Let's see, this week has had ups and downs, but I like to focus on all the ups. =)  One of the best things that happened this week besides talking to you all was Elder Richard G. Scott came to our devotional on Tuesday.  He gave such a beautiful devotional about Heavenly Father and prayer.  I loved it and I wish I could have you listen to it.  He talked about how prayer is one of the greatest privileges that we have and I just really loved that.  So this week we had a couple of big changes.  So they are doing some renovations on our classroom building so they moved everyone to a totally new building.  In our old building we had really nice desks and the most comfortable chairs and in the new building we have not so comfortable chair desks with no room to put all of our things.  It's funny because it's really your classroom that is home because that's where you spend 90% of your day so it was hard to leave it and go to a new room.  Also they took away two of our teachers, Broeder Hulme and Broeder Norton.  There is a mission to Surinam that is Dutch speaking and on Wednesday they got a district of just two Elders so they got our two teachers and we got two new teachers.  It's ok thought because our teachers are just across the hall even though I will miss them very much.  The teachers here are just SOOO amazing!  I love them so much.  I think they are what I will miss the most from the MTC besides being with my district.  So mijn collega and I currently have three investigators.  Andy, Chander, and Jefferson.  We will also be getting a new investigator sometime tomorrow I believe.  So I want to share a really neat experience.  So without my whole time hear at the MTC I've felt inadequate in my lesson teaching.  Not even just the Dutch but how and what we were teaching.  I felt like mijn collega and I never were really in unity, and that we tried so hard to teach by the Spirit but it seemed like we were really just teaching lessons, not people.  This was really hard on my especially since I feel like teaching is one of my talents.  So I don't remember when but we read a really great quote in Preach My Gospel under the teachings skills chapter under the listen section.  And it just hit me.  I wasn't listening to these people.  I would ask some questions but I wasn't listening about what they needed!  So this is the quote; "More important than speaking is listening.  These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic.  They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have.  Be genuine.  REach out sincerely.  Ask these friends what matters most to them.  What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear?  And then listen.  If the setting is right, you might ask what their fears are, what they year for, or what they feel is missing in their lives.  I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more...If we listen with love, we won't need to wonder what to say.  It will be given to us - by the Spirit and by our friends."  -Elder Jeffery R. Holland.  This struck with such force to me.  I just love it.  And let me tell you, when we went in to all three lessons just with the intent of listening, we taught with unity, the Spirit was there, and we found out what they needed from the gospel!  It was amazing.  After our contacting appoinment with Jefferson, the first one we simply listened too first, he said my Dutch wasn't perfect but I "threw down" with my testimony!  Wow I felt great when he said that!  I knew that that was one of the biggest things holding me back from being able to teach effectivley. 

 

Hmm well I just asked my companion and I think that's about it for this week.  It's hard because we have the same schedule for 6 weeks.  I just LOVE being a missionary though!  Every day I learn something new and am humbled.  Every week I am amazed at how my testimony has grown, and how much Dutch I can actually speak.  This MTC is a place of miracles!  It's been so great but I really can't wait until I go out into the field!  I love you all!  When I get my travel plans tomorrow I'll email you on Thursday.  I love you all and I pray for you every day!  I love you!  Ik hou van jullie!

 

Leifde,

Zuster Cassie Mizell =)