroom like 8 times a day because one of us always needs the toilet haha. I love the responsibility of my calling and that I get to dedicate myself to the One who loves me the most.
The food here is fine! I actually really like it. Everyone says how gross it is etc but I'm eating bananas and grapes and salads and a real meal in the evening and cereal in the morning. It's beginning to feel like home. The rumours were right, the pillows are horrific! Good job I brought my own! The bed is fine though. And it's so safe here, you need your card to enter ANY door. Even doors within doors within doors. No one can get in! Each brick on this campus is dedicated and each door has angels standing at them, not allowing any weapons or unclean thing to pass. (said in the dedicatory prayer of the MTC buildings). We are so blessed here! In my bedroom I just have my two companions so it's nice to have six beds for three of us. We share all our chocolate :)
I got my immunisations yesterday. I had hep A and B and flu. It hurt so much :(( I've never had a shot that hurt so much! It still hurts now. But I was brave haha. It cost $116!!! I'll pay for it with my Zions account okay? Wow I've only been here like two days since I last wrote to you and this is long! Imagine how much I'll have to tell you next week. In short, the MTC is like EFY just with more sleep and less flirting haha.
I'm starting to feel more comfortable here and am learning to just let go of my worries and know that I don't have to be perfect right away. I think it's going to be really good for me.
I love you and miss you so so so so so so so so much. You should move here and work in the MTC! Be a Branch President or a volunteer here. Everyone would love you! I have to go now! I love you so much! I'll speak to you soon. ALSO haven't checked any mail yet because only our district leader can do that and he only got called yesterday but promised to do it tonight. I'm hoping for a mass of post!
Love,
Sister Nicholls
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