Ever Onward

For the first piece of news, our departure date has changed. As of now, we will be departing to Florida on November 3rd instead of the original date of November 10th. That's right! One week less at the MTC.

Classes are going very well, language is improving, and I can't believe how much we have grown as a district. Even the teachers are surprised at the level we have reached so quickly. We may be going to full sign in the next week or so. I simply love it here!

A few times, I have helped Sis. Call with interpreting, and although I'm really not that good, it is helping develop and grow. On Sunday evening, we decided to stay in the gym to watch The Restoration, but they did not have captions available. She still wanted to watch it, so I'd try and see what I could sign to her. It was a lot of fun. I'm sure I didn't do all that well, but it was a good activity.

I really do enjoy my companionship. There are hard moments at times, but we are well matched together. We definitely have moments we just laugh together. As we continue through the days and weeks, the teachers are there to help me since it is a struggle to be unable to first internalize the doctrine in my native language. I've been thrown into signing the discussions each Friday, but I have no problem with it. It is nice to know I can turn to my teachers if I feel any concerns as we grow and develop as a companionship. Sis. Call is really amazing. I love having her as my first companion.

Well...what else can I say. It's the MTC so we have MDT, meals, class, and time to sleep. It's a nice tight schedule. We learn of the first discussion right now, how to teach, and improve on the language. Our whole district starts class with signing a hymn, signing our prayer, and practicing the Missionary Purpose and D&C 4 in sign. We're doing very well.

Last Friday, we had our first TRC, and I had my first opportunity to teach a discussion and in ASL to a deaf "investigator". It wasn't too bad. I thought I'd be much more worried and mess up a lot, but it helped that I could just turn to Sis. Call when I got stuck or at a loss for words. The biggest thing for me is to learn to ask questions. Really get the investigator involved and know how to best apply the lessons to their life. I'm working on it. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Last Saturday, we did our first Blue Box where we act our a scripture story. The reason for this is to be more visual in expressing ourselves to the deaf, so if they do not know ASL, we can still teach them these scriptural stories. Therefore, we were unable to do sign, just acting everything out with facial expressions and body movement. I chose to do Samuel, the Boy Prophet. That was a lot of fun. I was sure mine would be awful because my acting is terrible, but I enjoyed it and others said I was so graceful in my movement (guess it was because I hang out with dancers). I did get some helpful critique to improve for next time. I'm going to try and do the story of Mary and Martha. Not as confident as before, but probably because I haven't quite practiced yet. I'll have to work on it today! All the stories were great! Our district really is amazing!! Wow.

So, for those who need a little nudging if interested in sending me a letter (not that I care about only getting three letters in the last two weeks), I would love to hear good analogies of gospel principles. The Deaf are very visual and to help them understand, it's helpful to compare something they can see to something that they would have difficulties understanding. We are starting to learn how to apply anything to the gospel, including cardboard (for cardboard can be used for many different purposes, but everyone uses it. It is for us to decide how we are going to use that cardboard to best fit our needs...oh drats, I forgot the specific principle the teacher compared it to, but you get the picture.)

TENDER MERCY: How amazing to see the power of charity in us as missionaries. With all the people that I speak with at the RC, I just create this kind of connection, and hope to help them in any way I can. I can't imagine how much stronger that will be when I begin teaching the people of Florida, knowing them one on one. Wow! What an amazing Christ-like attribute!

My First Week

Time definately goes by fast on a mission! I can't believe it's already Thursday. So, to begin: Thursday's will be my P-Days for the MTC.

My District is made up of four Elders, and six Sisters. Of those ten, five of us are going to Florida Ft Lauderdale (four Sisters, one Elder). As I understand it, the Deaf Branch had closed down last year, and this is the time to send out a big group of ASL missionaries to work to re-open the Branch. It will be extremely hard and in need of a lot of love, but we are ready for it.

My companion is Sister Call and she is the only Deaf missionary at the MTC right now. I have been told I am extremely blessed to have her as a companion, and I definitely agree. She is simply amazing and so patient with me. Together, we are doing well in learning the language. Already, I have the Missionary Purpose and D&C 4 memorized. Yay! Also, our district is now able to do all our prayers in sign. For class, we split up into two groups, one with voice interpretation, and one without. As the days progress, the bigger the class gets that is sign only.

One great thing about having Sis. Call as a companion, I am really working on my interpreting skills. At times, when there is no one around to interpret, I get to help. It's thankfully nothing big like a fireside, devotional, or class (plus we are not allowed to do that yet without training); but for smaller activities, like the district discussion on the devotional, I was able to interpret testimonies for Sis. Call, then voice her testimony to the group. It was a truly amazing spiritual experience!

Okay, some information about the ASL program in the church:
~The ASL program had only 50 missionaries last year.
~No new ASL missionaries enter the MTC until we leave.
~This is the biggest district in the last year and a half (usually it is about four people). What is surprising now, the next district to come in will have 11 ASL missionaries. There is a lot of missionary work being strengthened for the deaf.
~Something else that is interesting to state, there were two Elders in our district that were originally called to the Arizona Mesa misson, but were switched a few weeks later to serve in New York Rochester and California Los Angeles Missions. That makes me curious about the Mesa area as it pertains to Deaf members.

Now, I get to share about the talks we've had so far. For the Relief Society lesson on Sunday, we had Sister Cheryl C Lant of the Primary General Presidency speak to us about teaching the children and the spirit they bring to teaching of the gospel. The devotional on Tuesday was given by Elder and Sister Holland on having no regrets and putting our all into serving a mission. Awesome talk! If they have transcripts for MTC devotionals open for the public, I really want a copy of that talk for my book.

So, all is going very well here at the MTC. Classes are great, teachers are amazing, our district is one big happy family. Even our branch created a close friendship - always eating meals together and spending gym time playing volleyball. We spend a lot of time with the Romanian missionaries who have been at the MTC for four weeks now. There are only two left (a Sister and an Elder) after a big group of them left early this week. Sora Walker (the Sister serving in Romania) is amazing, always there to help us out if we need it. She's been assigned the Branch Supporting Sister so she likes to check up on us and make sure we are all doing well here.

TENDER MERCY: I have definitely seen the Lords hand in my life this past week. I cannot believe how much He has blessed me. I have my wonderful companion, I am learning the language quickly, I have the support of the wonderful Sisters and Elders in my Branch and District, I have opportunities to practice interpreting, and I have the great opportunity to watch so many different interpreting styles as we sit and watch devotionals and firesides on the front row with the ASL interpreters. Watching those interpreters really helps me see what I want to strive for in my skills.