Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Family!!! So it's my last pday at the MTC. INSANE. So before I run out oftime, here's my mission home address:Zuster Christa BaxterBelgium Brussels / Netherlands Mission87, Blvd. Brand Whitlock1200 BrusselsBELGIUMAlso, we got flight plans and my last Hep AB shot, so I am cleared to go! Wedepart at 5 in the morning next Monday, the 9th. My layover is in Atlanta GAfrom 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm supposedly, so that's when I can call. Mom, couldyou send me everyone's phone number? No one's cleared who we can call, sojust send me all my siblings and I'll for sure call home home first. =) Um, things are great here! We got 4 new sisters last Wednesday, all goingstateside. One is America-Tongan and the most ridiculously positive personever. It's weird seeing American districts that will leave after me. Butit's so helfpul for us to have other sisters here. I've learned the MTC isdifferent for everyone - overall I've loved it, but everyone has differentchallenges and perspectives. Also, the rules they have about not seeingfamily while in the MTC are SO IMPORTANT. One of the sisters ran into an oldfriend from her BYU ward (her RM relief society pres who'd stronglyencouraged her to put in her papers) and just broke into tears as she washugging her. We'd been waiting in the front of the MTC to meet the Elders towalk to the temple. It was good and bad for her to see her friend. Anywho,I'm just glad you're all close but not too close. You're awesome letterwriters too! It's great. That being said sometimes the LDS mail server iswacked out and we don't get all our e-mails. So if I don't respond tosomething you can assume I didn't get it. =/ Teaching is going well. We finally had a good lesson with our fakeinvestigator (as role played by Broeder Bradley) all about the priesthood.It really is so hard to explain the importance of the Restoration to people.But it's all good. All part of the learning experience. On Sunday we had an amazing devo. The director of International MTCsspoke. He got called to serve as a mish pres in Nagoya, Japan in his 30s.His wife spoke first and said she and the three kids decided to supporttheir dad/husband by singing at firesides. After she spoke they did anincredible Japanese and English acapella medley of hymns - it wasincredible. When he spoke, he showed us before and after pictures of hisElders - it really is crazy how much people grow up on missions. So good. They play films on Saturdays after the devotional, so instead ofwatching the Joseph Smith movie for the third time, my comp and I watched arecorded DVD of Pres Uchtdorf's visit to the MTC in August 2006. Afterwardshe and I had a really good chat about faith and answers and prayers andjust getting on your knees and asking for what you need to know. She and Iare so similar - she simply knows how to ask for help. I really thinkHeavenly Father made her my comp so I could find answers to some fo myconcerns (assuming He knew I'd be too stubborn to openly ask others for helpmyself). It's been quite the growing experience. Her class elder (the soloDane Elder) actually feels the same way. Oh, perfectionism! =) On Monday we had our last Teaching Experience. We taught two RMs who'dserved in the Netherlands. There's still so much Dutch I don't know, but itis really cool to feel the Spirit as you testify in broken Dutch. That night we had a departing missionaries health meeting. We met upwith the two Dutch Elders - I am so jealous of quatrilingual people. I'vealso decided BElgian Dutch is decidedly less disgusting than NetherlandsDutch, so hopefully I'll serve in Antwerp or something. =) Anyway, themeeting was hilarious... A 65 year old former urologist teaching us commonsense health rules. "Missionaries, don't associate with dogs!" Also, "Walkdefensively!" How exactly that's possible, I don't know, but whatev's. =)BUt I figure as long as I don't ride on the front hood of a car my comp isdriving on Pday, I'll survive my mission. The stories this man had of dumbmissionaries were amazing... We also had a Large Group Meeting on Monday about how baptizing andconfirming people members of the church is central to our purpose. It'sinteresting how many people sigh and tell European misssionaries thatthey'll plant seeds, reactivate members, or just love the people - and thatit's okay if we don't baptize. So I thank all of you for not doing that.I've realized here that this is the Lord's work - He wants His gospel to goforth to his children. I think our own lack of faith is often the biggestlimitation to the work. And I'm understanding more and more how much faithreally is a principle of action. If you think you'll succeed, you probablywill. So I'm hoping I can survive these next few months until my Dutch getsreally effective, and just go to work the whole time. Tuesday Elder Porter from the 70 spoke about loving your mission andreally relishing it - as opposed to enduring it. I guess I just can't stopthinking how lucky I am to be here, surrounded by so many amazing people.There are wonderful people everywhere here, but at the same time there willbe incredible people in my mission as well. I guess it's all about enjoyingwhere you're at and really actively making it the best it can be. Also, I'm pretty sure I really do have the best Elders in the MTC.They are such sincere, real, awesome, positive people. Also, I found outthey only offer Dutch at BYU in the fall, so I might see some of them inProvo again post-mish. So that'll be fun. Um, I guess I just really can'tsay enough how great this place is. I kind of hope I can teach here when Iget home, but we'll see. =) I'm slightly terrified of getting off the planeand contacting people, but so far I haven't panicked. Mostly I realize thereis a crazy amount of growth and learning about to go down, but it's allgood, and I really am excited I love you all! Keep your fingers crossed for me as I fly over! Have agreat week!