Week 4

Hello all!!

It is week 4? When did that happen?!? I have been here for 23 days! It is crazy how slow the first weekend went and how fast the time has flown since then.

I FILLED OUT MY ONLINE VISA APPLICATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EXCITEMENT!

As of right now most of the Elders and Sisters are getting reassigned stateside when they get to 9 weeks at the MTC. Two of them have actually been able to leave from the MTC to go to the Sao Paulo MTC though! It seems like getting visas is speeding up considerably since Lori was here (4-5 months ago). The average rate for getting your actual visa after you fill out your online application is about 4-5 weeks, which means… I may be able to get my visa and go to the Sao Paulo MTC for a week or so. If not, I will be reassigned stateside (like my lovely roommates who all got reassigned today! One to California, one to Minnesota, and I’m still waiting to see where my other roommates will go - some Elders will be going to Florida). The morale about the visas is pretty high though. We are all very aware that we may be reassigned stateside for a time, but every person in my district has filled out the online application (which is a lot earlier than the other districts before us), so it’s looking pretty good so far.

Random: They have this crazy intercom system here that can call any room in any of the buildings. Basically every day we wait in our classroom and all wait hopefully to be called to the travel office (where you fill out your online application to eventually get your visa). This entire system reminds me a lot of the movie “The Island”. We all go on about our day to day business, and then if you hear a beep the entire class is hushed – we all wait holding our breath while they read out names and what offices they are called to go to. When my name was read to go to the travel office, both Sister Boyer and I jumped up (hers was called too), and practically skipped to the office! (ok, so mostly it was just me who was doing the skipping, but she definitely kept the pace up!) HUZZAH! We were chosen! (also akin to Toy Story) hehe I now actually feel like I will actually go to Brazil! Now it’s just the patience until I get my paper visa.

Other than the fantastic excitement about visas and the feelings that “we are all in this together”, I want to answer a question someone asked me about volleyball. I get to play volleyball every day except P-day and Sundays. It is fantastic! There are a couple of guys that play on the BYU mens volleyball team and they are fantastic! I also thoroughly enjoy the fact that there aren’t many Sisters that play on the “good” court except me and a couple of others. Even BETTER though is the fact that I have earned the respect of the other Elders who are playing. Yup. Dad would be proud! I serve, hit, set, pass, and BLOCK the really good people – and the Elders actually trust me to do all of those things. (Some of you might be thinking that they should do that anyways, but you would be surprised to hear how often Elders, or just boys in general, will step in front of you or not set you the ball, because you’re a girl and they think you can’t handle it). Well, my friends, I have proved them wrong!! :D It’s definitely a highlight in my day (either at 6:30 am or after lunch), because it’s a nice change from the “I am going to study and learn everything humanly possible about the church and about Portugues non-stop” – which is basically every other waking moment.

I love it here! I don’t think I have ever learned so much so fast and also retained so much! I have now taught the first lesson about the restoration of the gospel a few times all in Portugues, and I think if I was sent to Brasil right now I would be ok. I still have a lot of work to do on the speaking, but I can understand 99% of what is said. Now it’s just about learning the vocab. This last Sunday I was assigned to give a talk in our meeting and I was able to give it all in Portugues. I was really happy that it went so well!

Thanks for all of your support and love. I miss you all (and would love to hear from you!) !

Much love,

Sister Reising

Ps. We definitely got the snow storm today that you all had up in Seattle. Best part is that it is already warming up! It’s really not too cold here. Plus, we are inside practically the whole day, so we get to appreciate the snow for it’s beauty and not loathe each flake because it hinders walking to and from class… haha Ta ta!

Week 3 at the MTC (Missionary Training Center)

Dear all!

This week started off with a fantastic Sunday! Learned a lot.. and then... VALENTINES DAY!

Out of all of the holidays in the year I think that Valentines Day has got to be the BEST one to have in the MTC. I mean, technically no one is supposed to have a boy friend or girl friend back at home, no one can actually show affection to anyone of the opposite gender (no more than a one pump fast handshake), and we are all completely shielded from the outside world. Basically, that means that Valentines Day is pretty entertaining. The mail room was buzzing with anticipation as people were getting packages and letters throughout the day. Elders were huddled in groups reading letters, Sisters were whispering and giggling about some letter or something that they had received, others were bolding walking down the hallways with heart shaped balloons and flowers, and chocolates were being consumed by all.

The other companionship of Sisters in my district were sweet and cut out hearts from tissue paper for all of us. I divided up the heart candies that I received from my mother (thanks!) and gave one to each companionship at arms length and I told all the Elders that I enjoyed them all equally as well as the next and that I was glad to be their friend. It was difficult not to progress to the not allowed 'high five,' but with all of our mights combined we were able to restrain ourselves. Some people were wearing red or pink, the elders were really branching out and were even trying to show their spirit of love through their ties... all in all? It was a pretty goooood day! We even got to eat cupcakes from Cocoa Bean! BEST THINGS EVER!

Other than that, we have been studying a lot. Still doing Portugues every day. We can now speak in more than just present tense!! (always a bonus)! And we had a fantastic devotional on Tuesday from Elder Pearson. Basically this whole week has been focused on the importance of The Book of Mormon. It is amazing to me just how important it really is to our religion. It is only through reading the book and honestly searching, pondering, and praying about it that anyone can know that it is true. But that is also the beautiful thing! ANYONE can read it. All are invited to! In the Introduction to The Book of Mormon it says that all are invited to read the book for themselves and to ask God if it is true. Sure, I'm going on a mission to teach people about the gospel, but it is only that person that can really learn to know for him or herself if the book, and therefore our church, is true. I am just the go between person here. Even more, that intro says that if we read and pray in faith and really ask Heavenly Father if it is true, we WILL receive the truth. It's so simple! If people read The Book of Mormon and learn that it is true for themselves, then Joseph Smith was a Prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, and Jesus Christ is our Savior. But to know these things are true they HAVE to read the Book of Mormon. Everything stems from that.

I love you all, and thank you for your support!

Here is the best quote of the week:

An Elder walks up to another Elder and says, "Hi! Can I bear my testimony to you?... What's your name?"

Welcome to EVERY DAY at the MTC! haha

Much love!

Sister Reising

February 11, 2011 2nd Week of Training

Hello all!

This past week has gone by much faster than the first three days. Now that we are into our normal routine it's much smoother.. Plus the long hours of class and study aren't as much of a shock anymore.. haha. I have had a lot of questions regarding what we do on Sundays. For those who asked, and for those who didn't, I will give you an idea! Fast Sundays here are a little different than they are at home. We have one hour of Sacrament meeting where we had the chance to bear our testimonies. It was really fun to be able to hear the Elders in our Branch who have been here for almost 8 weeks stand up and bear their testimonies in fluent Portugues! I also really enjoyed the fact that I could understand everything they say, but I believe that still that is only just me in my class.. Those Elders all got reassigned yesterday to Florida, some Sisters got reassigned to Chicago and one is going to Alabama. Aka, I could really go anywhere once my 8 weeks here are up!

After Sacrament meeting we had a two hour long mission conference with the mission presidency and their wives speaking. It was very inspiring! I thought back how General and Stake conference are all two hours long as well, but here at the MTC it seems like 2 hours go by much faster (probably because we do almost everything in 2 to 3 hour long blocks). After the conference we had some more classes, had dinner, and we had the chance to watch some church movies. Point one for The Testaments! Thoroughly enjoyable to watch it in a room with literally hundreds of Elders. Their sense of humor are, shall we say... endearing? haha

Other than Sunday, we have devotionals and meetings all the time. Tuesday night was an Elder Gaverret of the 70, he and his wife spoke. They're from Brazil and it was great to hear him counsel us on what we need to focus on in missionary work.. The knowledge that we have a God in Heaven that loves us. That he has a plan for us. That he made this Earth so that we could learn and so that we could all return to him. Very inspiring!

My District. I don't know if using the word 'love' just quite expresses my feelings towards them. My district leader's name is Elder Manon. He's a big and tall black convert who enjoys breaking into gospel songs with me at random times (Attitude Check?!). The other Brazil Elders are Elder Kubeja and Elder Daley. They both are quite funny and endearing. Then there are the four Elders going to Mozambique, Elder Hoffmann, Elder Barlow, Elder Paxman, and Elder Johnson (each quirky and hilarious in their own way). The other sisters are Sister Adamson, Sister Wulhford, and Sister Magelby. I don't know if I have ever been in a situation of people where we can both laugh so much while also feeling the spirit, reading the scriptures, teaching the gospel, or attempting to speak Portugues all at the same time! We are also a very musical bunch (which we discovered while singing hymns) and it is our goal to practice a hymn to sing at a Mission Conference in a couple of weeks. We are pretty good! Numerous times while we sing other classes or people walking by our room will peek their heads in to listen. :)

During our study time I have become kind of like the third teacher. I will go up to the board and write out sentences or teach verb conjugations to the Elders and Sisters still in the room that want to practice. I even have one of the Elders telling me that he is going to start writing out sentences to give me so that I can check and correct him on them! We eat basically all of our meals together as a district and we all get along splendidly! It's fantastic!

My room mates and I get along fantastically as well! Sister Christensen, Sister Haygood, Sister Taylor, and Sister Holmes. We are always chatting and singing and telling great uplifting stories whenever we are together (basically only from 9:30-10:15 at night). Last night we played a miniature game of Ninja Assassins (which Sister Boyer taught us). Yes. It was just as amazing as it sounds! Thank you for asking!! Sister Christensen and I are Portugues buddies. She tries to speak in it all the time and I try to with her as well. I help her with grammar and explaining how the language fits together and she helps me with vocab! Perfect!

We also taught the first discussion in Portugues TWICE this week. It was a little intense because Sister Boyer doesn't understand the language as fast as I can and she also doesn't speak it as fast either (She hasn't had a language before other than a smidge of German), but she's doing great for only having been here a littler over a week. I was actually surprised myself that I was able to hold up a 30 min lesson in Portugues by myself with very little breaks in the conversation! The only way I can explain it is "Gift of Tongues." Seriously. I am so blessed to be able to understand and to be able to speak so much of this language so quickly.

Thank you so much for all of your support! I love the DearElders--keep them coming! :D If there is anything else you want to know, please advise me and I will be sure to either address it in my next email or maybe even a beautifully hand written card!

OH! By the way!! If you want me to get your DearElder ON the day that you send it, you have to send it before NOON. If you send it after noon I will not get it until the next evening. I can only write and respond on Fridays (my P-Day, after I go to the temple.. which was great fun!), so if you want to hear from my quickly, you have to send it by noon on Thursday.. Otherwise, I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

MUCH LOVE!

Sister Reising

PS. ROMANS 10:15: "And how shall they preach except them be sent? as it is written, How BEAUTIFUL are the FEET of THEM that PREACH the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!!"

SEE PEOPLE! MY FEET ARE BEAUTIFUL!! hehehehe much love.

First Week News!

February 5, 2011

Dear all!!

No one ever talks about the first day of the MTC. Probably because it moves so quickly that it doesn't leave too huge of an impression? However, for me, this day was the most interesting and eye opening experience of my life. Elizabeth pulled up to the curb where there are long lines of Elders (19 year old male missionaries) waiting to get your bags out of the car. Did I have time to take a picture, or could they even take one for me? NOPE! We were in the gates and it was time to go! They grabbed my bags and two of them walked me to a hall where I started the process of checking in. There were Missionaries lined up all over the place, gathered in groups to say welcome and cheer you in. Once I got to my dorm hall I was met by a Spanish learning sister missionary and she took me around to all of the other places that I needed to go. We stood in a line, got my picture taken and were given our badges and our food cards. I was walked around to the bookstore where I was given a large satchel of books (probably 10-12 books and a water purifier) (probably about 8-10 pounds) and I was taken to my classroom.

As I said goodbye to my cheery host Sister, I walked into a room where there were a few elders and 3 other sisters being spoken to in Portuguese by one of our teachers. That's right. First day? All in Portuguese. We are a part of a new pilot program where the teachers will only speak to us in Portuguese annnnd. I LOVE IT! I could understand every. single. thing. that he said. He even chit chatted to some other elders out in the hall about the football league and mentioned Aston Villa.. (GO VILLA VILLA!!!) and I put in my two cents about it. :D. Funny thing is, I am the only one that can fully understand him. I can't tell you how many times he will say something and ask if anyone understands and I am the only one that gets it. I'm basically the translator for the entire class. The rest of the people in my class (there are 12 in my class or what they call here a 'district') all look at me and I have to translate what the teacher just said. Words, sentences, entire paragraphs. Even the teacher will look at me with hope in his eyes that I will understand and be able to tell the others so that he can continue to only teach in Portuguese as he is supposed to. So far I think all of the other Elders and Sisters in my class appreciate it when I translate for them or restate the question he asked in my answer so that they can understand. Over the last couple of days though a couple of them have started to pick it up as well so it's not just me who gets what is going on (even though I'm usually the only one that laughs at their jokes.. haha). We have two teachers, Brother Cope and Sister Gonzalez--they are both returned missionaries from Brazil.

There are two Sister companionships in my district, the group of 3 girls and my companion and me! Out of the other elders there are 4 going to Mozambique and 3 going to Brazil too. MY companion's name is Sister Boyer. She is from Oregon (outside of Baker City) and we get along really well! We both work hard and use every single spare minute to learn. Each day we are supposed to have one hour of personal study, one hour of companion study, and one hour of language study outside of the many hours that we are in class. From 6:30-9:30 I literally have no spare time. We are either studying the scriptures, studying the language, or having a meal (or playing volleyball for our gym class at 6:30am!!)

The spirit here is unlike anything else that I have experienced in my life. From the moment that those two Elders grabbed my bags and took me past the parking lot it felt like I was surrounded by a wooley mammoth of love (as Jordyn so smoothly put it years ago :D ). I don't believe that I would be able to learn so fast or have such a desire to feast on the scriptures if I was not here being completely surrounded by the spirit. It has only been 4 days, but it feels like I have been here at least a month. We already have learned how to pray, bear our testimonies, and to start teaching the first lesson of the gospel in Portuguese! It's surprising to me just how much we can get done when every single waking thought is directed to learning as much as humanly possible. Other than being completely submersed in the language in class, I am also super lucky that my other 4 room mates are in their 4th week. They are already speaking fluent Portuguese to each other all the time!! (I felt a little bad for my companion because I can talk and laugh with them (me in English and them in Portuguese) but she couldn't, but even now she is getting to understand as well!). I really like them!!

I love being here. This place is special. I am constantly surrounded by multitudes of 19 year old boys and 21 year old girls who all have such kindness and charity towards one another. The first day especially you feel this because everyone can tell that you are new by your 'lost' facial expression and also a bright orange sticker on your name badge. Everyone constantly says hello in all of the many many languages that they are learning and we are all united by our excitement to share the gospel and to grow in it ourselves. Recently I was reading the scriptures (oh wait.. that's like almost ALL the time now) and I read Mosiah 4:9. "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things both in heaven and in Earth; believe that he has all wisdom and all power both in heaven, and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." I invite all of you to read that verse and continue on reading.. Such a powerful message--if we believe in God then we will do all of the things that he mentioned, and most of all we will love and take care of others. I believe this with all of my heart!

Thank you for all of your love and support, I got all of your messages and I would love to get more! I love you all!

Sincerely,

Sister Reising

Saying goodbye with a smile is always a good thing.