July 10, 2012

Dear Mom, Dad and family,

It's so crazy that I'm a missionary! Sometimes I have to check to make sure my name tag is still there because I can't believe it's true! I walk around the MTC campus and Sister Gillespie and I keep thinking, "Oh hey, there's the missionaries!" ha ha of course. We are surrounded by them. We ARE missionaries and we love it!

Prepare yourselves for the most random stream of thoughts ever!

This week has been filled with more classes, which is great! We have two big blocks of class each day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) where we learn about the fundamentals of missionary work and how to apply them to the lessons (ex. a fundamental is teaching people, not lessons, then we use that as we teach something like the plan of salvation). We also have things like Zone Teaching where we practice teaching to other missionaries, so we all get a turn to play the investigator as well. It's really neat to put yourself in the role of someone receiving the gospel. It makes it easier to relate to them. Then we also have companion study, personal study and sometimes district study throughout the day. Then every day except P-day and Sunday we have gym time. Sister Gillespie usually do ellipticals and memorize a scripture while we exercise. It makes the 50 minutes go by way fast!

On the Fourth of July we got out of class an hour early (at 8 instead of 9 that day) and all the missionaries went to a celebration. President Brown (MTC President) was super funny and relaxed during the whole thing. He sang happy birthday to a bunch of different people then had us sing "As I Have Loved You" to all of the elders that have already been Dear Johned (who he already had standing on the stage for everyone to see). It was hilarious! The program was just about how religious freedom in the United States allowed for the restoration and for taking the gospel to the world. It was the best! I love the 4th of July! After the program (which ended around 10) they sent  us all ouside to eat Magnum bars (apparently really fancy ice cream bars? I didn't know what they were but they were yummy!) and watch the fireworks! They commanded us to stay out until the fireworks were over, so we were all out until about 10:45 and didn't get to bed until about 11:20-ish, but it was a lot of fun. The fireworks weren't as impressive as I thought they would be, but it was still fun.

So Dad, I met your cousin's wife here the other day. Sis. G and I were walking down the hall and saw one of the volunteers with a nametag that said Sister Butters, so of course we stopped and talked to her. It's your cousin Bailey's wife. It was fun to meet her and make that connection with her!

Kels-- So when the new missionaries come in (this week it was on Thursday) they all have their orange dot stickers on them and of course all the new missionaries say hello. I had a strong urge to sing this to them: "Welcome to the MTC, welcome welcome welcome welcome welcome welcome welcome to the M-T-C!" ha ha it's the Ilyria song! Thought you would like that. I didn't sing it though because no one would have gotten it.

So just fyi, my family is the bomb.com. You are all so supportive and it's so great! There was one day last week where I got 5 Dear Elders, one letter and two packages!!! My district likes to tease me about how much mail I get. It makes me smile to know how much my family supports me! I couldn't do it without you!

So if any of my Mormon Times friends read the letter blog, here's a tid bit shout out to you! I was sitting in class and we had a guest teacher whose nametag said Brother Sekahema. Yep, I asked and it's Vai's son. (Just for everyone else's information, he writes a column for the DNews). It made me smile and think of all my friends at the paper.

Sister Gillespie and I have had so many great teaching experiences this week! We have really been working on being bold and trusting the spirit to fill our mouths. We were practicing a lesson for our investigator Steve (our teacher Bro. Woolf acts out the character everyday so we can teach him). Sister Gillespie was being "Steve" for our practice and I was teaching. We were trying to resolve his concern as to why God requires that people be more than just good people to dwell with him (he doesn't understand the importance of keeping commandments and ordinances and thinks just being a good person should be enough). At the beginning of the practice, I had no clue how to resolve the concern or what to say but at the end of our prayer before we started the practice, I knew EXACTLY what I needed to say. The Spirit truly filled my mouth and it was one of the neatest experiences I have ever had! At the end of the practice Sister G. and I just looked at each other in awe because of what had happened!

We also have been teaching a real less active girl, even though we didn't know until the last time teaching her that she wasn't just an actor. She is a BYU student that isn't sure about what she believes, and Sister G. and I consider it such a blessing that we were able to meet with her. We challenged her to go to church with her roommates last week and she did! She said it was a positive experience and I really feel like she is feeling the Spirit in her life again. We unfortunately don't get to teach her anymore, but Sis. G and I are going to see if there is any way we can continue to keep in touch with her.

Ambs: Thanks for the Dear Elder package you sent! The elders in my district were very appreciative of it! And Mom, Dad and Kels, they loved the cookies too! They provided a nice little treat for the whole district for a couple of days!

Oh, ha ha one of the biggest things to happen to me this week was I was called as Coordinating Sister for our branch. I got called on Sunday and I know I will only be it until this next Sunday because I can't be it during visitors' center training, but we need one since we have four new sisters coming in tomorrow. It's been a pretty cool experience for the past two days really learning to love and be concerned about the sisters in our branch. It's not hard because they are so great! We had four sisters leave this morning for the Ogden mission, so I helped them check out and get their stuff ready. When the new sisters come I will help show them around the MTC, go over rules with them and really try to help them feel welcome. Wish me luck! I'm excited for the opportunity.

Sunday when I got called to be Coordinating Sister was one of the most nerve wracking sacrament meetings I've been in besides my farewell. Apparently I am the only person in our entire branch that plays the piano, so I had to play in sacrament meeting without any practice! Mom, I wish I had listened to you more and practiced! Sisters, I blame you for encouraging us to split up the 30 minute practicing time between us when we were youner ;-) ha ha just kidding. It wasn't a total train wreck but it wasn't perfect either.

Last night at about 12:40 the fire alarm went off in our residence halls. Oh my it was SO LOUD!! You seriously don't need to be concerned if I would wake up to the fire alarm. I'm pretty sure it's impossible! We evacuated the building and waited in the parking lot for almost an hour. I never saw a fire truck come, but a BYU policeman did and then let us back in the building. We have no idea what caused it but it was pretty eventful! Too bad Chandler's station didn't respond! (he probably was up at "Brown-Eye" anyway ha ha)

Thanks for the support! I pray for you all every night and thank Heavenly Father for such a loving and suporting family! I love and miss you all soooo much! Don't worry about me though things are fine here!

Love times a billion!!!!!!!!!

Sister Butters