Elise at temple

Elise at temple
Hermana Moser

Friday, November 29, 2013

Feliz dia de accion de gracias!

Hola Familia!

Feliz dia de accion de gracias! (Isn't that a mouthful? I mean.. really). How was everyone's thanksgiving?! I haven't heard anything from any of you yet so... I mean it's fine but I expect some letters real soon. 

Thanksgiving in the MTC is WONDERFUL. I shall walk you through the course of events, since I am positive you are dying to know:

First, we ate breakfast in the cafeteria on West Campus, because that's where we live. I had cinnamon toast crunch and banana bread. 

Second, we hopped aboard a bus to take us to Main, where we had choir practice from 8:00-9:00 am. We sang "Hope of Israel." It was be-awesome.

Third, we had a devotional. Hold on to your seats now... the "special speaker" was Elder Russell M. Nelson! It was so special. The best part is, well.. let me back up. For the last 10-15 minutes before the devotional starts, everyone sings the prelude. So when the general authority, or apostle, in this case, comes through the doors everyone is singing. There is something just so powerful about hundreds of missionaries singing the songs of Zion in unison when an Apostle of the Lord walks through the doors. I admit: a tear was shed. 

He talked to us of the importance of including ward missionary leaders and family history consultants in our work. He told us to begin praying to be led to those whose ancestors are have accepted the gospel and are ready for their work to be done. Is that not the coolest thing you have ever heard? I have never thought about it like that. It makes this work we have to do that much more urgent!!! 

Fourth, we had Thanksgiving dinner. It was DELICIOUS, but the cafeteria was the most crowded thing I have ever seen. It was terrifying to try to find a table, and I am not joking. But we had turkey, and pumpkin pie and that tasty broccoli-bacon salad that I love so much. There were also mashed potatoes, but they were really fake and the Idaho girl in me just isn't about that life. 

Fifth, we had a Thanksgiving program. I was worried because I thought it was just going to be musical number after musical number.. which is fine! Don't misunderstand.. it's just a little rough when you are super sleepy and you have to sit through pretty music for an hour and a half. Boy, were we surprised when President Roach announced the first number as "HEDWIG'S THEME FROM HARRY POTTER." I have no idea how that was allowed, but I have not been so excited to hear that song in all of my life. It is also probably why I had a dream about a Basilisk in our bathroom last night, but that is a story for another time. The program continued with the singing of Christmas carols, a skit about the first thanksgiving complete with costumes, and the testimony of a young man you had strayed from the church in his youth and was brought back to the fold by his commanding officer in Iraq. It was beautiful. 

Sixth, we ate our sack lunch dinners. Which is hilarious, because it's thanksgiving.. but they were actually really good. Me gusta.

Seventh, we participated in the service project which was filling bags of lentils for hungry children in the area. Rumor has it we did 350,000 bags. #missionarypower.

Eighth, we watched "Ephraim's Rescue" in the main gym. They even had boxes of candy for us! It was just wonderful. You know what is almost as good as singing with hundreds of missionaries? Laughing and crying with hundreds of missionaries. It is just so sweet to know we are all there united in purpose and testimony, and then to think the same thing is funny is just icing on the cake. I love that movie. 

And finally, we walked home. Therefore, we did not get home until 10:25. This is breaking the rules, as you are probably aware, but I don't think it really counts as disobedience since we really didn't have a choice. And I was still in bed by 10:40. And with 6 hermanas in one bathroom, that is no small task. 

Thus ended Thanksgiving 2013. 

The rest of my week has been the best one yet! Hermana Wood and I have found our "rhythm," I think, and our lessons have been so good. The spirit has been so strong. And our "investigators" are progressing nicely, I think. Por ejemplo: "Wayne" (the athiest) prayed this morning with us to know if God exists and if He has a plan for his life. Beautiful. 

A new district is "intermediate" because they have taken Spanish before. I think there is a test they have to take? No se. I just know they already know more than us. Esta bien. I ain't even mad.

CCM stands for Centro Capatacion de Misional. It's the Spanish MTC :) 

Thank you for the updates on everyone! They make me laugh and gasp and such nonsense. I'm sure my district just loves hearing about the life of my family back home :) Oh well. They can deal. 

Do you want to hear something profound that someone asked us the other day? They said, "Who was the better missionary: Enos, with his city so righteous they were all translated, or Noah, who was only able to convince his family to repent and board the ark?" The answer is they are both equal in the missionary work, because they were both equal in their effort. This work is not about numbers or about how righteous you can get your area to be. A successful missionary is measured by their effort. People still have the ability to choose. It makes a lot of sense to me. 

Also we talked about repentance this week, and how it is not a "checklist." True repentance is about a constant change of heart. Hermana Haws said, "You may have repentED, but are you repentANT?" Something to think about. And something that I think I definitely need to improve on. Oh there is so much to improve on. 

Thank you for your constant prayers, support, and love! I truly have the best support system known to man. 

I love you I love you I love you!!
Con amor, 
Hermana Moser

No comments:

Post a Comment