Thursday, October 3, 2013

Week 1 MTC

Wow! That was a really fun month at the MTC...
no, wait. that's not right...
Wow! That was the longest day ever in the MTC...
no, wait. that's not right either...

Wow! One whole week in the MTC. "NUTS" as Ben would say. I love this place SSSOOOOOOO much. I seriously can't believe how much I've learned in just this short time. I feel like Bella when she gets transformed into a vampire: memories of my "old self" are so hazy. I feel like I've learned more about God and my relationship with Him than I have, like, my whole life!!!! Ok, fine; that's an exaggeration completely: but still. I feel like I've been here for a long time based on the amount that I've learned. I keep thinking how cool it is that all of these people I love that have served missions have done the same thing. It's SWEET!

Ok so my district consists of me and my companion, Sister Batty, along with another sister trio, and two companionships of elders.
My zone consists of 4 more sisters and 4 more elders.
ALL GOING TO IOWA.
My church branch consists of my zone.
And my church zone consists of my zone plus another zone.
I have 6 hours of class a day with my district, and 1 or 2 hours with my zone.
Confused yet? SO AM I !!!!!

Average day:
5:55 wake up
7:00 be at breakfast. chug down quickly.
7:15 be to class. 1 hour personal study with my favorite 9 missionaries.
8:15 3 hours from Brother Gallo. BYU student. Explains things easily. 
        Comic relief MUCH NEEDED.
11:20 lunch
12:15 3 hours from Brother Taylor. Married. Knows missionary work. 
        TEACHES ME SO MUCH.
3:15 companion study
4:20 dinner (yes you read that right: we go to bed early, ok?)
5:15 GYM TIME
6:45 Zone lesson. Brother Fairclough. 
        MY FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WHOLE WORLD. (see following paragraph)
7:45 Some kind of devotional or the like. aka more learning. Usually Spirit-filled. 
         Usually crying. from happiness.
9:30 journal time
10:15 companion study and accountability time (I'll explain later)
10:30 lights out

Ok now that we've covered the basics, I'll let you in to an experience that pretty much describes everything I've had here:
So we have these "mock investigations" with our teachers. Experience = the best way to learn. So me and my companion go into our first one (almost 48 hours after gettign here) basically with absolutely NO knowledge. Our teacher is just like: "Feel it: ready go!" 

So zone lesson is right after that and my compnaion and I come in and our teacher turns to us as I talk to my companion.
 I'm like, "Brother Fairclough, you are making me nervous." 
He's like, "why?" 
I'm like: "I just had my first lesson."
He suggests we say a prayer.
So all of a sudden, my companion and I are bawling our eyes out in a prayer, telling the Lord how completely scared we were to talk to people. I'm like freaking out cuz I'm all of a sudden SO trusting of this teacher in front of me and my companion and my Father in Heaven. The prayer was one of the most magical experiences I've had in a long time. I was pouring my heart out to my Heavenly Father, and it felt like nothing in the world mattered any more. I forgot where I was, I forgot who I had been. All that mattered in the moment was my relationship with my Father. I told Him I didn't like talking to people. I told Him how horrible my first lesson had gone. 
And at that moment, all I could feel was that He knew. And I was completely calm.
That calmness hasn't left me all week.
Words are put in my mouth when I open it, trusting that He will fill it.
I never doubt His love.
I feel Him talk to me.

And it's the most amazing thing ever. It makes me feel like I can do this. I'm not good. I have no idea what I'm doing, actually. 
But I know He's there.
And that makes everything different.
It makes everything easier.
and it makes everything and anything possible.

I LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH. 
It's hard to think I'll do anything else with my life after this.

I love you all,
~Sister ChloƩ Michelle Sumsion~

Iowa Des Moines Mission
8515 Douglas Ave Ste 19
Urbandale, IA 50322



SHOUTOUTS:
Mommy: You have your very own snail-mail letter coming. More details, I promise.
Katie: your package was the best thing ever: only you forgot Onion soup mix. :) hehe I'll write you asap
Grandparents: I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH. Your support is the best out here for some reason.
Friends: THANK YOU FOR MY LETTERS I SO LOVE YOU. 
All the people who love, support, and came to my farewell: THANK YOU. I so so so love you.

1 comment:

  1. Sister Sumsion...you make me laugh! So proud of your positive attitude!!!

    ReplyDelete