Week 3 - CCM

Hola, hola!

So this week is just another week in the MTC.  Something exciting did happen though! So for practice there are investigators that come to the MTC and we teach them lessons. In the hallway one night this women was walking around and look totally lost so we stopped her to help and get to know her. In Spanish of course because what is English..anyway with our district we totally taught her a simple lesson, answered some of her questions, and prayed with her! 

My District

Then when we were leaving for dinner we saw her again with another guy and me and my companion stopped to talk to them. I was totally able to have a conversation with them and tell them my reasons for going on a mission. My companion said she totally felt the spirit while I was focused on the fact that I could understand some of what he was saying and was speaking back. Super cool!

My teachers are really cool and so caring and have taught me so much it's actually ridiculous! We have an investigator named Hely who is so sweet, speaks super fast Spanish, and is totally interested in the church. The other day we were only supposed to have a 15 min lesson with her and it turned into an hour! 

Side note apparently it's inappropriate for Elders (not allowed to say guys) to high five sisters so me and an Elder in my district named Elder Bigelow have decided that we will just give high 4's instead it's quiet fantastic. My district is so so awesome and make the long classes bearable. Love them so much. It's going to be really really hard and sad to leave them. 

Elder Noble

Hey I saw Niko Noble a ton this week and it was super nice to see a familiar face he left for Argentina yesterday but left me a really nice note about not dying here.

Anyway all the days are pretty similar here it will be nice to get out into the field (Santa Rosa, California). But it's also nice to have so much time to study different things and get to know people here. 

I know this church is so true and I have never been more sure of this. I love my savior and that is why I'm here and I thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers, and emails they make my week so much better! All is well and it is completely snowy and freezing here but also beautiful. 

Just a thought from a talk by Elder Holland to end: Would Joseph Smith and so many others have endured all the pain, torture, abuse, and sadness, left their wives widowed and their children fatherless for a book they fictitiously made up? I fully believe and testify that they wouldn't have. 

I have 3 more weeks until I head to California! Aqui a apridiendo mas espanol!! 

Love you all so much and hope you are all doing well!

Week 2 - CCM

Hola coma estas todos!

I'm on my 3rd week here in the CCM and that's so weird! Here the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days! Anyway this week has been pretty good! Um it's totally snowing here and it's freezing but hey it's cool California won't be that way!

My District (Why are the Elders hiding?)

My district and I have found that the MTC is basically an episode of Dora with us as Dora, the map as the scriptures, boots as the holy ghost, backpack as your friends and family carrying you along, and swiper is satan. Super Duper.

I actually am learning so much here it hurts my head. It's hard to write completely in English now I'm so used to writing things in Spanish. Crazy crazy. The Lord definitely blesses those who are learning a new language that's for sure!

We also have 2 more investigators Mika and Hely so that's fun and exciting!

Best companion ever!!!!

Did I mention my companion and I may or may not take naps instead of going to the gym during exercise time....? Its totally allowed so its okay!

I realize more and more each day the large presence of the spirit and it is such a great feeling! Did you know that it's rumored the 2000 stripling warriors actually stand guard around the MTC? 

But I love you all so much and hope you are all fantastic! I will have more time to email in the field so know I'm trying to answer you all and love your emails! 

The MTC is super hard but it is also good so all is well! I testify that this gospel is true and that Joseph Smith was an amazing example and prophet. I know that if you ask with REAL intent God will show you these things are so true!

Love Hermana Bennett

This week we got to see Janice Kapp Perry who wrote a bunch of primary songs and Sisters in Zion speak and that was super amazing and spiritual and also one the of the 12 speak and it's rumored another will be speaking this week! Super cool to see them! They are here training new mission presidents and stuff so it's chill....the prophet is just on the MTC grounds.... :). Well Spanish is Spanish and all is well I love you all so much!!1

Some favorite scriptures from the week:

• D&C: 122: 9 (my favorite of all time)
• 2 Nephi: 2: 6-8

Some favorite quotes:

"Salvation isn't easy, it never was, how could we think it would be easy for us when it was never ever easy for him (Jesus Christ)."     -Jeffrey R. Holland

"There are some things you can learn through music that you otherwise wouldn't be able to grasp for a long time."    -Janice Kapp Perry. 

Did I mention that I have the best district ever!

Week 1 - CCM

Hola Todos!

Hey Look, I am a Hermana (Sister Missionary)

First emailing is really stressful so if I don't respond to all your emails bare with me I will answer them eventually I love you all! 

Well tomorrow will mark my first week here in the MTC or CCM in Spanish! First off let me thank all who have sent packages or letters or anything through dearelder.com it is so fun and happy to receive mail. So I thank you all so much for that! 

The MTC haha oh my what a place this is. The very first day I got here we checked into my residence picked up my pack of literally 20 pounds of Spanish learning material and went to class. Yes the teachers don't speak ANY stinking english, it's all Spanish. But I will say I have been here 5 days and it is truly crazy how fast we are learning a new language. I am still bad at conjugating but I can speak slowly in Spanish! WHAT?! 

Me and my companion Hermana Bennett

There are still so many things I don't know but my companion and I have taught a lesson to an investigator named Paco 3 different times. We have to prepare what we want to say a lot but el don de lenguas (the gift of tongues) is so real and I testify of that. The MTC is fun but also hard.  Some days my brain just can't take in anymore Spanish haha. Oh and we are in our classroom for probably 12 hours of the day so going outside in the arctic is actually quiet nice. The mountains and snow are super pretty here, flat Texas has nothing on those. 

Waking up at 6:30 is super duper enjoyable but I'm sure I will get used to the schedule and all though I'm super tired the people here are fun and we are usually busy so that distracts from it! 

I love you all so much and thank you for your support and prayers. It's hard but I know that I am supposed to be here and I know this campus is surrounded by the spirit. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and that the prophets who wrote it were truly inspired by God and oh how great it is the words they have given us! 

Love and miss you all and the Provo temple is absolutely stunning and it was the highlight of everything. 

Con amoroso,

Hermana Foster

CCM District