Week Two - Cats and Elevators

This week was a whirlwind! On Sunday we had our first church service in the MTC! Sacrament meeting was held with maybe only two other districts, so there were 30 people in the room at most. They do this horrific thing where everyone has to write a talk and the branch president picks, at random, who will speak. I was lucky enough not to be picked, which was honestly for the best because my talk would not have been nearly as good as those who actually spoke. I'm safe this Sunday at least, since we're having fast and testimony meeting next.

Monday we had our first TRC, Which is a new program where non-members come to the MTC to get lessons, or members pretend to be non-members to get the lessons. Sister Custer and I are pretty sure our TRC, Kristina, is actually a non-member. Kristina is awesome! We love teaching her, and getting to know her better! On the other hand, we had a member TRC, where members are taught a lesson that they might receive after giving the missionaries dinner, the same day. It was pretty rough, since the people we talked to were really quiet and kind of unwilling to answer or ask questions. So Monday definitely had some highs and lows.

Later in the week we finally got to meet the infamous Sister Mittens, although jury's still out about whether Mittens is a Sister or an Elder. One of the Elders going to Turkey, who has been here 8 weeks says Mittens is a sister, so I think I might trust him more than the Elder in my district who has been here as long as me. Sister Custer and I held her until she kindly yowled at us to stop, only to be jollied by the next group of missionaries. 

We also had a strange run-in with the elevators, which have been troubling many missionaries. Apparently one district going to Germany jumped on it and got trapped in it for a half hour.

So we're riding the elevator with Sister Harward and Sister Christensen. Sister Custer, the chaos junkie she is, says: "I wonder if I could pry them open."

To which I reply: "don't."

"You can't, you have to have two people." Sister Christensen has doomed us all. Sister Custer has already pried them open. My ears are filled with screaming from the others, not including Sister Custer, and the elevator alarm. 

Bam! The elevator jerks to an abrupt stop, alarms blaring. The doors are shut now. Sister Harward is spamming the open door button and we stand in silent horror staring at Sister Custer who has the blank face of immediate regret. 

After fifteen seconds the doors open. We run screaming from the elevator, much to the surprise of a poor MTC worker.

"I'm never taking an elevator ever again!" I cry.

"Better get in here." Sister Custer says like a woman whose never known fear.

And with that, we get right back in the elevator and take the rest of the floors down.

 I've really enjoyed the spirit and my fellow missionary comrades. I think the thing I find really reassuring about being a missionary is that I've been set apart for this! My teacher told me that as a missionary I use the priesthood to teach people, and one of the specific things you can do through the spirit as a missionary is promise blessings to the people you teach! I never thought about that, but I think it gives me a lot of comfort that I can use God's power to bring others closer to Christ.