Week 6 - Surprise Speakers, Sobs, and Southern Sounds

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving weekend was amazing! It was strange spending Thanksgiving away from home, but I had a surprisingly good time here at the MTC. Here's how our day went:

Morning Devotional. We're all sitting down, singing our prelude, when they announce that the speaker coming is David A. Bednar! There were lots of gasps, and I'm pretty sure a sister in front of me started crying. Basically every missionary is emotionally unstable, so any sort of surprise throws them over the edge. Anyway, the devotional had a very unique format. Elder Bednar's team passed out 150 cell phones around the auditorium, and then put a text number up on the screen for the missionaries to text in questions. So we had a cool Q&A type of devotional. The main messages that I took away were A) I'm probably going to change a lot because of my mission, and it's important that I embrace and love the person that the Lord will mold me into. I've already felt myself change so much even after 6 weeks, and I'm excited to see what changes are coming! and B) Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Book of Mormon. I need to read it more. And I need to study it to find answers to my questions. Elder Bednar suggested that for every question, we get a cheap copy of the Book of Mormon and read it with just that question in mind. Then once you're done, write a page summary of what you've learned, label the side of the book, and put it on a shelf and start collecting little specialized Book of Mormons for every question. 

So after Elder Bednar spoke we had our Turkey Dinner (at lunch time). The pumpkin pie wasn't as good as yours, Grandma, but the turkey wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. 

Then we watched the movie "Love, Kennedy" Here's the deal. I would only recommend this movie if you are currently in one of the following categories. 

1. You have something stuck in your eye that you need to flush out. 

2. You're trying to win a "most tears cried in 90 minutes" award.

3. You've never cried in your life and you're curious about what that might feel like. 

If you don't fall under one of those categories, save yourself from the dehydration. I cried, like a scary noisy type of cry, through the whole movie. And if you think that maybe I'm just a baby, think again: the entire row of very manly looking elders sitting behind us were crying harder than I was. 

We finished off the night on a better note though. The Nashville Tribute Band was invited to come perform for our evening devotional. For those of you who haven't heard of them, think Southern Redneck Mormon Music, and whatever image comes to your head is probably accurate. I'll just sum up their performance by saying that during one song, every missionary was standing up clapping along, and many were shouting out things like "hallelujah" and "yee haw". It was a lot of fun, which is probably why we got an email this morning from the Mission Presidency saying how disappointed they were in some of the bands music choices. I will say that they played several songs that were beautiful and the message they left us with was very uplifting, so va bene. 

Some other highlights of this week:

- While acting like an investigator, Anziano Elliot was trying to tell me that "If you read that Book of Mormon, you will become closer to Jesus" except he forgot the Italian words for 'closer to' so he just left them out. Needless to say, he left this investigator with a some very strange ideas about the Mormon Church. 

- They decorated the whole MTC with Christmas lights!!! It's so fun. Like a slightly less exciting Temple Square. 

- I accompanied two musical pieces this week: One cute Sister headed to Hong Kong, and two Elders going to Arizona and California. The sister's performance went flawlessly, and the Elders' didn't have their lyrics memorized until two minutes before their performance time... 

- I learned that it is grammatically correct to add emphasis to words using as many prefixes and suffixes as you want. so my new favorite word is supervelocissimamente , which translates to super very fastly. 

My final spiritual thought this week comes from an interesting talk we had with the MTC Executive Secretary. He was telling us about the story of Ammon, but proposed that Ammon was more of a member missionary than a missionary missionary. We talked about the story from that perspective, and it was so interesting. He didn't go to the Lamanites and immediately begin preaching, he just served them. And by serving them, he slowly took down the walls around their spirits that were preventing them from listening to the spirit. So for all you member missionaries at home, remember that you're Ammon! Just by serving people, you open up their hearts so they can let the gospel in! I invite you all to go back and read that story and think about ways that as a member missionary, you can be like Ammon. 

I love you all so much, and next time you'll be hearing from me, I'LL BE WRITING FROM ITALIA !!

Vi voglio un sacco di bene, 

Week 5 - Obedience and Virtue

We've had a gelato countdown going on our classroom board since week 1, and today we hit 10 days. HOW CRAZY IS THAT. I can't believe that I'm going to be in Italy in 10 days. I'm excited, but at the same time, I have no idea how I'm going to talk to people. I can use gospel words, but regular people conversations? no way. I can remember random words, such as brividi (goosebumps) but basically my conversational skills go from "Hi, what's your name? What do you like to do for fun?" to "Do you believe in God?" . I'll keep you all posted as to how that works out in Italy. But despite that, I'm very very excited to interact and learn from the people.

We've already had some pretty funny language mix-ups in our classroom and in our lessons. For example, during our lesson with Daniela this week, we were teaching her the importance of keeping commandments. I was giving my portion of the lesson and talking about how when we keep the commandments, we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which comforts us and helps us learn. So I'm going on and on about "la donna dello Spirito Santo". Then afterwards, my companion decides to let me know that "la donna" means woman, and "il dono" means gift.... yep. I just preached some false doctrine about the Woman of the Holy Spirit, but hopefully the message got through anyway. 

Another highlight of this week was our Sunday Film. After every devotional, they show a couple different films you can choose between; different talks, old devotionals, Meet the Mormons, Book of Mormon movies, etc. This past Sunday somebody suggested Legacy, a movie about the pioneers. I don't know if I would recommend Legacy to anyone, but it was MUCH needed entertainment here. It was the closest thing we've had to a romcom in a month. Afterward all the girls in our district ate cookies and talked about the love story and it was great. 

This week our spiritual focus has been on Obedience and Virtue. I had an interesting thought during our devotional this week about virtuous thinking. Our speaker talked about the importance of optimism and being positive in how we view ourselves. I don't know why, but as I was taking notes, I was just thinking how connected optimism is to virtuous thinking. Complaining and having a negative mentality about everything keeps us from growing closer to God and focusing on becoming like Him. I've made it my goal to work on thinking positively and having an eternal perspective on things. 

Last, I just want to share this scripture with you all! I read it this morning while I was in the temple and I felt so much comfort and peace. 

2 Nephi 26:27-28

I love this church so much, and I love my Savior! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be out here serving a mission.

I love you all!

-- 

Sorella Maxfield

p.s. shout out to my older brother for tying the knot today !! If anyone has funny stories or pictures from their wedding, please send them my way!!

Week 4 - President Russel M. Nelson

Scherzo. If you made it past the subject heading, you'll be pleased to know this was probably the best week I've had at the MTC. 

Remember how last week I talked about how Sorella Dean and I were asked to play at a special dinner for the devotional speaker? So on Tuesday we go up to the front desk and the whole mission presidency is there. They take us the room where we'll be playing and it's set up really fancy for this dinner. There are 12 seats in the room around this big square table, and the room is probably just a bit smaller than my kitchen. Anyway, after they show us the room, the Mission President's Wife says "So do you know who you'll be performing for tonight?" We told her we hadn't been told yet, and she just smiles and says "Russel M. Nelson will be our special guest tonight"   We have probably never looked more unintelligent. We all just stood there and stared at her and didn't say anything. First of all Russel M. Nelson. The president of the 12. HOW CRAZY. Second, we've already had a member of the twelve come and speak at a devotional. So the fact that we've now had two is ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. 

It was an incredible experience. We got to shake his hand, and I just felt so touched by the power and amazing spirit of this man. When we played for him, the spirit was so strong, and I could feel the testimony of Sister Dean as she sang. My testimony and love for our church leaders grew so much. I could just feel that these men have sure testimonies of Christ and of this gospel and there are no better people to be leading our church. We are so fortunate to have a living authorities who can receive revelation to guide us and teach us. I love it!! I love this church. 

This week was probably the best week I've been here thus far, and not only because of Elder Nelson. The other miracle of the week was that I got to host the Hannah Seastrand (just celebrated our 13th year of friendship) on her first day at the MTC! It seriously was a miracle. I was trying to find someone to ask if my zone could host this past Wednesday, but then, before I could ask anyone, we got a letter asking us if we would host!! I actually screamed when the Anziani told us. It was so fun to see her and her family. 

Everything else that goes on here is very much the same. I'm really loving every minute of the MTC, but that doesn't mean I'm not counting them down until I leave for Italy. Forza Italia!

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Week 3b - we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ

A: No. Not unless you count singing "Lo Spirito Arde" because it's the only Italian Hymn that has the word "Spirito" in it. We also put up a sign on our door that said "Trick-or-Treaters Welcome" but nobody stopped by... che triste. Please send any festive halloween pictures like costumes or decorations or pretty fall leaves. :)

It's hard to remember what happens during the week, I feel like I just barely got here, but at the same time, this morning feels like 6 days ago. I feel like God warps our time here so we feel like we have enough time in the day to get everything done but also like time is flying. Anyway. There were so many cool things that happened this week, here are just a few:

- Sorella Dean and I were asked to perform during the Sunday evening devotional. We performed for everyone. EVERYONE. in the MTC. Without Sorella Dean I think I would have actually passed out. Sorella Dean has been the lead in many a musical and Opera, Including Kristine in Phantom of the Opera and the lead in an Italian Opera performed in an Italian Opera House in Italy. So basically, big crowds aren't too much of a problem for her. And she did so amazing when we performed, she sang with such a strong spirit, and all week people have been stopping her to thank her for her performance. Fast forward to yesterday, she and I got called down to the office of the First Counselor's Wife. She asked us if we would perform at a small dinner with the Mission Presidency and the visiting General Authority on Tuesday!! It was crazy!! So next week we're performing at this dinner and so hopefully that goes well!!

- This whole week I've been praying for the gift of being able to teach with the Spirit even though my language skills make me sound like a caveman. I feel like I'm being simple, yet strong during the lessons, but then afterwards I realize that I say things like "I am message from Jesus, we have missionary" or "You pray, I know good feelings you feel" So anyway, I've been really pleading that somehow I'll be able to communicate with the spirit of our investigators. Yesterday we had our first lesson with Azzurra, and the answer to my prayer came. We started teaching and it wasn't some crazy experience where all these new words started coming out of my mouth, rather, I  just had the confidence to speak. And as I started talking I started feeling the spirit so strongly, it was insane. Then I started crying because I was feeling the Spirit so strongly and testifying of Christ, and then Sorella Helgeson started testifying and crying too and then Azzurra started crying and committed to pray about God's love for her and everyone was just crying and feeling the spirit and testifying of Christ and it was amazing. I've never really had a prayer answered in such a strong way as this one, so it was a testament to me that God listens to us and will answer us in his own time, but it's always the perfect time.

- I'm probably the least athletic of everyone in my district, but some how this week I made it to the King's Court in volleyball three times and the King's Box in four-square five times. So I'm feeling pretty excited about that. The gym time is probably one of my favorite times of day, our whole districts gets together and we get to play and laugh and have fun, and it's a good contrast from all the study. (The study part is great too though. all the parts are great. everything's pretty great actually)

- Finally, my spiritual thought for this week is the scripture 2 Nephi 25:26. "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" I. Love. This. Scripture. Jesus Christ is amazing. His atonement is amazing. I am so happy that I'll be able to share the message of redemption through Christ for the next 18 months. This week our district has been sharing a message about Christ before and after every lesson and it's really been strengthening my testimony and increasing my love and gratitude for Christ. I'm so happy to be serving a mission you guys! It's such a unique and rare opportunity and I'm ready to live every moment of it!

Love and miss you all, 

Language learning MTC style

Week 3a - Packages and Provo

The chocolate chip cookies were seriously manna from heaven. Yesterday I smuggled some into our classroom and shared them with my district and they all loved them. It was a good way to end the Halloween week, because they don't celebrate that here... they didn't let us go trick or treating or anything so it was a bummer. 

Ooh please send pictures of the dresses, I want to see!! ASOS is a good place to check, they let you specify what you really want so you can easily sort through all the oddly trendy stuff. ModCloth is kind of fun too, but sometimes hit and miss. Piper and Scoot and Clad and Cloth were two of my favorites, but their dresses are a little more on the casual side. Where have you gotten your dresses from? What style are they?

So you're probably going to be down in Provo today then? If you drive by the temple around 1:30, you might see me and my district playing soccer haha, that's the plan right now. I'm so happy everyone did so well in school, I seriously love and adore my little siblings so much. No offense to you or dad or Stewart, but thinking about them gets me the most homesick haha. 

Honestly though, I've maybe been homesick like twice the whole time I've been here and it's been brief. I've been really really happy here, I think for lots of reasons, but two have stuck out to me. One; life is just so simple, and I have a purpose. Every day goes well because I know exactly what I'm here to do and I have nothing else to worry about (except for the fact that I've already gained two pounds....) The other is the effect the Spirit has on my attitude. I was feeling a little frustrated during week one because I had the mentality that the second I got to the MTC I'd be feeling just those intense Spiritual feelings all. the. time. And I wasn't so I was kind of getting down on myself. Then Sorella Dean said one night "You know what? I've never been happier than I am here" and it just BOOM hit me. The fact that I have been so happy is just a manifestation of the spirit. Even though I haven't had goosebumps 100% of the time, I've been so happy because I've had the constant presence of the spirit. 

I'm loving the energy at the MTC.

Send pictures of you guys getting donuts!!!

Lots of love, 

Sorella Maxfield