Hola!
Here I am at the MTC, and honestly, it feels like I've been here forever! I can't believe it's only been a week, because I've done so much and I've learned so much! They keep us really busy here. I am in classes for about 8 hours a day, and then we study a lot on our own; personal study, companionship study, and language study.
So, like I said in my first letter, that hand written scribble I sent home on Thursday night, I am in a trio of Sisters, meaning that instead of just one companion, I get to have two! One is Hermana Galbraith, and she is from Indiana. I knew her while I was at Purdue, but not very well. I have gotten to know her better though, and she is awesome. She kind of reminds me of my BYU roommate, Allison. The other companion is Hermana Nelson, from Saint George. They are both going to Paraguay, Asuncion North. The really funny thing is that through some crazy random happenstance, they knew each other before getting here too. Facebook. Haha. Anyway, they are awesome and such a good example for me. Hermana Nelson is always good in lessons to bear her testimony first and really invite the spirit and Hermana Galbraith always has a good story to share with the "investigator."
I think the hardest thing about being a missionary (so far) is the teaching part! We are definitely getting better, but it is kind of stressful, but I feel like we're learning the lessons well, and we are learning how to transition between sisters and topics. We taught a really great lesson to the other hermanas in our district, and the spirit was so strong. We all came back to our classroom teary-eyed and sniffly-nosed. I think the elders think we're ridiculous, but they still love us.
Our district is made up of 12 missionaries, all going to South America. The other two hermanas are going to Argentina Mendosa, along with two Elders, and two elders are going to Paraguay with my comps. There is another trio of elders as well, who are coming with me to the DR MTC. They are serving in Puerto Rico San Juan East, and DR Santo Domingo East. I really like my district. The elders are very respectful; they always hold doors and take our trays at meals. They are easy to get along with and we are getting to know them better. We have set goals that includes something called BB (breakfast buddies...haha) in which we eat breakfast together everyday, and DGD (district gym day) where we play together in gym, like volleyball or knockout. Since we spend so much time together in class, we are getting really close. It seems like we've known them much longer than just a week.
We also sit with our zone at meals, which is nice because all the elders are fun to get to know and very friendly. Our zone is made up of several districts (classes) and has a wide range of levels, meaning some districts in our zone are leaving next week, while our distrcit is the youngest, and we're not leaving for 8 weeks.
I did get my departure date ironed out; I am still going to the DR MTC and I leave on October 15. That is only two weeks from today! Crazy! I'm pretty excited, because I think I'll learn a lot faster down there. Both the language, and the teaching skills. I guess instead of teaching volunteers, you actually go out and teach on university campuses and in neighborhoods in the surrounding areas. That will be stressful, but a really good learning opportunity.
Speaking of stressful, we went to the RC for the first time this week, and I practically had a breakdown! Haha. It was kind of intense. For those who don't know, the RC is the referal center, and this is where we accept calls from people who want to know more about the church, or where we call people who request some materials in the mail (such as a Book of Mormon, Bible, or DVD) to make sure they received it. Then we answer any questions they have, bear our testimonies and then invite representatives (i.e. other missionaries) to come and visit to tell them more. My first call, no one answered. On the second one though, which was a call to someone in Chicago, someone answered, and I "totally freak out." It was hard! There was no reason for it to be though; they have a basic script for you to follow, and then you bear your testimony when they say to, and it shouldn't be that terrible, right? No. When I got off the phone, and was just kind of frozen, and then my companions and the teacher were all like "It's all right, Hermana Miller..." And then I just started crying. I was just overwhelmed. Seriously though, I think I'll be better next week. We go to the RC every week to make calls, because you can make some really important contacts that way. I made more calls that day, but I only got answering machines, in which case you have to hang up. But, they didn't tell us how to hang up...haha. There is a funny story there. Hermana Galbraith was on the phone and she got an answering machine, so she thought the computer hangs up for you...but it doesn't. So, she was just talking away and saying, "what do I do next?" and stuff like that, and then we realized she was still on the line. Haha. Someone got a really strange message in their inbox that day. :)
So, I saw new missionaries coming in yesterday, and a I got a little tear in my heart because I remember when that was me...a week ago. Haha. But, it was kind of a sad day...saying goodbye and all, but everyone at the MTC was so, so welcoming, that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. After you dropped me off, those elders took me over to my building and dropped off my luggage. Then, a sister came and took me and my luggage up to my room and just dropped it, and then we went to get everything I needed. We went over to the big administration building where they checked us in and gave us our name tags and companion info. Then we went to the bookstore to pick up a big bag of books and such, then we went to our classroom and met our teachers and the other members of our district. Our teachers are really nice. And funny. Well, one of them is more funny, and one of them is more serious, but maybe we'll get into that another day. The sister who took me around was so nice and helpful and friendly and welcoming, and I was happy she was there to make me feel more welcome.
The rest of the first week was crazy hard, but everybody kept saying, "just wait until Sunday." They were right. Sunday was awesome. It was relaxing and we got lots of useful things done, but it was just more laid back and we didn't have to go to class or anything.
I have already learned how to testify and pray in Spanish. We aren't very good; we sound like a ton of 5 year olds, but we are sincere, and I guess that is all that matters.
The Coordinating Sister thing is kind of like Relief Society President for your zone, and since the only hermanas in our zone are in our distrcit, it's really easy. Really all it means is that I have to go to more meetings and try to help my sisters along. Which, all of the sisters in our district are awesome, so nothing really terrible has happened yet. I feel like we get on quite well, which is really a blessing for all of us.
Thanks to everyone who wrote me letters this week; I think I have gotten one everyday, except for the day our district leader forgot to pick up the mail :(. It really feels good to get mail to hear how everyone is doing. I promise I'll write you back soon.
Love you all,
Hermana Miller
Here I am at the MTC, and honestly, it feels like I've been here forever! I can't believe it's only been a week, because I've done so much and I've learned so much! They keep us really busy here. I am in classes for about 8 hours a day, and then we study a lot on our own; personal study, companionship study, and language study.
So, like I said in my first letter, that hand written scribble I sent home on Thursday night, I am in a trio of Sisters, meaning that instead of just one companion, I get to have two! One is Hermana Galbraith, and she is from Indiana. I knew her while I was at Purdue, but not very well. I have gotten to know her better though, and she is awesome. She kind of reminds me of my BYU roommate, Allison. The other companion is Hermana Nelson, from Saint George. They are both going to Paraguay, Asuncion North. The really funny thing is that through some crazy random happenstance, they knew each other before getting here too. Facebook. Haha. Anyway, they are awesome and such a good example for me. Hermana Nelson is always good in lessons to bear her testimony first and really invite the spirit and Hermana Galbraith always has a good story to share with the "investigator."
I think the hardest thing about being a missionary (so far) is the teaching part! We are definitely getting better, but it is kind of stressful, but I feel like we're learning the lessons well, and we are learning how to transition between sisters and topics. We taught a really great lesson to the other hermanas in our district, and the spirit was so strong. We all came back to our classroom teary-eyed and sniffly-nosed. I think the elders think we're ridiculous, but they still love us.
Our district is made up of 12 missionaries, all going to South America. The other two hermanas are going to Argentina Mendosa, along with two Elders, and two elders are going to Paraguay with my comps. There is another trio of elders as well, who are coming with me to the DR MTC. They are serving in Puerto Rico San Juan East, and DR Santo Domingo East. I really like my district. The elders are very respectful; they always hold doors and take our trays at meals. They are easy to get along with and we are getting to know them better. We have set goals that includes something called BB (breakfast buddies...haha) in which we eat breakfast together everyday, and DGD (district gym day) where we play together in gym, like volleyball or knockout. Since we spend so much time together in class, we are getting really close. It seems like we've known them much longer than just a week.
We also sit with our zone at meals, which is nice because all the elders are fun to get to know and very friendly. Our zone is made up of several districts (classes) and has a wide range of levels, meaning some districts in our zone are leaving next week, while our distrcit is the youngest, and we're not leaving for 8 weeks.
I did get my departure date ironed out; I am still going to the DR MTC and I leave on October 15. That is only two weeks from today! Crazy! I'm pretty excited, because I think I'll learn a lot faster down there. Both the language, and the teaching skills. I guess instead of teaching volunteers, you actually go out and teach on university campuses and in neighborhoods in the surrounding areas. That will be stressful, but a really good learning opportunity.
Speaking of stressful, we went to the RC for the first time this week, and I practically had a breakdown! Haha. It was kind of intense. For those who don't know, the RC is the referal center, and this is where we accept calls from people who want to know more about the church, or where we call people who request some materials in the mail (such as a Book of Mormon, Bible, or DVD) to make sure they received it. Then we answer any questions they have, bear our testimonies and then invite representatives (i.e. other missionaries) to come and visit to tell them more. My first call, no one answered. On the second one though, which was a call to someone in Chicago, someone answered, and I "totally freak out." It was hard! There was no reason for it to be though; they have a basic script for you to follow, and then you bear your testimony when they say to, and it shouldn't be that terrible, right? No. When I got off the phone, and was just kind of frozen, and then my companions and the teacher were all like "It's all right, Hermana Miller..." And then I just started crying. I was just overwhelmed. Seriously though, I think I'll be better next week. We go to the RC every week to make calls, because you can make some really important contacts that way. I made more calls that day, but I only got answering machines, in which case you have to hang up. But, they didn't tell us how to hang up...haha. There is a funny story there. Hermana Galbraith was on the phone and she got an answering machine, so she thought the computer hangs up for you...but it doesn't. So, she was just talking away and saying, "what do I do next?" and stuff like that, and then we realized she was still on the line. Haha. Someone got a really strange message in their inbox that day. :)
So, I saw new missionaries coming in yesterday, and a I got a little tear in my heart because I remember when that was me...a week ago. Haha. But, it was kind of a sad day...saying goodbye and all, but everyone at the MTC was so, so welcoming, that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. After you dropped me off, those elders took me over to my building and dropped off my luggage. Then, a sister came and took me and my luggage up to my room and just dropped it, and then we went to get everything I needed. We went over to the big administration building where they checked us in and gave us our name tags and companion info. Then we went to the bookstore to pick up a big bag of books and such, then we went to our classroom and met our teachers and the other members of our district. Our teachers are really nice. And funny. Well, one of them is more funny, and one of them is more serious, but maybe we'll get into that another day. The sister who took me around was so nice and helpful and friendly and welcoming, and I was happy she was there to make me feel more welcome.
The rest of the first week was crazy hard, but everybody kept saying, "just wait until Sunday." They were right. Sunday was awesome. It was relaxing and we got lots of useful things done, but it was just more laid back and we didn't have to go to class or anything.
I have already learned how to testify and pray in Spanish. We aren't very good; we sound like a ton of 5 year olds, but we are sincere, and I guess that is all that matters.
The Coordinating Sister thing is kind of like Relief Society President for your zone, and since the only hermanas in our zone are in our distrcit, it's really easy. Really all it means is that I have to go to more meetings and try to help my sisters along. Which, all of the sisters in our district are awesome, so nothing really terrible has happened yet. I feel like we get on quite well, which is really a blessing for all of us.
Thanks to everyone who wrote me letters this week; I think I have gotten one everyday, except for the day our district leader forgot to pick up the mail :(. It really feels good to get mail to hear how everyone is doing. I promise I'll write you back soon.
Love you all,
Hermana Miller
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