Week 2 - Mission Mom

Well people, I have officially survived two weeks at the MTC! This week has been a lot easier now that we have gotten into a rhythm and are used to the schedule. The days are still super long but the weeks go by pretty fast-ish.

I have become the designated beautician/mom of the district and it's been pretty funny. I have painted nails, popped blackheads, given makeup and hair advice, given health tips, introduced everyone to the art of the mini steamer, and am the designated candy dealer. And all between the hours of 9:30-10:30 pm Haha. We have to have some fun with all the hard work and spiritual concentration! 

My parents told me to share some of the hard things, too, so here you go. Honestly I've been doing really well--the homesickness subsided after a week or so, but it's hard to sit still and concentrate for so long every day.  Sunday's are ROUGH. We have classes and meetings from 7 am to 9 PM with only meal breaks and we have to get up early so I'm so tired--I literally nod off the entire day! We had some drama in the district over some inappropriate behavior that caused me a lot of stress for a couple days but we had a good chat Wednesday and things have been SO much better. 

Our classroom window overlooks 
the Provo Temple!

This pic doesn't do the colors justice--
it's a beautiful view!

This morning our district attended the temple with one of
my awesome MTC teachers, Sister Willey.

Our district with our other awesome teacher who is leaving us!

One of my jobs as an STL is to welcome the new missionaries in our zone! Our new district is super fun and I've loved getting to know them. One of the Elders is Australian and we all enjoy laughing about the culture differences way too much--it's hilarious. Our MTC teachers are FANTASTIC.  It's crazy how lucky we are, but they're both LEAVING US this Wednesday and we're so sad (I guess there is a lot of teacher turnover at the end of each semester). Also I've been working out every day AND eating a salad with every meal, so I basically feel like 20 pounds lighter, haha. 

Just little old Sister Potts!

THE SPIRITUAL: How do I choose just a couple things?!?! Let's see. I've come to really appreciate TRC, or our practice teaching assignments. It was rough the first couple days, but it's amazing how much just practicing can help. Our first girl was super sweet and she just wanted to come to know God. Every lesson we'd tell her how much we could feel God's love for her which is so crazy. We taught the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration and even though it was rough and we tried to teach too much I think she felt something. We got our new one Saturday and he's super cool. We had a great lesson because I really focused on HIM and feeling God's love for him instead of worrying about myself and what I was doing. The lesson went great and we really felt that he was touched as we talked about how God is a loving Heavenly Father. There's an amazing video on the media library about Earthly Fathers and Heavenly Fathers and it's so great--everyone go watch it now! Two of the big focuses here at the MTC are Christ-like attributes and personal revelation. In chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel there's an attribute activity which helps you figure out which of Christ's attributes you can work on, and I challenge everyone to go do that! We've had so many people testify to us that there's no better way to grow closer to Christ than through striving to become like him. We watched a devotional with President Bednar from December on Personal Revelation and it was awesome! He talked about how so many people are waiting for their angel appearing experience like Alma the Younger had, but you should be GLAD if you don't have that because it means you are receptive to the Spirit enough to not need it! I had never thought about it that way before. 

Well, in one week from today I'll be flying out to Rochester! I love you all and I can testify to you that I know God loves you infinitely more. I am so grateful for this opportunity I've had to grow so much closer to him in the last 2 weeks. I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the fact that we can apply nearly every single verse to anything in our lives. READ IT!!!

Love, Sister Potts

The MTC is so gorgeous right now!