Thursday, July 24, 2014

MTC Letter #2



Well I have been here in the MTC for over a week now and I'll be off to Iowa in less than a week! It is crazy how time works in here. the days feel like weeks but the weeks go by so fast! It's definitely a huge bubble here, I really have no idea what is going on in the real world. It's nice sometimes but Sister Robinson and myself had to catch ourselves daydreaming and watching the cars drive by when we walked out across the street for gym time. 
Today is preparation day, but it is also Pioneer Day, something they actually take really seriously here in Utah. So everything is closed here, including the temple. We were supposed to go this morning but were only were able to walk around the outside. That was a bummer but I already took a nap today and it has been so great to hear from family and friends!
This week I had to write down a few funny stories as they came to be sure I remembered to include them in this letter. So much is always happening here that all the days kinda mush into one and I it's hard to remember noteworthy things. 
So on Monday Sister Robinson and I went to the mail room so she could pick up a package and I saw this Auntie there! This lady looked like she was straight of the plane from Hawaii. Short with a long black skirt hiked up with a purple aloha shirt tucked in. Old lady hat and all! So I had to talk to her! I said " Auntie, you from Hawaii?" and she said "no, but I attended school there back when it was Church College of Hawaii!" Oh we had such a fun conversation! She was actually headed to Nauvoo that afternoon and she was so so happy she was going to be able to go to the temple! It was so cute. It reminded me of Hawaii and all the Tutus as she just naturally made me smile and laugh. 
That was definitely a tender mercy of the Lord because that day Sister Fetter from our district went home. She didn't get sent home but decided to go because her boyfriend said "either we get married now or in 18 months." It was a stressful and sad day because Sister Fetter was such a great missionary and friend to me in the few days we had together. But seeing that lady and talking to her just shortly after Sister Fetter left was such a blessing and really helped turn my day around. 
A funny story! So on Sunday we went on a temple walk with our zone. We walked up there and everyone was taking pictures. There were a bunch of other zones there too. Up near the temple there are fountains and there were four sisters sitting on the edge of a fountain taking pictures. There was one sister with a serious model pose going on, an intensely horrible face reminiscent of blue steel with her hands propped up on the knee of her crossed leg. I was laughing in my head because I thought she was joking around. But no! Three, four, five pictures in a row, the same face and pose after she would break in between the different cameras. She was the only one doing that while the three other sisters in the photo had beaming smiles on! It was so funny and Sister Robinson and I were trying so hard not to bust out laughing. 
So I told you last week about another Sister Skaggs! We see each other all the time now and it is so sweet. I don't remember if I mentioned it but she is headed to the Temple Square mission. She is so nice and just great. We always yell "Sister Skaggs!" when we see each other. 
I was able to sing in the choir for Tuesday night's devotional and it was so amazing! We sang "Lead Kindly Light". Look it up because it is such a beautiful song. The director practiced with us and he was a great teacher. He really knew what he was talking about but it didn't really help my performance I don't think. Regardless, we as a whole sounded really good and it was a great experience. Yesterday we welcomed new missionaries to our branch/zone, 14 elders and 4 sisters. We had a little meeting with them and gave them a short tour of the campus. They all looked so overwhelmed and confused but we got to know them a little better later at night. The sisters live right next to us in the residence and it was nice to have zone prayer with them and the other sisters in the zone. I remember just a week ago when I felt the same exact way. Wow that seems like such a long time ago. 
As I mentioned before Sister Fetter went home earlier this week, so now her old companion, Sister Kurt, is with Sister Robinson and I in a trio. Sister Kurt is from Los Angeles and is super funny with remarks and comebacks that just come so quick! It's an adjustment to having three and teaching together, but it's a good change and challenge. 
I have learned so much here already but I feel like I need to learn so much more to be ready to go to Iowa. As a companionship we teach a "progressing investigator" (who is really our teacher in a role play) and it is such a great experience to get to teaching almost everyday. Things are going well and next time I email I will be in Iowa! 
Unfortunately the computers here aren't allowing me to upload pictures, so I am sorry for that. I will be sure to include a few of the MTC next week.
Love you all,
Sister Skaggs


Friday, July 18, 2014

MTC Letter # 1



I am here at the MTC and still alive after two full days. Everyone has told me to just make it to Sunday and everything will be fine. But I am loving it here! They keep us super busy with classes, study time, and orientation. Yesterday we left our dorm at 7:15 and didn't get back until 9:30 at night! Crazy busy and crazy awesome. Full of spiritual experiences! It is so so tiring. Think when you go to church for three hours and get home and immediately wanna take a nap. Well we are at church for 14 hours. So when we got home yesterday all I wanted to do was take a huge nap! I know it's an adjustment to the schedule and my spiritual muscles will grow though. It's crazy because even though I am incredibly tired and overwhelmed at times, I am so happy. It can't be described. The experiences I've had in workshops, classes, and with my companion have just been the best. 
My companion is Sister Robinson from Alpine, Utah. I was scared I would get a 19 year old companion and I did. But she is so amazing! She has been prepared so well for this work and she is so fun to be around. We really are around each other 24/7. It's weird to be honest. But I'll get used to hovering and telling her when I need to use the restroom. I'm glad she's so pleasant to be around.
The cafeteria is cool here, much better than I ever experienced at BYU-Hawaii. I had some dank curly fries for lunch yesterday, and yes mom, I ate salad! The salad is actually really good here and I ate it for lunch and dinner yesterday. It's definitely not on my list to get fat here. 
Tonight we have our first lesson with an "instigator". He's really our teacher and we'll be role playing but we're going to teach a legit lesson! I am nervous kinda, but mostly excited. They tell us that from here on out we will be teaching everyday. 
Crazy story! When I got here someone told me that there was another Sister Skaggs coming the same day! What?! And just a few hours ago I ran into her in the hall! We talked and she took a picture. She's from Temecula and we both worked in the San Diego temple before coming on our missions. So so crazy and cool. Her classroom is right down the hall from mine so we're going to bring our genealogy with us tomorrow and figure out how we're related.
This place is great, tiring, overwhelming, and one big spiritual high. I am loving it and couldn't be happier! 

Love you all,
Sister Skaggs