July 9th-15th First call home

First week at MTC/First call home

We were all excited to hear from Shaylee this week.  Addison actually got a surprise call from her on friday evening where she had to share a scripture with someone.  Addison was pretty proud that it was her.  She sent a picture to Dean and I with her talking to Shaylee, to say we were all jealous would be an understatement.  Her P-day in the MTC was Tuesday so we were all excited to talk to her.  Addison and Dad had to work but they got on during their breaks.  She is doing so well.  Her and her companion Sister. Glazier are figuring things out and really love their district.  The second day there they all went to the Temple and did a session.  Shaylee loved going to a new temple and they only have 4 sisters in their district and 4 in their room with them.  Shaylee says the food is fine and the classes are good.  They are keeping them busy on cafeteria duty and their service duties which was to clean the stair wells.  Shaylee carried the mop and water down the stairs she was drenched at the end.  Come to find out everyone else took elevators to each floor so they didn't have to carry the mop and bucket.  lol.  She says that all the sisters wont play basketball with her.  You have to have another sister to be able to join a game with Elders because Elders arent aloud to guard sister missionaries. She sits and watches them play wishing she could join in.  I will end this with her email she sent out this week.  They are leaving the MTC on her next p-day so we probably won't get to talk with her tell she gets out in the field.

Shaylee Monson

Tue, Jul 15, 3:33 PM

CHAPTER 1: PROVO MTC

Weather update: 93°

What's up guys, It's my first official p-day from home which is actually so crazy. I decided I was gonna do better than my brother preston at sending emails while he was on his mission and so far it's looking real good. Anyways here's something you should know: 

•Baggu bags are the best thing ever invented and everyone has a baggu bag here. Plus it's just fun to say. So go get yourself a baggu bag. (this one is for my haters of the baggu bag) 

Honestly this week was kinda everywhere. We have 6 hours of classes each day and than we usually have a workshop and devotional as well. Me and my comp sister Glazier have lowkey been killing it with our teaching skills though. Basically it's all just role playing a ton of different scenarios and at this point I kinda feel like a theater kid. (Nothing against my fellow theater kids) Anyways me and sister Glazier had our second HOA appointment this week and it actually went so good! We also had the opportunity to go to the Mount Timp temple twice this week and do baptisms, initiatories, and a endowment session. So that was also hype. It was super cool being in a room of tons of missionaries all doing an endowment session. I will tell you though... ive also never seen so many people asleep during an endowment session. We all helped each other out by making sure everyone was awake when they needed to be but I will tell you it was rough. With almost 8 or so hours of classes a day, when you put us in a dark room sitting down were bound to fall asleep. Me and sister glazier did good about keeping the other one awake though.

Lunch duty: I don't know how we got put on lunch duty the first week we were here but I will tell you that they really wasted no time putting us on lunch duty. Lunch duty is not fun and I do not recommend. My sacrament meeting here is at 8am and let me tell you it felt weird going to church at 8am in the morning compared to my 1:30pm church back at home. I love love love my district and we all get along really well. So shout out to district C! 

Spiritual thought: This thought was shared in a devotional the first night we were here. 

We talked about the character of christ and what the character of christ was.

As I came home from that devotional I decided to really study what the character of christ was. In short this was the experience and conclusion I came to: 

The character of christ is to turn outward. When life gets hard, when trials come our way, when we feel forgotten or to far gone, the natural man in us turns inwards. I don't think we do it on purpose. But naturally we throw what seems to be a pitty party for ourselves. We start to compare our lives to others through social media and what we see from an outside perspective. We turn inward and often think "why is this happening to me". But when hard times came for jesus what did he do? Luke 23:34 says "34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." (This is one of many examples) Jesus turned outward. I often think of how easy it would have been for him to think "why did this have to happen to me" but jesus wasn't thinking that way at all. Instead he threw his thoughts outward. In my devotional they shared a story about a mom who had a missionary in the field. Her son was in a trio and they received news that this trio got in an accident and one of them was in a really bad condition.The doctors didnt think he would make it. None of the mothers of these missionaries knew whether it was their son or not. Finally one mother recieved news from a general authority saying it was her son who passed away. Her first words after his statement were "we have to tell the other mothers. They are probably worried sick about their sons" that powerful story has stuck with me throughout the week. How easy would it have been for this mother to wonder "why did it have to be my son" "why did this have to happen to me" but instead she looked outward. I'm not saying we can't have these thoughts. But as we try to emulate the example of jesus chrsit I just want to challenge you all to turn outward. Someone needs the love of christ and if we're focused on our lifes all the time we will miss the opportunity to serve as he did, love as he did, and teach through example as he did. 

I love you all and miss everyone! By next Tuesday I will already be flying to Canada so that's exciting!!! Thank you for all the emails this week!!!