My forearms are sore from 4 square

 

Hi squad! 

Here's a little run down of my week: OK actually a long run down but it's kind of like my journal and should be entertaining so here I go:

Terca feira:

- Set up for the devotional. An elder got ran over by a cart and his sock ripped through his shoe and he broke his toe I swear people get hurt here so easily 

- Helping others! Suuuper mid. We did a lot better job of teaching her and Sister Woolley said a lot more, but I feel bad I feel like I could've helped her more. She is so good at asking difficult questions haha. 

- 6 early arrival sisters today! Kinda chill tbh. The elders had 20. 

- Devotional!!! I look forward to this devotional every week. Elder Randy D. Funk spoke and he was so motivating. He asked, "What am I going to think of my time here in the mtc?" And that drives me to do better. 

Quarta feira:

- Our morning teacher had covid this week so we had a sub low-key not mad about it at all. This morning class tho was and probably will be my favorite class here by far!!!! I'm gonna write more about it a little later. 

- My mom sent a box of little SQUISHMALLOWS for the sisters in my district!!!!

- We helped the new missionaries that came!! I was sweating buckets bro. So blessed with sweaty genes. I cried every single time I took a picture for someone and their family in the parking garage HAHA probably not the best host tbh.  

- Sister woolley cry count: amazingly 0

Quinta feira 

- I NEVER remember my dreams, like I only remember a couple a year. But for some reason I did last night!! And the whole dream was this girl trying to fight me!! Idk what that says about me or my life rn. 

- Someone watch Gilmore Girls for me specifically the Dance Marathon episode.

- Portuese tutoring was fun but also a little discouraging lolsies

Sexta-feira

- Mom sent me a box of FRESH HOMEMADE COOKIES!! best surprise ever 

- "Sister Mendens mom is popping off" 

- Played 4 square for the first time bro those elders were so bad.

- I was wearing my Devin Booker shirt and everyone called me Booker which is the best compliment I could be paid.

- Sister Woolley got someone out, and an Elder was like "let me guess, you're Booker's companion" HAHA

- We were sitting at dinner and an Elder walks by behind us and we hear him say, under his breath, "don't come back to four square" we turn around, he's nowhere to be seen. We could not stop laughing it was the funniest thing in the whole world.

- 6:40am four square practice tomorrow you better believe

- Translated the lorax soundtrack into portuguese 

Sabado

- Four square practice. Making enemies every day. 

- I love hearing the come come ye saints bells kind of like home. 

- Another helping others!! I wish we had more time with her! This lesson was sooo awesome. We were able to teach her about Joseph Smith and I recited the first vision. It was so powerful!! Soo cool to do that for the first time. 

Domingo

- i love sunday!!! 

- Sister Morris tested positive after church!!! She's in my room with her comp, so they moved her out and now we're in a trio for the week with Sister Sanchez!! Pray pray pray I don't get sick this week and have to push back my departure date. And I hate to sayyyy it but already today it has been so nice to have Sister Sanchez around. She helps balance out Sister Woolley's negativity lol. 

- Go and do experience!!

- There's literally a million people here. We waited 40 minutes to even get into the cafeteria, and then it should've been another 30 to get our food but some suuuper nice Mandarin Elders let us cut the line don't worry everyone heart locked eyes open. 

- The devotional ended early and it was raining and our district played with the hacky sack for 30 minutes it was so fun. So sad to think we only have a week left together!!!

I HAVE MY VISA!!! So I should head out to Portugal next week!!! I don't know anything for sure yet because I'm pretty sure they're not booking flights until the last minute to see who gets their visa.  It's been crazy this week, everyone is so scared and I think most of us will get reassigned. But I'm excited! But mostly  terrified!!! In my one class that I loved so much this week, we learned about faith and how to teach it. This teacher does a great job of teaching with the Spirit as well as teaching us Portuguese which I feel hasn't really been the case mostly. At the end of class, my district gave a lesson on faith to my teacher while he was blindfolded, and we had to teach him as we guided him down the hall and up the stairs and to this big picture of Moses. While we were teaching, he was walking soooo slow and I did not get the point of this whole ordeal. We were teaching him the lesson and I realized, that his slow careful steps down the hall, up the stairs, and to the picture, represented the slow careful steps of faith those we will teach will take. As they gain trust in us, we can help them, with the Spirit as our guide, gain faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and progress forward in the Gospel. We get to the end, and we find ourselves at a huge beautiful picture of Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea. Moses' faith inspires me so much. By this picture, was a question that hit me hard, "Do I have enough faith in Jesus Christ to accomplish anything He wants me to do?" President Nelson said that "it is OUR faith that unlocks the power of God in our lives." I refuse to let my lack of faith lessen my effectiveness as a missionary. 

This quote from President Nelson brings me great comfort. He said "The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith." I love this visual!! I'm nervous about leaving the MTC, but there's no other mountain I'd rather be climbing, and I'm not climbing alone. With faith in Jesus Christ, I can confidently say that I know my Savior is right by my side. 

Sister Menden 

1. The best cookies in the whole wide world

2 & 7. Squishmallows for everyone!! 

3. This super cool picture of Isaiah that I found that everyone needs to see 

4. Hacky sackying! Hackey sackeying? Hackee sackeeing? 

5. The picture of Moses!!! They have multiple pictures like this on every floor I love it so much.