June 30, 2009

Hi all!

We have our p-day today, since our district of elders left this morning. Sis Card and I begin our VC (visitor center) training tomorrow. Finally! I cannot wait. It's weird having our elders leave yet we are stuck for another week. Our teacher's last bit of advice, I think, applies to each of us. He had us read Matthew Ch. 10 and then focused on verse 39, which teaches us that when we lose ourselves in the service of others, that's when we really FIND ourselves. Sis Card and I have been focusing this week on accountability. She thinks of a goal every day to accomplish (little ones like do a smalla ct of service/look for the tender mercies in your life) and we report back to her on what we did/how we felt. It's awesome! It's really hard not to get overwhelmed with all the goals you set daily, weekly, monthly, etc. So it's been fantastic to really just focus on little ones. OK, weekly report:

Thursdays aer always hard. You get tired every day, but Thursdays are just weird. It's hard not to take naps here. We went to the TRC where you teach volunteers from the community. It was closed, apparently, since there were Apostles everywhere for new mission pres week (security reasons.) Instead, we hooked up with another class and taught each other as though we were nonmembers. Sis Card and I had to teach this ridiculous elder, whom we have renamed "Mayor of Trouble City"...he is appropriately surnamed Warden in real life. Nice kid, just full of tricks. He was asking questions that were leading us right into traps. It was crazy! And you know me, I can't handle contention...so I totally lost the spirit and couldn't even form sentences. He really caught me off guard! I was prayin' my gust out to get the spirit back because if you don't have the Spirit "ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:14 meaning basically thou SHALT NOT teach=commandment!) A thought popped into my head, "Bring it back to the Savior. Testify!" So I did. It was amazing. The Holy Ghost filled the room and that elder was baffled. He (the spirit) took over and we were able to get the lesson back on track, avoiding the Mayor's contentious inquries. Yay for the Holy Ghost! Sis Card handled it all really really well. She is so awesome.

Our teacher led an amazing discussion about mercy and grace and how yes! we are saved by grace and by jesus Christ, but it's a gift that is waiting for us to receive. It's like a gift card, just waiting under the Christmas Tree. You must 1)open it 2)go to the store 3)redeem it/spend it. Christ paid the ultimate price for each of us. It's crazy how much we really do not know about the Atonement.

We also ahve this substitute that we have renamed "Brotha Hot Stuff." He is ridiculous. One time we were in the computer lab taking little "assessments" and he was sitting next to Sis Card. He put his arm on her chair. She's like "AHH! I was just on a date with Brotha Hot Stuff. In the computer lab." So funny! He always does the little smile, eyebrow thing, as if he wants to flirt? It's super gross.

They decided soccer is okay! It was the first day since the whole Swine Flu scare that they have allowed "contact sports". Of course, that's where I went during gym. I played for about half an hour, probably scoring like at least 50 times (kidding) when I hear the rudest thing in the world over a megaphone, "Sisters are not allowed to play soccer with the elders." Hmmm, I wonder who they're talking to? The only sister on the field? I dunno. I tried real hard not to be angry. Who am I supposed to play with? So...alas, I play volleyball these days.

Friday- We had a mind-boggling devotional. There were SEVEN apostles present: Oaks, Holland, Christofferson, Cook, Perry, Bednar, Andersen. I sang in the choir, where we performed, "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I totally cried. it was so powerful! Elder Holland spoke. Ho-ly smokes. We need the Holy Ghost to be our 3rd companion (in a marriage, friendship, mission). Here are some things he said that really struck me: Yes, it would be great to have God, the Eternal Father present in every lesson with investigators. Yes, it would be great to have Jesus Christ our Savior in the room during Gospel Doctrine Class, but that is not the plan. We are not alone, though. We take with us God, the Testator. The Holy Ghost needs to be there every time. An investigator's eyes will tell you everything you need to know about where the lesson needs to go. If you allow the HG to be your 3rd companion, the Godhead will begin to bear testimony of YOU. They will allow a portion of their unity. At the end of his talk, he said "Welcome to the work of angels" and I swear the Spirit was audible. It was like "BBBBKKKPSH" -you know how they use the phrase "great rushing of water"? Totally. I leaned over to my roommate and said, "I think I have been shot." I was so stunned by his words. No one made a sound. He is an Apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ! The Savior lives! He is the literal Son of the Eternal God and will do what HE promises, if we will only follow His commandments. He established His Church on the earth and it was been established again. I can bear strong witness of that.

Like I said, ho-ly smokes :)

Saturday was the 165th anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. We had a powerful lesson on what prophets in the past have gone through to get us the scriptures (see 2Ne 29). I feel like such a jerk when my biggest challenge is not falling asleep during personal study. Our teacher, Andrew Smith (yes, related to Joseph) had us write a letter to the prophet Joseph. D&C 135 is probably my new favorite section. It's John Taylor's account of what happened when Joseph and Hyrum were killed.

Sunday- Relief Society at the MTC is like General Conference. Last time, we had Pres Monson's daughter, Ann Dibb. This time, we had Elder Russell M Nelson's wife, Wendy. She needs to be a stand up comedian or something. We were laughing so hard! She got talking about tape recorders and was like "Do you even know what that is? yes, I rode to school on a dinosaur." She talked about how she received an answer from the Lord that she wasn't supposed to marry the man she was engaged to in her twenties. 34ish years later, she married an Apostle. Who is this woman? Straight to the Celestial Kingdom, I tells ya.

Some elders from our branch (so like our ward of 50 or so) had the opportunity to serve the sacrament to the First Presidency and 11 out of the 12 Apostles. Ahh! They are NEVER all in the same place like that, in public. Even during General Conference they are not all there. They said that will never happen again, pretty much. Wow! Our roommate, Sara Driggs got to sing in a special choir for them. Can you imagine? 14 out of 15 prophets, seers and revelators, all in the same little room?

We study in the Garden of Eden all the days now. It's back behind the MTC and it's so gorgeous! Changed my life :)

I still cannot believe I am on a mission. I had a dream last night that you (mom and dad) came to get me. You forced me in the car and drove away. I was so upset! "Where is my companion? Where is my nametag? I can't listen to the radio. Turn it off!" So...please don't do that to me. I love it here. I pray every day for the people in Missouri, for their hearts to be prepared for my message. I love you all. Thanks for your letters and packages (raspberries? Who does that? I am loved!)

God lives! (I can say that phrase in Russian now)

-Sister Rooey Adamson