Wednesday, April 2, 2014

First MTC Email

Hi Everyone!

First week at the MTC was the most spiritually, mentally and physically exhausting week of my entire life.  I can't even tell anyone how far I've come.  I've grown in ways I didn't know I needed work on.  This week was a week of finding our purpose and why this is where we were supposed to be.  I found it so crazy how they had us teaching the very next day!  I have the most loving companion, her name is Sister Naylor.  She is from Roy, UT and she is so enthused about the gospel.  I am so grateful for this opportunity.  Gosh, I have so much to say, I don't even know where to start!

The first day was a day of information.  A day of being overloaded with words and outrageous rules that I secretly told myself that I wasn't going to keep.  Like no long skirts!  They obviously want me to freeze!  Or no headbands and I apparently can't wear my uggs but hopefully that will change when I get to Canada. 

The night of 3/26 our district met our Zone leaders and Sister training leaders.  I couldn't be more grateful for that group.  Sister Schmidt walked into the room and I felt a connection with her like none other.  I know now that I had to have been friends with her before we came to earth.  I couldn't imagine this experience without her.  I also had a tender mercy happen, even the first night.  One of my sister training leaders was Sister Chidester.  She was that cute girl I got endowed with in the Sacramento Temple.  She's the niece of Rose Chidester.  I really thought that was the coolest thing to have a little piece of home with me for the first week.  Those sisters welcomed us with open arms and showed us how to really be a missionary. 

Day 2-3 were really emotional days.  We taught a lesson to Trey both days.  Trey was one of our teachers that was role playing one of his investigators that was on his mission.  Does anyone know how hard it is to pray for someone that you know really does have the gospel and is strong?  The worst part was that we were being watched.  Sister Naylor and I really were humbled and had to learn how to work with one another.  We were never on the same page when it came to lessons.  I honestly don't know how to teach with the Book of Mormon because I never used it before to look for answers.  That had been a huge trial that I had and still have to overcome each day.  I'm really implementing my questions I have with our Heavenly Father with prayer and with scripture study.  Who knew it was fun to read a scripture and break it down to see how that scripture relates to the question you have?  I'm loving it.

Sunday was a day to remember.  It was Fast Sunday and it was the best fast I've ever done.  I had the opportunity to fast for the Elders and Sisters in my zone who were struggling and asking for help for myself.  I have seen such an improvement because of that fast.  Sunday we had the chance to study and bond with our district.  Our zone, with our wonderful leaders, took a walk up to the Temple.  We just took pictures and enjoyed getting out of buildings.  It started raining on the way back and we actually enjoyed every minute of that even though we were freezing.  We then had Sacrament meeting which it was, of course, fast and testimony meeting.  Yes, I was the only one in my zone that didn't get up and share my testimony.  That is okay!  After that we broke our fast and then had a devotional.  That devotional was probably the best devotional I've ever been to.  We had the opportunity to see Brother Elliot.  He is the organist for the Tabernacle Choir.  He played pieces he has composed and it was beautiful.  I am blown away by how much talent that man has.  Then following his talk and music we had the opportunity to hear from David Archuleta.  He got home from his mission this last week and he had so many good things to share.  It was the cutest thing that he kept getting choked up because the Spirit was so strong.  He told us why he went on a mission. His family was converted.  He had many options of what to do instead of serving a mission.  He said his mom said many things but growing up she always reminded him how the missionaries changed her life, so he went.  He sang us three hymns.  The first one helped him prepare to serve his mission.  The hymn was "Be Still My Soul".  The second hymn he sang was one that touched his family deeply.  He said when his grandmother was investigating the church, she had a dream she was in heaven surrounded by angels and they were singing.  That song she had never heard before, but it wouldn't leave her mind.  This was a point where she was searching for truth and she had just told the missionaries that she would go to church just to try it out.  When she went the last hymn in Sacrament meeting  was that hymn she had heard in her dreams and she started crying.  That was the second hymn he sang--which of course, I didn't bring my journal so I don't remember the name.  He told us a story from his mission.  This story was just about following promptings.  He said he was on a bus and he had little pamphlets for an activity going on.  He was prompted to give one to a woman on the bus, but he was about to get off so he ignored it.  He got prompted again and brushed it off once again and the third time he was prompted he went over there and said he awkwardly had a short conversation with this woman that wasn't that old and handed her the pamphlet and then got off the bus.  Later in his mission, he comes to find out that woman actually went to that activity.  She ended up taking out her piercings and joining the church.  Because of her choices her family joined and some of her friends.  Now that young woman got her mission call and all this happened because he followed a prompting.  I just really think that it's so cool to hear personal experiences and I'm really grateful that I got to hear the power in his voice and words.

On Monday, Sister Naylor and I started teaching a real investigator.  Her name is Olivia and she goes to BYU.  She is an atheist so it's way hard to teach someone without some sort of belief.  Surprisingly, that lesson went really well.  I know she could feel the Spirit and she recognizes blessings in her life.  We left her with a commitment to pray and make a list of her blessings in her life.  We taught her yesterday, as well.  We talked a lot about those blessings and what she believes to be coincidences.  She is absolutely beautiful and I can tell she really wants to know.  I've been praying hard for her to know for herself.  It's hard for her to really progress if she doesn't know if God is there.

Last night, we had another devotional.  We had Elder Whiting from the 70 come and talk to us.  His wife opened with a short talk that really answered my prayers.  Her talk was on the importance of the Book of Mormon and how important it is in conversion.  Gosh, that was powerful.  She had five main things as to why it was important but once again, it's in my notes and I don't have them with me.  One of them, though, was learning from the characteristics of the prophets.  It turns out missionaries are like Nephi according to Elder Whiting.  We left our home and possessions.  We are asked to build a boat through missionary work and have our investigators cross the sea of conversion to end up on the promised land of the gospel.  I just really like that and how they compared.  It makes me really want to continue to give it my all.

Oh and Sister Naylor and I both have never done laundry so we looked like complete idiots this morning!  I really, really like that!  Oh and a fun moment happened on Saturday when Sister Naylor and I were going to get our packages.  I knew the post office was closed but she was determined.  I loved her enthusiasm to get her package.  She kept telling me that she got it.  There were mailboxes that only the district leader can use to get everyone's mail besides packages.  She also didn't see that sign and tried real hard to get her package that was in that tiny box with a lock on it....that apparently she had the combo to.  Some Elders came up and questioned what she was doing and left her to do her thing!  After I had my fun and those Elders were waiting for a while, I kindly put my arm around her and showed her the sign and that the mail room was closed.  We got a good laugh out of that!  I still want to know where the heck she got her combo and box number from!

I want all of you to know that I have never been so happy.  I have felt the Spirit so strong and I have been at peace with my decision.  I miss and love you all and know I have been doing great.  Rely on your Heavenly Father for help.  He helps and blesses you everyday.  Thanks for all the love and support through this journey.  If you want to be happy, read your scriptures and pray.  You are never alone.  I know God lives and I love Him so much.  I know that Jesus died for our sins and because of Him we can return with our Heavenly Father.  I know families are forever and I know I'm changing lives and they are changing mine.  Take care!  I leave to Edmonton on Monday at 2:30 am!  So, Mom and Dad---you'll be getting an early phone call!  Take care and I'll talk next week. 

Love always,
Sister Rexinger

PS  Hopefully this made sense.  I didn't have time to reread what I said.  They told me that I won't get homesick if I focus on the work and be exactly obedient.  I, and everyone else, will be blessed.  I know you are being taken care of.  I challenge you all to focus on others instead of yourself and it makes life so much better.  LOVE YOU!

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