Saturday, January 26, 2013

MTC Week 2!

Hello Hello Everybody!!

I don't have long, but I will try to fit in as much as I can!  First of all, it was so good to hear from each of you!!  Those Dear "Sister" letters really made my day!

Well last Saturday, we went to the temple right after I sent my email and it was so wonderful.  We're going again today in a few hours.  It was such a neat experience and I am learning so much each new time I attend.  There is such a sweet special spirit there, and it is one of my favorite things I look forward to in the week.  Little kids, don't forget the words to the song "I Love to See the Temple".  You have been taught the importance of it from such a young age, and always remember to live so that you can go there someday like the song says.  It will bless your life, I promise.

So since my last letter, my companion and I have met with six new investigators--what an awesome experience!!  We have the opportunity to teach certain individuals who put themselves in nonmembers' shoes, and some are truly inactive or not part of the church.  A little nerve wracking I must say, but each visit has been such an eyeopener.  As a companionship we can really feel when we are in sync with each other or not.  We know when we have adequately prepared and when we haven't.  So many times, we have prepared a lesson, and then changed it 15 minutes before the meeting because we felt inspired to go a different direction, and the Spirit guided us and made up the difference.  What a cool feeling to take such leaps of faith.

One day last week, Sister Rosemary M. Wixom General Primary President came to visit.  She had us sing primary songs throughout her address to us, which made me totally lose it of course.  And do you know what the first song she had us sing was?  "I Hope they Call me on a Mission."  I was a slurpy mess!  Anyway, she gave a wonderful talk on the humility of children and to "listen to the children" while we were out on our mission.  That they say "powerful things".  Sister Wixom also discussed a lot about the importance of having the Spirit when we teach.  She said the following: "Without the Spirit, you cannot succeed.  With it, you cannot fail."

On Sunday, Elder Evans of the Seventy came wit his wife and spoke of the unique correlation between exact obedience and miracles.  Remind me to tell some of his stories.  They were extremely powerful.

Well I'm running out of time, but want to include a few more things.

Yes, I am going to Temple Square for some Visitor's Center practice before I leave, but am not quite sure when.  I'll let you know.  And family, I also wanted to let you know that I get a phone call before I leave for D.C. when I'm at the airport, so expect a call on February 11 from me!!  I'll email you again as I get closer to that time so you can plan accordingly.  I thought the little kids would be excited about that :)  I still haven't found anyone going to DC yet, but I'm still on the lookout! Carrie to answer your question, we did have the chance to sing Called to Serve, twice. It was so powerful.  Mom and Dad, I'm not sure if you got two emails from me last week, but in one of them, I mentioned that I found a Sister Stowell, and a Sister Bahr.  I remember you told me the names, but now I can't remember the connection to them??  Figures, I'm such a pineapple.  Delaina, if you're reading this, tell Ryan I met a Sister Judd going to Argentina yesterday by the way.  Crazy connections here!

Well, everyone, I need to run, but I want you to know that this gospel's true.  And I love every bit of it.  I'll try to fit in more next week.

Love you all,
Sister Graff

PS--These pictures are from our temple walk on Sunday (1/20).  And Caty I included a pic of our District just for you! ;) 

Saturday, January 19, 2013

MTC Week 1!

Well Hello Everybody!!

So excited to be here I have so much to tell, but only 20 minutes in which to relate it.

These last three days have been absolutely wonderful!  The MTC is like a giant beehive.  There's no way to describe it.  Everyone is so busy, but it's a good kind of busy.  I love the vibe from this place.  There's nothing quite like it.  As soon as I arrived I was greeted by my escort who hustled and bustled me this way and that, picking up books, manuals, nametags, ID cards, and explaining where everything was as we went on our merry way.  My head was spinning a little bit.  But I loved it.  She helped me take my luggage to my dorm, and then dropped me off at class, where I met my teachers, companion and district.  When I first walked in, it was a room full of Elders!  They were all assigned to the Pocatello, Idaho Mission, which extends into Rexburg and up into Jackson Hole, WY as well.  I told them how much I loved the area and the people up there and that they would love it.  My companion is Sister Garrick.  She is so awesome, and way easy going.  We have really gotten to know each other well in just the last three days, and are discovering just how alike we are.  Funny enough, she actually roomed with an old roomate of mine, Katelyn Hoyt, (Mom, you remember driving her home from the airport?) Small world, huh??  She is assigned to the Salt Lake Temple Square mission, where ironically, Katleyn is serving at this very moment.  It's an even smaller world apparently.

I feel like I've been here at least an extra week, with everything we've covered.  We've attended multiple seminars, devotionals, workshops and more.  I feel that the focus if these last few days has been solely on the investigator.  We have been taught how to really listen to them.  How to get to know them.  How to love them.  It's been an eye opening experience.  Sister Garrick and I also had the opportunity to teach our first investigator yesterday!!  Well, okay, not really.  It was our teacher and we were role-playing, buut I promise you this, our teacher must have taken acting classes or something because when we walked in the room it was certainly not Brother Leah (Caty would like his accent by the way--he's British ;) Anyway, it was a little nerve racking, but an awesome experience.

We met with our zone last night and took turns introducing ourselves.  I was the only one going to DC, and haven't actually met any other "DC-ers" so far.  Fingers crossed.  We also met our Branch President, President Baker.  He told us that the theme for Sacrament meeting this Sunday was going to be enduring to the end, and that several of us would be speaking.  He then said that he would decide just exactly who, right after the Sacrament so we better be prepared.  Yikes!  So today is our P-day, and Sister Garrick and I have had so much time on our hands we're not quite sure what to do with ourselves.  I think I'd like to brush up on how better to endure to the end.  We haven't worried too much because there's always always always things to do.  While wandering around earlier trying to find the laundry room, we just so happened to run into the new MTC President and his sweet wife, President and Sister Nally.  Just shook their hands right now.  What amazing people.
       
Time is running out.  On a different note, I will be here a bit longer than anticipated.  My estimated departure date is February 11th, so mark your calendars for the big day!! I'll be sure to keep you all posted.  Apparently the time cuts don't begin until those reporting February 1st and later.  Oh well.  More prep time right??  I am so excited to get out in the field!  CAN'T. WAIT.

I love you all.  The gospel is true.  Until next week!

Sister Graff

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Departure.

Well folks, today is the day.  12 hours from now, I will be in the MTC, and it's such a good feeling.  I am so grateful my family could drive up with me.  It's been a fun crazy ride the whole way up from Temecula, California.  Lots of laughs and tears.  It's definitely bittersweet, with a little bit more sweet.  Tomorrow is also my little brother Adam's birthday.  He will be seven.  We're going to breakfast to celebrate.  Weird how the time flies.  I can't wait to get out to D.C.  It's neat how naturally my life doesn't feel my own anymore.  I suddenly realize I am merely a tool.  An instrument.  Clay in my Master's hands.  And I want to be so useful.  Wish me luck!  There's a lot of work to do, and I can't wait to get started!