What do you like most about the MTC?
It's not weird to randomly get down on your knees and pray in public or read scriptures or anything spiritual! I also love that we get to practice teaching all the time. Something I love specifically about West campus is everyone greets everyone. We are all so friendly! Also everyone speaks spanish...and there are random 'actors' with gold name tags on walking around that you can set up appointments with, so it's like we have real investigators!What have you had to change to adapt to the missionary life / schedule?
TONS OF STUFF
- My language. No slang, and a lot of words I say on a regular basis (freaking) are discouraged.- Knowing where to draw the line with the Elders. It's OK to be friends but not too friendly... and as hermanas we have to watch what we say.
- NO NAPS... woohoo! Also 18 hour days make my 13 hour days at the pool seem like nothing (Jordyn was a lifeguard and swim instructor before serving a mission).
- Showering at weird times.
- I've come to realize I'm naturally an inappropriate person. Being appropriate is hard!
Any advice for future missionaries or anything you would have done differently?
- KNOW Preach My Gospel chapter 3 before entering the MTC.
- Learn the basics of the language. A little grammar, conjugations and vocabulary would have been so helpful to know, because you mostly just focus on gospel lingo here. So I feel way behind!
Hardest worldly addiction you've had to give up?
Surprisingly not my phone or social media. Yes, it's weird not having them, but not difficult. It's a nice break. Hardest thing is definitely music. I miss music sooo much! And naps. And sleep in general. Relaxing. Ha ha. Oh and swimming. Not being able to get in the water kills me and it has only been 3 weeks!
(Note on music - we were able to verify that the new mission president in Tuxtla Gutierrez does allow music as long as it's in line with normal missionary handbook rules - so instrumental, mo-tab, soundtrack, efy and other uplifting music is OK - music rules do vary from mission to mission - so we are hooking her up with an MP3 and found a case / speaker option that is inexpensive and looking at reviews hoping will do the trick - headphones are not allowed).
And last but not least.... a few other mid-week tidbits from life in the District....
- Once a week we play district kickball against another district in our zone. We are known as EL CHEXIDORIANS (chile / mexico / el salvador).
- If Hermano Ashby catches someone falling alseep, we get to do "cinco district squats". The room is so tiny usually there is at least one desk knocked over and one injury during this activity.
- Some of the Elders (they call themselves the fantastic five) keep trying to make up code nicknames for everyone based on TV shows (the office, that 70's show) but the hermanas ALWAYS end up figuring it out. We call ourselves the Fabulous Four! (aka the Trout Gang).
