I love the MTC

Oi!

This week has been amazing! A lot of people told me that the first 4 days were going to be super hard and that I would feel like giving up. I don't know what those people were talking about because I just had the best 10 days of my life!! For reals I have been having so much fun.

Yes, Portuguese is hard, it takes all of my focus and concentration. And because I haven't had any Spanish or ANY spoken language background I feel like I have to work twice as hard, as the rest of my district. But rest asure I can speak Portuguese...well kinda.. haha its coming along :)

I am working my butt off!!!  I sit in class, and during meals, and during free time and I practice and practice and I try to make sentences. The gift of tongues is Amazing! On the third day here my companions and I taught a lesson all in Portuguese for 41min!! It was fantastic. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had. Our first investigator fell down a flight of stairs 20min before we were suppose to teach him. So all of the sudden everyone in my district started to freak out cause were were going to teach someone that we hadn't met and someone that we didn't know what their needs were. I was excited cause I was like yeah contacting I've done this before! So my companions and I were like alright lets get in there lets learn about him and then we will teach him! It was awesome after getting to know him I felt impressed that we should teach the Resteration, when I mentioned it my companions looked at me like I was crazy because we didn't know any of those words or phrases but they also felt like we should teach that too. It was so hard!! But with the Lords help we were able to teach! It was awesome.

The MTC is awesome I don't know why I was nervous about coming here, the people are so nice and so kind and aww I love it here. But the Food here is AWFUL!! Oh my gosh its so bad! I get so sick after every meal,but there isn't really any other options so I just suck it up and eat it. Also real bummer the Temple is closed so We don't get to go at all while we are hear so that kinda makes me sad but its cool. We do get to go on temple walks every Sunday so thats kinda nice to leave campus and get some fresh air.

My Companions are Awesome!! Sister Keeler is from Washington DC and she is the only other missionary in my district that is going to Piracicaba with me. She is picking up the language super fast so she helps me out a lot. she is also pretty fluent in Sing language its kinda funny cause if we are in the middle of a lesson and I don't know the word I will subtly sign a word and she will say it out loud. Haha its kinda fun :)

My other Companion is Sister Koford. She is from Missouri. She is one of the most fun loving positive persons I've ever met! She is always making me laug

h and we are constantly having a good time. I love my companions they are great!! We work so hard.

Thanksgiving was awesome. Elder Russel M. Nelson came and talked to us and we got to sing for him (I'm in the MTC Choir). We had thanksgiving dinner and the food was actually pretty okay. It didn't make me sick!! and Afterwards we had a Thanksgiving talent show and it was really entertaining. We did a "Feed my starving children" type service project and it was pretty cool the News came so maybe you could see my on KSL. And then GUESS WHAT!! We got to watch a movie! Ephraim Rescues! I thought it was pretty good, not as good as Seventeen Miracles but still we got to sit there and do nothing but be entertained so it was exciting :)

One of the things that really stuck out to me this week was a statement made from Sunday's devotional "Remeber that you and Christ share the same name badge" I love that bececausde it reminds me that I am representing Him. I am helping others come unto Him. It is so much work, hard work, but there is so better feeling then when your investigator acceps your invitation to baptism.

Eu sei que O envangelho de Jesus Cristo é restaurado. Eu sei que A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Ultimos Dias teve plenitude de verdaderio Envangelho. Em nome de Jesus Cristo, Amém.

Thnks for all the letters and Dear Elders! I really appreciate hearing from all of you. Sorry that I haven't been able to respon yet. Today was my first P-day but I wrote you all letters or emails back so be exicted!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

The Gospel is Simple

Alright, I am FREAKING OUT!! But actually I'm feelin pretty calm but I'm still FREAKING OUT! Basically I'm a hot mess full of different emotions (I'm a girl, what do you expect?)

I've got ONE week!! Actually I've got less than a week!!! I'm getting set a part Monday night then I'll be flying out to Provo (Yeah visa didn't come ): ) Tuesday Morning and then into the MTC Wednesday Afternoon. 

I am Soo EXCITED! I am excited to bring others to Christ. I'm excited to experience a new culture. I'm excited to finally be around people my age and to feel productive and to not feel like the lazy bum I've been for the past three months. I'm excited to finally serve my mission. Fun Fact: I've had to wait almost 5 months since the time I've got my call to enter the MTC, well okay 4 months and 24 days to be exact..thats 137 days of waiting, not like I was counting or anything (;  But I would be lying to you if I told you that there weren't some things that I was nervous about. Those being,

1. I am Not a fan of cold showers. I know that may sound stupid but really lets be honest I hate them. And they make me sad, and steaming hot showers are one of the few things I look forward to everyday.
2. I am extremely afraid of gaining weight. And I Do NOT want to gain weight!! But Beans and Rice...ugh not the healthiest diet. (If I come back looking like a fat spotted freak will you still be my friend? Okay great I'm glad we have that settled!)
3. The only Portuguese I know is "Ola, Somos missionários da Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos Dias (Hello, we are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) And I don't even know if that is right. But if it is I'm super good at saying it. :)

You know if I'm blasted with cold showers for the next 18 months I'll survive, and I'll learn how to take really really fast showers. And If I gain 50lbs then I guess the gym will become my best friend when I get back.. But learning Portuguese, I am extremely terrified. I mean come on I can hardly speak English how am I expected to Learn a language that I've never even heard?

Which brings me to my topic today.. The Gospel is simple. Let me introduce you to someone special.

This is my buddy Robert. He's Deaf. He was baptized about 5 months ago and since I've been home I've interpreted Sacrament meeting and weekly lessons with the Sister Missionaries. After each meeting he always thanks me for teaching him. But the truth is,  He teaches me.

Robert has taught me so many different lessons. But probably the most important one is that the gospel is simple.

Sometime we feel like we need to go into deep doctrine and use big eloquent words to teach the gospel, but with my experience, that is just not the case. I don't know any "big"words in sign language. I would say that my signing is good, but its not great. My vocabulary is very limited. But I have interpreted through every Sacrament meeting and every lesson with out a problem. WHY? Because the Gospel is simple, and the spirit is strong.

I'm reminded time and time again that the Spirit is the teacher not me. It doesn't matter what I say If the spirit isn't there then the lesson is ineffective.

This gives me hope for Brazil. I don't know any Portuguese. But I know that if the spirit is there I can teach the gospel in less than 50 words.

Its going to be good. Everything will be okay :)

♥ Mallory

My Thanks from A-Z

Haha you will never guess what we celebrated this week. THANKSGIVING!! Haha big surprise I know, first Christmas, now Thanksgiving whats next? I promise we are done with the early holiday celebrations.

We had turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, sweet potatoes, and of course Pie! It was delicious! 

Obviously my family is really good at smiling..Oh well

Unfortunately I think Thanksgiving it an overlooked holiday. Every store I've walked into for the past week has all of their Christmas stuff up. This time of year we get so sidetracked with all of the sales and presents and things we need to buy for Christmas that I don't think we really give Thanksgiving the attention it deserves. Personally, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because I can sit around and be fat all day and NO One can judge me! ;) 

But for reals what a great day to express gratitude for all the many things and blessings we've been given. 

So here are my thanks from A-Z

I am thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ

I am thankful for Brothers

I am thankful for Chocolate Covered Vegetables 

I am Thankful for Disney Movies

I am thankful for my Education

I am thankful for Friends

I am thankful for Girls Camp

I am thankful for my Hands and the ability to communicate with them.

I am thankful for Independence

I am thankful for Juice boxes

I am thankful for Kindness

I am thankful for Love

I am thankful for Missionaries. Especially the one giving the thumbs up ;)

I am thankful for Nighttime Shenanigans 

I am thankful for the Outdoors

I am thankful for Parents

I am thankful for Quiet Time to My Self

I am thankful for Roommates

I am thankful for the opportunity to Serve the people of Brazil.

I am thankful for Temples

I am thankful for the US Postal Service

I am thankful for Vacations with my family

I am thankful for Waterfalls

I am especially thankful to those people who subtly tell me to XYZ! 

(Seriously, you guys are the best! Keep up the good work)

My life has been so incredibly blessed. There is SO Much to be thankful for. I hope this Thanksgiving we can all take a step back and show some gratitude for the blessings we have.

Happy Early Thanksgiving!! 

♥ Mallory