Week 3

So, for those of you who may be too busy to read this whole email here are the two most important take-aways about last Wednesday:

1. I had an epiphany about language learning!!! and instead of being discouraged, I am so excited!

2. I got to teach a real investigator!!! Here at the MTC we have many opportunities to teach 'investigators' or, really, teachers posing as investigators with different issues, but me and my companions were able to teach a real one!! yay!! Most important thing I learned from that experience is that you had better, if nothing else, have a true testimony about the things you're teaching. That's the only way the spirit can enter the room and teach what the investigator needs to here.

Some of you keen ones out there may have been able to pick up on my frustrated undertones of my past couple emails. The first week I had a really hard time adjusting to the social atmosphere of the MTC...I've never been surrounded by so many Mormons in my life. and being with companions all the time is hard. And not being able to listen to an IPod as you fold laundry is the worst....but I have adjusted quite a bit and understand I can live my life the way I want, when I get home, but for now I must submit to this higher law of the Lord in order to have his spirit poured out unto me (and I need it).

And then the second week I was extremely frustrated with Russian and the language teaching strategies here at the MTC....I've heard it over and over again, "we are here to teach you how to teach yourselves" this translates into our teachers not telling us everything we want to know right away, but reminding us of the resources we have in order to find the answers...like the computer based program, our phrasebooks, our workbook, etc....NO! if I'm supposed to learn Russian in three months I need you to tell me the answer!!! I know, awful attitude.....but like I said, last Wednesday the Lord opened my eyes to a greater understanding of my purpose and calmed my fears and washed away my frustrations....and here's my best summary of my stream of consciousness....

"Hhhmmmm, wait a minute....there's no way I can learn everything about everything Russian in two months, so my teachers are right, I have to learn how to teach myself because I am going to be teaching myself probably the next year to year and a half...I am not going to have the amazing resources I have now, so I had better appreciate them while I have them. Also, I am probably going to pick up on the grammar principles/case/adjective endings when I get there, so I maybe don't need to focus to heavily on those now....What do I need to focus on?....What do I want to be able to say the moment I walk off that plane in Ukraine?....How about my testimony? How about phrases from the lessons so I can contribute when we teach, how about how to contact on the street?....YES! that is what I'll focus on!! and that matches perfectly with what has been said about the gift of tongues...it will come when we are focused on accomplishing the Lords work with the language"

The 50 ton load I was carrying on my back about having to learn Russian has disappeared. and I'm sooo excited!!! I am so motivated to learn the phrases to express things I know are true....in the past week with much diligence, I have been able to memorize vocabulary and put together phrases in Russian to where I can teach the first half of the first lesson without notes! and testify about families!! and extend commitments!! and I have the first half of Joseph Smiths account of the First Vision!!(I can't help but brag...but it's really not me, it's the Holy Ghost working with me in order to do the work of the Lord) amazing! how exciting!!! My new found motivation is so exhilarating!!

part 2...so each wed night we have "TRC" or the teaching resource center...which is the goal we work toward each week where we have to perform a task in Russian and then teach a lesson in English (in two weeks I think the task and the lesson will be in Russian). And volunteer investigators come who are either natives who speak Russian (from BYU or something) or they are RM's who speak Russian...for example, this week we had to contact someone by approaching them, asking about their families, testifying about God, extending a commitment, and setting up an appt in Russian, then we come back ten minutes later for a lesson in a room alone with the investigator and our teacher can watch and listen to our lessons via a camera in the room.

Like less than 1% of the time there is a real investigator, or at least a nonmember, who volunteers. And we were able to teach a real investigator!!!! It was amazing!! He was soo golden!. I am so grateful for my experiences I had with the missionaries before I came out because they really set a great example of how to teach with love. We even all knelt for the closing prayer! And even though it was supposed to be 'acting,' our investigator in all seriousness asked if he could keep the Book of Mormon we handed him and actually read the chapter we talked about!!

It was such a perfect experience to revamp how we prepare our lessons and really having a testimony about what we teach.

Thank you all for your love and prayers...I absolutely feel their power. I wish all of you could be here not just because I'm homesick, but to share in these amazing experiences.

much much love!

Cectra Little