Sister Rachel Marie Crofts: MTC Week1.5 March 2, 2017

Hello Everyone!

No, I'm not dead, I just got jipped because my zones Pday is Thursday so we had to wait over a week! But never fear, I am back.

I LOVE the MTC. The spirit is oh so strong here and I just feel so at peace. One thing I really love is how much we pray here. The best thing I've seen is our prayer before we workout in the Gym! Kinda funny but also smart because some of the Elders go a little crazy after sitting for so long!
My first day here was so fast pace I don't think I had a second to breath, but it was awesome. I got to meet my companion, Sister Henrie, who is super sweet and very quiet. Definitely the opposite of me. But we get a long pretty well and she and I joke around a lot too which is good :) One thing we've really been trying to work on is her speaking up when she has something to say, and me letting her say more! We're doing so much better already. The other two girls in my district are Sister Warren and Sister Smellie. (Pronounced Smay-lee but she gets called Smelly all the time :( ) Sister Smellie is so awesome. Her and I are so similar and have the same humor which is great. We're always having fun or laughing about something. The Elders in our district are super nice, a little awkward sometimes but that's okay ;) One problem everyone at the MTC has is calling people "Guys" instead of Elders and Sisters, which we've been told many times not to do! So everywhere you go you hear people saying "how are you guys I mean Sisters and Elders doing?" or something like that. It's pretty funny.

I've had many questions about how the food is... My first night here I loved it, and honestly it just depends. I've had some pretty good meals, but I've also had some pretty sketchy ones. Someone's hamburger was blood red on the inside so that was fun. But for the most part if the Food seems sketchy we just get one of their fancy salads which are usually pretty nice. Sister Smellie and I have both had some stomach problems because of the food, so thank goodness we have each other haha ;) My favorite thing about the meals is the drinks. I get orange guava almost every time it's so good.

My teachers here are fantastic. I didn't know until l got here that all of the teachers are fairly young return missionaries. They all have such strong testimonys and its so cool to hear them teach because they just went through everything we did!
The first couple of days before Sunday were super long but full of the spirit. They always say you're good if you make it to Sunday.. and I did! Sunday was still super busy but slower than the other days so it felt very relaxing. We got to leave the jail walls of the MTC ;) and walk to the temple. It's been snowing a ton here so it was pretty cold but the sun came out for our walk and it was absolutely gorgeous. We also had a devotional that night that was super good and then watched an MTC only video called the Character of Christ. It was a talk given by Elder Bednar and it was SO GOOD. Since you can only see it at the MTC I'll give you a mini summary. Christ was absolutely perfect. And there are so many examples of that. And he constantly put the needs of others before himself, even when he was about to be crucified and even as he suffered the pain of the world. And that's how we should all strive to be. When we want to be selfish and worry about ourselves, we need to turn out to others, not turn in. When we are looking we lose our selves. When we lose ourselves to others we find who we are. I know this is true. And I encourage you to all work on it along with me :)

Some last little things:
Things I do each day:
wake up and breakfast by 7am
Plan and study for the investigators we'll be teaching
Class
Teach
lunch
exercise
study
dinner
study
teach
class
back to our room by 9, lights off by 10:30.
Repeat :)

It's tiring but so work it. I know this church is true.
One last thing, my companion sister Henrie and I got called to be our zones Sister training leaders! a district is made up of some sisters and elder companions, and a zone is made up of several districts. Our zone Sister training leaders left and we'll be getting new missionaries in the next two weeks so Sister Henrie and I will be in charge of all of them and making sure all of the sisters are doing okay and doing orientations! It's super cool.

Today is Pday finally and we just got back from all going to the provo temple! It was so beautiful and we got to eat the cafeteria food which was so yummy! I continue to pray for you all!

Anyway, that was a lot! Love you all and don't stop emailing and sending letters!

Love, Sister Crofts