Let the Mission Begin!

Hello friends and family!

So I have spent 2 weeks at the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah. Although it has been a FANTASTIC two weeks, it has been a little overwhelming. We were teaching "investigators" in Portuguese on our 3rd day here, and we are constantly studying from 8am to 8pm. It's a lot of work and a lot of pressure. But as I have struggled to keep up and keep positive, I have felt the Lord strengthen me. I am tired, but sustained. I am lacking understanding, yet the Lord helps me know how to respond. I don't know Portuguese vocabulary, but the Lord organized my small arsenal of words into meaningful messages when I need them. The Holy Ghost can truly bring all things to our remembrance. Our first lesson with our "investigator" was hilarious. We wanted him to read Moroni 10:3-5. For those who don't know that is about how each person can pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true and they can receive the answer through the Holy Ghost. And that is true. Unfortunately, we don't speak Portuguese and we accidentally gave him Mosiah 10:3-5 which is about the history of a people and how the women sewed clothes "to cover their nakedness." It. Was. Hilarious. But we improve every day :)  A couple lessons later, we weren't allowed to bring in a written script any more. We met with our "investigator" (named "Carlos") and the lesson went so well. One of my companions took 5 years of Spanish, so she is picking up the language pretty quickly. She was talking to Carlos, and I was trying my best to understand the words (or even just ONE OF THE WORDS!!!) And then she turned to me and said something like "Now Sister Larrabee will add something..." And I was like. "WHAT THE???" (in my head of course). And then I felt peace. And my pathetic vocabulary arranged into a message about how I knew that what Sister Bagley had just taught was true; that God loved Carlos and wanted him to have peace and happiness in his life, and that I knew the Lord could help him feel that in his life. It was a wonderful experience. The more I teach, the more I feel God bless me with peace and knowledge of what to say and when to say it; when to listen and how to respond... even when I don't even fully understand what they are saying. It is such an opportunity to learn to love those we teach and feel the spirit in our lives.

I know the Lord will make up for the weaknesses you have. No matter how weak your best is, the Lord can make up the difference if we offer our best to Him. I know that by giving him our hearts, He will make us into the best person we can be. He loves all of us. I love you all. Be good and Stay happy :)

Sister Larrabee