Tessa in Thailand: 6/23/14- MTC Week 3

Well this week has been one of miracles, blessings, and spiritual growth! It started getting really routine here but the spiritual and language study is new and fun everyday! On Monday it was Pday! Sister Brown and I went to the temple and did sealings. We started class at 5:15pm and did a lot of role plays. I had a whole conversation with sister Hershi in Thai! I was so proud of my self! Sister Zoller and I made up little raps to memorize words during language study! We were laughing so hard! The next couple days were like a roller coaster! My cough got really bad and everyone thought that I was dying! On Tuesday, I was really praying about what I should study when I remembered Elder Cook telling us that there is always something to learn about the, “Tree of Life story!” I started reading and then it hit me! The fruit of the tree is the atonement and love of Jesus Christ! My purpose is to do what Lehi was doing--inviting and yearning for others to partake of the fruit (the atonement and love of Jesus Christ). We know how good it is because we have partaken of it and want others to know the goodness as well!!!!!

Later that day we were teaching n))n (our teacher Brother Thrap). It was a literal train wreck! It was very humbling because of how well it went with txg. Funny story- in the lesson I was trying to say "cawcay duay" (I understand too) but I said "cawcay tambien" AHHHH! I said it so confidently too and he started laughing and I was so embarrassed! I completely mixed up my Thai with Spanish! After that lesson I felt like the language was hopeless. It was the fist time I truly got discouraged. A couple of hours later the mail came and I got a package and letter from my sister, Caitlin! My whole day was turned around. I am so grateful for the love and support I get from my family! For the devotional that night, Russell M Ballard, came and talked to us about focusing on the simple doctrine of Christ and how that will keep our foundation strong. After the devo I got to see McKenna from college. I love seeing people from the outside world. That night we watched Legacy! It was so funny because they had 3 kissing scenes in it and everyone was freaking out!

On Wednesday we taught pl))y (Sister Hershi) and it was hard because she was so non-responsive. It was frustrating. That day I was worried and had so many questions. I was praying and reading for an answer. I read 2 random scriptures in D & C, Nephi and Alma. The scriptures were all connected with the same topic. I thought and prayed for a long time and suddenly it all clicked! It was like a puzzle! After I connected all the dots, I could feel God say, "There you go, you got it!" That experience made me realize that lots of times it takes a lot of searching and working to receive answers! Heavenly Father will help us understand in his own way, his own time and his own will. We have to remember to be patient! That day 13 new Hong Kong sisters came in and they are all so CUTE!

On Thursday we had service in the morning! It was so fun! We were singing and making up chants and remembering girls’ camp songs! I never knew that mopping floors could be so fun! In personal study I read about how we have to keep studying because we will gain more and new knowledge and insight even if we feel like we already understand! Alma 28:28-30, "for unto him that receiveth I shall give more". We have to keep building our foundation of Christ! That night during our additional study time, my Khuu went out for interviews and all the sisters left to go to the bathroom and I was just in the room studying. When I looked up from my flashcards I realized that it was just me and 6 Elders in the room! The teacher looked in and started going off in Thai because that wasn't allowed! I booked it out of there trying to find a sister to be with. It was so funny. That night I got like 3 hours of sleep because of all that was going on. I was so worried I was going to be grumpy and tired the next day but I was awake and happy all he following day! The Lord really did bless me! In the morning we taught Pl))y. The lesson was a very boring topic and it made the gospel sound not as good as it its. So at the end of the lesson I felt that I was suppose to say something about the happiness of the gospel! I looked at Pl))y and said, "This gospel is suppose to be happy! We have it so that we can have Joy." As I was saying this I felt the spirit testify to me that it truly is a gospel that brings happiness! She cracked a smile for the first time! I was so happy!!!!!!!!

On Saturday a package from my mom came! (It made me so happy because it had fun little things in it like bubbles.) In class we learned how to tell time! It was so confusing because for each hour you have to say a different phrase with the time! It is a lot of memorization! We had a lesson with N))n that went so much better. We taught a brief overview of the Plan of Salvation and he asked us a lot of questions that we were kind of stumped on but we are ready to answer them next lesson!

One thing that I learned is that you have to know how to personally express how you know things are true! We have been working a lot on that this week. In Khuu study we focused on D & C 42 (the last verse), "if you love me serve me and keep my commandments." We put this into every context we could think of but related it most to missionary work and the MTC. If we truly love God we will exactly obey him. I have to remember theses are God’s rules and if we love him we will follow them. It was an awesome conversation. We did lots of SYL with our district then watched a Mormon message, "missionary work and the atonement!" It hit everyone really strong in our district and made us all want to be better disciples of Jesus Christ. It talked about when we are tired and want to rest, "remember him", remember what he did for us when he was tired and wanted to rest.

Sundays are always my favorite here because it is not the normal routine we usually have! We get to relax more and be spiritually fed by others. All 15 of the Quorum were here in the MTC for training. In our devotional, l Janice Kapp Perry came and spoke and it was the funniest devo I have ever been to. She was cracking jokes and in the middle of her talk her husband got up and KISSED her and all the missionaries went crazy chanting and clapping and "ooowing”, it was so awesome! At the end we all stood and sang, "The Armies of Helamen and Sisters in Zion." It was so powerful. It is so amazing to hear all the missionaries sing that song. We then watched to the Joseph Smith movie that made us all cry. It was a good Sunday!

Overall this week was amazing. I am so grateful for my sister training leaders, Sister Lindley and Sister Uresk. They are so fun! I love my district! We are all best friends! We have a reputation in the building as the loudest district- it's because we love each other so much we can't stand not talking to each other! I love the Church so much. I know that God is in all the details of our lives and he has a plan for us even if we can't see it. I’m glad Heavenly Father lets me make mistakes because without them he couldn't help me learn and grow. This week I was reading in Mathew 14…if we take our eyes off the Lord we will start to sink. If we do start to sink his hand is stretched out towards us waiting for us to grab on. He will never leave us alone even when we forget him and start to sink. He is always there.

I love you all so much. Have a great week! PRAY.
-Sister Herrmann