July 11, 2013

Family,

It's been the best week yet! Granted it's only the third week, but I've truly felt Heavenly Father's love and comfort this past week. I'm half way through my stay at the MTC. I'm both excited yet terrified to leave. There's days where I feel like the language is coming along, and then yesterday we listened to a conference talk in Ilonggo.... pretty sure I could only pick out five words, one of which was Priesthood and that doesn't count because it's the same in both languages. But it's coming along! My vocabulary is pretty limited but I'm to the point where I can usually get what I want to say across in a lesson. It's funny because we know the words to be able to give a lesson from PMG, but then we try to say a sentence that we would actually use every day, and we have no idea. But, our teachers have so much confidence in us that you can't help but not have faith that we can do it. I'm sure our accents our terrible, and that we're probably mispronouncing half of our words, but we're definitely trying
.

Thank you oh so much  for the letters and packages, and for the dc. Best day ever.

So, here's a quick overview of our week:

Last Thursday was seriously the best p-day ever. Since the temple was closed, we took a nap in the afternoon, we actually had time to shower and get ready, we had dinner and ice cream, then we had a 4th of July devotional, where we watched 17 Miracles! (I think it was because they didn't want us outside listening to the concert at Stadium of Fire) And then afterwards, they gave us more ice cream (Magnum bars... #namit) (which means delicious), and then they let us stay out and watch the fireworks until 11. It was the most relaxing day and exactly what we needed. What was super exciting about it was that before dinner, as a district we wanted to take photos by the big map. Sister Young and I were taking a photo, and then Sister Heslop (Clarissa) pops up behind the photographer. I might have teared up a little bit. It was so good seeing her, and so random that she happened to be there. Since then I've seen her a couple times which has been so nice. It's kind of weird seeing someone that you knew before the mission, it makes you a little homesick, but I'm doing fine.

This past week I feel like we've had ten thousand devotionals but it's not a bad thing. It's just sometimes hard to stay attentive and focused when we're so tired all the time. On Sunday we had mission conference and the MTC presidency talked, and then later that night we had another devotional, our usual Sunday night devotional. Afterwards, they have different things playing in different buildings. Sister Young and I went to Elder Bednar's "Character of Christ." It was the best talk I've ever listened to. It's from a Christmas devotional a couple years ago at the MTC. I don't know if you guys would be able to find it or not. if you can, watch it. if not, I can send you some of the things I wrote down.

At the MTC, Sister Young and I made the goal to read the entire Book of Mormon. I'm already in 3 Nephi! the past three weeks. I have seriously grown to love the Book of Mormon and having personal study time every day. Some days, we have personal study after lunch, and I can seriously feel a difference, even though it's only later in the day. This past week we tried to focus our lessons with our investigators on the importance of the Book of Mormon and prayer. We each receive person revelation through them, and they seriously help us in all aspects of our lives, no matter what we're going through. I've definitely can personally witness to that the past couple of weeks. I have consistently found so much comfort and guidance through scripture study and through prayer. I don't think I have ever prayed as much as I do now but I love it. Today, I started reading Jesus the Christ. I've never felt the spirit so strongly reading any other non-scripture book. I'm so excited to continuing reading it. I only read the preface and introduction page. Did you know he wrote most of it in the temple?! Talk about divinely inspired revelation.

I love my district so much and I'm so glad that most of us will be heading to Bacolod together. There's three districts leaving this Monday speaking Cebuano, and to think that's gonna be us in two weeks is terrifying, but also really exciting. We're more than half way done with our time in the MTC. I feel like I still have so much to learn but I guess we have to leave sometime. I love being a missionary. I love feeling the spirit every day. I love spending my time studying and learning the gospel and Ilonggo.

I love and miss you all. Thank you so much for all the support and letters. I got six the other day! hah
I'll try to write a letter during the week to tell you more about the mission. If you have any questions or want to know something, just let me know.

palangga ta ka!
xoxox,

Sister Fitz

MTC Companion, Sister Young

MTC District