I've been learning how to listen while I'm here at the MTC.
To myself and my own needs, to snoring, to amazing teachers, to construction zones, to silence, to hymns, to companions and their needs, to girl talk, to mission lingo, to hometowns and destinations, to people saying "hey, guys... oops, I mean ELDERS!" To the chatter of the cafeteria, to the shatter when at least one person drops and breaks a glass a day. To the elder in the desk next to me, rapping quietly to himself about Priests, Deacons, and Teachers. To four different alarm clocks going off at different times in our residence.
To rows of churning washing machines and rows of splashing showers. To our district having silent arguments as we learn how to interact and love each other. To dorky church jokes. To the heavy click of the locks on every door. To the clack of keyboards on P-days. To the sound of my own voice trying to explain the gospel simply. To the Role Playing teachers pretending to be investigators and asking the questions that make you squirm. To the voice of the Spirit whispering so quietly.
I've been learning how to see while I'm here at the MTC.
To see how my companion wakes up in the morning, bushy haired and bleary eyed, and still beautiful. The graham cracker brown color of the bricks on every identical building. The way the temple lights up in the dark hours of the morning as you shiver up the parking lot. The sea of black suits every devotional. The shiny black and white square on every chest. The bottom of the mattress in the bunk above you as you try to fall asleep. The laughter of two sister missionaries as they hug and rejoin. The scrawl of all the notes you're trying to take. The colorful meal on your pasty yellow tray. The way our district's faces light up when we see our teachers again.
I've been learning to feel here at the MTC.
To feel the scratchy MTC blankets. To feel the smooth pages of the scriptures and desperately need more time to read. To feel love for people you've just met. To feel excited and scared at the same time. To feel an impression and act on it. To feel weird when I see someone with a phone. To feel warm in my heart during a spiritual discussion. To feel excited over the strangest things: emails, even the ones asking you to take a food survey of the cafeteria; cool Devotional speakers that carry tissue boxes under their armpits to represent carrying sins with you; the cute little laundry soap boxes in the bookstore; when your teacher/investigator finally says a prayer in front of you; when you get cool insight in the temple; companionship prayer and our group hug afterwards; when you have time at the end of the day to read a few more verses of scripture.
The MTC teaches me so much. It's hard and regimented and taxing; like an army barrack for a spiritual army of peace. It's beautiful and warm and friendly; a green house for souls. I'm super excited to leave for Texas this Wednesday, but these have been an amazing two weeks; they've just flown by!
I pray for all of you all of the time. I'm finally learning what it means to have a prayer in your heart always. And I'm so excited to serve the Lord! I wish you all of the blessings the Lord can give you!
Much, Much Love,
Sister Rowley
(P.S. I'm emailing this to my blog, so I'm not going on any forbidden sites, don't worry! This Sister is working ridiculously hard to try to be 100% obedient. Yeah, it's even harder than it sounds. :)
