GUESS WHAT! I apparently have been spelling my name wrong for quite some time...yes, SISTER in Polish is spelled SIOSTRA, the "SI" makes a 'SH' sound, and you really pronounce it 'SHOW-STRAH'...so i think that means my blog is wrong, I've been spelling it wrong on letters, and I even put it on my new polish scriptures...HA! But you just have to laugh at yourself, right? And KEEP MOVING FORWARD! ( I think it would probably be a bad idea to change the blog address as of now because people have it written down...but if you really wanted to you could change it and somehow get the word out... Anyways, enough about that!)
I'm on my third week here at the MTC and it's so crazy how fast time flies. Some people have said time goes slow in the MTC, I have had the completely opposite experience. I feel like I don't have enough time... and I just can't believe we've almost hit three weeks! This week has probably been the hardest of the three weeks for me. I was sorta sick for at least one evening, pretty out of it, and then I've just been sort of emotional and overwhelmed with my inadequacies. I worry about too many things, and then I worry about worrying. My companion and I talked about how we think too much... not sure if she's thinking too much the same way I'm thinking too much, but I definitely need to just stop thinking about MYSELF!
There are so many good people here, I think I want to just give you some sketches of people I've gotten to know here at the MTC.
Brother Broadbent is our teacher, he served his mission in Poland and I believe he's been back for about four years now, or so. He is from Arizona and he is now married with a baby boy. He married a girl who also served her mission in Poland - HOW COOL IS THAT! Brother Broadbent is amazing. I can tell he's a hard worker, and he would be a GREAT facilitator at the Ropes Course. I would have mentioned it to him, but he's moving to Idaho to work real soon. He leaves shortly after we leave the MTC. He's been teaching for about four years and I think all the missionaries in Poland know him. He's a great teacher, and I know all the Elders look up to him SO much. I hope I can have as strong a testimony and as strong Polish as he does some day. Great guy.
Elder Tongan. - Some random Elder we met at lunch, and then every time he'd see us he'd just shake our hands or say hello and just be so happy to see us! What a friendly guy! I admire people who are so genuinely FUN! He left already - it's crazy that people come in and out of here while we are still here, but it's a fun feeling, reminds you that there's life beyond the MTC :)
Siostra Holmgren - she sleeps on the top bunk of my bunk bed and she's leaving to Poland next week! She and Siostra Peterson were here long before I was and they are really great. Siostra Holmgren made Siostra Peterson's bed yesterday morning and it was inspiring and I just admire her a lot. Sometimes she can be really quiet, but I know her testimony is burning strong.
O.k. quick funny story...So my companions and I were working on TALL, language learning, and we were getting too tired, so we decided to go for a quick walk to get our blood going. Siostra Howells told Siostra Ostler to race me to the bottom of the stairs. O. was sort of reluctant but I had already started down the stairs. H. said 'Siostra Allen's going to beat you!' and then O. started down the stairs full speed. I started running down the stairs, and suddenly I hear a screechy noise from up above. O. had fallen on her ankle and sprained it! I felt bad, and kind of walked back up to see if she was okay. She sat down on the floor at the bottom of the stairs and H. was watching from up above. I thought that O. was really just not feeling good and that she kind of laid down on the floor. Turns out, H. had seen people pass out before and hurried to come downstairs to tell me that O. had just passed out. I was incredulous, like, no, she's just joking, just closing her eyes! I probably said, 'Huh, Siostra Ostler, you're just faking it, right?' but she didn't respond too well... and her eyes were closed...haha... she really did pass out! It was so weird. But we all started laughing after a while, when she came to, and it was just so funny. Her ankle didn't swell too bad, and she thought it was weird she had fainted too, but golly gee! :) I'm glad I don't pass out often!
My favorite things... WASHING MY FACE AT NIGHT! It feels SO good to just put water on my face and feeling the coolness or hotness of it... either one works, really. It's nice and relaxing. THE SUGAR COOKIES in the lunchroom - SO GOOD. Our ELDERS, they're hilarious. I was a bit worried about hanging out with a bunch of 19 year old boys, but they suprise me with their comments sometimes. Haha, and they help me lighten up. "CALM DOWN Siostra Allen, it's not a big deal!" One of them said that to me this week. Yeah, we're pretty tight I guess... and I need to lighten up. They really do help me, and we as sisters help them, it's pretty cool how it all works out. I need to not worry as much, and have more faith! Another favorite thing was BRAT RUSHTON's stories! Man, he's so good at getting a point across, it's hillarious.
Accomplishments and Spiritual upliftment this week -- well I was able to go to a workshop this week where we really got it nailed into us to be obedient. To leave EVERYTHING behind, not just what we physically left behind for the mission. Then randomly we were supposed to bring up a lesson to teach one of our companions, something to help them come unto Christ, something they could 'do better.' At this point, I was hit with this wave of, 'who am I to teach a lesson! We just talked about being completely obedient and leaving it all behind, and I just am NOT PERFECT... how can I tell anyone to do anything!' I cried...and couldn't stop for a minute... haha... the spirit was strong, and God chastens those he loves, though, right?! I guess that wasn't really an accomplishment, but it was a great lesson learned... I need to be better! An accomplishment, though, we got to teach a lesson to an "investegator" (one of our teachers acting as a Polish investigator) and I memorized some sentances on Joseph Smith and the Restoration. It went so well and I remembered the words I wanted to remember, and it was just GREAT! I love it when I can speak good Polish! I can't wait to get to "Ninja status Polish" - as Brat Rushton put it.
Last night we got to watch the Joseph Smith video and I was reminded of how much faith that man had. He was pack-full of faith! I can't believe how much faith he had! I once again realized that it's so TRUE! And I got so excited, if even for five minutes, that I'm doing the right thing! I also was able to bear my testimony yesterday about the Atonement and I could tell that it touched hearts and made sense! I loved how I felt too, knowing that what I said was true for me. The feelings of the Spirit are real. The Savior really did die for us. For me. And I've got to pay him back as much as I can! I just love it when I get in the zone and feel that. I wish it was more constant sometimes, but I am SO grateful that it at least comes! Stay strong, keep reading the Book of Mormon, and really THINK about your Savior, okay? Think about what he did for you!
AND! Happy Mother's Day this week Mom! I love ya! You are the best! And have probably done more for me than pretty much anyone I know.
Love ya all!
- Siostra Amber Allen
Mike passed out on me once, it was my first time ever seeing anyone pass out and it freaked me out. I didn't know what was going on.
ReplyDeleteGo Amber go! You are awesome.