Week Two: Put Your Man Pants On and Contact People!

     Another fallacy about the MTC-people say it's the worst. False. As Dr. Allsen would say, other than that feeling you get when you watch your 3 pointer sink, this is the closest you get to the celestial kingdom. I love it. I'm already sad I ever have to leave the mission. Our district is so great. We have so much fun together and work so hard. I started teaching without an exact script written out and the first time I thought my brain would explode afterwards! It's so challenging and makes you think a lot which is great for me. 

     The highlight of my week was my day trip to San Francisco. We had to congregate at 3am with a few others going to Lyon, so it was Elder Hering and I from our district and 8 others from other districts. Then the travel office forgot we were supposed to come, so we hung out with a security guard who served in Jamaica  for an hour and a half until our ride came. We still made it onto the plane in time. As per usual, I got through security first, so I stole someone else's comp and we went to go get breakfast and on our way back a bunch of people stopped us to tell us all the other girls were freaking out. Honestly, chill out. So we flew to San Fran and I slept the whole way. I needed that. 

     Our travel leader was probably not the best choice since she had no idea where we were going and kept leading us wrong, but I'm just glad it wasn't me. Edgar drove us to the French Consolate, where we had appointments to make personal appearances, but it wasn't open for another 40 minutes. So, while the other sisters got their caffeine fix at 7/11, Elder Herring and I went on splits with the remaining Elders (I got 2, obviously) and took them contacting in the streets of San Francisco. I have never had such fun. I mean the Elders I was dragging along were a couple of pansies, but it was so good. People weren't as rude to me as they were to Elder Herring, but I got shut down. I got a phone number that may or may not be real. And I talked to a gang member looking for some guys who stole his drugs. You'd think he'd be a little less open about his day schedule, but go figure. We headed back to the consolate for our appointments and I talked to these two Chinese girls who were going to study in Paris for a few months. I talked to them for like forty minutes and got their Paris info to give to the sisters in our district who are headed there. Then we walked around Pier 39 and ate lunch and saw the seals.

In San Francisco

Somewhere in San Francisco

     We went into a store with a lot of famous signatures and talked to the owner. He said he's had Joseph Smiths there before and one of the pieces he just sold was a letter from George Washington to the French and Germans after the Revolutionary War, officially opening up trade between them and the newly created USA. Sold for $62,000. He told us to "go convert those heathens in France and if you don't, at least tell them what they're missing out on". 

     Yessir. Our teacher, Soeur Judd said, and Frere Smith agrees, that the people we will meet are the most prepared people for this gospel, despite what the stereotypes say. And if they weren't before, they sure will be by the time I get there. Did you know they had over 300 baptisms in the Lyon Mission last year? Crazy. San Fran was fun, but my favorite part was talking to Edgar. He has driven missionaries around for over six years and they always give him various lessons. So he's heard them for years, but is Catholic, and claims he has very little time. He also has a Book of Mormon. I bore my testimony to him of the blessings of the gospel and the Book of Mormon and families and got his contact information so the missionaries in the area can actually teach him. Obviously I called shotgun everytime we got in the van, so I talked to him a lot and I feel like he's ready and I felt so good going home.

Sister Swenson and Sister Hutchins

 One of the reasons I love my companion is that I get the opportunity to bear my testimony to her all the time. There's literally nothing better than that.

Study time?

Sister Training Leaders: Sister Andreasen and Sister Martinez

     Other funny things that happened this week. I got a theme song! It originated because every now and again I take other peoples' trays after lunch and put them away and the Elders always get so offended. So this one time, I took Elder Leavitt's tray and he was freaking out and trying to maintain a hold on his tray. Obviously THAT wasn't gonna fly, so I boxed him out and took his tray anyways. Forgot to maintain my quiet dignity, but we got a laught out of it and Elder Lago keeps saying he wants to be my DL in France so he can call me and sing "Brick House". 

     Also, there's an Elder Bean who reminds us all of Mr. Bean, and is so tiny and frail. I was on his team for volleyball and rarely let him touch the ball. For good reason. Anyhow, once I jumped in front of him and spiked it over the net and apparently he crumpled up behind me into the fetal position because he was so scared. 

      Another anecdote-we were practicing asking questions and Elder Brockbank asked why Frere Smith loves his wife. He said something like because she's funny and has a strong testimony. The word for funny is "drole" so we all thought he said she was a troll with a testimony!! 

      

For service, Sister Swenson and I got to take out the  trash to the composter. I pushed her all the way back inside the trash can. Oh and I got the award for best package from Derek, which we all thought was PB Captain Crunch, but really there was cookies inside instead of cereal. Not quite as exciting, but still delicious and much appreciated. That's what I got this week. Apparently maintaining my reputation as a trouble maker with all of my Branch Presidency. Not sure how that happened. But loving the gospel and the Spirit. It's real.