Thursday, June 27, 2013

MTC Week # 6...And off she goes...to who knows where ;)


Hola Hola!!

     Well, where to start!? All of your prayers really helped me last week because I only missed all of P-day and was still sick the next day but was well enough to go to class. But I'm all healthy now, so thank you! (: It was a really busy week, but I'm pretty sure the longer I am here, the quicker the weeks fly by! I can't believe I'm in my sixth week already! I can't tell if my emotions are sad to leave, happy to go out, scared to not know anything, etc. I am pretty sure it's just a mix of every emotion possible! But I should hopefully find out later today if I got my reassignment or not. If I did, I can email home again and let you know, but if not then you won't hear from and I will be here another week (which I would totally love)! (:
     So I'm sure you all watched the broadcast and now know that I am famous (; haha…Just Kidding! But I was listening to Elder Perry and then looked at the screen and couldn't believe what I saw!! It was kind of awkwardly long and if you watch it again, I almost start laughing...it's at 22:15 minutes… hahaha. But other than that, the broadcast was WONDERFUL!! It was really good for all of us to be reminded of the responsibilities we all have as members of the church, I think. The missionaries can only do so much, but we will eventually leave and the new converts need friends in the wards who will always be there for them. But I was looking back on the notes I took and realized there was a common theme I kept noting about- Love. One of the video clips was showing the service opportunities that the members were all having and then it led to missionary discussions and that made me realize something. I get to spend the next 17 months (wherever I will be) just serving others and showing them love and how to be happy!! How awesome is that!? All missionary work is is a service to the children of God and helping them find the way back to our Savior Jesus Christ. I can't remember who said this, but one of the speakers compared us to being the Shepherd as Jesus is always referred to. And last week in class, we also talked about this. I wear Jesus Christ’s name right under mine on my badge every day. I am His representative and because of this, I get to be a Shepherd. My teacher shared with us a story and said that when one of the sheep in a fold run off and gets lost, the Shepherd will stop everything and go looking for that one sheep. Once he finds it, he breaks all four of its legs and carries it back to the fold on his shoulders. Then, until the sheep can take care of itself and walk again, the shepherd will feed it, care for it, and basically do everything for it so that it learns to trust and love him. SO now I want to compare this with my job. I think that because I am a representative of Jesus Christ and act as a shepherd, I am going out to find the lost sheep or children of God who do not have the gospel. Once I find them and begin teaching them, they are going to need to change their hearts and possibly their way of living which can be really difficult, painful, and they cannot do it alone. So while they are preparing and healing, I am there (with the members of course), and helping them prepare to stand and walk on their own once again. Thinking of it like this, it makes me feel so excited and humbled to know that I have the privilege to do the Savior's work while He is not here on the earth. With or without me, the work will go on, but I get to be a part of it and I am so blessed and grateful! I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that I cannot do anything without His help and guidance. Here at the MTC, I have never felt so close to Him and my mission is definitely changing me to become more like Him and I love it!
      Well, it's my last week here probably and I have decided to make some goals so that I don't waste any time! My Spanish is really good, but it could be better. I know the lessons to teach, but I could be more prepared. As I look back on my time here, I have made some mistakes and wasted some time that I could have been studying harder, but we all make mistakes and all that the Savior asks of us is to keep getting up when we fall and work even harder to become better! We are all so blessed to have the Atonement in our lives. We would have no hope of returning to our Heavenly Father again without it!
      So on Tuesday, at devotional, Janice Kapp Parry came!!! She and her husband spoke to us and then we had a musical program where she put together a medley of primary songs that we sung together and then she sang us some songs herself. I cannot remember a time where I have felt the spirit more strongly! I have always loved music and felt that through it, I could feel my Savior's love for me, but there is something so powerful and great about over 3,000 missionaries singing together! I absolutely loved it!!!!
     That's all I have for now! I am still working really hard and trying to become more like my Savior every day! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer!! I miss everyone so much, but it has never been hard being away from home because I can literally feel my Savior walking besides me every moment of every day. There is no other place I would rather be! Love you all like crazy and pray for you each night<3

 
With all my love,

Hermana Moberly<3

Thursday, June 20, 2013

MTC Week # 5

Hola!
       Another crazy week here at the MTC! It goes by so fast I can barely remember what I even do every day. It wasn't the best week I've had, but still wonderful and I wouldn't change anything! I've been a little sick the last few days (don't worry Mom, just a cold (:) but I still go to class and try my best to pay attention...haha. I think what helped me the most this week was actually a lesson that my companions and I planned. One of our teachers wanted us to teach him in English so we decided to talk about the trials we face in life and how we are promised that the Savior will never leave us alone. It reminded me of the poem "Footprints in the Sand" or something like that where a man reflects back on his life and sees two sets of footprints in the sand. But he notices that during the hard times there was only one set of footprints. He asks the Lord why He left him alone during the difficult times, and the Savior replies that those are His footprints and He carried him through. I have been thinking a lot about this the last few days. The mission is hard and some days you experience things and wonder why you feel alone, or wonder what you're supposed to do next. I'm sure it will get even harder out in Argentina, but I know that I will never be left alone and that I can make it through with faith in Jesus Christ. SO I hope you all are doing great and remember that the Lord and Heavenly Father know what they are doing. They won't try us to the point where we won't succeed or make it through. Sometimes we may feel left alone or have a little faith left to push through, but I know that the Savior makes it bearable for us to survive because of His Atonement and sacrifice for us. I think that while I have been here at the MTC, my testimony on the Atonement of Jesus Christ has both been strengthened and helped me the most. When we just trust in Him and allow Him to help us, we can have our burdens lifted. It doesn't mean it will be easy, just bearable.
       Okay, now for happy thoughts! I'm doing great; I absolutely still LOVE it here!!! Me and my companions are best friends and I'm so thankful for them! The other day me and Hermana Garrett did a crazy hard circuit workout in the gym...or at least attempted to....and we were so sore the next morning that we couldn't even get out of our chairs after class! It doesn't help either that we live on the fourth floor and our class is on the fourth floor either haha...but our calves are getting stronger so that will help with all the walking we will do in Argentina (: Now, for the news you have all been waiting for (that I'm sure you've already heard).....I GOT TO HOST CORI YESTERDAY!!!!!! haha so I was looking for their blue car and when I saw it, it was down the sidewalk pretty far away from my station, but I booked it! A sister was walking towards their car and I just asked her "PLEASE! Let me take this one" and then just ran up and hugged Cori!! Yes, I cried, but it has already been an emotional week for me and I NEEDED to see her! It was definitely a blessing and the best part of my week!! I didn't get a picture because I couldn't have my camera, but I'm sure I'll see her and send you one later. I also saw Jacquie in the cafeteria at dinner!! We got a picture but I can't figure out how to download it onto this computer...so you may have to wait until next week! But they are doing great, they love it and I'll take good care of them<3 Cori actually has class a floor below mine so I'm sure I'll see her a lot (: Other than that, not much new, just trying to get better, learning more Spanish, and trying to learn as much as I can before I leave. I can't believe I leave a week from Monday!! No news on my visa yet, I just heard last night that no new missionaries have been sent to Rosario since last October...but that might be a rumor. Whatever the Lord wants to happen will happen so I'm good with anything! I really wouldn't mind staying here an extra week (: I can pretty much say whatever I want in Spanish now...that might be a little exaggerated, but my teacher said that if we went to Argentina right now we would be fine. I say all of my prayers in Spanish no matter what and we are trying to only speak Spanish to each other throughout the day. But I know that the language will come, I just need to make sure I'm doing the little things everyday like my scripture study, learning the Preach My Gospel lessons and practicing my faith in Jesus Christ. I love you all and hope you have an AMAZING week! I miss you and pray for everyone every day! Keep trying to be like our Savior Jesus Christ! Goal for this week that I'm trying to do as well....keep a gratitude journal. If we wake up each morning and write what we are thankful for, I know that our day will already start to be a happy one and our mindset will be more Christ-like. Love you!!

Hermana Moberly

Thursday, June 13, 2013

MTC Week # 4


Hola Hola Hola!!!!

 Well I hope you all had a wonderful week because I sure did!!! I don't even know where to start...But I have been learning so much Spanish and somehow, it's all sticking! My progressing investigator lessons are still going on and we got one to commit to being baptized on Saturday! It's just one of our teachers who pretends to be an investigator, but we were all so happy when he finally said yes…we walked out with tears in our eyes! (: It just made me way more excited to go to Argentina and teach real investigators!! Other than that, each day continues to fly by and I am over half way done here at the MTC!! No news on my visa yet, so as of now, I'm just waiting to get my travel information in the mail. If I am reassigned to a different mission in the U.S. then they won't tell me until the Thursday before I leave. So nothing to worry about now. (:

           So just some cool and fun things that have happened this week- One of the districts in our zone was leaving. In the cafeteria, there are big dispensers of cereal and we wanted to completely empty one as a zone. So on Sunday, for lunch, everyone had crunch berries and in order to finish an entire dispenser, everyone had to have 2-3 bowls of cereal. There were 28 of us! But then, we finished it so quickly we went to do another one! After both the crunch berries and lucky charms were all gone, everyone had at least 3 bowls and I had five!! A few of the elders had 8 bowls! It was crazy!! So don't worry, I still have fun here. (: We get to go to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and our zone plays volleyball...I'm actually not that bad anymore!! On Tuesday, we left the MTC and actually got to be outside of the gates! We walked down to BYU's Marriott Center for a devotional. There are so many missionaries here that we have to meet in a bigger auditorium!! So now once a week I get to leave the MTC and head down to BYU which is just like home now. (: As for the Spanish, I forgot to mention that last fast and testimony meeting at church I got up and bore my testimony in Spanish!! It was really scary but it's so cool that I can understand what people are saying and be able to add my testimony to theirs. My two companions and I will be the new Sister Missionary Training Leaders which means that we are over the sisters in our zone! Lots of responsibilities, but I'm so excited to get to know the new sisters that came here yesterday. The leaders that were here when I first came helped us all so much and became such great friends over the last three weeks, so hopefully I can help the other Hermanas!! Well, other than that I don't know what has been new or exciting, but I'm absolutely loving it here and really wouldn't mind if I stayed here longer! The spirit is so strong and my testimony grows each and every day. My companions are wonderful and I love them!

            Well I want to leave you all with a short spiritual thought that I have been thinking a lot about the last few days. It is stressed so much to do all you can to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ here at the MTC. And so over the last week I have been trying so hard to make sure all of my thoughts and actions are one with what my Savior would do. I think that it is so important for all of us to strive each day to have the attributes of Christ become the attributes we have. My purpose here at the MTC is to learn how to invite others to come unto Christ, but like I said before, we must come unto him ourselves first. So go throughout this week and serve others, have kind thoughts, and be patient so we can all develop Christ-like attributes. At the devotional the other night, Mervyn B. Arnold of the Seventy and his wife spoke to us. I loved that she encouraged us to cheerfully serve with all our hearts. I think that as we all serve with a cheerful attitude in everything we do, we can develop charity, the pure love of Christ. We are promised in the scriptures that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God! So I love you all!! Thanks for all of the prayers, letters, and support<3 Have a great week!!

 
Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Moberly<3

Thursday, June 6, 2013

MTC Week # 3 June 6, 2013


Hola Familia!!!

Wow! Time just flies by!! It's so crazy I've already been here two weeks! The spirit is still super strong and I'm learning so much!!! I don't have that much to tell you about the last week, but I now have two progressing investigators and the Spanish keeps coming so I’m definitely witnessing the gift of tongues. I've taught 10 lessons in Spanish now.  Two of them were on Monday night when we do something called TRC. Members of the church volunteer to be taught and so we go in and share a quick message with them. Teaching members is different than investigators for sure, but our purpose is still the same, to invite others to come unto Christ. So we challenged one couple to continue doing their family scripture study, but write down the promptings and inspirations that they receive while they read. I think that as we are ready to write down our impressions, we are more attentive to the spirit and we can continue to receive more as we listen. I've been working on that this last week and it's so crazy to see the difference already in noticing when I receive promptings and forget them, and when I receive them, write them down, and follow them! So maybe this next week (whoever is reading this) should try to do the same. (:

So my district is pretty much awesome!! On Tuesday, after devotional we all meet together in the classroom and discuss something we learned. Then after, our district leader felt prompted to hold a testimony meeting. And hearing everyone's testimonies was so amazing; I've never felt the spirit so strong! I love being surrounded by missionaries all the time! I think I forgot to tell you, but everyone in my district is going to Rosario! Even my companions, which is really rare! We are all hoping that we will work in the same area down in Argentina sometime. But we are all best friends, which we kind of have to be anyways since we spend all day together, but I'm so grateful for them and their friendship. During gym time, we all try and play volleyball together and I'm actually not bad! At least, I'm getting better. (:

Well, that's pretty much it for this week! So many missionaries came in yesterday, and it's so cool to see how many people I know here because basically everyone went to BYU. But I did see Trevor at the temple on Sunday so I'll send you the pictures! Now I see him a few times a week which is cool! I still see Nathaniel every day (: I can't wait for Cori and Jacquie to come!! I am pretty sure that I will be a host on the day they come in so please send me the times they are coming so I can look for them!!!! I love you all and hope you have an amazing week! Look for ways to feel the spirit more strongly and don't forget to write down the promptings you receive. Keep sending letters! I absolutely LOVE them!! (: I'll hand write you back later today if you sent me one! Please keep praying for me, I really appreciate it and I know that they are helping me! It's only been two weeks and I can teach almost every lesson in Spanish! I even taught the Word of Wisdom yesterday, which is harder than you think…haha

I love you all, can't wait to write again<3

Hermana Moberly

 

P.S. funny story of the week: One of the elders was talking about how the adversary blinds our investigators and his companion said, "We are like Windex and paper towels, going out two by two to clean off the eyes of those we teach" hahaha It was probably more funny to us, but that's as much humor as we get here and I love it! (:
                                  Hermana Moberly and her MTC Companions-Provo Temple
                                           Hermana Moberly and Elder Nathaniel Mosley

                                 Hermana Moberly and Elder Trevor Oberender-Provo Temple

                                  Hermana Moberly's Zone Sister Missionaries-Provo Temple