98 Days Left

When I got my call, I had 118 days before I was to report to the MTC. Now I have 98 days, as indicated by the heading of this post. I haven't know what to write on this blog until today. Life things have been happening, but life things are not necessarily the things that belong on this blog. My mission things belong here.

Tonight I had the pleasure of volunteering at the MTC in the Training Resource Enter. I was put in a room and told that I was a less-active member that the missionaries would be visiting. Basically, I was playing a part in order to offer a teaching/learning opportunity for a companionship. I'd head all about volunteering this way, but I was very nervous. I didn't know how to pretend to be less active. I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me make this a spiritual and good experience for both the missionaries that were about to teach me and for myself (though really it was all for their learning and practice.)

Sister Hall and Sister Ormond were the lovely sisters that taught me. They asked basic stuff about me (where I went to school, what I liked to do, etc) and then asked why I was talking to them. In 1.5 seconds I came up with a story based on thoughts I'd had before, but then magnified them to fit the situation. I was a college student who'd grown up in the church, my parents had given it to me, and I wasn't prepared to be a member of the church for myself until I had asked questions and found answers to the point where I could stand proudly as a representative. Sounds a little strange when I type it out, but it made sense in the conversation and it ended up being exactly what was needed.

The sisters were lovely. They shared their own experiences, scriptures, and thoughts on what they'd been studying lately-- all relating to having a personal knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel. It was so hard to not bear my testimony to them. :) I wanted to be just like them and be able to play the part from their side.

They had me read Moroni 10: 4-5 and when I started reading, the spirit hit me so hard and I thought about how I knew that the Book of Mormon is true and how it would feel to not know and be reading those scriptures and how much I wanted to serve a mission. I cried my way through the scripture and I looked up to see them both crying as well.

I said the closing prayer and prayed for direction in my life and for Sisters Hall and Ormond and for their families and again when I looked up they both had tears in my eyes. Sister Hall said that she hadn't cried once in the MTC until now. They said I'd been exactly what they'd needed. They'd been what I needed to.

I asked them where they were serving and when they said Toronto Canada, I had to break character. My dad served there!!! I told them that I was very active and that I had my call and they were SO surprised. They totally believed my sort of acting and they were utterly pleased. They said they thought I'd be a great missionary and that when they first walked in they thought I had a glow and that I should totally be a member if that makes any sense. They asked if my tears had been real (of course! The spirit was so dang strong!)

We talked for awhile after that and I got their email addresses. :) I feel so blessed to have had that entire experience and to have met them. I am glad that they were able to feel the spirit and felt that they had done a good job with me.

And that is why I finally have something to post about on here.

I can't wait to be where they are right now or where Elder Keenan Hyde is right now. I feel happy. I remember what's important now (W.I.N.) I can't wait to be in the service of the Lord as a sister missionary. All the feelings!