First week at the MTC!!

Kumusta!!  Wow this week has been crazy...I said my last goodbyes before the mission at the temple and on the MTC curb.  I'm sorry to say I really wasn't at all emotional, I was just excited.  I was sad that everyone was sad, but I was just looking forward to mission life.

The first day was kind of hectic, I was bustled off the curb and into a building to get my name tag and keys and all that stuff, then shown to the building I'll be living in for the next 6 weeks or so.  Me and my sweet escort had to haul my gigantic, heavy suitcases allllll the way up to the 4th floor...it was exhausting!  I didn't have any time to unpack though, because right from there we were shown to a room to hear some talks from the MTC presidency and their wives.  It was a cool experience, it was really neat to see all the elders and sisters there.

Once we got to our classroom, I met my companion, Sister Latham, from California.  She's awesome and we seemed to hit it off right away.

I also got to meet my district; we're a pretty cool bunch ;) we just have one elder, and the poor guy is seriously outnumbered.  I think it would be so hard to study this stuff by yourself; I know Sister Latham has saved my bacon more than once lol.

We jumped right into learning Tagalog that day.  And let me tell you, it was completely overwhelming!  Tagalog is intense, and we had to teach a lesson to an investigator in Tagalog on our 3rd day!!  It was so scary!  Sister Latham and I had made a good plan, but when we actually went in to teach we couldn't understand much of what he was saying, and I doubt he could understand us very well either.  Hopefully my Tagalog will be much better before I have to teach again!

This is the sisters of my district holding the "Your Purpose" sign in Tagalog...WOW what a language!

I got a package in the mail from my mom, and I was so excited!!  It was so fun to be able to have that from home.

I'm pretty sure I've already had a miracle.  Because I've been stressed out about the language and the learning and all that stuff I've had a hard time sleeping, but I am actually not too tired.  I guess it's just the power of a mission!!  Either that, or it's going to slam me in a couple of days...I'm just thinking positive here X)

There have been a lot of spiritual moments in the couple of days I've been here, but there are a couple that really stand out.  I was feeling very overwhelmed by the language and I felt like I would never get it, when I came across D&C 50:16 during my personal study:

"He that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong."

That was exactly what I needed, especially since I was feeling very weak at that time.  I also came across a beautiful sentence in Preach My Gospel:

"We have been called by a prophet of God to share what we know.  We know that our message is true."

And I do know that my message is true.  I know that I am here for a reason, and even though it's already been difficult, I am here to learn something and to teach others.  I am so excited to see what else I will be learning, and to be able to strengthen my testimony and that of others.

XOXO

Sister Payton Pectol