Hello Everyone !!
It is that time again (P-day) and today is my last day at the MTC. Tomorrow morning, (more like night... I don't consider 1:30 am to be morning), I have a long journey to the great State of New York..with a lot of flight time.
Tomorrow will be the first time that I will be out in the general public with my missionary tag. I am interested to see the responses I will get from people as my traveling companions and I have to travel to 4 different airports tomorrow! I will get lots of practice talking to strangers, and passing out "Pass-Along Cards."
I am crossing my fingers for good weather and would love to be able to catch a few ZZzzz's. I won't actually be arriving at the Mission Home until about 6 or 7 pm tomorrow night. I am so super excited to finally meet President Joseph Wirthlin Jr. in the flesh and shake his hand.
Transfers are also on Wednesday, so it will be time to say goodbye to all of the new friends I have made here. Some will be off to San Diego.. and others will be scattered throughout the New York Utica boundaries. I have been so grateful for all of them and the bonds we have created. Three weeks is the longest I have ever been away from home, and with my awesome new friends and MTC companions they have made the transition all that much easier. We keep guessing where we are going to end up. My guess is Oswego/Syracuse area. So, I will have to see if my prediction is right!
This week has been a little more normal, lots of classes and practice with members! This week I have had to say goodbye to my great teachers Sis. Smith and Bro. Chipman. They have taught me a lot. After the new missionaries arrived last Wednesday I and the other Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders showed then around. The next morning we got to role play with them and practice teaching lessons. I WAS AMAZED by the growth I have had in just 3 short weeks. I could sit down with a pretend scenario, change up lessons, relate to their lives and struggles and teach doctrine in 5 minutes without getting too deep or getting confused. It was awesome. I also got to help a new sister and help her to realize the connections in the gospel between the restoration, the commandments and the Plan of Salvation. It was so cool. Looking back, I am glad for the extra week I got here at the MTC instead of the standard 2 weeks for English speaking/US missionaries. Everything would be a lot harder. Me and my companion also continued to teach a lady named Sydney and "Matt" (my teacher).
It is sad to leave the MTC, I didn't realize how attached I would get to people in less than a week. We have also continued to go to the gym, sing in the choir, and attend the devotionals. Sunday was great to experience not only testimony meeting with 30 other missionaries, but also listen to the Christmas Devotional given by the General Presidency. I also got to listen to a past MTC Devotional by Elder Holland. I learn so much from these great men in the Church. One day, I want to be able to speak with as much power and conviction as they do.
Well, time to go pack!!
PS: I highly recommend that everyone see the latest video "His the the Gift", great Christmas Short Video about the true meaning of Christmas!!
Sister Kylie Williams
