Thursday, November 13, 2014

Why No Missionaries Stay at the MTC for Four Weeks‏

It's been a month! After today I will stop counting down. Whenever someone asks me "How long have you been here?" or "When do you leave?" I'll just start screaming and cover my ears. I've been counseled not to count down by Steve Kirk. 

We're at an awkward point here in the MTC. Most of us can have a decently simple conversation in Japanese. Our answers to questions in class are in Japanese now. I'm feeling really good. Everyday I'm learning something new, and whenever I do I feel like it opens a hundred doors for me to express myself through. I think I'll be okay.

This is dangerous.

It's way hard to not think: Hmm. I'm teaching this lesson right now in Japanese. I'm reading scriptures in Japanese. I can write Sacrament talks in Japanese. Why am I still here? I could be in Japan doing all these same things. 

I'm at an awkward stage at the MTC where I think I know a lot, but I have no idea how much I don't know. If a missionary is here for two weeks, it's easy to stay humble the whole time and enter the field humble. Don't get me wrong every missionary is sufficiently prepared. But the missionaries that have been here for two weeks have absolutely no seniority. Nearly everyone here has been here longer than they have. These missionaries don't get cocky, they don't boss other people around, and they barely have time to get to know everyone let alone feel adequate enough to give advice to others. However, a missionary that has been at the MTC for nine weeks has met native speakers and been prepped on the culture. Even though they're at the top of the food chain, the allure of their mission country is constantly on their mind, and they are forever preparing to be prepared for it. As for me, a lowly sister that's been here four weeks, I am cushioned. I am used to the missionary schedule at this point, but Japan is too far away to really think about it. I'm learning at my own pace. I have no one to compare myself too but the missionaries in my district. For the most part, the only Japanese I've heard has come out of the mouths of RMs. As I get more and more comfortable, I get more and more cocky. This is dangerous.

So hopefully next week something tremendously hard will happen and I'll have to be humbled. But this is honestly my general feeling about this week. 

I love you guys so much! Can't wait to hear from you next! I'm not worried about not getting the package till Monday. I'll be okay. EXCEPT I kinda bragged to everyone about the pao de queso so..... please send some. I have eleven missionaries in my district. Plus I want to share with Elder Santos and his companion. You do the math. That's all I ask. LOVE YOU!  

Oh I love my letters so much! One day I'll take a picture of my awesome desk in my classroom so you can all see the awesome artwork I'm displaying. It's the best. I love you guys. I'm so lucky to have all of you. 

See you soon!
Sister Goldsberry

The next picture is of my desk at our residence. I thought it'd be fun to see. Those are my fave pics. Everyone on our floor loves that picture of the Anderson baby. It cheers absolutely everyone up. Thanks again for all the pictures. They make me feel like I'm at home.

This picture is of my companions and me! The twenty-nine-year-old Mexican companion, Sister J. is in the black dress holding up a piece of paper over her forehead. The twenty-three-year-old is American, Sister B. is the blonde in the white top. AREN'T WE SO CUTE?? Love them too.

This is a picture of me and a Sister F. from my district. We thought it was pretty funny we both have the same dress. We planned to wear it together to the temple. Sister F. is the one with the voice of an angel. Love her.

This our residence! Not all of it but just where I sleep. One night, my companion got up in the middle of the night, and when she came back into bed, she hit her head so hard on the bunk above her she woke me up! I was like HOLY COW ARE YOU OKAY? But in like a weird raspy I just woke up voice. She got a real bad headache after that and I was so afraid it was a concussion. She doesn't like medicine, so she won't take my ibuprofen. But all was well when she got a blessing from the elders in our district later that day. It was really neat. I've never witnessed a healing blessing before. And man oh man are our elders awesome. We're surrounded by that powerful Melchizedek Priesthood all the time! It's the best. She's better now!

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