Missionary Training Center Letter 2 "Something Mattered More"

I don't have as much time this week as I did last time, so i just want to share one experience that I had.

On Saturday one of our Branch Presidency members, Brother Nilsson, talked to us about obedience. He told the story of a time when he was on a plane and felt prompted to take a middle seat and tell the lady to his left that Christ visited the Americas. Turns out, he was able to answer a question and prayer she had had for a long time regarding the scripture "Other sheep i have which are not of this fold." As he was departing the plane it came to his attention that the other man who had been sitting with them was a Bishop of the church. 'Why did the Lord need me to take a middle seat and share that message when the bishop could have done it?" he asked. "I don't know. But perhaps it was because at that time the Lord couldn't count on the bishop to share the message."

"So," he asked us, "can the Lord trust you?"

Later that evening I was gazing at the painting in our classroom of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, praying to know which church to join. And I thought of the question brother Nilsson had asked. I thought about what God had said to Joseph Smith in the grove when they appeared to him, "This is my beloved Son. Hear Him." And I thought about how much confidence and trust God had in Christ. So much that hundreds of years before Christ would atone for our sins, mankind could repent. God's trust in Christ was so perfect that it was as though Christ had already accomplished what was asked of Him. I want God to be able to have that kind of trust in me. And then I realized . . 

He is and has been preparing hearts to receive the word that I will have the opportunity to share with them, because HE TRUSTS ME. And I turn, I NEED TO TRUST MORE IN HIM. 

I thought about the question Brother Nilsson had asked. "Yes," I whispered. And the spirit washed over me. What a grand trust!

This Sunday my companion and I got to teach a lesson on obedience. When I had earlier been preparing for the lesson I'd been thinking about what questions to ask, and it occurred to me to ask God why Christ was so obedient. And the answer came clearly, BECAUSE SOMETHING MATTERED MORE. 

And I thought, what is my something that matters more--more than myself? 

I'd challenge everyone to think about that. For me, it made me really realize that a mission is not a SACRIFICE, it's a PRIVILEGE. And part of my something more is the people I will get to love and serve and my desire for God to be able to put His complete trust in me to do whatever is His will for me. 

Love,

Hermana Anderson

#allforHim

Missionary Training Center Letter 1 "Listen and Love"

I am so eager to serve God in Tucson Arizona in just three weeks after my training in Provo. 

It has been five days now in the MTC (missionary training center) and I feel as though I am living in the city of Enoch. The spirit here is so strong because everyone is so devoted to strengthening their conversion to Christ.

In the MTC everyone is paired with a companion of the same gender whom they are expected to stay with throughout their stay in the MTC. My companion, Hermana Hernandez, is extremely supportive, patient, sweet, and loving. She is so intune with the Spirit of God and a wonderful example to me. 

This past Saturday we had class until late and the class was having trouble focusing. Everyone was just exhausted. The class ended and we were supposed to be teaching an investigator about prayer and God's love in just a few minutes. I was tired, my stomach hurt, and I just wanted to go to bed. I wasn't really looking forward to having to teach and I wasn't feeling the Spirit at all. Then I looked over and saw my companion praying. I said a prayer and by the time I had said "Amen" I didn't feel so tired, my stomach didn't hurt so much, and I was excited and eager to teach our investigator, Myra. And the Spirit was so strong during that lesson as we taught her of God's love and plan for each of us. Prayer is so powerful. 

Myself and one other Sister, Hermana Block, are the only two in our district (the term for a small group of missionary companionships who, in the MTC, have class together) who grew up without Spanish in the home. We both struggled some as we were thrown into a complete immersion classroom, but she struggled more than I. 

Our very first practice lesson was with Felipe and it went . . . well, let's just say there was room for improvement.Ii was so nervous and so preoccupied with the worry that I wouldn't know what to say or how to say it. 

After the lesson a member of our branch presidency, Elder Neilson, pulled aside me and Hermana Block and our companions and took us to a classroom at the end of the hall. 

"Do you have any idea why I took you to this room?" he asked us.

We didn't.

"Because," he told us, "when I was in the MTC learning Spanish this was my classroom. And when I was here, i was the worst Spanish speaker in the MTC. There were two Elders (the term for male missionaries) who sat in those chairs to my left and made fun of me. On the board behind where your heads are my teacher wrote the numbers 1-12 on the board and we would sign up under one of those number and that would be the order we would go in to pass off the lessons (this was back when the lessons were memorized). One day I signed my name under #12, as I always did, and took my seat. And the spirit said to me, 'What are you doing?' It seemed to be saying, 'Don't you know that this is God's work and that he can teach you the lesson--that if you have the faith to open your mouth, He will fill it?' I went back up to the board, erased my name from the 12th slot and wrote it under the first. The other Elders laughed at me. But, i'll tell you something," he said, leaning closer to us, 'that was the best I had done yet in passing off a lesson."

I realized then that I had been so preoccupied with my inadequacies with Spanish that I had neglected to rust in the Spirit. How selfish of me!--to think only of myself and my concerns, and forget that THIS IS GOD'S WORK and my ability to (or inability to) speak the language hinders Him only to the extent that I allow it to hinder me. 

The following morning we taught our practice investigator, Felipe, again. Just before the lesson, I was able to memorize in Spanish part of Joseph Smith's first vision. "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other, 'This  is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

During the lesson, I focused on Felipe, what he was saying and feeling, what he needed, and what the spirit was telling me about him. I was less nervous. The language came easier. And I understood Felipe better and was able to better feel God's love for him. And when I felt prompted to, I shared with him the first vision and y testimony. And though my words were simple and my language imperfect the spirit was there and seemed to flood the room.

Later that day in our class, we read Doctrine and Covenants 12:8: "And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted in his care." I thought about my lesson with Felipe and realized something: the connection between humility and love. When we are humble enough to trust God, to trust that he will in very truth give us the words we need in the very moment we need them, then we don not need to be nervous, anxious, nor worried. And when we are none of these things--when we are confident and at peace--then we can truly listen and be filled with love for those we teach. 

During our first day in the MTC, during our first lesson in our classroom, I read something about our purpose as missionaries and two words seemed to jump off the page: escuchar y amor (listen and love). Now I see that they are really one and the same. This work is truly a work of love and we feel that when we truly listen to our investigators, and to the Spirit. 

And both of these words, or principles, build upon the same prerequisites of humility and trust. 

And I have definitely been humbled. On Sunday my companion and I were assigned to be the Sister Training Leaders--in charge of training and assisting the other sisters in our zone (a zone is a group of districts). I am humbled and eager to serve in this capacity. 

Funny story: I was talking once to our class and trying to say that the atonement can wash away our sins(pecados) and instead accidentally said that the atonement can wash away our fishes(pescados). That's one i don't think anyone in our class will forget any time soon. We still laugh about it whenever someone brings up sins. 

I love this work and am so grateful for the love and support of family and good friends. I'm sorry and a little sad that I wasn't able to visit and say goodbye to all for you, but I will see you in 18 short months and love you all. 

Yours,

Hermana Anderson

#allforHim