Settling in at the MTC

Sam holding a picture Abby drew.

Sam and her companion, Sister Arnold.

K i'll get started....geez, I wish I could print out your emails because I can't remember the questions.

So I did my laundry...I'm not drying anything because I never dry clothes hang. I sure hope I have enough room in the closets!!

So Dan (our teacher role playing)) doesn't see why he needs the gospel. He role plays soooooo well. It's insane. So we've been gearing lessons to help him understand why he needs Christ in his life and why he needs faith. I wish I could go into more detail....! There is a cool scripture we're sharing with him D & C 8  that is so packed with great things but in particular versus 1 and 10. I love the scriptures sooooo much!!! It's cool because as my love for the Book of Mormon grows my love for the Bible grows. They are both words of God. I for the first time used Exodus today chapter 18 and thought about how there are patterns in the gospel. For example, there is one man called of God to receive revelation and holds the keys and then he establishes priests/apostles to help him. So I think chapter 18 relates? What do you think?

We are also teaching Melissa!  In reality (we don’t know which), she is either a new convert or a legit investigator. She is a non-denominational Christian and the first lesson we really focused on letting the spirit guide us and we had just come from learning in class about the apostasy soo....haha we started there.  I know I know big mistake....ha the lesson was so confusing. So we were so bummed. I teared up for sure after just feeling so dumb. I was a little too Bold/Blunt to in describing why he takes the gospel off the earth....So I was bummed. We strived sooo hard to know what the spirit wanted us to teach her. But we learned some key things so the Lord definitely works in mysterious ways. Sometimes he answers prayers and teaches us in ways we do not want to be taught :).

During district prayer I received revelation. I was brought back to the time when I was worried about serving a mission and in the blessing dad stated: I needed to feel confident in my decision to go on a mission because I had received an answer and that I would have some regrets on my mission but I'd love it. At the time I was so confused why the blessing said I'd have regrets.  But now I totally love that it said that and I was sooo comforted. 

Sam with her district.

Sam, after a long day of lessons and teachings, staggers up the stairs :)

We learned that she wonders why we need a prophet to receive revelation and why she has to accept another Christian gospel. So we studied and studied on it and felt like we learned a lot. We even told her we'd answer her question about prophets. But when the next lesson came around we totally felt like that was not what we were supposed to teach. And if the spirit isn't going to help us teach it than there is NO use in trying to word vomit! :) We felt strongly to teach her about how earth life is a time for us to grow and learn to accept Christ in our lives. We sang Come unto me...which was almost perfect until the 4th to last measure or something haha but it ended well. Spirit was so strong! She didn't show yesterday (we hope she is okay!)

I really want to play the Violin in our zone sacrament next meeting...i'm not sure if i'll be able to rent one/play it haha (I haven't played in a year!) I played the piano for our district and it went well. I really want to get better at it!

Okay funny story. So there was this chocolate mousse in the cafeteria that I really wanted but when they served it I was fasting so yesterday they were serving it again and I went to get some but it was all out so I sat back down and Elder Call (26, going to Toronto) said, “Sister do you have enough faith to get that pudding?”

I looked at him and said, “no no no it;s okay don't worry about it!!” to which he responded, “ YOU don't have faith?!”  So I said, “Okay look I'll plant a seed of faith!” Then he yelled across tables , inviting an elder to give me his mousse: "ELDER BUTLER DO YOU WANT TO DO SOME SERVICE?" I dropped to the floor. I was SO EMBARRASSED!!!!! Then this poor sister sitting next to Elder Butler gave me a bite of hers. It was so funny but quite embarrassing. We were all laughing.

Jessica shared a cool quote from President Hinckley about having Joy! Definitely describes the MTC. After Sunday days have FLOWN by! It's been so happy, and it's been drinking out of a fire hydrant. Mom!! Thanks so much for all the packages and everyone else for the letters!! I'm going to respond hand written letters to the ones I received! :) Aunt Jonell knows one of the sisters in my district!! It's great!!  We are all going to Canada and the ones in my district (they're is only another sister companionship)  and we love each other sooo much. We love exercising haha. Ps. I haven't gained weight. But my hamstrings are Sooooooooooooo sore. Like So bad. hah ugh. I did one of Cole's arm work outs....I couldn't move my arms for like 3 days! It was great.

My packages are great its so funny cause sister Arnold is loaded with sweets and mine healthy stuff. She is from Kaysville.

Okay so on Aug 15 I was fasting and it was so cool. While I believe that the fast helped the person I was fasting for....it really helped me. Crazy how that works, huh? Turning outward always helps us in the end :). I really just gained the strongest testimony on how fasting really helps our strengthen our relationship with God.

Mom I don't have the necklace, since I didn't have a gold chain that worked! How was abby starting preschool??! How was emma's first day?:) I'm excited to respond to their letters. Daphne and Jeff....What the heck! Write me ;)  Yes! Let sister yates have my info? hahaha I saw Ethan here at the MTC (I did sepcial needs seminary with him it was great.) MTC has great food. I have a picture of it...I'll send it next week. Really appreciated your packages though! Epseically this morning!

Abby! thank you for your drawing of water for me!!

I haven't read all the letters in my case yet.

Dad thank you so much for your email! I want to see Steffani’s hair!

Thanks to Mom, Sam has received no shortage of care packages so far.

Sam and her roommates. I love it how they even wear their name names

with their PJs.  Hopefully, they take them off before they go to bed!

In the field hopefully I'll be able to print out your letters and really digest them.

I love you all so much! Church is totally true and God loves us. Answers come in mysterious ways some times. I had a thought at the temple y'all should think about. Satan his giving his best efforts to tear you down, even when you think you're fine, and you’re not. He doesn't take a break. Are you giving your best efforts? In the BD under atonement it says--"The atonement is conditional"....please go look at it and I want to hear all of your thoughts on what you're doing. How you're letting Christ into your lives.

Love sister reeves