Week #1: MTC

Kumusta!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know I made it to the MTC and I'm staying ;) I love it here! It is hard work, especially because of the language, but hey. I'm still alive. I have never studied this hard in my life. My companion is Sister Coons and believe it or not, we met on the Philippines Facebook group before arriving. I thought it would be funny if we ended up as companions and we sure did. We have the same sense of humor so thankfully she understands my jokes. She is such a spiritual giant and I really look up to her. We started teaching our first investigator, Vince, yesterday and we had to do the lesson completely in Tagalog. I DON'T EVEN KNOW TAGALOG!!! Haha We just went off the knowledge we already have and wow. I know that the gift of tongues is real. I've had a little taste of it and I know I wouldn't be able to speak this much already if it wasn't for pananampalataya (faith). Our investigator isn't really investigating the church of course (why would they trust us to do that in the MTC???), but he is playing the character of someone he loves. We teach him again today and I am so grateful we have learned more of the language and are better prepared so we will be able to commit him to read the Book of Mormon and bear our testimonies to him.

Like I said, the language isn't easy, but we have an amazing teacher, Sister Osbourn. She's so young! She is probably a recent RM. Yesterday in class, we were practicing praying in Tagalog, and Sister Campbell (one of the Sisters in my district) accidentally prayed that Thomas S Monson would be called unto repentance. Bahaha!!! We were laughing so hard. I love these sisters and I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know them! Sister Coons, me, Sister Campbell and her companion Sister Moulton are all headed to Naga. There are three others in our zone (but in a different district) who are also going to Naga so I'm glad I won't be flying out alone. I don't know why that scares me. Anyways, the branch presidency talked to us a bit about our mission and guess what?! THERE'S TOILET PAPER!!! THIS MAKES MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE!!! Although we were told we have to carry it around with us there because they don't have it in public places. I can't wait to head out and meet the people! We were encouraged to pray for the people we are going to be teaching and I have already gained a love for these Filipinos I haven't even met yet.

The food here doesn't like my stomach. Yay for cafeteria food. That's really the only thing I remember about this place because we study so much and it feels like I've been here for weeks... and it seems like we eat all the time besides study. Haha

As for the social media addiction? Yeah... not so much. I don't even think about that kind of stuff. In fact, when we got on the computers I felt super weird about it because I feel like I'm in a completely different world with no technology. And all these crazy people bustle about in Sunday clothes. But eh, I like it. It must be the spirit, right?

I would love to hear from everybody! Thank you for the emails. I'll respond every so often because I don't have the time to write everyone back every week. But I pray for you and I love you!

Love,

Sister Stettler :)