Week 3 "Broccoli Surprise"

August 19, 2016
Bonjour ma famille!!!

I feel like the MTC is FINALLY starting to pick up. I feel like our last P-day was just yesterday. This week I had the awesome opportunity to host 3 new sister missionaries coming into the MTC. As I waited on the curb for the new sisters- I got a complete flash back of 17 days ago when I was dropped off. I watched cars full of crying families pull up one by one to drop off their missionaries. My entire body just got the chills and it was the most surreal experience of my life (other than the day I arrived here). 

Me and Sister Goold after going to the Provo Temple

Oh man, I'm so glad I never have to say goodbye to my family ever again. As the cars pulled up- I would walk up to one with a sister missionary in it and say, "Hi! Welcome to the MTC. You must be the Mom? I'm Sister Jones. I am going to take great care of your daughter. Oh! And you must be the missionary? Where are you going Sister Collins? Wow- Washington State! That is so awesome. Okay so you're going to get about 2-3 minutes to say your goodbyes and then I am going to take you to class okay? I'm going to take really good care of her!" And then the hugs and tears happened and I would take the Sister off on her way to start the most amazing journey of her life. Such a cool job. I get to host again this Wednesday!

Studying, Studying, Studying

I love the simplicity of the gospel. I love it I love it I love it. Too often we get caught up in things in the church that distract us from our main focus. If there is one aspect of the gospel I would say is the MOST important, it would be our personal relationship with Heavenly Father. Sometimes when we have an issue with the church (baptism at a young age, church history, Joseph Smith, etc.) we go to blogs, friends, and books for our answers. But our first source should ALWAYS be Heavenly Father. He will guide you and answer your questions through prayer and through the Book of Mormon. Whenever an investigator here at the MTC asks a question, we always try and relate it back to the simple doctrines and principles of the gospel. God is your LOVING Father in Heaven. The Book of Mormon can provide answers to your questions. The Holy Ghost  can let you know the truth of ALL things.

My District. All of us are going to Lyon except for 2 who are going to Canada

If people's testimonies are built off of logic or science, they will eventually hit a wall. You MUST find out for yourselves if this gospel is true. You must have experiences that build your faith otherwise your testimony will eventually break. I know this gospel is true and REAL because I have found out for myself. Because I have a real relationship with Heavenly Father. This gospel requires faith. It requires faith that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son. It requires faith that God answers our prayers. It requires faith that we will see our families again after this life. But FAITH builds real, solid testimonies. 

I can see my progress in French! Peu a peu it comes. I can understand soo much more when my French teacher gives our lessons than I could at the beginning. And honestly- that is all that matters. That I feel like I'm progressing. Even if its just a couple new words a day. No, I'm not fluent in French. I definitely don't understand half the things my investigators ask me either. But I feel like I know more French than when I got here!! French is the most beautiful language.  French is the best!! My companion and I also try to practice our French whenever we are walking somewhere. It is fun to have people look at us when we are in line for food (speaking in French) and ask us where we are going. 

My Next Door Neighbor, Parker Ribgy going to New Mexico

The message I feel that has stood out to me most this week, is that I cannot do this work on my own. Literally- without the holy ghost I am nothing. My Dad, Uncle Harland, and devotional speaker this Tuesday, Bonnie Oscarson, reminded me of this. The holy ghost so hard to explain. It doesn't makes logical sense explaining it. It HAS to be felt and experienced. The holy ghost requires faith. Every single time we teach a lesson in French, I try my best but honestly don't know what anyone is saying half the time. But when I have faith and just OPEN my mouth, the holy ghost testifies of the truth to the investigator. The holy ghost is REAL. 

Packages. Mommmmmyyyy thank you for the homemade cookies. I love you. Grandma Gayle. I was so confused when I got the package from Amazon with a ping pong kit in it because it didn't say who it was from on it. 

But I totally guessed it was you. Harland and Hayes family!!! The Krispy Kreme donuts were so delicious. I shared them with my whole district. Thank you for thinking of me.

Broccoli Surprise

Funnies:

-MOM!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. Okay. So I went to go pick up a package. When the man behind the desk handed me the package he said, "Um this package smells kind of funny. If there is anything perishable, I would suggest NOT eating it." I'm all.... uhhhh okayyy. So I take the package and Sister Goold and I are like WHAT is in here?! It smells like 50 year old beans and broccoli. So we go outside to open the package and suddenly we get a huge wiff of broccoli. I look in my package and there is just a bag of yellowish green/ wet broccoli. HAHAHAHHA!!!! The dress my mom sent me in the package had a very strong odor of broccoli as well as everything in the package. It was so funny. So thank you mom for the silly broccoli surprise. I loved it but maybe next time don't send anything that has to be refrigerated. Lol. 

Package from My Family

-Today my companion and I are going to send one of the Elders in our district a fake note from his old girlfriend. Just because we make fun of him for proposing in high school every day. So I will keep you updated how that goes. 

I love being a missionary and can't believe I'm half way done with the MTC. 

J'taime!!!  Soeur Jones

 A BAT was in our hall. They made us evacuate the floor at 10 pm so they could get the bat out

Me and Sister Roloff eating chips while we wait for the bat to leave