2013-11-15 ... "Welcome Sister! We are so glad to have you!"

DA JIA HAO! Hi everyone!!My new District has P-day on Fridays so I get to email you after being here for just a short time!  YAY

So a bunch has happened in just 2 days!  After being nervous ALL DAY before entering, once we drove into the campus it all calmed down and felt really great.  I met my host who was the sweetest and so so patient.
We parked pretty far down in the line (10) and so I was walking past a whole load of missionaries who had already been at the MTC for a while.  They were all saying "Welcome Sister!  We are so glad to have you!"  I left my bags with the Sister Host and I went into the room we dropped Chris off in.  They had my name in a small yellow folder and a tag that I use to get into the buildings and get into the cafeteria.  I was 'International' so I took longer because they had to check my medical and language .. but still no language evaluation on the first day!

I went through the rest of the process ... validating my card and getting my tag put on (YAY its magnetic so goes on anything!) and then I met my Host outside.  We went to the bookstore next to collect the materials I would need.  And whoa.  There are SO SO SO many books for Chinese Missionaries!  I have 4 grammar/vocab/MTC Chinese books, 2 PMG one in pingyin and one in Characters, and more that I am not remembering!
My tiny little Host helped me carry all my things back to my building 17M.  On the way a random sister ran up to me screaming and hugged me!  She was a Chinese speaking missionary too and told me how everyone in the Chinese zone knew they were getting loads of new Chinese Speaking Sisters that day and she was s o happy to meet me.  She was the first person here to tell me she "WO AI NI" (loved me!)

Thankfully there is an elevator in my old dorms and so we took my things up and placed my bags in the room.  No one was there, they were all in class already, but I had to go to the Clinic to clarify some things.  So I grabbed my backpack and massive bag of books and went there with my Host.  After things were cleared up, I finally got to my classroom in building 6M.  Everyone was already 'learning' Chinese.  I was in a District of all sisters!  And I was assigned 2 companions!! Su JM and Hai JM :)  Also in my tiny Distrcit was Mao JM and Pang JM!

And then we went to dinner?  I can barely remember!

But after dinner we had a Teaching Experience.  That was so cool.  We divided off into groups and got the opportunity to talk to investigators!  Some were real memebers and some were actually investigators!!  We went into 3 rooms and each time we were encouraged by the teacher to get to know the person before we taught them what we thought they needed to hear.  The first was a photographer named Albert.  Loads of people were getting direct and telling him doctrine.  But I raised my hand and asked, "Albert, you've met with missionaries before.  Why after 6 years did you agree to let us come back?" (or something like that) And that got right down into what he needed from us.  Woohoo

We have a pretty spacious room.  Each person gets a closet.  But the first night I didn't unpack because there was a possibility of me being FAST TRACKED and getting to Taiwan sooner.  But it was way fun to get to know the girls in my District!  I was on a bottom bunk thank goodness but the whole bed was squeaky.  And the stairs were really scary!

The second day I woke up feeling better and was glad to be at the MTC.  Everyone here is so helpful and caring!!  We were told in the Oreination (that happened the night before oops) not to study where we sleep so we had Personal Study time in the morning.  Went and had breakfast, which is suuper yummy then returned to have more study time.

Then we had a workshop that was lead by one of the missionaries from The District.  He was really nice and I really liked how we talked about a triangle between us. the investigator, and God.  All we could do was invite them onto the direct path to God, they had to choose to have faith, repent, be baptized, feel the Spirit, and endure.  We couldn't do it for them.  Look up a story about a general authority/apostle being a mission pres and cake.  It has to do with this and is so funny!  (I want to write about the rest so just go look!!)

Then I went and got another shot!  Typhoid this time and Su JM and I returned to the classrooms to learn some more.  We learned how to use TALL which is a program only at the MTC which helps you with the language!  While I was doing that, a teacher pulled me out and interviewred me in Chinese.

I passed.  We talked about my family and where I would be serving.  Why I wanted to serve a mission, etc.  He said, "You definty need to be fast tracked."  So he explained that meant 2 weeks of PMG learning in English and 1 in Chinese!!  Then I would go to Taiwan!!!!!!

I was relly nervous but I felt good about it.  So I took all my books to the new classroom in 10M. It was kind of cool how when I got to the new room they were all introducing themselves :)  AND ONE OF THE SISITERS IS ANOTHER FAST TRACK MANDARIN SISTER! I call her Feng JM but her name is Sister Fenlyson.  Anyway, the class was all focused on how to begin teaching.  Reiterating what I had learned the day before which was cool.  We were introduced (not by them) to our new investigators.

Then my new companions Feng JM and Sister Bayart (yes I still get 2. I think Heavenly Father knows I need the extra help!) went together to dinner.  After dinner I had to go find my backpack because I left it outside the caf for dinner (not allowed in the caf and our room was far and we were rushed) at the front door.  We ran into one of the members of our Branch Presidency on the way to meeting them!  And they are awesome!  So nice and caring.  One of the first questions they asked was if anyone was homesick yet and I raised my hand. Being honest.  And he promised me that I'd be over it in the morning and that if I got homesick again I should find Brother Eddington and he'd help me out :)  But President Marion talked about how I (he said you buit ...) have the privledge to be act like a missionary.  And he showed up that my work and my glory is found in D&C 11:20.  He's a way cool guy!

At that meeting I recieved a calling to be a Junior Companion, and the District Sister Leader.  Yay!!

That night I had NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING!  Literally I was still putting on my sheets at lights out, because I had to repack and move everything!!  My companions helped me pack my bags in my old room and carry them all the way over to 4M.  Again I am in a ALL SISTER DISTRICT!  The other 2 sisters speak Spanish :)  Way fun

This morning we woke up and got ready for the day and were on our way to breakfast when the Zone Sister Leader walked by and asked why we weren't already at the temple.  (Pday is temple day and we were told to be there by 8 40 and breakfast started at 8 15 .. plenty of time right?  She told us the session STARTED AT 8 40 so we had to rush and grad the other group of companions and run to the temple.  In the freezing.  IT IS SO COLD HERE!!

The Zone Elders were waitign for us too.  So we were all 2 minutes late and here in Provo you ahve to be waiting if you are going to participate you can't just go up once you are dressed.  So we waited together for the 9 o clock session and that was amazing.  I have to tell you that I felt so much love for my companions at the temple.  I knew they were for me.  They are so amazing!  It felt like having family there!  And the calm and peace of the temple was so nice after the rush rush rush of the last few days!!

After the temple I GOT TO PICK UP THE MAIL!! I had 4 packages (my rainboots, missionary bag, suitcase, and tights?)  and as the District Sister Leader I am responsible for the mail.  So please send me things :(  It will not be so fun to get mail all the time if none is for me!  AHEM Use DearElder!  I am box 225!

Then we had more study time where i learned what my responsibilites are as Sister Distrcit Leader and we planned our lesson for Peter.  That's all so far for today!

Everything here seems so rushed.  I don't have ANY TIME FOR ANYTHING!  But it is a good kind of rushed.  Lots of learning.  Lots to do.
I just can't express how loving and caring everyone is here!  I have met Sisters from HONG KONG and TAIWAN.  One of the HK sisters is serving in Temple Square and lives in WAHFU.  And the sister from Taiwan gave me my first referral, she said her family isn't part of the chruch and wants sisters to teach them :)  Literally every Chinese missionary hugs you and is so supportive.  On my first night I met Sister Henderson (?) and she was the sweetest.  She gave us loads of advice and the biggest hug when I needed it.  2 sisters here are twins both learning Chinese andt they are both so so nice!  i don't really get to see Chinese sisters much anymore because we are in different buildings but its nice!  My new residents hall is smaller but the beds are SOFTER AND SILENT!  But I don't have a closet. And no hangers either.  But we are all slowly unpakcing and gettign there!
Oh and the first day I just kept running into people I knew!! I saw Sister White from MN, and a bunch of girls .. sorry SISTERS from StarTalk and a few from Youth Conference!!  Crazy how the Lord knows what you need and gives them to you :)  Like the first day, Su JM is from Indonesia and we got to talk about our international problems, and Hai JM worked as a cast member at Disney!!

The MTC is just so uplifting.  The Elders (4) in our District are so sweet and helpful and the Sisters (6 besides me) are so supportive.  I really am blessed.  And it has felt like SO MUCH MORE THAN 3 DAYS! GOODNESS!!

I am lucky to be a disciple of Christ.

I miss you all so so much!  There are crazy ups and downs here!  Super spiritual highs and super sad missing you lows.  But the Lord makes up the difference.  I am trying really hard to focus on the positive and good things happeneing!!  I know I couldn't be doing this without the Holy Ghost or the scriptures or Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ or being a part of the true gospel.  I know that I am meant to be here.  To help Feng JM (who was worried if she was in the right spot .. but feels better now that someone else is in the same boat as her) and to make a difference not only here but out in the feild.  Someone must be impatient becasue I am getting out there faster!! (fingers crossed on the VISA thing!)

I don't want to stop writing but I've used up alomst all my time!!!!  Writing about 3 days!  I have no clue how I will do this once it is for a whole week!!

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes!

i love you all so so so much!

I miss you loads!
Sister King
Wang JM
Juju Jimmie
Moses 1:39