Sister Selk: No More Frosted Flakes!

Oi Familia!

The weeks are flying at the MTC, I wish I could describe it, but I really can't comprehend it! It is insane! But here are some of the highlights of week 4!

Last Tuesday we had the most amazing devotional by Bishop Causse from the general bishopric of the church. It was the most uplifting and inspiring devotional that I think I have experienced during my time here at the MTC. He based his whole talk on 1 Corinthians chapter 2. I would highly recommend you read that chapter sometime this week, because it is incredible! If I have learned anything here at the MTC it is that everything we do, the impact that we have on others, and our purpose is not about the wisdom of Man, but the power of God. I have learned that it is ok if I am not the smartest or the most eloquent speaker in my language because what makes a missionaries role so amazing is our weaknesses and our humility. God calls 18, 19, 20, and 21 year old boys and girls because of this attribute. If he wanted wise professional missionaries to preach his gospel he would call the Brother Schindlers of our ward. I thought that was a pretty amazing concept! Also after reading in Moses 6 this week, I also realized that our weaknesses will not necessarily become our strengths, but our weaknesses are our strengths....MIND BLOWN. It is so hard to comprehend the fact that what I consider a weakness of myself, may be the very thing that other people see as a strength and my weaknesses may be the very thing that convert others to this gospel. And this applies to EVERYONE, not just missionaries!

This week our district got the idea of making a district 7B cereal challenge.......

In the MTC they have towers of cereal and we got the idea that as a district we should try to empty and entire tower by ourselves...We took it very seriously, but in the end half our district went half-heartedly and it was really all the girls in our district that pulled most of the weight! We did it Saturday night right before fast sunday....that was probably the worst idea we have ever had. In the end Elder Reni ate the most bowls of cereal, eating in total 11 bowls, then Sister Barratt and I tied for second place eating 7 bowls of cereal. 7 BOWLS OF CEREAL!!!!!! And with the help of our district we did barely manage to finish the whole tower. Biggest struggle of my life, and I never want to eat another bowl of frosted flakes in my life. Needless to say, we were feeling pretty sick that night.....Other than that though, I have been eating pretty healthy here hahah.

A couple of Funny moments of the week:

We had a lesson with Abrao this week and during the middle of it he told us that he had to leave to go to scouts,and we were like, "wait......like scouts with our church?!" He responded Yes, and we were thinking "What are we even doing here?! He has got this church thing down!" We quickly committed him to baptism and of course he said yes. It was such an odd lesson, but so great.

We also had TRC again with the members Friday night, and we were in a lesson with a Lady named Mia. Our plan was to talk about service and I wanted to Share Mosiah 2:17 during our lesson, but I had Mosiah 2: 41 marked from a lesson we had earlier in the day and didn't even think about it when I asked her to read Mosiah 2:41.......While she was reading it I realized what I had done and I was trying so hard not to bust out laughing. Sister Parkinson also realized, and being the good companion she is, as soon as she was finished reading it she replied, "Sister that is a beautiful scripture, but we actually gave you the wrong scripture to read." We all had a good laugh about that. Rookie Mistake!

I also just wanted to thank you all for fasting for me this Sunday. I definitely felt all your support and love this week. I really am not to worried about this VISA issue, and I know everything is going to work out how it is supposed to. Also I found out this week that they use the same process to reassign you as they do when you get your mission call. So if I do end up getting reassigned for a time, I know that it will be just as inspired.

For the most part my time at the MTC has gone so fast, but I have to admit that I will not miss hearing the constant singing of primary songs and disney songs in the morning, noon, and afternoon. IT IS CONSTANT! I literally got woken up a few mornings ago by a girl belting out A Child's Prayer (typical) in some forced Vibrato......I was not happy about it. This morning I was in the Shower and another girl was singing....it got to the point where I tried to out-sing her with some Hall & Oats "You make my dreams come true" to shake it up a little bit, but she just sang louder. And then I began to weep in the shower. Just kidding. But It is a real struggle.

We also found out some crazy news this week that in a short time from now...not exactly sure when, but the sisters will out number the Elders at the MTC. Isn't that Crazy! History making! I am so grateful to be a part of the Lord's work at this time! I think we get to host tomorrow, so I will be that mean Sister that rips the girls away from their families.....Horrible, but I am weirdly excited for it.

We had an awesome Lesson from Irma Wilson this week about Moroni 7. We were talking about how real miracles are, but she posed this question to us.

"We say we believe in miracles, but do you really believe that God can make a miracle out of you?"

I thought that was very thought provoking and wanted to share.

One Last thought Provoking quote that Sister Parkinson shared with me on the first week here. She said she read somewhere that as missionaries, we are called to serve in the language in which we can testify the most powerfully. Right now it is hard to realize that my broken Portuguese is really the language that I can testify the most powerfully in, but the more I think about it, the more I realize the truthfulness of this statement. The Church is true!

Anyways, I hope you all have a fantastic week! I know I am going to enjoy every second of the next two weeks while I am at the MTC. It is such a priviledge. Thanks for all your shining example to me. I love hearing from all of you! Amo Voces.

-Sister Selk

Quotes of the week:

"You can call my brother, he sounds just like me!"

-This was Elder Papa T's response when I was dwelling on the fact that I won't even get to call my parent in the airport. hahah so funny

"Rice Krispies are the wheels that turn HISTORY!"

Also I realize that my quotes are really dumb most of the times, but trust me, they are actually hilarious.