Thursday, October 14, 2010

Solo Sister: First Week at MTC



Kamusta! (Hello) Everyone!!
So today Wednesday is my P-Day so expect an email from me on Wednesdays for now.  I found out my leave date right now is December 7, 2010.  My first week in the MTC has been all sorts of interesting!  I got to the MTC around 12:45P and I was greeted by Host elders and they took my luggage and took me to stand by this other sister.  A bunch of new comers stood by me and I was taken by a host sister to my room to put my luggage away in my room. I found out I had 3 other sisters in my room. I was excited to meet my companion. Then we were taken to a big room and they had 5 lines. One to take a picture then to make sure information was right and to give the paper. Then we got an envelope with things we needed they gave us a name badge and I was told to go talk to another sister because a sticky note was on my envelope.  I felt like I was being sent to the principle's office.  I went over and the sister explained to me that I was going to be the only sister in my class so I was going to be a solo sister.  As a solo sister my situation is unique.  As a solo sister I will have a sister companion with whom I share a living quarters but I am not in the same class.  Our schedules are the same for meals, laundry, temple, and gym.  On my name tag we have a white sticker in the right hand corner of my badge.  When I am in class or studying having MDT missionary directed time I have to be with a pair of elders in my district!  I have to be with someone but I have more freedom with who I can be with. I can be with my sister companion or my elders at times.  I have a lot more freedom than other missionaries I have noticed! 

The only problem with this is that I have to tell my elders that I have to go to the restroom and they have to stand outside waiting for me.  Or sometimes if we are in class they just have to watch me walk down the hall.  Let me tell you this is WAY WAY WAY Awkward!  haha. I can just imagine what some of you will say its only awkward if you make it awkward. Well I try not to make it awkward but it just is an awkward situation. OKAY!!! 
     
I have 6 elders in my district Elder English, Elder George, Elder Holley, Elder Azerus, Elder Ausban, and Elder Andrus.  They are all pretty cool.  We all are getting used to each others humor and such but we all get along pretty well.  The other district in my Zone is really cool. Sister Brinton is my other solo sister that I am "Companions" with. The other elders in her district are way fun. They joke all the time with our district, always coming in and out, distracting us from our studys which is a bad thing. But it is good sometimes we need a break.  So this week I will be teaching fake investigators in the TRC (teaching resource center) with Elder English and Elder George. So they are my "companions" for two weeks.  My stake president, President Johnson wants me to switch "companions" every so often so I get new "companions" in about a week.
       
The language is definitely coming to some faster than others and I am the other.  I am picking up a lot of things but I don't have as much down as my elders.  I can do part of my prayer and my testimony in Cebuano and a few introduction sentences!  I am learning so much every day.  My language teacher is Brother Atagi and he is our only language speaking teacher. Our gospel teacher Brother Nelson doesn't speak Cebuano at all. He only speaks English and Mandarin.  So we got the short end of the stick!  But the other district in our zone leaves in about a week and a half and I think we will get their teacher because the MTC doesn't get a new district for 6 weeks after they leave!  When Sister Brinton leaves I will need to be assigned a new sister "companion and I have no idea who it will be. Neither does my president but I guess I will figure it out.  As solo sisters I don't really have rules. I kind of make up my own rules for many things they don't really know what to do with me.  I feel like sometimes I am just floating around companions and don't really have anyone. But the Lord is trying to teach me something I just don't know what yet.  You know how people say OH YEAH REMEMBER THAT ONE BAD COMPANION!  Maybe I will just be like yeah I just didn't have a companion!! 
     
The food is good but me and my companion have been running a lot and sticking to not eating too much. A lot of people in my zone has lost weight in the MTC so I know it is possible! 
  
I now know what people mean about missionary time a day seems like a week and a week seems like it has been only a day, crazy!  Time just blurs together. I can hardly remember what happened earlier that day!
My time is almost up I only get 30 minutes! 
PS learn how to use Dearelder.com its amazing I love getting them!!
Nahigugma ako kanimo ( I have a deep Love for you!)
Annika

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