Week 11: My Last Letter in America!

Hello!

I can't believe my time at the MTC is coming to a close!  It feels like I got to the MTC just yesterday!  I can't possibly be ready to go to Mongolia already!  I'm really excited, though!  I have started packing and organizing and cleaning everything.  I think either my brain is in denial or God is really blessing me.  I feel peaceful, and if I start feeling nervous, I feel this peace come over me like God is telling me not to worry because He wants me right here.  I'm so grateful for those tender mercies.  

Since Saturday, not too much has happened, but I'll catch you up on the last couple of days.  

On Saturday, we ate lunch at the temple, which is as close to a home cooked meal I have gotten in 10 weeks!  It tasted so good!  I had roast beef and mashed potatoes!  These were my first potatoes made from actual potatoes in weeks!  Afterward, we napped and then went to class and taught a lesson in Mongolian.  We also had a lesson to help us with our listening skills.  Our teacher showed us a conference talk in Mongolian.  Between all 9 of us, students, we could understand about 20 words in the 2 minutes we listened.  So basically my Mongolian is lacking.  I guess I can't really expect any different after only learning "hello" 10 weeks ago.  It's going to get much better starting in about 2 days! :)

Sunday was an amazing day!  Despite daylight savings, I didn't really feel tired.  Sacrament meeting was about enduring to the end.  I found it so profound because I am doing the best I can to not get trunky and mentally check-out early from the MTC.  Our Mongolian district sang the special musical number, and we performed Nearer My God to Thee in Mongolian.  It sounded really pretty.  On the very last chorus, we sang in English the words, "I need Thee, oh I need Thee.  Every hour I need Thee.  Oh bless me now, my Savior.  I come to Thee."  It really hit me that by me leaving this week, I'm coming to Christ.  I am relying totally on Him to help me.  I can't do it without Him.  I need Him every hour.  After sacrament meeting, Sister Hansen and I taught Relief Society.  It was a great lesson because everyone participated and shared amazing insights.  I'm truly surrounded by amazing people!  The temple walk was absolutely gorgeous.  The sky was blue, the weather was warm, and I got to be with my friends on the temple grounds!  We attended the departure devotional afterward, where we were given motherly advice from the MTC president's wife.  She told me everything my own mom would tell me!  For example, she said, "Be the missionary your mom thinks you are!"  I'm trying!!!  We missed choir because of the departure devotional, but I'll go tonight and sing This is the Christ.  A perfect last song, if you ask me!  We got prime seating in the big devotional, though, because we got there before all of the choir members chose their seats.  Elder Allen spoke again, and it was his best talk yet!  I loved hearing his words about how God has infinite love for each of us.  He knows exactly where we are and what we are doing.  He is entrusting His beloved Mongolian children to me with a charge to serve them with all of my heart.  I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I want to do my very best.  

Yesterday was the first "normal" day I've had in a while!  We had normal study time, gym time, and class time.  The biggest difference from a "normal" day and yesterday was that Sister Hansen and I performed our vocal duet for the arriving senior missionaries.  It was such a treat to perform again and feel the Spirit so strongly.  We also had Chick-fil-A for dinner!  SO many blessings! :)  We taught one of our investigators for the last time.  It was really sad to tell him that we are moving.  Even though he is our teacher, it felt like he was a real investigator that is coming closer to Christ.  The cool thing is I could possibly meet the real person (who my teacher was pretending to be) when I get to Mongolia!  I am excited to see where the Lord takes me and who He brings into my life.

I have learned so much at the MTC.  I have learned more about faith and how the Savior suffered for me.  He truly knows exactly what each of us need, and He is more merciful than we can ever comprehend.  He is never mad at us.  Instead, He welcomes us, with open arms, to come closer to Him.  I can do nothing without my Savior.  But with Him, I can do all things.

I will talk to you from Mongolia!  I love you all!!!

Sister Bottorff

Mongolia Sisters

The Zone