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!!)
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.
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