MTC week 5... Happy Fathers' Day (late)

Magandang Umaga!

 

Thanks for the letters!  It's much easier to respond :).  But really, thanks.  Happy Fathers Day dad  (yes, I realize it's about a week late). I figured it's better late than never  :) 

It was another great devotional this past tuesday.  Last week and this week have been my favorite.  Oh, I will meet my mission president...today actually.  Right after the special fireside they're holding for us today.  It's pretty spiffy.  We're going to be hearing from an apostle.  The rumor is that it's the prophet!  Then on Sunday for our fireside, they say we get to listen to another one! Hopefully it's true.  That would be great! 

 

This has been another great week!  So many lessons I've learned and still learning this week. On Monday night I wasn't feeling the greatest but I didn't think much of it.  Then on tuesday (the last half of the day) I became sick... full fledged!  I know.... pretty shocking.  I think the only thing I didn't have or do was throwing up.  I even lost my voice on wednesday, thursday and today.  (Although, it just sounded really funny those days when I did speak) It sounds much better today.  No worries. I'm great.  I'm pretty positive that I needed to learn these lessons this way because I wasn't doing them the other way.  God is so merciful!  (I think I've written that line in every journal entry since I got here at the MTC  :)  Although I was sick.  He gave me enough energy and focus so I could still learn in class and go about the day.  Last night, I was planning on going to the temple with Sister Stonick and Sister Hawaiikirungi early this morning.  However, it wasn't the best night's rest I've received.  Then early morning, at 6 AM, I was bad.... really bad... so I couldn't go to the temple.  So Sister S and Sister H stayed with me until Sister Dyer returned around 9 AM.  Anyways, as I was praying, I realized (thanks to the spirit) that I needed to sleep until my kasama returned (which was around 9, as I stated before) and then I would be fine for the rest of today.  So I slept, and then I got up around 9 AM and I felt great!  I love all these lessons I'm learning.  I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father is letting me learn these lessons.  It didn't matter how bad I was feeling during the week, as long as I had the spirit and doing my best, I was really happy.  It's kind of funny, a few days (like one or two) before I got sick, I was thinking about what traits I wanted to have.  I was focusing on humility and realized that I needed and wanted to be humble.  Then BAM the sickness came!  I knew I had a lot of pride before but throughout this week, I have just realized how much pride I really had!  I had only begun to recognize all the pride!  I'm so thankful for that.  I've learned and still learning so many lessons!  I'm so happy and excited!  Seriously, I really am fine.  My voice is still kinda funny sounding, but other than that I'm just fine and dandy.  The language is coming, I'm excited.  I love learning languages!  They're just so fun to learn and fascinating.  Oh yeah, I bet you're all curious as to why my kasama had to return.  Well, she was chosen to sing in the special MTC choir that would and still sing to the Prophet and the rest of the apostles.  Pretty neat experience for her!  She's very talented!  I'm so grateful that she's my companion!  I'm learning so much from her and we're having a fun time!  God is great!  I love the gospel!  I'm so excited!  My IT bands are still healing, but they're almost healed.  Well, anything I have missed just send me a letter and I'll respond!  Thanks mom for doing that!  Thanks for the package!   Sickness has been running rampage throughout the MTC and I think I got mine from my district.... oh well, I appreciate what I've learned! 

 

Mahal Kayo!

Sister Mohrman

MTC week 4..... I'm not "hermana"

Kumusta Pamilya!

 

Thanks for the letters/emails. Thanks for the hello from the petite s family. It's nice to know that some people aren't dead  haha... just kidding.  First of all, I'm not "hermana".  I'm not speaking Spanish.  I'm speaking Tagalog.  In fact, in the Philippines, they call us "sister".  Pretty amazing.  Just thought I would throw that out there  :)  I really do appreciate all of you!  Anyways.... this has been a great week (bet you're not surprised)!  The devotional was amazing.  It was my favorite devotional so far... that's because of what happened on that day.  I'd tell you more but there's not enough time... so I'll hand write it out this week and type it up next week  ;)  I'd just thought you'd enjoy the cliff hanger  :)  haha  I love the MTC!  I'm learning so much!  our 4 person bedroom just acquired two new sisters.  They're in our branch but not in our district. Their group replaced the older ones that just left on Monday. They're (the two sisters) going to Quezon City.  They're really nice girls.... but I am still the youngest of the sisters in our room :)  It's amazing how many weaknesses appear while I'm at the MTC.  And then the spirit just helps to make them stronger!  It's a wonderful experience!  I love all the study time!  Except, there's not much of it.  The food is... just food.  By the way, sorry about last week. The computer was being really funky.  Oh well.  I'm loving the TRC and the great opportunity to grow in there (and in the rest of the MTC).  My companion and I are becoming closer every day and we're becoming a very strong companionship (we're already pretty strong, but there's always a need for improvement).  My two teachers (I wrote about them in my last email, but I'm not sure you read that) are really wonderful teachers!  Their names are Brother Mansfield and Sister Sorenson (?).  I'm learning a lot from the two of them.  They explain things in such a clear manner and they compliment each other's teachings when it's their turn.  (They don't teach at the same time)  Yes, they plan it but how they do it.... that's the amazing thing.  My district is really a unique district.  So many people have commented about this (branch presidency and other various authorities and teachers).  They are a wonderful district!  Well, this is going to be a short email.... my bad.  But I will write more next week.  Stay tuned for more adventures at the MTC.  Inget Po!

 

Mahal Kayo!

Sister Mohrman

MTC week 3: Fun stuff....

Mangadang Hapon!

 

So.... exciting news.  On Monday the older district is leaving so my district and the other ones that came on the same day are going to be the "senior missionaries".  Fun eh?  Not really, that means we now have to prepare a talk completely in Tagalog every week and then our Branch president randomly calls a couple of missionaries during the meeting to give it.  fun, fun.  It's a great learning experience. I get to practice forming sentences together.  I hope I get called soon so I don't have to give it later  :)  Great learning experience at the TRC yesterday.  It's amazing how much I'm learning at such a quick pace.  The spirit is helping me so much and pushing me beyond myself.  I love the MTC.  Well, I guess I should tell you some of the basic information.  I have two teachers, Sister Sorenson (?) and Brother Mansfield. They are the best teachers ever (well besides the spirit and stuff like that)!  I learn so much from them.  The food here is not bad but I think it's overrated.  I think the milk is the best.  In fact, I love the milk, (not that you all are surprised, but if you were then there's need to be concerned :) They have a wrap bar (kinda like the pita pit).  They're good and quite filling.  I study in a classroom and sleep in a room....  I love the MTC.  The language is coming, that's pretty exciting.  Slowly, but still faster then what it normally would be.  I love the gospel.  

I had quite the humbling experience this week.  My eye (the one that didn't get the stye in it) became infected.  That was rather interesting.  My eye swelled up and for a bit, it looked like Frankenstein's daughter was walking in the MTC.  Anyways, this happened around Tuesday...ish.  My companion wanted me to go get it checked out but I assured her that with a hot rag over my eye and time that it would get better....silly me.  The pain increased in my eye until during class (in our companion study). Finally, I agreed we should go to the Health clinic.  fun, fun.  During this time, I realized that I had been ignoring the spirit because of pride and stubborness on my part.  The spirit told sister Dyer to take me to the health center.  Once we got to the health clinic, they had only one opening up at the BYU health center.  The appointment was 10 minutes from where we were on that day.  It was the only opening for the next several days.  This was also a day where they had 7 eye doctors up at BYU.  The MTC health clinic was full, that's why we were sent up to BYU.  When we got to the eye doctor place in the health center, the doctor told me that I needed to put a hot rag over my eye for four times a day and use these special drops in my eye or else it would become worse and I'd have to get surgery on my eye to get it out!  I realized even more how important it is to listen to the spirit.  I also think that I needed to listen to my companion when she gets them... quite the lesson learned.  NO worries, my eye is practically healed.  I guess I just needed to learn a lesson in humility.  I'm really grateful for these lessons I'm learning.  God is so merciful to me.  I need to go, but I'll write the rest later. 

 

Inget Po

Mahal Kay

Sister Mohrman

MTC week 2 (well a week and a half but apparently the half week counts as the first week)

Magandang Umaga!

 

Well, I decided that since I have 30 minutes on the computer... I would write to you all first and then read your wonderful emails.  So if there are any questions you wanted me to answer then you have to wait until next week or... you can send me a dear elder thingy mabobber(?).  This has been an incrediable week!  I've learned so much!  By the way Dad, I didn't get any letters until Saturday after I sent the email to you.... we had to wait until our District Leader was called and then until he got the mail.  My district is amazing!  My companion and fellow sister roommates are wonderful.... I'm learning so much from them and I am so humbled that I get the opportunity to be around them and learn from their great examples.  My motto for this email is "welcome the task that takes you beyond yourself".  That was given by Susan W. Tanner during our first Relief Society.  That's exactly how I feel.  During the first week it seemed that several of my many weaknesses all came down on me....  It was hard but then during each of these learning experiences the spirit helped me out so much that sometimes I didn't realize he was there helping me until I felt happier and not so overwhelmed.  I'm so grateful that I get to work on these weaknesses of mine.  I'm learning so much! The spirit is so amazing and I always want to be worthy to have the spirit. I've got so much to work on but I'm not overwhelmed by it anymore.  I'm learning so much!  It's amazing what the spirit teaches me throughout the day.... every day.   It's amazing.  The devotionals and firesides are so worth it and then watching the movies afterwards.. It's a spiritual high! 

Yesterday we had companionship inventory!  The spirit was very strong!  My companion and I talked to each other about our weaknesses and our misconceptions we have each other!  Our companionship has only gotten stronger.  We both are striving to serve our Lord to the best of our capabilities.  He is helping us so much!  I'm learning so much from her!  Sorry this is short.... my journal entries are probably shorter  :)  if that's any consolation!  hehe.  I love the MTC!  I'm enjoying the lessons I'm learning.  I had the TRC yesterday for the first time and I learned a lot but I need to go so I can read those wonderful emails! Mahal Kayo!

 

Love,

Sister Mohrman

MTC- week 1 AHHHHHHHH

Magandong Umaga!

 

So guess what.  The group of missionaries that came in with me and myself are part of the new pilot program..... oh boy.  They speak Tagalog to us all the time and don't speak English (well they speak English a little, but not much).  It's very helpful but wow. On the second day we learned how to bear our testimony and say a lot of phrases.  Then we were given the assignment to bear our testimony to 10 groups of missionaries.  Yesterday, we learned how to pray in Tagalog.  Now we can't pray in anything else but Tagalog.  We're learning the past, present, command, and future tenses.  We learned a lot of other stuff but there's too much that I can't write it down  :)  (I probably am just lazy to write it down, though)  :)  There's just so much going on besides them speaking Tagalog.  It's amazing.  I really feel the spirit helping me out.  My companion's name is Sister Dyer.  She's from Orem.  The other two sisters that I share a room with are Sister Stonick and Sister Hawaiikirungi.  Sister Stonick is from Sandy and Sister Hawaiikirungi is from New Zealand.  There are six beds but we only fill four in our room.  Fun stuff.  My district has 12 missionaries. Eight elders and four sisters.  They're all so amazing.  There's no punk type elders in my district.  The sisters that I'm with are all spiritual giants and are very articulate with what they say.  I feel so humbled and blessed to be with these three sisters so I can learn from them.  When I mean spiritual giants, I mean it.  I'm not exaggerating.  On the day we came here (so Wednesday) they had the actor investigator with all of us in the room.  When it came time to participate, they all participated.  They have powerful testimonies. I'm the junior companion (they chose senior comps by alphabetical order).  It's all good. I'm really happy to be here.  There are so many things I've experienced that it's incrediable.  The spirit is so strong here. There's so much to learn, though.  I'm like at the beginning of my journey to acquire this knowledge.  Sometimes I wish I could just fast forward six months and then presto! I would know so much more.  However, I know that I need to learn line upon line and enjoy the journey along the way.  I hope things are going great for you guys!  Mahal kayo (I love you all).  Salamut (Thank you) for everything!

 

Mahal Kayo,

Sister Mohrman

May 25th...Sister Mohrman arrives at the MTC

Farewell Discourse on May 22, 2011

Robert Fulghum, at a conference, asked a well known doctor a question that he hadn’t been able to find an answer for.  He asked, Dr. Papaderos, what is the meaning of life?  Dr. Papaderos, seeing that it was a serious question, answered it

 

Taking his wallet out of his pocket, he…brought out a very small round mirror, about the size of a quarter, and said…  “When I was a small child during the war (WWII), we were very poor and we lived in a remote village.  One day on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror. A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.

“I tried to find all the pieces and put them together but it was not possible, so I kept only the largest piece. This one. And by scratching it on a stone, I made it round. I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun could never shine—in deep holes and crevices and dark closets. It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find.

“I kept the little mirror; and as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game. As I became a man, I grew to understand that this was not just a child’s game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of the light. But light—truth, understanding, knowledge—is there, and it will only shine in many dark places if I reflect it.  

“I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into dark places of this world—into the black places in the hearts of men—and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life.”

 

     This story can pertain to many different topics; however, I thought about service when I read this story.  Coincidentally, that’s what my talk is about. It’s based on Elder Oaks’ talk he gave back in April of 2009. In his talk he said, “Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. He taught that each of us should follow Him by denying ourselves of selfish interests in order to serve others. If any man will come after me [He said], let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  Time and time again, we’ve been told and commanded to serve one another.  In Mathew chapter 22, verses 37-40, it reads…………    Service is the driving force of what makes things good in life and it shows our appreciation for what God has done for us. No matter what we accomplish in our lives, it means nothing if we don’t serve others.  President Monson said, “An attitude of love characterized the mission of the Master. He gave sight to the blind, legs to the lame, and life to the dead. Perhaps when we face our Maker, we will not be asked, ‘How many positions did you hold?’ but rather, ‘How many people did you help?’ In reality, you can never love the Lord until you serve Him by serving His people.”

     Often, service is never in our time table and we have to make room it.  We have to sacrifice our personal things in order do what we’ve been asked to do. In Elder Oaks’ talk he gives many examples of how members of our church give service. He said that Latter-Day Saints are uniquely committed to sacrifice. Many members go to the temple to do work for dead. They spend countless hours doing work for those who have passed on. Members also sacrifice for their children.  They selflessly bear children and then raise them while sacrificing some of their own wants. Another example is that every week we partake of the sacrament; in doing so, ‘we witness our commitment to serve the Lord and our fellowmen.’ ‘In sacred temple ceremonies we covenant to sacrifice and consecrate our time and talents for the welfare of others. Members also serve in humanitarian efforts.’  These are all ways that we can serve and continue to serve as we go through life.

     Service not only helps the receiver, but it helps the giver out too. It’s funny, when I’m having a bad day, feeling depressed or having self-pity party.  The solution that comes up or is advised to me is to serve others and forget about my problems. By doing this, I’ve found that my problems seem easier to manage and they’re not a big deal anymore.  An example is that a few semesters ago, I had many projects and some major tests to do. I was feeling very overwhelmed; the typical feeling of a college student.  While a friend of mine was having problems with her life. Her house was really bothering her because it was so messy and it was adding on to her problems.  I volunteered my services, not really expecting her to accept them.  However, a few days later I got a call from her to see if I would help her.  I had to sacrifice time in studying to help but I went and I helped her.  Afterwards, I found my problems were manageable and were easier to do and I felt better too. In Elder Oaks’ talk he also said that “Unfortunately, some Latter-day Saints seem to forego unselfish service to others, choosing instead to fix their priorities on the standards and values of the world. Jesus cautioned that Satan desires to sift us like wheat, which means to make us common like all those around us. But Jesus taught that we who follow Him should be precious and unique, “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” to shine forth to all men.” We need to forego the standards of the world and work to build up the Lord’s standards.  In the story about Dr. Papaderos; about how he realized that his life was like the mirror.  Since he chose to, he could reflect the truth, the goodness, and the service that others saw and was an example to many people.  That’s how we need to be.  In Mathew 5:14-16 it reads…………………..

     We all have an obligation to sacrifice our time, talents and ourselves for the furthering of the kingdom of God.  Service is a large part of that because we use those things to help others.  The more we serve, the better examples we become to the world in showing them what we believe and how we need to act. A large portion of Elder Oaks’ talk was then dedicated to missionary work. The prophet Joseph said, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel.” Every year, thousands of missionaries sacrifice their personal time, priorities and desires in order to serve the Lord by going on a mission.

     When you speak with returned missionaries, they don’t regret it.  They learn things that they couldn’t learn anywhere else.  Despite how hard it was for them; for the most part, they all loved their missions and want to go back.  Where much is given, much is required.  We’ve been given and blessed with so many things that we have higher standards that we must meet and should want to meet.  Service is one of the keys to reaching these standards. Going on a mission is a great way to serve.  For me, it’s a dream come true. Ever since I was a little girl, well little in age because I’m still kind of short, I’ve wanted to go on a mission. God has helped me so much in my life and with my problems and blessed me with countless things that I can’t even begin to list. This desire that I’ve had and still have is that I want to serve others and help bring them to the knowledge of their God and their Redeemer and let them experience what I’ve experienced in my own life. 

     I’ve always loved serving and I’m happy that I get to show my appreciation by going on a mission. Missions are the ideal way to serve too. You don’t have to worry about any tests or homework or silly things like that.  You get to focus on serving the Lord fully without worrying about things like that.  Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What you are is God’s gift to you; and what you do with yourself is your gift to God.” That’s how it is when you do service. You’re serving the master when you reach outside of yourself and serve others. At the end of the talk, Elder Oaks said, “Our Savior teaches us to follow Him by making the sacrifices necessary to lose ourselves in unselfish service to others. If we do, He promises us eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God”, the glory and joy of living in the presence of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.” I challenge you all to find ways to serve, and find ways to better the lives of others.

BEAR TESTIMONY