Week#4

Hello Family and Friends! Very exciting news!!! The sister missionaries here at the MTC are singing at the General Relief Society Meeting on Sept. 28th!! This General Conference marks 1 year since the new age change announcement for missionaries, so it is very fitting :) Also, the 28th marks the 1/2 way point of my MTC experience haha. I am so excited for General Conference! Please watch it! Its always interesting and exciting to hear what the Lord needs to tell us through His prophet and apostles.(And mom I should have listened to you when you said to buy a solid colored button up shirt...cuz I had to buy one at the book store for the choir and it is u.g.l.y.) Look for me in the relief society broadcast! I'll be in a red cardboard box! ;) We had our 1st SYL experience this week! Speak Your Language. Our district made it a goal to speak only Russian for Lunchtime and soon we will have whole days for SYL. I loved it so much and cant wait for those. I learned so much more just by using words in context on the spot. Our 1st day in the MTC the district just older than us was on an SYL day and we thought they were so cool and we would never be that advanced during our time at the MTC. Tada! The gift of tongues is real. I know I've said it a hundred times but I seriously can't say it enough:) So maybe there is a little bit of confusion: Our investigators are not real. They are our teachers, who play the part of an investigator that they taught on their missions. And they play the part so well that it seems so very real. Anton is getting "baptized" in about 2 weeks and Lola "decided to talk to her boyfriend about marriage again...and she is getting married! So that she can be baptized on "Oct 19"" I'm sorry if this is all super confusing. haha Even though it seems super real I still cant wait to contact and teach actual investigators. We started Russian contacting this week too! Just with each other but it was so fun! I think I will have a lot of fun with that in Moscow in parks and on buses and trains and such. Sunday Night's devotional was given by Merrill J Bateman on the power and authority of missionary work. One thing that really stood out to me was this: "I believe that angels are given assignments to encircle and watch over us. In many instances, those angels are probably your relatives." I loved that. I have never seen an angel, but I know that they are here on Earth supporting each and every one of us, you and me, and are rooting for us on the other side. I got a picture with the famous MTC map at Main campus! Its a classic! had to have one :) I could hardly reach Moscow! also there is a picnic table at w. campus that elders and sister have signed. SO...I had to leave my mark! :) I hope you are all doing well. I am praying for you always and love you so much. God bless! Cectpa Downing