March 20, 2015

I seriously love the MTC. Things have been good despite the little medical hiccup that you seriously shouldn't worry about. Our district is great and we have so much fun together. There are still lots of problems but we really love and take care for each other. Mostly our days just consist of lots of studying and getting ready to teach fake investigators. Wow, teaching in Spanish is hard. The hardest thing about it is making your lessons flexible enough that you can go in and ask your "investigator" (played currently by an MTC teacher) what they are feeling and teach them according to what they want to hear while still being prepared enough to say something in Spanish. We are working with someone named Jose and it is pretty hard. Our first lesson was horrible because we way over planned and then he didn't have time to hear everything so we had to take a 30 minute lesson to 5 en espanol. We didn't do a very good job but we are already better. We can communicate badly without anything scripted or written down and I know things will just get better. 

On Tuesday we got to hear Don Clark of the Missionary Board/Department speak and it was amazing. One of the best talks I have heard and was so powerful for what I need to change as a missionary. We also had this amazing experience to be part of a beta training experience and I learned so much. As missionaries our purpose says nothing about  "teaching" but we are to "invite" and "help." I seriously love every bit of what we are learning and I think I could live here if we could have Mom's cooking... and famila of course. 

One of the hard parts about being here is just the lack of time to take care of yourself and tie up loose ends. We have about 35 minutes in the morning to get ready and about 50 at night to wrap things up. It sound like a lot of time but those are the only time to write/read letters, iron for the next day, shower and do hair, write in journal, etc. It would be fine but as Sister Training leader I have to interview the Sisters once a week and/or every time they are having problems. We have a companionship that is having lots of problems so interviews are long and it hard to help them get through their relationship and personal problems. I am not alone it that and they have been making lots of progress but it just means I am always rushing at night. 

I am really glad that we didn't get a new district this week though cause I just barely feel like I have everything worked out at the same time though it will be so fun to bond with another group. Our group gets along so perfectly it is so easy to feel the love of the savior in every part of what we do. Just to clarify, currently our branch, district, and zone are all the same thing. If another district comes in they will be part of our branch and zone and it will be my job to help train the sisters. (That is for you mom)

Anyways, things are great. I LOVE LEARNING and GROWING and LOVING and HELPING. This is the best place ever because there are so many people who are so clear on their purpose and the love of a Heavenly Father. I am so excited to help other people feel that too.

Love you all,

Hermana Rachel Sybrowsky