Conference was amazing!

So conference has been amazing! It's really cool to have conference in the MTC with so many priesthood holders and missionaries going out to do this great work. Everyone was thinking about how we could apply what was said to our work and it is an incredible feeling. Another cool thing about conference in the MTC is that it is basically a 3 day weekend! Because we have no classes on Saturday and Sunday and Monday is p-day! So it's pretty cool.

 

Also... Every Sunday night we get to watch a movie after our devotional. This week was "The Testaments" which I didn't realize was just one movie.   ...haha...

It was so cheesy, but so wonderful! I realized that it is where basically all the clips of our Savior come from in Mormon messages and such. The best part was when the two leads would kiss or touch hands..... oooohhhhh boy! There was a riot of missionary "hoorahs"!  Poor deprived missionaries is what it is.

Elder Bruce in my district whispers "ahhh... 2 years" so I leaned over and whispered "18 months!" hahaha okay so it wasn't very nice, but it was so perfect!

 

Something I find really interesting here at the MTC is the agency we have. We don't have teachers or chaperons walking us around or checking up on us. Everything we do is by our own choice. I was thinking about it today as we were sitting outside the temple after having done some ordinances. We get to visit the temple every P-day and we just walk there from the MTC by ourselves. I hadn't realized it, but if I wanted to instead of going back to the MTC or going to the temple in the first place I could just walk down the street. See a movie. Use the phone. Go all the way home! And nobody would know besides my companion until somebody realized I was missing.

The MTC is not a jail. It is not a boarding school. It is an opportunity. We only have to be here if we want to be here. We only have to work if we want to work.

This is such an incredible knowledge. Our district works off the theme, "Pray as if it is all up to the Lord, work as if it is all up to you."

How much I progress here is up to me. The Lord blesses us with as many miracles as we want. It has been amazing to see the miracles come from this! My goal this week has been to work as much as I possibly can! And study as hard as I can! I have never studied so much in my life!.. But guess what... The Lord has helped me accomplish things that I didn't know I could. And when I have been completely exhausted thinking I can't cram anything else in my brain today.... I am able to teach a lesson as if I've always known those words.

 

My companion, Sister Bierman and I, have made friends here at the MTC who is actually FROM Sao Paulo Brasil! He is so kind and just wants to help us learn the language! He has been here 7 weeks and didn't know any English before he came and can speak to us fluently in English! It reminded me how trust and humility before the Lord can make all things possible... in only 7 weeks!

 

Out of all the things I got out of conference, and trust me... i have about 12 pages of notes... yowza! The most significant theme I found was that God loves us.

God loves me. He loves you.

He does NOT want you to go through this world alone.

 He misses you and he wants you to succeed! He wants you to be happy.

He would do everything and anything for you if only he could! But he doesn't so that we can grow.

So that we can be independent. So that you can use your agency. And so that you can feel free.

 

Many know the scripture from 1 Nephi. "I will go and do the things the Lord commands. I know the Lord provides a way, he wants me to obey." 

If nothing else this week I have learned, and I want you to remember to not look over a keep part of this phrase.

"I know the Lord provides a way."  He does. If only we will trust him.  His plan is so much better than we think ours is.

 

I love you all! Thank you again for your support! It keeps me going when I don't think I can say even one more word in Portuguese.