My last week!

Family,

 

Can you believe it's my last week at the MTC!? Starting to go into panic mode. We got our flight plans and now it's starting to get real, I'll be in Sydney next week teaching the gospel to REAL people!...not that my teachers aren't real but...I am so excited! I can't even take it. We already had to say goodbye to one of our Elders, he left a week early for transfer reasons. So sad...we all loved him. It's going to be really hard saying goodbye to everyone, they are my family! We have been through so much together! Terrible food, learning Chinese, laughing at each other's Chinese, reading scriptures and receiving revelation, temple trips etc. Such good times, but we are all ready and prepared. 

Earlier last week there was a television crew here from the Netherlands, because of the election there have been television crews from all over coming to the MTC to observe missionaries and learn about Mormons, haha, it's been really fun to see them. So, this film crew comes into our class and asks to interview me and my companions! They said they really wanted some footage of Sisters learning an exotic language so...they took us outside and just asked us to start talking to each other pretending the camera wasn't there, so we did (you know I love the camera..)   They let us talk for about 5 minutes then said, "Okay great, 17 million people in the Netherlands will see your face in a few weeks!" ...oh my GOSH! haha, that's so exciting, I'm famous in the Netherlands. 

TRC was fun, our investigator had a furry scripture case so I told him I liked it and he said..."oh yeah, it's my dog..." and my face probably went white...I said..."wait......really?" he laughed, " no, no it's not my dog, but it is kangaroo!" He served in Brisbane, Australia. I thought that was pretty funny, the lesson was awesome. On his feedback he wrote, "They had so much spirituality and their Chinese was amazing, it made me feel like a bum." Haha, that is a direct quote. 

I hosted again on Wednesday, I got paired up with this Sister who is going to the Marshall Islands.  As I was walking her to her room I was like, "Oh my gosh, I don't think I asked you yet - where are you from?"  She says..."Oh, I'm from Sydney, Australia"  Yep...peed my pants. I almost started crying, THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING! She was freaking out, telling me all about the area and her family. She said I'll be working with exchange students and probably working in the singles ward. SO thrilled! I can't wait. She was so cute, we're friends now. Now you KNOW how I hate spiders, well the Elders in my district are aware of this and they somehow smuggled in these two fake, gross spiders and they have been playing pranks all week. Putting them in my scriptures, on a string hanging above my head, on my tray at lunch, under the napkin, etc, etc. I'm terrified to actually see the real thing now. GREAT! 

Alright family, now you KNOW how much I love reading the scriptures. Usually like twice a week the teachers will schedule a time for us to read together as a district, it's probably my favorite thing we do at the MTC. I learn so much hearing every one's input and breaking down each verse. Every day I write on the board our schedule and then at the end I'll put "...and read the Book of Mormon."  My teacher will come in and be like..."okay so does everyone know what we're doing today?"...I'll look at the board and be like..."huh...looks like we're...reading the BOM again?" hahaha My teachers look confused and then they laugh. "sorry Sister Raitt, not today.." :(  So now whenever we read the BOM, my district is cheering and all excited for me, haha. Love them. 

So here's my challenge for the week. Look in the Bible Dictionary, look up God, omniscient of...and look at every reference and really ponder it. I literally was in tears last night as I was looking at more references. Heavenly Father really does know us perfectly, he knows each of our thoughts and desires. You will read in one of the references (I forgot,) He knows what we need before we even THINK to ask for it. Makes me feel really humbled when I say my prayers and ask for certain things and of course, He already knows, He is just waiting patiently for us to ask Him. I have felt the spirit stronger than any other time reading the BOM and the Bible. I've had many other times where I've felt the spirit but reading the scriptures is now such a different experience for me, it's not just words that I don't understand in a weird language. It all makes SENSE! I love it. 

Also music, the spirit really speaks to me through music. I usually am in a heap bawling after every musical number at a fireside or devotional. Speaking of bawling, we watched the Testaments on Sunday night.  For those who have seen it, you know it's a litttttlllee cheesy the first half, of course all of the Elders can't handle it when there is a kiss scene so there's lots of OOOOoooing and giggling...haha SO immature. But at the end, Jesus Christ comes down to visit the people in the Americas and this man is blind and he's waited his whole life to see Christ but he can't, but he doesn't care, he is just happy that his family is able to see him, when all of a sudden Jesus Christ touches his shoulder and there He is, all glorious and He heals him and he's not blind and he sees Jesus Christ.........instantly tears are rolling down my cheek. I can't handle shows like that! I loved it, so powerful, I felt guilty for thinking it was a little cheesy, the ending is so great. 

There was also a video clip played in the Spoken Word Sunday morning, maybe some of you watched it?  But there was this young boy with cerebral palsy and he really wanted to run in his race at school so he did.  It took him a long time and it was really hard for him to run.  But he kept going and after his classmates had finished, they went back and started running with him and then his coach started running with him and they all finished together...once again...in a heap bawling, we all were. Then the choir sang and I was just a MESS! haha but I love it. The spirit is so awesome, I encourage everyone to strive to feel the spirit. Why would we ever want to do anything that might draw the spirit away...I look back on my pre-mission life and realize there have been times where I could've made a better decision...ugh. So happy that I'm learning everything I can now so I won't have to make the same mistakes. I love the Atonement, so grateful for my savior, Jesus Christ (Yesu Jidu). I love all of you so much, the next time you hear from me I'll be in the land down undahhh! :) Have a great week!

 

Sister Raitt