Herro!
Wouldn't you know it, the first area I get called to is the Port Angeles Zone! I'm 20 minutes away from Port Angeles but have yet to see any werewolves. The area is beautiful though so I have a hard time being disappointed. I am over two wards in Sequim, Washington! Pronounced Squim.
The work here in WA-TAC is so great! I am so excited to be here. There are currently 21 missionaries in the WA-TAC mission, so alas, I have been put in the one companionship with 3 missionaries, just like in the MTC. My trainer is Sister Gainer and everyone I talk to says she is the best sister in the mission, so it's kind of an honor :) She and I get along real well. It has been determined that if we had ever met outside the mission field, we probably wouldn't be friends, so what a blessing it is to have met her in the mission field! She sets a really good example for me and our other companion Sis. Luke. Both Sis. Luke and I came into the mission field from the MTC at the same time. Sis. Luke was in the district next to me and we were in the same zone. I was totally fine with her then, but now that I am with her 24/7 and am really getting to know her, I realize now that she has a few habits and personality traits that bother me. But, a wise person once told me that if there is something I don't like about someone, it's a problem I have inside of myself. So, I've really been praying to be able to serve her and have love toward her. It requires a lot of prayer though.
When we got to the field, we went to a part member family's house and started to teach them. There are two unbaptized children that we have been trying to put on a date all week. But the dad, who is the member, really wants his children to know for themselves before they decide to get baptized so that they are less likely to become rebellious later on. Anyway, we had a breakthrough in teaching them, though! On Sunday, Ed, the dad, met with the bishop who challenged him to stop smoking and be ready to babtize his two children in 3 weeks! The mission president stresses urgency here so everything moves really fast. So, he accepted the challenge and we have them on date for April 11. Yay! I really feel confident it will happen.
Then yesterday we started teaching a guy named Israel who lives with his girlfriend and they have a baby girl. He is searching for something that will make his lil' family stronger and really feels like the LDS church has something that will really make them happy. He was a really neat guy. We are supposed to commit a person on the first time we meet with them, but we didn't with him. I feel like he is ready to receive the gospel in his life and am really excited to teach him. . . We get to teach him again on Wednesday. Yay!
Well, as a mission, we are reading a packet of talks by the General Authorities all about the atonement. I have learned so much about the sacrifice Christ made for me! I love it! I still feel as though I am learning for the benefit of my own growth and learning, but I know that eventually I will be able to read things and know how to apply them to my investigators. It's exciting and I just can't wait until I get to that point of progression as a missionary. Pres. Bowen said we aren't here to BE missionaries, we are here to learn how to BECOME missionaries. I think that's so true. I keep thinking of the ways all I am learning as a missionary can be applied to my life when I get home.
I had an epiphony that the work I have to put into the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father is like the work I have to put into a marriage; it's hard and there has to be complete honesty, but in the end, the feelings and blessings that come from a good relationship outweigh the hard stuff.
Boy, the things you learn and how you can change in such a short amount of time!
Anyway, I love you!
-LOVE EMILY
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The weekend before departure to the real mission world!!!
So I'm in the laundry trying to get as many of my clothes clean as possible. I fly out early monday morning and because you sent me a phone card, I think I'll be giving you a call that morning. I'll try and do a few minutes to each of you on cell phones most likely. I'm getting really nervous; I just really don't want to leave the MTC.
Did you notice I got myself a good computer this time? It's keys are all in the right place and in proper working condition! Yay!
So I think I told you about the guy who we are teaching in the TEC that is gay? Well, it was really tough the first time and was progressively getting better. Well, yesterday (friday) was our last lesson with cause he doesn't come in on Saturdays and we are leaving. He had said that when he was trying to pray, he would think of us and what we had said. I feel as though, because of the non-profit org that he was creating, that he and I were able to find something in common and make a connection that made it so much easier to teach him; you know me, when I get talking about education and getting other people started in their own education, it's like a light just pops on, only I've never had to incorporate the gospel into that so at first I had a hard time; good thing I had my companions there. I found that in later discussions it was increasingly easier to talk to him about his passion of esucation and being gay and incorporate the gospel. Loved it! By the end of our last discussion, he was willing to go to church with a friend and was truly sad that we weren't going to be able to teach him again.
I think that is going to be my biggest struggle, not getting attached to the people that I am teaching that they become "converted to the missionaries" as they say here at the MTC. I just really find it so easy to talk to people and with the Lord's help, I have been able to create an environment where the gospel can be present too! It's so cool!
My companions and I arew really gonna have a hard time adjusting to the mission field without each other. We have become so close, and I never thought that would happen! We already have plannes that we are going to have a reunion here in Utah and meet at the MTC and teach in the TRC. That is where volunteers can come in and pretend to be investigators so that the missionaries can practice teaching lessons.
We took an evaluation of the MTC and one of the questions asked how my experience here has been; I said it has been the 2nd best thing that has happened in my life so far because I'm sure the mission field is going to be my first :)
I'm not homesick, but I do miss you guys. I look forward to getting letters from you as soon as I get to Washington on Monday :)
Love you,
Sister Emily McRae
Did you notice I got myself a good computer this time? It's keys are all in the right place and in proper working condition! Yay!
So I think I told you about the guy who we are teaching in the TEC that is gay? Well, it was really tough the first time and was progressively getting better. Well, yesterday (friday) was our last lesson with cause he doesn't come in on Saturdays and we are leaving. He had said that when he was trying to pray, he would think of us and what we had said. I feel as though, because of the non-profit org that he was creating, that he and I were able to find something in common and make a connection that made it so much easier to teach him; you know me, when I get talking about education and getting other people started in their own education, it's like a light just pops on, only I've never had to incorporate the gospel into that so at first I had a hard time; good thing I had my companions there. I found that in later discussions it was increasingly easier to talk to him about his passion of esucation and being gay and incorporate the gospel. Loved it! By the end of our last discussion, he was willing to go to church with a friend and was truly sad that we weren't going to be able to teach him again.
I think that is going to be my biggest struggle, not getting attached to the people that I am teaching that they become "converted to the missionaries" as they say here at the MTC. I just really find it so easy to talk to people and with the Lord's help, I have been able to create an environment where the gospel can be present too! It's so cool!
My companions and I arew really gonna have a hard time adjusting to the mission field without each other. We have become so close, and I never thought that would happen! We already have plannes that we are going to have a reunion here in Utah and meet at the MTC and teach in the TRC. That is where volunteers can come in and pretend to be investigators so that the missionaries can practice teaching lessons.
We took an evaluation of the MTC and one of the questions asked how my experience here has been; I said it has been the 2nd best thing that has happened in my life so far because I'm sure the mission field is going to be my first :)
I'm not homesick, but I do miss you guys. I look forward to getting letters from you as soon as I get to Washington on Monday :)
Love you,
Sister Emily McRae
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Week 1 in the MTC: Success
Here is Sis. McRae's first email detailing what her first experiences in the MTC have been. Sounds like it's going pretty good so far, if you ask me :) Let's hope it stays that way.
I have had a relatively good time. The hardest part for me is not knowing my scriptures very well and having the worst memory in the world just makes it that much worse. I have two of the best companions a girl could ask for! Sis. Ashley Gandolph is from Smithville North Carolina and Sis. Elisabeth Conger is from upstate New York. We work together so well because we can laugh all the time while still having the spirit of the Lord with us when we want it. I'm in Disrtict D-43 with some of the coolest Elders in the MTC. All the Elders are going to Rapid City, North Carolina and it will be a sad day when we have to leave them all. There are seven sisters in the MTC going to Tacoma with us, and two Elders. I don't quite get along with the other kids going to our mission like I do with my sisters. We went to the temple this morning and I had the oppprtunity to pray to know what to teach our INVESTIGATORS!!! We went to the Referral Center made some calls and Sis. Conger talked to a lady that wanted us to call back! She already has faith in God and knows she is a child of God but is confused on the difference between Jesus Christ and God. We are hoping to clarify that for her and see if she will commit to reading the BOM. Very exciting. I already hace the title as the loudest missionary in the MTC. I'm cool with that! At least people know they can't walk by without me sharing the gospel. The MTC has been really hard, but it has its rewards, too, so I'm willing to grow closer to my Heavenly Father so that I may have a better time here. I don't really feel like I'm on a mission. Except for the content I've been studying, it basically just feels like I'm away at school like I have been for the last four years. The MTC is also really great because I have never felt so spoiled in my entire life! I get to cut to the front of the line, the Elders take my tray when I finish eating, and they stand when you come to the table. Not to mention, I don't think I've touched a single door since I've been here. It's so great . . . although, being the independent kind of girl I am, I did kind of fight at first; I would try and race the elders to the dishes room for a while.I've humbled myself now though. I do have to say though that I am not getting nearly enough letters. The only escape I get from the MTC bubble I'm in is from a letter from the outside world. I really can't tell you how great it is not to have conflict with my sisters; we have plans to go on family camping trips when all is said and done :) On Sunday for Releif Society, we had Sis. Dibbs (aka Pres. Monson's daughter) come to speak to us and it was really great. She spoke on being the best missionary's we can be through obedience. It was fun to have her speak because she was so interactive with the audience. Then Tuesday we had the presiding Bishop come and speak for a devotional, Steven B. Allen, and he siad something along the lines of not being quiet or timid when it comes to teaching the gospel, but to be BOLD! Anyway, I miss you and love you all!!!
- Sis. McRae
I have had a relatively good time. The hardest part for me is not knowing my scriptures very well and having the worst memory in the world just makes it that much worse. I have two of the best companions a girl could ask for! Sis. Ashley Gandolph is from Smithville North Carolina and Sis. Elisabeth Conger is from upstate New York. We work together so well because we can laugh all the time while still having the spirit of the Lord with us when we want it. I'm in Disrtict D-43 with some of the coolest Elders in the MTC. All the Elders are going to Rapid City, North Carolina and it will be a sad day when we have to leave them all. There are seven sisters in the MTC going to Tacoma with us, and two Elders. I don't quite get along with the other kids going to our mission like I do with my sisters. We went to the temple this morning and I had the oppprtunity to pray to know what to teach our INVESTIGATORS!!! We went to the Referral Center made some calls and Sis. Conger talked to a lady that wanted us to call back! She already has faith in God and knows she is a child of God but is confused on the difference between Jesus Christ and God. We are hoping to clarify that for her and see if she will commit to reading the BOM. Very exciting. I already hace the title as the loudest missionary in the MTC. I'm cool with that! At least people know they can't walk by without me sharing the gospel. The MTC has been really hard, but it has its rewards, too, so I'm willing to grow closer to my Heavenly Father so that I may have a better time here. I don't really feel like I'm on a mission. Except for the content I've been studying, it basically just feels like I'm away at school like I have been for the last four years. The MTC is also really great because I have never felt so spoiled in my entire life! I get to cut to the front of the line, the Elders take my tray when I finish eating, and they stand when you come to the table. Not to mention, I don't think I've touched a single door since I've been here. It's so great . . . although, being the independent kind of girl I am, I did kind of fight at first; I would try and race the elders to the dishes room for a while.I've humbled myself now though. I do have to say though that I am not getting nearly enough letters. The only escape I get from the MTC bubble I'm in is from a letter from the outside world. I really can't tell you how great it is not to have conflict with my sisters; we have plans to go on family camping trips when all is said and done :) On Sunday for Releif Society, we had Sis. Dibbs (aka Pres. Monson's daughter) come to speak to us and it was really great. She spoke on being the best missionary's we can be through obedience. It was fun to have her speak because she was so interactive with the audience. Then Tuesday we had the presiding Bishop come and speak for a devotional, Steven B. Allen, and he siad something along the lines of not being quiet or timid when it comes to teaching the gospel, but to be BOLD! Anyway, I miss you and love you all!!!
- Sis. McRae
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