Wed Sept 1st 2010,
1:30pm, the Missionary Training Center. What an overwhelming thing. A curbside goodbye to two of my favorite people and then I was thrust into the peculiar routine of the MTC. Those first few days were very difficult and I honestly questioned my choice to come and not pursue a very different path with a certain boy. There was a lot of prayer, a lot of soul searching. The last few days however have been the Lord's way of answering my questionings. I'm beginning to remember my purpose and enjoy the experience.
The day before yesterday in one on my classes we watched a talk given by Jeffery R Holland, a talk given specifically to missionaries that can only be seen while we are here at the MTC. It was Amazing! With tears in his eyes he professed that his mission was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. He said he was inspired to digress from his planned talk and then begged any missionary toying with the idea of going home to stay. When I say begging I mean, really, he begged. He used such powerful language. He said he would rip the curtains off the walls and the cords from the TV s and tie us up if he could. He pleaded with us not to leave because of homesickness of feelings of inadequacy or any other reason, stating with all the power of his soul that this is the most important work we will ever do, and if we leave now we would regret it rot the rest of our lives. It was an AMAZING talk.
Then yesterday during devotional (which was honestly awesome) I began to feel that excited enthusiasm which drove me to come in the first place.
Yes, coming was a hard choice, but I am remembering my purpose. And honestly the MTC is a great place for learning. I have learned so much in so short a time. The fact that so many people volunteer their their time and so much of their lives to come and serve, and the teachers volunteering their time and lives to come and teach us, its astounding. Really it amazes me. Everyone is so cheerful and friendly here. It is quite a unique place in all the world.
My classes are great. I have two teachers, who are both wonderful people. Strangely enough one of them was in my ward here in Provo. It is so very odd to know him from a missionary perspective. I'm finding that time moves very oddly here in the MTC. Too slow but all together too fast. I have 12 weeks here, and that is forever long. 1/6th of my mission actually, and it seems like I've already been here an eternity rather than just six days. Six days!! Each morning I wake up, and each evening I clamber back into bed and wonder what had even been done in all the time between, the day went by so fast. And yet there is not enough time, not nearly enough time to learn what I need to learn.
Chinese is very difficult. Most of the people in my district (there are 8 of us) have had some background in the language, more than I have, and far surpass my meager skills. Oh how gloriously humbling that is. However, I am really really working to push the tones and words into my resistant brain. I am so excited to learn the language. I love Chinese!
My companion is a wonderful angel of a sister. Her name is Sister Emily Peterson, and she hails from Kaysville UT. Funny thing, after I first got my mission call I registered on the Taipei mission website. She registered when she got her call, saw my name and found me on FB. then we became companions. The lord works in strange ways. she is exactly what I needed here at the MTC. She has a missionary our right now and we both commiserate boy stories and longings. She is incredibly supportive and wise.
Because my time to email here is severely limited I am going to have to cut this short. I really really would love to regale you all with stories of my district mates, who are wonderful people, but there is sadly not the time! These stories of MTC life (which I know all of you are just dieing to hear) will have to wait until next week when hopefully I will not be so rushed to compose a better post.
Please please write me! I LOVE receiving letters, they brighten my entire week immeasurably. www.dearelder.com is absolutely AMAZING and I recommend it. My mission info is Taiwan, Taipei and my date of departure is 11/16. (you need those things to use www.dearelder.com.) My address is on fb, or contact my mother, Monica Bird Thiessen.
I love and miss you all!
Sister Melissa Thiessen
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