Continuing on with posting my mission e-mails, this is my e-mail from the MTC! To see why I'm posting my mission e-mails, visit here.
HELLO! I'm alive and doing SO well! I am having an absolutely WONDERFUL time in the MTC. Being a missionary is, by far, the most incredible experience of my life so far. The Spirit is SO strong all the time, and I am learning to overcome my weaknesses in order to be of the greatest good to all those around me.
HELLO! I'm alive and doing SO well! I am having an absolutely WONDERFUL time in the MTC. Being a missionary is, by far, the most incredible experience of my life so far. The Spirit is SO strong all the time, and I am learning to overcome my weaknesses in order to be of the greatest good to all those around me.
The day that I got here was absolutely crazy, but amazing. My district is composed of 6 sisters and 6 elders. All of us 6 sisters are in the same room, which means we've all grown super close. There are 30 missionaries total going to Tacoma on May 28th, and there's a whole other district in our zone composed of entirely Tacoma missionaries. Us two Tacoma districts are super close--we eat every meal together and practice teaching together. I absolutely LOVE everyone that I'm with- they are such a great example to me and are definitely spiritually prepared.
My companion, Sister Chelsea Martin, is from Orem, Utah. She's a hair stylist and served a trial mission for 2 months in Salt Lake City. I am SO blessed to have her as my companion because she's already taught before! She's worked with real investigators in the field. We are VERY unified as a companionship and teach together very well. There's only been one time we were feeling a bit of contention, and so we found an empty classroom and taught each other about the atonement. The Spirit was SO strong as we taught, and by the end, there was absolutely NO contention and we loved each other even more. We definitely are very different though-- she has turned her life around. Our teachers and branch presidency were really worried about our companionship at first because we are so different, but we really do love each other. This really isn't about us- it's about putting our own problems aside so that we can keep the Spirit with us at all times and teach effectively. Oh, and what's really cool is that her companion in SLC was Sister Sarah Jane Pratt from our Stake! We also share the similarities of being only children, not liking root beer, action movies, or ice in our water :)
My companion, Sister Chelsea Martin, is from Orem, Utah. She's a hair stylist and served a trial mission for 2 months in Salt Lake City. I am SO blessed to have her as my companion because she's already taught before! She's worked with real investigators in the field. We are VERY unified as a companionship and teach together very well. There's only been one time we were feeling a bit of contention, and so we found an empty classroom and taught each other about the atonement. The Spirit was SO strong as we taught, and by the end, there was absolutely NO contention and we loved each other even more. We definitely are very different though-- she has turned her life around. Our teachers and branch presidency were really worried about our companionship at first because we are so different, but we really do love each other. This really isn't about us- it's about putting our own problems aside so that we can keep the Spirit with us at all times and teach effectively. Oh, and what's really cool is that her companion in SLC was Sister Sarah Jane Pratt from our Stake! We also share the similarities of being only children, not liking root beer, action movies, or ice in our water :)
The most important lesson that I've learned here in the MTC is how important it is to internalize my purpose as a missionary. My purpose for the next 18 months is NOT about me! I am inviting OTHERS to come unto Christ, and that means, as Elder Bednar taught in an MTC devotional The Character of Christ, whenever we are experiencing frustrations and difficulties, we should turn outward. I have completely given myself up to the will of the Lord and am focusing more on others than myself. I have never been happier in my entire life. This was the lesson that I was waiting for, and my chance to completely give myself up in service.
I absolutely LOVE teaching! We are working with our progressing investigator named Rob (who really is our teacher Brother Felsted). Rob hit a tough point in his life when he lost his job and his two sons, Jonathan and Robert, had to go live with his grandmother. Our first lesson, he wasn't really sure if he wanted us to teach him, but on the 2nd lesson, we committed him to be baptized and pray daily. He's keeping his commitments, and he is now reading the Book of Mormon daily.
We also taught an investigator in the TRC named Ivelisee from Venezuela, who is such a positive example! She is grateful for EVERYTHING, everything from buying groceries to doing laundry. She prays, but doesn't feel like her prayers are being answered. We are going to teach her again on Thursday about prayer and how much her Heavenly Father loves her.
The most important lesson I've learned, which is the key to missionary work, is just how important the Spirit is. Without it, we can do NOTHING! Everything I do throughout the day is done so that I can keep the Spirit with me at all times. Before we teach, we pray alone and as a companionship for the Spirit to be the real teacher. And it always is. The first time before we began teaching, I was really nervous. Sister Marin said, "why would you be nervous to teach someone that you love about something that you love?" I internalized that, and ever since, from lesson 1, I have not been nervous while teaching. This is the Lord's work, and I am simply a conduit for the Spirit to teach through. It's so cool because during lessons, the Spirit will bring to remembrance scriptures I had studied or tell me to listen, not speak. Sister Martin and I are led by the Spirit, and are each given a portion of the words that need to be said. It's amazing. Again, this isn't about me, it's about me being worthy to have the Spirit so the Spirit can teach.
We have our flight plans! We leave the MTC next Tuesday, May 28th flying out of the SLC airport at 8:32 a.m.
Funny mission stories:
I called a band friend Sister Weber instead of Elder.
I walked into the wrong classroom while missionaries were praying.
I spilled chocolate milk all over my district leader while shaking his hand.
My branch president told an elder who has a weak handshake that he should take lessons from me "Sister Johnston has a good missionary handshake". He told me when he interviewed me that I look like a missionary, smile like a missionary, and shake hands like a missionary. Embarrassing :D
I love you both so much and will write a letter today! I can't wait to call you from the airport, so be ready for the call!
Love,Sister Kaylyn Marie Johnston
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