MTC Week 3: TRC's and Hosting

Kia ora friends and family!!

I'm beginning to question just how exciting I can make my weeks sound in emails. This last Wednesday started my 3rd week in the MTC, and it went by super quickly.

One fun note is that my companion can sometimes feel in her elbow when a storm is coming because after she broke her arm, she can feel the pressure change. It gets tingly a couple hours beforehand- pretty cool.

We hosted incoming missionaries on a day this week, meaning I had the opportunity to be the first face somebody saw as a missionary here- scary right? I was hoping the girl I helped wasn't too shaken up, but the sweet Sister was definitely overwhelmed. I kind of just talked to make sure she didn't focus too much on her family she just said goodbye to. It's a hard transition here for the first couple days! Regardless, I was grateful for the opportunity and really excited for the work all of us here are doing.

Sister Cummings and I had our first TRC (Teaching's Real Cool-- or something like that) this Saturday and it went pretty well! We basically teach a lesson in Mandarin to volunteers for 20 minutes. We were relatively nervous about it but it turned out to be better than I imagined. It also really motivated me to learn the language better so I could understand their questions or comments more easily.

Upsides:

1. They announced this Sunday that they are switching up the Sabbath Day schedule. We used to have 3 hours of self-directed time (including mandatory meals) along with many back-to-back meetings. Now we will have 7 hours of self-directed time to ponder, read in our journal, study scripture, etc.
2. Sister Cummings and I were called to be greeters for the next few weeks, meaning we get to welcome everybody as they walk into sacrament meeting- so we aren't STLs (Sister Training Leaders)... for now
3. The MTC campus has a cat named Sister Mittens and she always brightens my day
4. We were shown President Nelson's devotional from when he spoke at BYU a few weeks ago- it was very insightful. I love hearing from the prophet!
5. General Conference this week! For anyone who doesn't know, General Conference is our opportunity to hear from prophets and apostles, so basically, we are hearing counsel from God. I hope everyone else is as excited as I am- and if you are interested in hearing what they have to say, go ahead and go onto the trending page on YouTube on Saturday and Sunday.  They will be streaming the conference online, on the channel "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"
6. I sung with the choir for our Tuesday devotional- it was a beautiful song made for the missionary featured in "The Other Side of Heaven", who attended the devotional that night

Downsides:

• The food here is so-so, and no tapioca pudding this week
• Soon the oldest people in our Zone are leaving the MTC- but they are staying an extra week because of the political unrest in Hong Kong. They may or may not be sent there after the recent communist celebration- which is sad for them as that is where they all prepared to go. It is also sad to see them leave because I love all those Cantonese speakers. And also because somehow we will be the oldest in our Zone- I do not feel ready to lead.

Spiritual Thoughts:

We recently committed ourselves to be "District Joy". Getting caught up in the trouble of the language, we realized that we aren't conveying the message of Christ's gospel well, we weren't delivering the message of joy that it really is. Through Christ we can overcome our sins, mistakes, injuries, weaknesses, pains and afflictions. We can live with our family in heaven forever! We have a Heavenly Father who loves us!! Those are such blessings that we as missionaries want to share with other people. So, I'm striving to have more joy and to communicate that as we practice teaching and speaking.

Also, from our Sunday Devotional, the speakers asked us to ponder 2 questions:

• What are the greatest desires of my heart?
• What is of the most worth to me?

I realized I haven't been focused on the greatest desires of my heart, I've been focusing on little selfish distractions. So I ask you all to think of what you're greatest desires are. Have a happy family? Come closer to God? Contribute to society? Do well in school? These are great desires and we will be blessed and happier as we focus on them with hope and joy, step by step.

Sorry for the long update, but hopefully it'll make up for weeks in New Zealand I might not have time to write a lot. I pray for you all often!

Sending love,

Ma JieMei 

🐎 姐妹

Sister Martinez

Sister Chou, Me, Sister Hoe, and Sister Cummings as hosts

My district!

My MTC Adress:

Sister Carly Chase Martinez

NOV11  NZE-AUC
2005 N 900 E Unit 169
Provo UT 84602

Pictures:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sgY95kdCHMzp7BqHA