Sorry I didn't have time to write in my blog last week. I told you things have started to get busy with basketball and everything! We have also been planning a stake service project for this saturday and we had a ward service project last week so I've been really busy with my calling and with school, work and basketball. I'll start with the week before last. Pretty much I was just busy with work and such and long basketball practices. We had a stake halloween party so after work I went to Kristin and Carly's and we dressed up and went to the halloween party. It was okay....not super fun or anything. That next day I subbed for one of the other teachers and pretty much worked all day. It was a good day at work though. I seriously have an awesome district. Then on sunday we put together these hygiene kits that we had the ward donate stuff for. It was pretty awesome because we've been able to do a lot of service as a ward! This past week was just pretty busy with school and everything. We had a meeting at work where the guy in charge of the MTC told us that we need to have the missionaries teach us teachers a full lesson. Now that's pretty hard to do with all the things that we need to get done in class. But he does have a point because how can we really get to know there needs if they don't teach us a full lesson. So we've been trying to do that in our classes now. Tuesday night my friend called me crying so after my stake meeting I went and talked to her about things she is dealing with. You'd be surprised how many people having trials and problems here at BYU. I think everyone just seems so happy and act like it so that no one will know. But I really have been trying to make time for other people and try to be aware of things that they are going through. Thursday night we had our first basketball game. It was actually really good. I mean it was really quick and just really fun. Too bad stinkin' Utah beat TCU otherwise my day would have been great! Friday night I studied for a test then sat. morning I went to work then took my test during the football game. Then I finished watching the game and worked on homework and studied the rest of the night. So I've pretty much been a loser and haven't really been hanging out with my friends. I've just been so overwhelmed with everything right now. I mean, I knew this was going to happen. I knew I was going to get busy. I think once I finish this week things will start to get a little better until finals. I just have a couple tests this week and then the thanksgiving break comes. So it'll be nice to get a little break with that.
Well I'm trying to think of some other interesting things that happened this week. I mean everyday at work is great. One awesome thing did happen on saturday. We were in the middle of weekly planning and the district was kinda debating about which goals to set. So the district leader just said let's say a prayer. So we all knelt down and he said a prayer. He prayed for everybody by name too. That was so powerful. It reminded me of when Christ prayed for the people in 3 Nephi 17. After that they came to a conclusion and we moved on. Anyway, that was just a powerful thing. They are all such amazing missionaries and I feel so blessed to have them. One of the sisters is struggling with something and she wrote me a note the other day so I need to talk to her in the morning. Just a couple things Dad with mission prep. Too many missionaries that come to the MTC are just not familiar with Preach My Gospel. They have not read it before they came so the first couple weeks they spend most of their time reading it and trying to get familiar with it. So we always set a goal for them to do that at the beginning and imagine if you only get 3 weeks total in the MTC. That's hard. Also a lot of them aren't familiar with the doctrine of the lessons so that makes things hard as well. They have not ever practiced teaching the doctrine of the lessons so that takes up a lot of time too. Those are all things that I feel they should be familiar doing before they even enter the MTC. Just one other thing. The focus right now of the MTC and missionary work in general is really adapting teaching to meet the needs of the investigator. Too many missionaries teach the same things over and over again when what you teach really should depend on getting to know the investigator and teaching according to what they need. If missionaries did this then they would be able to help way more people. A lot of times they just want to teach and get it over with and don't really consider what the investigator really is struggling with. Everyone is on a spiritual journey and as a missionary it's important to help them in that progress whether it be through faith or just repentance or what nor. Ch.10 talk a lot about this. It would be very beneficial if they practiced and understood this before they entered the MTC. Anyway, that's pretty much what comes to my mind right now. I know our mission prep class in our ward is awesome because we all actually practice these things rather than just listen to the teacher talk, talk, talk. Missionaries need to practice in order to improve. We are the same way as well. John 7:17- We need to do the doctrine in order to know of the doctrine. I think that's the right reference. Anyway there is a lot of action involved in the process. Anyway, I gotta go to class. I'll try to add more later.