Dear Family, Friends, and Everyone!
Well another great week has passed. So many awesome things have happened this week. To start off, last night we had probably the most amazing devotional. Brother Stephen Allen (he's over managing the missionary dept of for the church). He had his entire talk all planned out, but then when he got up he changed the ENTIRE thing and it was amazing! Everyone was crying and the Spirit was so strong. Also yesteraday we were supposed to hear from the 1st counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency but she never showed up! Hope she's ok, but it was super strange so the MTC Presidents' wives all spoke to us because they always have back up talks prepared and it was really good! We also got to watch Sister Monson's funeral last night. It was so good, but my prayers go out to the Monson and Johnson family.
June 23rd..mark that date. The church is doing a big missionary fireside. I'm in the missionary choir here and it's awesome. So on June 23rd (if we're still here, we're supposed to leave for France on the 24th) President Monson, President Packer, and President Holland are speaking and we get to sing for them in the Marriot Center! I'm SOO excited! It'll probably be broadcasted so if you want to watch it you might see me ;)
Happy belated birthday Jordan! Congratulations Colton! You look great in your graduation picture and I'm so proud of you. Congrats to Lauren and Phil and Trent! The baby is just beautiful! Congrats Kirstie on finishing school and seminary.
Also a BIG THANK YOU to the Berge Girls for the AWESOME package! Seriously, you have no idea how happy and loved I felt! Thank you thank you thank you! Also thanks mom for the other package :) I got that one too. Also my hair dryer died. It started to burn up and almost caught fire, but it's all good. I unplugged it and threw it away. I can just use my companions' hair dryers in the mean time and buy one in France.
The MTC has started to slow down a bit. The French is really coming and our instructors told us that we're so much farther ahead than a lot of people they've taught before. That makes us feel really special haha
As I've been here longer I've really grown a love for the scriptures. They're so amazing and powerful! It's truly a blast to read the French scriptures next to the English ones because while I translate French to English they come out with different meanings. Way cool!
Our Sister Training Leaders are leaving next Sunday to go to their mission to Vanuatu. They're names are Sister Andreason and Sister Martinez and they live next door to us with the other 2 sisters in our district. They're so fun and I'm so sad they're leaving!! The Hunsakers got moved to a different ward :( but I saw them yesterday in the Cafeteria! Maddie Skillings! Ah congrats on the mish call! You're gonna rock it out there.
So I know everyone is probably curious about what it's really like here since there are always so many rumors about the MTC..well I'm gonna clear all that up..
-the food isn't that bad..it's just like Cannon Center food..there's alternatives though like fruit and there's always a fresh wrap station that is good.
-everyone here is so nice
-there really aren't that many rules... there's really only one rule: act like a missionary should act, but I guess people don't understand how to do that? lol idk
-there are so many sisters here that we have to share our residence buildings with elders
-you don't need to buy toiletries..they're all in the bookstore
-bring your own sheets. these ones are gross
-bring hangers, there aren't any here that are left over
-the sooner you are truthfully open with your companions and tell them how you really feel, the better your experience will be here, teaching, and just overall
-Companion Inventories->do them! They're truly a part of Heavenly Father's plan
-drink lots of water
-your main accessories are your name tag and a watch so make sure you have a good watch
-we study all day, but we do have fun..I promise it's not just all studying all the time
So this week I heard a really cool story from the wife of the 2nd counselor in our Branch Presidency. She served in Africa on a mission with her husband and they had two elders that were in an area that was going through a rough political time and the elders were instructed to stay in their apartment and wait til it was safe. They told these elders to keep the same schedule. Wake up at 6:30 and study during study time. No one was watching these elders. They were on their own. They could've slept in a little longer, no one would've noticed; however, these missionaries were obedient and kept the missionary schedule. Around 7:30 am one morning someone outside their apartment shot through a window and straight into the pillow on one of the elder's beds. If they had not obeyed the rules with exact obedience, even though they were instructed to stay in their apartments all day, that elder would've been killed in an instant.
The difference between a great missionary and an average missionary depends on what happens during the hours of 6:30-11:00. We were taught that principle in a fireside I think, but it's very true. Obedience is the key to success.
It seems like this week's theme has been obedience and trials. God doesn't allow bad things to happen. He blesses us with trials that refine, strengthen, and mold us into the person He knows we can be. We can't fight or beat the system. We can't argue with Heavenly Father's plan for us. It's so important to humble ourselves and allow God to refine us. Heavenly Father knows us better than we know ourselves and he can make a lot more out of our lives than we can.
I'm so grateful for this gospel. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and give my all to wear Christ's name over my heart and spread His beautiful gospel with others so they have the chance to use the Atonement to wipe away their pain. The gospel is much more beautiful when you use simple words. God loves us. He gave His Son Jesus Christ to take away our pain and suffer for our sins. Jospeh Smith helped restore the gospel. The Priesthood is the power of God on this Earth. Modern day prophets are so important to receive revelation for our time. When we pray, God hears our prayers. He can also answer our prayers if we have faith in Him and faith that we will receive an answer. Temples are true Houses of the Lord. They're the closest thing we have to heaven. The Book of Mormon is true writings of prophets and the principles are clear and for our time. The gospel is true.
The weather here is so beautiful! I'm so lucky I wasn't here during the winter..that'd be rough. There are beautiful tulips everywhere and it's so green. There are so many birds that will fly by your head and there are nests everywhere. It's super cool and also freaks you out haha. I have no idea why so many people say they don't like the MTC. They're just crazy because this is the best place ever. Honestly it's all about your attitude. You have a good time if you CHOOSE to have a good time. You have a good companion if you CHOOSE to love your companion and see them for their potential not for their flaws. I just love it here, and I love that I can choose my happiness. We all can choose to be happy! :)
Well my time is running low..
Stay righteous, be true, be you!
Avec amour,
Soeur Berge
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