Week 2- MTC

I finished week 2 of the MTC!!! It is so crazy to think I have been here for 2 weeks already and yet I think to myself "it has only been 2 weeks!?" That means I have only 4 weeks left of the MTC before I hit Italy. Does this make me excited? Yes. Am I scared? Yes. I am freaking out. The language is definitely difficult but when I stop and think about it, I realize that I have definitely been blessed by our Heavenly Father with the ability to learn a language. I know a LOT more than I would have with out the Lord. Seriously though, it has been two weeks and yet I can Pray in Italian, bare my testimony in Italian, and almost have simple conversations in Italian. Sorella Stephens and I are still struggling quite a bit and have felt pretty humbled while learning. I still love her SOOOO much!! I was really blessed to be given her as a companion. Whenever I face new and difficult challenges, I deal with them sooooo much better with a good and constant friend by my side. That is how Sorella Stephens is for me - an AMAZING companion who is ALWAYS there for me!

So I want to share a really cool experience I had this week.  On Monday we had the opportunity to teach in TRC - Teaching Resource Center. Basically we get to teach church members for 20 minutes or so on whatever they need, whether it be a spiritual thought or addressing a concern. We ended up teaching an actually working who was fluent in multiple languages instead of a volunteer b/c of the high number of stinken Italian missionaries. Neither of us understood a single word that she said. Her accent was sooooo thick and spoke sooooo fast that S. Stephens and I would simply turn and blink at one another. It was great. But then we shared our favorite scriptures. I shared Alma 26:35-37 and Sorella Stephens shared 1 Nephi 3:7 in Italian. While I was reading, it just clicked in my mind what I was saying. The Spirit poured over me and in the room and I started to CRY. Sorella Stephen's scripture had the same effect. This same experience happened with our second volunteer too who was an RM from Milan. WOW! We learned that the Spirit  makes up from what our language lacks, whether we can actually speak it or not. It was so testimony building and gave us faith to keep working hard. This IS the Lord's work that we are doing. I love being a missionary!

Fun events at the MTC: Last Thurday I ran into my friend Carlos at the MTC. I haven't seen him since my freshman year of school and it was soooooo wonderful to see him! This week I got a package from the Mendivil family. Yes, the Mendivil Family. You know, the cousin's of Erin Ramberg Hoff? It made my whole day and week! I also ran into another friend, Brok, who I haven't seen for almost 3 years. I love it!!

Io so che Dio ci ama! Io so che il Vangelo di Gesu Cristo e vero.