MTC Chapter 4: The Big Reveal

Sawadii Khaa, everyone!

I can't believe it's P-Day again! The days are just flying by. Tomorrow marks one month since I entered the MTC. I'm still doing great--still very happy and feeling very fulfilled!

Okay, so for the past couple weeks the MTC has been buzzing with rumors about a special devotional speaker. (You have to love the MTC, by the way-- the hot gossip is about whether or not we'll get to hear from a General Authority haha) Well, I am happy to report that the rumors were true! This last Tuesday, we DID have a very special speaker. Before the devotional started, everyone was sitting in their chairs, guessing who would give the address (I thought Elder Uchtdorf for sure) and all of the sudden the MTC Secretary stood up. He read some announcements, and reminded us that we are representatives of the Lord and not at a basketball arena, which was interesting... but then he said, "The speaker for tonight is Elder Jeffrey R. Holland," and the missionaries went WILD ( in a mostly respectful, non-basketball-arena manner, thank heavens :) 

Unsurprisingly, Elder Holland gave an amazing talk. He always does. Some of my favorite lines from the night were (and, sorry, they're a little paraphrased), "When contempt is cast on the truth, do we smile? When wrong is promoted, do we make any sign that we disagree? We must do everything we can to show that we are not on the side of the enemy." This hit me hard. It's so easy to think that, just because we're not actively engaging in things that we shouldn't be, we are being our best. I think there's always more we can do, though. I know there are times when I turn a blind eye when I should say something in defense of the Savior, and in defense of truth. From now on, I want to make sure I promote what I believe at all times (in a loving way, of course) so that everyone knows I'm on the Lord's side. I'm so grateful to Elder Holland for all the inspiration he gave us on Tuesday. The Spirit was overwhelming as he spoke. It was really cool. I'm so grateful for living apostles and prophets.

In other news, we got to host the new missionaries this Wednesday! We helped them carry in their bags and find their residencies. It was really fun, actually. I helped two sisters--one is going to Italy, and the other is headed to New York! I'm so excited for them but I'm definitely not jealous. That first week is crazy. I'm glad we're all used to MTC life now!

Sister Baldwin strikes again (pretty amazing, right? This is from a point-and-shoot.)

This week, District 7D did some overpromising and underdelivering. On Wednesday night, we signed a contract that said we would speak no English on Thursday from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm (Sister Baldwin was smarter than that and decided not to sign. I'm learning from her every week). The punishment for breaking the contract was cruel and unusual, honestly. The oathbreaker would have to be buried in the snow for a whole minute (with no breathing holes--don't think we didn't consider that loophole). 

On Thursday, guess who didn't even last five minutes speaking just Thai? That would be me! I said, "Sorry, sorry," about three minutes after waking up. Blast!

Well, as it turns out, no one successfully completed the English fast (although most people lasted at least until breakfast. Goodness.) After class that day, we all honored our contract and went and laid in the snow for a minute. We cut out the burial part-- perks of everyone failing, right? Anyway, we're always learning and I definitely appreciate the ambition! Might as well shoot for the moon and end up among the stars! (That's a stretch. Not sure if our attempt even counts as getting off the ground. But still.)

Elder Dollery giving us a Sunday sermon

This week, we started using our Thai dictionaries (or "Green Dragons", as the teachers affectionately call them) to help us translate script. I was a little hesitant at first, but, let me tell you, these things are awesome! They contain every Thai word you could ever need. In fact, they contain every Thai word you never KNEW you needed. Elder Ratelle and I, being the diligent pursuers of knowledge that we are, are making an essential vocabularly list. So far, we have collected the Thai words for "sonny boy," "you riffraff!" "a cricket often kept by children for fighting purposes," "the protruding eye stalk of a land snail," and "the yowling of cats." Like I said, this dictionary has it all. I'll let you know next week if we learn anything new.

Well, thanks for enduring another one of my all-over-the-place updates! Once again, I'm happy, healthy, and excited for each new day! I love you all so very much and I'm so grateful for your emails and letters. You make my day. 

I want to leave you with a quote that I read this week from Lucy Mack Smith (Joseph Smith's mother): "We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together." 

I cherish all of you! Keep doing the great things you're doing. I can't wait until we get to sit down together again someday. Have a wonderful week!

All my love,

Sister Harris