April 6, 2013
Hello Family!
Today is...not a P-Day. BUT, we are allowed to do laundry, so our Zone Leaders told us to do email as well, and no one begrudges it at all. So, I get to talk to you! My next real P-Day is next Friday, so email me back before then!
Alright, so here's a bit about my MTC experience thus far: Sister Caldwell is my companion. She is twenty years old from Pleasant Grove, UT. She is such a sweetheart. I had kinda a rough evening yesterday, and she was so kind and supportive. All the sisters in my room were. Sisters Nielsen and Planer are the other sisters in our district. Brother Handy and Brother Summerfeldt are my teachers. They are wonderful! Brother Handy is role-playing "Sam" our new investigator. When he takes on the role of Sam, I can hardly remember that he's really my teacher. It becomes essential to teach him by the Spirit and Sis. Caldwell and I have felt the Spirit's guidance in preparing his lessons. I think this is because we not only need to learn to teach, but also to teach by the Spirit, so the Spirit is teaching us how to feel his presence and influence. The elders in my district are amazing. We have multiple used-to-be-inactives, an ex-Marine and some really strong lifetime members. I'm the second youngest in the district, which would never have happened as a sister until the age change. The only one younger is Elder Lutul, and he turns nineteen in a month or two. All the elders in our district are going to Cleveland too, so we'll have elder friends in the mission field, which will be nice. We're already starting to bond as a district, and I can tell that they will be my greatest support during this time.
So, guess who's in my zone? Elder Harker! We have Zone Teaching and gym time together, plus his classroom is two down from mine. I see him everywhere! I hope it makes him as happy as it makes me to see a familiar face, at least way, deep down inside:) I've also seen Logan Michelson, Quin Kirkham, Jaleeesa Jensen, Kimmy Gidney and a couple aquaintances from BYU, and probably a few others, but I can't remember them all. There are so many people, with more expected over the next two months. It is so exciting!
I've been told that if you can make it through Sunday the rest of the time at the MTC flies. I hope that's true. I've felt myself grow and I love the work and gospel even more already, but it's hard work. Hard, hard work, and every day seems so long. Last night was the hardest, though. I haven't felt homesick at all (no offense, you know I love you!) but I felt really discouraged last night. None of my practice discussions were going well, but the point is that I learned from each one. Nothing the teachers or Sis. Caldwell tell me I could improve on makes me feel bad, it's all my own feelings of inadequacy. I need to buck up and realize that no one has it down yet, and I still have time to learn. There are so many rules. I know they're all there for our good, but when they give you a letter (from Mykal Kay, actually) and say "You can't open it until 9:30" and then you get to your residence hall at nine and they say, "You're here early" even though we had nothing else to do, I start to get tired of them. Still, I'm trying to be obedient, and I know I will be blessed if I am.
I can receive emails from friends in the MTC, but I don't know about the mission field yet. If anyone wants to email me, make sure they know not to after April 14th until further notice.
I love you all dearly. Enjoy General Conference! Let's see what the Prophet tells us this time. "D May the Lord bless you all!
Sister Richards
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