Day 1 at the MTC was a crazy and overwhelming day! I said goodbye to my family, met my escort who was from New Zealand, and then I picked up my name tags and cried. I couldn't believe what I was about to get myself into! Then I was escorted to my residence and then taken to my classroom to meet my companions and district, and immediately I felt at peace. I was completely immersed with the spirit and that's how I have felt almost every day since being here!! It really is amazing! We sit in class literally ALL day, studying and teaching. Normally I would hate that, and hate role playing...but it is so much fun! Kyle you were right! Its like being with your friends all day and it is a BLAST.
I will send pictures of my companions and my district as soon as we figure out how :)
My companions names are Sister Anderson and Sister Yi, and I LOVE them! Its hard introducing myself as sister Payne. Not quite used to it yet! But sister Yi is so funny, she said she wants to call me Jennie Kaye all of the time, and she wants to name her daughter after me because she thinks its the prettiest name hahaha!! So good job mom and dad. i guess? ;) love the Elders in my district too! Elder Lee, Elder Applegate, and Elder Skiles. My district only has 2 tripanionships. We had one guy never show up, and one sister never show up (which is really unusual) so we are both in trios. I know it is a huge blessing though. We are not all going to the same place, some of us are going to Canada, some going to Seattle and some going to Arizona. We all have all become best friends because we tell each other everything and we are with each other the entire day!
I did get sick my first day here..figures. but I am finally feeling better today! Now everyone in my district has colds..woops :)
Dad I have been running on the track that they have in the gym, so when I get back we can do another race!
I don't know why everyone says MTC food tastes so good..its just like school lunch..the only thing I really like here are the cookies. They call me the cookie monster now.
Good thing Grandma Cathy sent us chips and salsa!!! Thank you grandma! My companions and I were so grateful to have some food that tasted good! Sister Yi said it was the best thing she has ever eaten in her life and i think she ate most of it ;) all of the Elders were really jealous. Thank you for the letters everyone (It seriously feels like Christmas when we get mail) Its what gets us though the never ending day! That hope that we will have mail haha!
I think I had my breaking point though on the 3rd day here. I could not feel the spirit anymore and I wanted to go home. I didn't think I could do this. I think I prayed the entire day straight to get that spirit back and I couldn't figure out WHY the spirit left me in the first place! Because I couldn't feel the spirit, teaching our investigators didn't go well. So I decided to talk with my district about it, and it turns out that everyone was feeling the same way. We had a really long discussion together and everyone shared their testimonies about the savior and our purpose here, and instantly the spirit was back. We talked about what we can improve and what we can do better so that we can always have the spirit with us. I can really say now that I know what it feels like to not have the spirit, and I wont ever take it for granted ever again! Since that day where we all hit rock bottom, we have been on fire! Teaching our investigators had been AWESOME! Our teaching skills have improved immensely.
Sunday was an amazing day too. Full of tender mercies. Of course, I went to choir practice and guess who the MTC choir director is...RYAN EGGETT! I was so excited to see a familiar face. but wait..there's more. We sang the song Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer!!! (different arrangement from the hymn) That is one of my absolute favorite songs that we sang in the UVCC choir on one of my first tours, and I about died. That song is exactly what I needed to hear.
"Curb the winds and calm the billows, bid the angry tempest cease. precious savior dear redeemer, let us never from the stray."
There are times in life where you feel like you are completely surrounded by roaring waters and crashing waves. Times when you don't think that you can possibly make it through.
In the story of Jesus in Mark chapter 4, Jesus and his disciples are on a boat, and the storm comes and Jesus is sleeping. His disciples think they are going to die and they ask, carest thou not that we perish?! but Jesus wakes up and commands the sea to be still.
Just like that story, he does care! He can calm the storm in our hearts and help us over come any challenges that we have. I know because I have experienced him calm my heart during my time in the MTC.
And so... my companions and I have been humming that song every day since:)
Love, Sister Payne
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