Week Three!

Bonjour!!!

 

How is everyone! I hope good... because you all must be praying very hard out there for me or something because this week has been really good! I don't have anything exciting to report like San Fran...but its been a good week. I don't know how to explain it, but although every day is a roller coaster of emotions, frustrations, and laughter, underneath all those emotions there is underlying feeling of happiness and peace. I can only say it comes from the Spirit and knowing we are donig the Lord's work.

 

This week our district continues to grow closer and closer as we spend more and more hours studying in one tiny little room. The language is still difficult..but things are starting to click! I can actually form a full sentance once in a while that makes actual sense. As well, I'm understanding most of what our teachers are saying, which is encouraging. We've now come into the stage in our program when our teachers become our "progressive investigators". Its a little bit encouraging because both of them are pretending to be people who have no concept of God (one is agnostic and one is buddahist) and one teacher pulled my companion and I aside and asked us if we were ok with it. We said sure, and she was like oh good I thought you too were up to the challenge. That gives me a little more confidence in our teaching abilities. As well, we taught our other teacher and he acted like he couldn't understand a thing I was saying, so of course I walked out of the lesson really frustrated. But later I was talking to him and I said I felt like he didn't know what the heck I was trying to say. But he said no, he understand, he was just trying to get me to elaborate on what I was saying, rather than just the simple french phrases I know. So that was a boost in confidence as well. Basically I've really gained a firm testimony in the gift of tongues because somehow, by some miracle I remember things from high school french I'm pretty sure I never learned in the first place. And things I bombed in tests then, are all of the sudden making sense. Its a miracle! haha but really....

 

This week we've joked that the MTC is some sort of wierd twilight zone. Time here is irrelavent. The days seem to go on forever...yet before we know it its another P-day and a week has gone by. Its hard to keep track of when things happen. Lots of times we'll be like "remember that one time...", then we all pause and we're like wait...that was this morning! We are also under the allusion that we are ALWAYS eating. I think its because meals are our only break from studying. But honestly...your not even hungry and its already time for another meal. Quite strange. Basically the only break we get is gym time (which since you asked mom) is actually one of the best part of the day. Its feels so nice to move after just sitting all day, and its fun to hang out with all the missionaries in a different setting. I have yet to brave the infamous MTC four-square...the elders are much to aggressive for me.

 

This week my companion and I have had the opportunity to teach someone in English. They have a volunteer center here where people (members and non-members) can volunteer to be taught by missionaries...and missionaries can sign up if they want extra practice. We were just walking down a hallway one day when and MTC employee asked us if we would like to teach someone in twenty minutes. And since it was in english we were like well sure! Its been a really good experience. The first time we taught him was mostly just talking about his life. But it was nice because I actually felt like I could! Rather than in French when we can ask the very basic questions. The second time we taught him was amazing. I really felt the spirit...which is a miracle because I rarely feel the spirit teaching in french because I'm so concentrated on the language. It was just a good experience to know like ok I can feel the spirit while teaching...it will come in time with the french. It also made me so grateful for my call. Honestly after teaching in french, teaching in english felt so easy. I knew that the Lord knew I could handle the teaching part just fine, and that He knows I can handle the language as well.

 

Anyways, sorry if my emails are slightly random/boring. Honestly not much happens around here (other than lots of studying) and when I sit down to write my emails its like a race against the clock to remember what has happened in the past week. But when I write personal letters I try to include more stories since I can look at my journal and stuff. But just know I pray for you all every night. I love hearing from you and it makes my day when I get a letter, so thank you for writing! Also (this is mostly for mom) but I really am happy and loving what I do every day! The hard times are just part of the experience...and once I conquer something that I'm really struggling with...its such a good feeling! Totally worth the struggle and the experience of kneeling down and praying for help- and then recieving that help!!! I love you all!!!!! Hope you all had a good week!!!

 

Love, Souer Smith