Its crazy because i'm so new as a missionary, but here at the mtc
i'm super super old!!! hahaha this week has been like senior year all
over again, well, i just feel cool because i'm a senior here at the mtc,
thats all... Being a senior here is fantastic, i know all the ins and
outs of the place, the shortcuts, the helpful tips, and i feel like i
have life here at the mtc pretty much down... Considering the fact that
i'm basically done with my mtc experience i think that i'm qualified to
give some advice on the mtc, so to all you young pups out there
preparing to serve a mission read up cuz this ones aimed right at you.
Lessons learning the hard way
Preparation:
Since i came to the mtc later then all my friends i was able to see
every single one of them off, some were nervous, some were not, some
were excited, some dreaded it, the one thing i saw that made a
difference in these missionaries was their preparation. So, what
advice would i give someone preparing to serve??? Prepare now. My
transition from a regular 19 year old kid bumming off of his parents to a
full time missionary wasn't nearly as hard as it was for other kids
here, in fact i'd say mine was easier... Why? Because i worked very
hard to prepare myself for what was coming, and i've benefited from
that. Needless to say there is always room for improvement, and im no
different. What would would i change about my preparation? Quantity, i
had a fantastic mission prep teacher in dan rascone and i went to the
temple fairly often, i got in the habit of praying every day, reading
scriptures every day, and writing in my journal every day but looking
back i could have done so much more!!! The thing that surprised me the
most about the mtc was the spirit of the place, feeling the spirit every
day is exhausting when its new, so spiritually i definitely should have
prepared more. I also wish i would have had at least some basic
knowledge of the language, looking back i had 3 months from the time i
got my call to when i reported, and i've had another 6 weeks on top of
that, if i started learning the language when i had recieved my call i
would be so fluent right now it wouldn't even be funny. So what am i
saying to everyone planning to serve? Prepare... More. come in already
being accustomed to the companionship of the holy ghost and try to have
a basic knowledge of the language you'll be speaking, do that on top of
the rest of your preparation.
Patience- ahhhh at this point in my mission service
patience is the thing i've had the hardest time with. I was going nuts
waiting to turn in my papers, i had NO patience waiting for my call,
and i had zero patience waiting to come in. Since i've gotten here
i've had no patience wanting to get out into the field and no that i'm
here and i get to look back i can see how stupid i was. I spent so
much time hurrying up and waiting when i should of spent it enjoying
myself and live in the moment, so what am i saying to all ya'll???
Take a chill pill, stop, look around and just breathe it all in, every
day is different, so enjoy yourselves!!!
Love... (unconditionally) we've all heard how
important it is to love the people your serving, as far as advice goes i
wouldn't change that sentence at all, except i'd say that your serving
your companions as well, so love em. Its been hard here serving in a
trio, you feel like you can't get too close to one person because then
the other is left out, haha its so important that you love everyone even
tho you still hate em!! LOL, when your doing everything with someone
your going to find one thing that they do that bugs you, get over it,
your out here to serve the people, and your companions count as the
people.
Focus. I wish i wish i wish i had worked hard on being a
better student during high school, because even tho i've been able to
pull it off i'm so far behind everyone here in my ability to focus
during class and to stay diligent in my studies. So many times will i
be burned out after just an hour of studying and i still have 3 more to
go, so what am i saying??? Get used to it now, take advantage of school
and get in the habit of being a good student, in the classroom.
Sleeping schedule: hahaha i know your not going to listen
to me on this one and i don't expect you to, but let me tell you what i
learned... Pulling all nighters every night leading up to your mission
is a terrible idea, 630 comes early, and even tho you might be getting
to bed on time your body isn't used to operating in those early hours of
the day like it should be, so get used to going to bed early, and
waking up early. 7 weeks in and i still struggle with this one (i know
mom, you told me so)
Learn to laugh at yourself, and laugh through your hard times...
Everyone copes differently, i like to have fun, so its safe to say
that laughing has gotten me through my stay at the mtc... Its so
stressful here, but probably the biggest and best thing i've learned
here is how to enjoy yourself through all of it!!! Thats whats
important, find that joy that ocmes from serving others, and smile, the
work may suck, but your still smiling, so does it really matter????
Where your suit coat during devotionals: ha ya know, we
mormons tend to get worked up over a bunch of stuff that doesn't really
matter. The mtc is no different. hahaha my buddy took of his jacket
during one of the devotionals because he was hot... You should have seen
the wad brother angus had in his panties!!! LOL he was so pissed,
about nothing!!! hahahahaha your going to get asked to do a bunch of
stupid stuff here, but i've found its best to respect others and the way
they worship, so do your thing but don't ruin anyone elses day by
offending them, even if you feel differently or strongly about it just
brush if off, your not here to get in a fight, your here to invite
others to come unto christ. hahaha this ones aimed more at me, because i
suck at it!!!
GO HARD IN THE PAINT: lol, 14-16 hour days, 12 of which are
spent in the classroom, the best and i mean best way to not go crazy is
to kill it during gym... haha, i want to play basket ball so bad, but
all the sisters take all the hoops and the ball just sucks, so i work
the volleyball court, but lets just say we go all out, and its helpful
hahahahahahaha
Don't kill any of the other missionaries: hahaha i still
have a few more days here, but the fact that i havn't killed anyone here
blows my mind. THeres going to be people you just don't get along
with, try and love em anyway... There was this one kid who was asking
for it, the only way i was able to survive not punching him in the face
was service, and pray. I prayed for that kid all day every day, and i
asked my companions to help me not get to worked up about him, it wasn't
easy, it wasn't pleasant, but i did survive, and didn't get myslef sent
home in the process =)
Be Yourself: i feel bad for a lot of kids here, because
they aren't themselves and theyre miserable for it. Recognize that your
called to wherever your going because of who you are, don't change that
just because someone told you a great missionary should be different,
because there wrong. Be yourself, you might bea little more focused
version of yourself, you might have changed your views on some things,
but behind that nametag that says elder, or sister is the same old kid,
and thats how it should be!!! If god wanted robots to preach the gospel
then the brethen would have made robots, but god wanted his sons and
daughters to preach the way.. WHy? Because he knows were all
different, we all have different strengths, different weaknesses, and
different ways to help others, which is good because everyone your
preaching the gospel to is different as well, so be yourself, and you
might just be a little happier, and be able to help those that you were
meant to help, i know that, and i testify of it.
Alright homies, i know this weeks different, and i promise next
week will probably be different too, my advice, get over it. lol
Bout to go border hopping, and let me tell ya, i cannot wait!!!
-Elda Hicks
