Hello everyone!
Como vai? I don't know about you
all, but I feel like my mission is FLYING BY. Tomorrow, I'll be starting my
fourth week in the MTC. WHAAAT? I can't believe it. That's a month,
people. Insane. Really. But what an incredible week it has been. I decided to
write down things during the week that were worth mentioning, and my list got
extremely long. Hopefully I have enough time to tell it all. Let's hope so.
It's been an awesome week. AND SHANNON RENAE COMES IN TO THE MTC TOMORROW. I AM
SO EXCITED.
So first, let me tell you what happened Tuesday night. We went in for our Tuesday Night Devotional, and all of a
sudden walks in Elder Richard G. Scott. You've never heard so much
silence and respect for someone as soon as they walked in the door. I felt the
Spirit so strongly, just with his presence. His talk was incredible. He talked a lot about the Sister Missionaries at
the beginning of his talk. Did you know that
45% of all the missionaries here are sisters? THAT is truly incredible. The
Lord is hastening His work, SO FAST. I mean, He's really hastening it.
It is the greatest thing to be a part of. His talk was
on prayer, and how prayer is a gift from our Heavenly Father. It is so
true. How amazing is it that we can personal speak with
our God, at any time, in any place? He is always listening and He wants to hear
from you. It was such an amazing talk. I feel so blessed that I had the
opportunity to listen, and to feel his spirit so strongly. When he left, I knew
that man was called of God. I felt it so strongly. This church is so true, and
so perfect.
After devotionals, we have DDR. Dance, Dance Revolution. Ha.
Not. We focus here in the MTC. It's called like District Devotional Review, or
Devotional District Response or something like that. I don't know. We call it
DDR. But anyway, that's when we talk about the devotional as a district. Let me
just tell you. My district is the bomb. I've never met a group of people more
determined than they are and more willing to serve. We are all best friends and
we are all so supportive of each other. They are seriously my family here and I
love them so much. So whenever we have anything like this, the Spirit is
insanely strong. We just talked about different things we learned about, new
insights, anything. Afterwards, the Spirit was so strong, and we decided to
have a little time for testimonies. I knew I had to bear mine, but I really
feel like I am always talking, and always sharing things, so I didn't say
anything right away. No one bore their testimonies. So right when the District
Leader asked who wanted to pray, the Spirit totally got
me and told me that I NEEDED TO BEAR MY TESTIMONY. So really quick,
I said, "Can I just say something really quick?" I bore my testimony
more heartfelt than I believe I ever had before. I
talked about prayer and the impact it has on our lives. The way that we can
pray to our Heavenly Father whenever, wherever we want to. He is ALWAYS there,
and He is ALWAYS listening. I talked about the Atonement, and how our
Savior died, just to know you, individually. Just to know the things you are
going through. I talked about how important it is that we are all here, serving
the Lord, bringing this joy to the people all over the world. It is truly
wonderful. I was bawling. Everyone in the room was bawling. The Spirit was so strong. Afterwards, a few other
people shared their testimonies as well. I'm so
thankful I listened to that prompting. It led to so much more than I could have
ever imagined.
Everyone, read 2 Nephi 2, if
you want to see how truly amazing the Atonement is. We read it in class last
week, and oh man. Muito bom. It is incredible.
Just remember, your Savior suffered everything just to know you. He died so
that you can live forever, with your family, in more happiness than you can
imagine. It is the greatest blessing I have ever received, and will ever
receive. Giving up 18 months just to serve Him, is nothing compared to what He
did for me. I love my Savior and am so incredibly grateful for Him and His
Atonement.
Portuguese is getting a lot better. Our
district has a new goal of only speaking in Portuguese from 12-6 every single
day. It is pretty rough, but we are getting there. We are learning so fast, all
thanks to the Lord.
Sister Jensen and I met this old man
this week, and it was the coolest thing ever. He randomly just started
talking to us and told us his whole life story. He told us about how much he
loves the gospel, and how grateful he is that he can live with his wife and
family for eternity. His wife just passed away a few months ago, after being
completely unable to do anything on her own for 9 years. He took care of her
for 9 years, and loved her so much that entire time. I know I'm not supposed to
be thinking about marriage QUITE YET, but I want that kind of love. He was
incredible. He said, "before you get married, make
sure it's 100% right in your mind, 100% right in your heart, then go to the
Celestial Room and pray with everything you have, and if it's still 100% right,
he's your guy." Definitely going to follow that one. Meeting that
man was such a blessing. I learned so much from him, and loved talking to him.
Okay, I'm running out of time, but I have just a couple
things that are SO MISSIONARY that I have to tell you about. Is that a thing?
Being so missionary? I don't know, but I am so missionary right now. If you
could only see me now. I told you all I wasn't going to be an awkward
missionary when I came home, but I already am an awkward missionary. It's the best
thing, but just be warned, when I get back, I'm going
to be such a weirdo. Just prepare yourselves for it. Anyway, so we sing all the time. There's no shame in it here.
I'll be in the shower, bustin out some Celine, some Les Mis, some Hymns, pretty
much anything and everything. Then, the other Sisters join in. We get like this big choir going singing "I Dreamed A
Dream" in the bathroom at 6 in the morning or at 10 at night. So funny.
People just start slamming their doors because they are so sick of us singing,
but oh, it's such a joy. We love it all so much. Another thing that was
so funny, was on Sunday. We all watched The Testaments in
the big gym. That's such a good movie. But anyway, there's
two parts when they kiss. HAHAHAHA you have never seen or heard so much
uncomfort in one room. Everyone was seriously so stunned that we all
just watched two people kiss. IF THAT ISN'T SO
MISSIONARY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. It really was the funniest thing ever. So
embarrassing. See, I'm going to be weird when I come home. Just be ready.
I love the church. I love missionary
work. I love the Book of Mormon. We had a challenge in our Branch to
start over and finish it before we left the MTC. I've been here three week and I'm already in 3 Nephi. I love it so much. I can't get
enough of it. It is such an amazing book and we are so blessed to have it. We
talked about it yesterday, and it is like a Magic 8
ball. You have a question? Boom, open that Book of Mormon, and you'll get an
answer. Really though. Missionaries are embarrassing. We come up with
all sorts of things. It's the best though, it really is. I'm so blessed to be a
part of this work. I'm so blessed to come in contact with all these amazing
young men and women with so much determination to serve the Lord. I'm so
blessed to have such an amazing district. I'm so blessed to have such an
amazing family back home, who always supports me. I'm so blessed to have such
amazing friends who have taught me so much about myself and who I want to
become. This church is true. 100%. I have no doubt in
my mind that this is where I'm supposed to be, and what I'm supposed to be
doing. I love it. I love you all, and pray for you all. You're incredible.
Thank you for the letters, and KEEP THEM COMING. I love and miss you all so much!
I'll see you in 17 months. Crazy huh? It's so soon. But really.
Love, Sister Card
(Now the wall-sit and the plank
champion here. I refuse to turn into Fat Jazzy, even though this MTC food
isn't helping.)
xoxo
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