Week Three Begins

The MTC is treating me much better now, (though unfortunately it restrains my time to update this blog horribly.) I am told that in 12 weeks when we get to the field it will be better and I will have an hour. Until then you all will just have to suffer through unbearably short and vague posts. I apologize. I am learning sooooo very much. I love my teachers. They are simply amazing. I really wish I could just write down every word that falls our of their mouths, it’s all so completely inspiring. I don’t know how they do it consistently, day after day. They juggle the gospel and teaching us all this incredibly hard language.

Oh the language. Chinese is incredibly intense. But I love it. I am VERY excited to learn it some day and I know that someday I will though, right now I am barely keeping my head above water. I’m definitely improving, and it really is an amazing pace. I’ve been here 13 days and I’ve already probably doubled the knowledge that I obtained during a whole semester at school. Though, to me, day in and day out my complete awkwardness and lack of skill in the language is infuriating. They encourage us to SYL, or Speak Your Language, all the time. Trade the words and sentences you know in English for those in your mission language. Let’s just say I’m really, really being humbled here, hahaha. I’m pretty bad at it. I can hear and understand quite a bit though. Just don’t expect me to be able to repeat it! Everyone says not to stress too badly, no matter how good we speak it here, we will fall flat on our faces when we reach the field anyway. Hahaha

I love my district. We have amazing elders and they teach me more and more every day. It’s really something how the Lord calls 19 yr old boys to fulfill this work, which is of paramount importance, but they rise to the occasions completely. It’s astounding. Of course sometimes they do something and you remember, yes, they are still teenagers, but most of the time, I’m entirely impressed with the level of spiritual maturity exhibited here. We also have a lot of fun. They say they like us, (their sisters) because we don’t make them feel like children. (I guess some of the sisters do that….) I appreciate their spirits so much.

We had our first temple trip today and it was amazing. I really think I love the Provo temple. It was closed last Monday, because of Labor Day. I went in for the first time with some questions and the Lord made the answers clear to me. It was such a spiritual experience.
I love you all and I wish I had more time to write out my experiences! But this evil red timer is blinking at me! And I only have 30 minutes to answer all of my email. I can only write on P-days. Such a shame really. I REALLY appreciate mail everyone, so write to me! dearelder.com is amazing and inspired of god, I swear. I love receiving mail.
Thank you all so much for your support and your prayers. I can feel them and they help to pull me along when I can hardly bear the weight of the responsibility of this amazing calling.
Sister M. Thiessen
(Sounds so official right? I know! Hahaha)