Week 4...1/2 mark at the Missionary Training Center

Hey everyone!!!!!!!!!
What a wonderful week! It went by so fast! It really does go by fast, and so much depends on your attitude. One of the new girls told me that a sister said “Be careful, everyone cries here, you´ll cry soon enough.” I was so surprised when I heard that because I think it’s been great, and so do my companions! I just see the MTC as an opportunity to learn, and I have so much to learn!!

I just found out that we´ll be getting a Brazilian sister in our room, which will be interesting. It´ll for sure help us with learning Portuguese faster! She is really nice though, so it should be great.
What happened this week? I have to start off telling a little story. My companion told me the other night that she woke up to me talking in my sleep, which is not unusual, UNTIL she said that I was talking in PORTUGUESE!! Hahahaha!! I said, “Eu SOU Vou entender portuguese!” Which sort of means, “I will understand Portuguese!”, but in horrible grammar. I was really proud to be talking in Portuguese in my sleep.

This week has gone by so fast, that I don’t even remember anything fun to say- I usually take notes, but I forgot this week. I´m celebrating my 1 month mark today. I’m halfway done with the MTC. Being a sister missionary so far is pretty cool. We began teaching in Portuguese this week, which was interesting at first, but by the end of the week we could get through a lesson in decent time. Of course, we are all talking like 3 year olds, and I’m sure it’s with a horrible accent, but we´re learning! I can speak with the Brazilians on a decent level, if they speak slow. We get to go out proselyting next Friday. So we´ll see how that goes. I love my companions, and we have a pretty good time together.

I’ve got to use my haircutting skills and cut some of the Brazilian sisters’ hair. There is a barber here in the MTC, but they don’t do a very good job. I’m not able to cut the Elders’ hair, so they’ll have to live with the bad haircuts. Ha!

I cannot begin to express how much help I’ve received from the Lord in helping me learn Portuguese. It’s amazing. I can read through “Preach My Gospel” (that’s the book we learn missionary work from) and get through it without having to look up a word I can’t remember.

It’s interesting how your perspective changes when you’re a missionary. Before my mission, reading the scriptures for an hour seemed like a long time, but now it’s not enough. One of my new favorite things to do is to ask myself, “How has the Lord helped me today?” Every day I can come up with A LOT of things He has helped me with. I challenge everyone to ask themselves that question each day and write it down in your journal.

I’m glad I brought a few light sweaters, it’s gotten cooler here. I also think the bugs know it’s cooler, because we found a cockroach in the bathroom. Don’t get me wrong, the MTC is very clean and nice. I hear the Joao Pessoa, where I will be serving my mission, is very HOT. So I’d better enjoy the cooler weather while I can.

Love to everyone and Happy Mother’s Day!