MY LAST MTC EMAIL
My goodness I can't believe tomorrow I will be in Washington DC! I'll just write briefly about some things I have learned here at the MTC, although the list could go on forever: * First of all... I'm basically a volleyball all star, just sayin. But 98% of the time I resort back to my soccer skills and just use my feet and head lol, I just can't help it! Our district is still undefeated and can I just say we kick trash. Bump set spike BOOM. I'm also highly known and favored for my trash talking out on the court. My most popular saying was when we sent a smoking spike to the to the other team and I said, "Ya that's right Elder, that's what it feels like to have a DOOR slammed in your face, better get used to it!" Everyone thought that was pretty funny and now I'm MTC famous for my trash- I'm honored :-) * Walking up 5 flights of stairs for class every day does NOT get easier contrary to popular belief * I've learned how to do laundry! I think you all thought I was kidding when I said I still had time to learn at my farewell... Nothing has shrunk or changed colors so far so that's good * Tabasco sauce is not pleasant on a kiwi * We have learned lots of riddle games in our pass time which are so fun! So funny when you understand it and you watch someone try to figure it out. Snaps is my favorite * I never knew I could fall asleep so quickly lol- missionary work really is exhausting * I have such amazing friends and family back home. Thank you so much for all of the emails, letters, packages, love and support. Truly blessed with the best * I have started to CRAVE reading my scriptures. Oh man, it's the best part of the day when we get to have personal study time. When you sit down and read them, really read them, you have so many thoughts and prayers answered. You gain an understanding of your Savior that you couldn't get otherwise. Your life feels so peaceful while you read. You look forward to finding/marking a scripture that speaks to you and helps you. You gain a testimony and LOVE for this gospel. It is absolutely another testament of Jesus Christ- true, pure and perfect. * The power of the spirit is real. * Missions are blessings- I've only been gone 3 weeks and I already see Heavenly Father blessing and helping those that I hold most dear. He knows that I am unable to talk with them and be by their side, so he steps in for me. I have loved my experience here at the MTC. I was blessed with amazing teachers, my amazing district who I have become so close to, powerful lessons and testimony builders, speakers/devotionals, lifelong friendships and memories, but most of all I was blessed to feel the spirit in every hallway I walked and classroom I entered. I got to watch the Lord in action and see the miracles of missionary work and having faith in him. I got to become a better missionary and a better me. This experience is one that I will always and forever cherish. Time here at the MTC is a funny thing... Some days feel like they will never end or that you have been here for 7 months. But in the blink of an eye your stay here is done and it's time to leave. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to walk these halls and learn of my Savior here. I'll see you tomorrow DC <3 XOXO Sister Montgomery
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Has it really already been two weeks here in the MTC?! I can't believe in 7 days I will be IN DC! Time needs to speed up juuuuuust a hair because I am getting too excited!
This week my testimony was really strengthened through several different events 1: Elder Bednar came to the MTC to have a Q&A of his talk called "The Character of Christ" that he gave at the MTC a while back. I was no more than 10 ft from him. I learned something I want you all to ponder: we need to know OF Christ, not about him, OF him. I could write forever on what I learned from that talk, but learning of my Savior and being converted unto him really pierced my soul. I invite you all to take the steps to know of your Heavenly Father and Savior, because they love you more than we can even comprehend, and are waiting to be with you again. 2: TRC's As you know, Sister Gehlen and I have been teaching a lady named Erika. Erika is so sweet and kind; she's been taking missionary discussions for years now. Erika has heard all the lessons, read the scriptures, prayed, attended church, the whole shebang, but has never really felt the spirit or gained that undeniable knowledge called a testimony. Ultimately, Erika struggles with faith. Earlier in the week at a lesson with Erika, she said she wished she could see the plates or meet the prophets, but unfortunately "they don't exist and there wasn't real proof". I leaned forward on the couch, grabbed her Bible, then grabbed her Book of Mormon and placed it on top of her Bible, slid it towards her slowly and said, "These ARE the plates. This IS your proof; it is TRUE". It was my first time truly bearing witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon. It was really powerful/special, especially when she said "ok, i'll keep trying.” Sister Gehlen and I were a bit at a loss of what to teach her the next day, because she just needed to have a prayer answered and feel the spirit. So we decided to do something that would require a lot of faith on OUR part, and have Erika open our lesson with a prayer, asking for anything. Any questions, concerns, thoughts, feelings, to just pray for something she needed answered, and from there we were going to open our scriptures, begin reading, and hope to find her answer. Throughout her prayer, it was evident she needed peace and comfort in her life. Initially Sister Gehlen and I had studied 2 Nephi 31 for her, but I didn't feel that was what she needed to hear. I remembered that earlier in the week, Sister Gehlen and I had studied the story of Christ calming the sea, Mark 4, and I felt we should read it with her. So we opened up our scriptures, and began switching off every other verse. After each verse, we would say any thoughts or impressions we had. The spirit was very evident in the room. Erika stopped after verse 17 and said it was the most beautiful scripture she had ever read; it was speaking so significantly to her. So far, the whole chapter and all of our thoughts were really connecting to her. So we got to verse 24, "And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given." I noticed there was a footnote by the word "and" which was weird. I looked at the footnote at the bottom of the page which said, "AND unto you that CONTINUE to receive shall more be given". I just bore a small testimony on how true that verse is, and how much it meant to me. Heavenly Father has given us so much to see, but do we really look? He has given us so much to hear, but do we really truly listen? We have to continue to find the blessings and evidence God gives us every single day to know that HE LIVES; this is all TRUE. It is a promise that if we continue to strengthen our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, more love shall be given to us than we can imagine. That little note really meant a lot to Erika; it meant a lot to me. The spirit began to flood the room as Erika felt the spirit and her prayers being answered for the first time. My favorite hymn is "Be Still My Soul" which actually talks about this story, Christ calming the sea, in it. So I got out a hymn book and read her the lyrics to the song. The feeling in the room was unfathomable. I shared how that hymn, in many ways, is my testimony. I can't tell you how many "storms" I have had inside of me or surrounding my life where I was certain I would drowned. That the Lord cared not that I perished. But not once has he failed to calm my storms. Not once has he let me drowned or be taken captive of the sea. He never has and he never will. I PROMISE and I TESTIFY of that. That lesson really was powerful for me and my journey of becoming a missionary. I've come to know of my Savior more and more every day. He is waiting for us to reach out to him and know him with open arms, I promise you that. I love being a missionary- I can't wait to be in DC NEXT WEEK :) Love, Sister Montgomery Well everyone, Sister Montgomery here! It's still so crazy saying that! I keep reaching up and tapping my name tag to make sure i'm not dreaming. Nope it's definitely real!
The MTC is amazing! Even better than I thought it would be. It's something that you can't really describe until being there yourself. Walking away from my family on drop off day was one of the hardest things i've done; my heart was absolutely aching. But the moment I walked through those doors, my heart aches, worries, sadness and fear were left behind. All I could feel was peace and complete happiness. I was actually taken back a bit, because it was the exact feeling and experience I had as I entered the temple doors for the first time. When you are in the Lords home, everything is left behind with the doors, and you are placed in the lords hands. Being here in the MTC I truly believe that this is a place where the Lord walks. You feel him with you in the halls and in your studies. I am honestly so lucky and happy to be here! I have only been here one week, but it doesn't take long to learn one thing: Missions Are MIRACLES. If you only gain one thing from the MTC i hope it's that. You see the Lord literally lift and grow and change his missionaries in a matter of days! He has changed ME in just days! I mean granted it may be the fact we are stuck in a room for 3 hour blocks during the day "studying" and spend more time reading than breathing, but it's definitely still the Lord ;) You hear so many missionaries speaking complete gibberish, but understanding one another and teaching TRC's (Investigators) only 72 hours after being here. Are you kidding?! It's a neat thing to see the Lord prepare and bless his servants. And can I just say.... thank goodness i'm not here for 2 months learning gibberish lol My companion is the sweetest! Sister Gehlen! She is from West Valley Utah and was baptized a year and a half ago. It's been cool working with her and seeing how she was taught by missionaries. It's actually pretty lucky for me that I get to learn from someone on the other end of the spectrum! We were also assigned as the Sister Training Leaders of our zone the second day haha so we must be doing something right! We taught our first TRC's to a lady named Erika and a lady from china named Ganlin (she spoke english thank heavens haha) and wow. I'm just constantly being taken back by the fact that 1- this is real and i'm literally missionary and 2- this is truly the Lords work and His gospel. Even though they are just "acting", the spirit sits with you in every single lesson. It seriously is true that the Lord will guide your words and help you say what you need to. I felt so unprepared with such a little knowledge of the scriptures and doctrine, so when we had to teach the second day of being here, you can imagine my heart sank. But I've learned a few things by being here and it's this: The gospel is quite simple. In fact we are literally taught to teach "simply" almost as to a child. I was expecting to learn deep lessons or doctrine and facts and scriptures, but no. That's not what's important. What's important is teaching what matters, and that is that we have a loving Heavenly Father who is real, and lives and loves us. And because he loves us, he provided us with a plan of happiness and joy. He died for us to have this joy and success, and all he asks in return is to love him, believe in him, and have faith in him. That's it. Have faith IN him and OF him, and endure to the end. How wonderful is that? How selfless and amazing is that? If we have faith in his love for us and that he lives, we can be forgiven of all our sins and heartaches, and live with our families and loving Heavenly Father for all of eternity. The second is that the Book of Mormon is true. Every word. All we have to do to know that is read it, and ask Him if it is. All he wants is to hear from you and have a conversation so he can let you know he lives, and the Book of Mormon is true. What a great blessing it is to be a missionary. I wake up every day (ok I barely roll out of bed at 6 am) but non the less, I wake up every day happy and excited, excited being the key word. I am excited to learn, to grow, to teach, to be closer to DC, and to be closer to my Savior. He lives and he loves us. I'm sure I left out a lot, but just know that I love and miss you all dearly! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers <3 AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MIA AND SAVANNAH! Me and my roomies definitely celebrated that day by throwing poppits in our dorm followed by getting in trouble :-) did we regret it? Not at all ;) XOXO! Sister Montgomery |