The MTC has only gotten crazier since I last wrote. The new buildings are in full effect. The missionaries are coming in by the hundreds every Wednesday. And my time here is shortening by the minute. It's hard to believe that I'll be in Korea, speaking Korean, with real Korean people just about two weeks from now. Oh boy. But I'm actually not all that stressed out about the language. I've already witnessed that the Gift of Tongues is real while I've been here at the MTC. It just clicks when you're doing your best focusing on the work and not yourself. The only real stress that I experience here at the MTC is what feels like a massive lack of time for everything and these new zone leader responsibilities. And speaking of the zone, we got a new zone last week! (sorry no pictures of the new zone this week, new missionaries have a lot going on their first week) We have nine more American missionaries, six more Korean natives with us, plus the eight that were already here sooo: twenty-three missionaries in the Korean Zone (up until the Wednesday after I leave). IT's been nice trying to help them out and help them de-stress and feel at home. And just a bit of venting here but: Sundays at the MTC are on the border of changing from a day of rest to a day of stress. They just recently overhauled everyone's Sunday schedules so now it's just jam-packed with meetings and other things up until dinner. I don't even remember breathing. But maybe more on that later.
Highlights of the week: PRESIDENT UCHTDORF WAS IN THE BUILDING. Unfortunately I didn't get to see him but I got to see a picture of him and I shook someone's hand that shook his so I basically met President Uchtdorf the other day. I'm pretty sure he was here to tour the new buildings. Which leads to my second highlight which is that I got to study on the top floor of the new building. It is so nice. The spaces in the corners play soft instrumental music from out of nowhere, the view is more than ideal, and the bathrooms are nicer than the temple bathrooms, no joke. But I digress...
So I mentioned earlier that Sunday is a gauntlet here at the MTC, and I'd like to share an experience about that. So the whole week, my companions and myself, were flooded with new or extra responsibilities so there wasn't a minute to spare the whole week. We've started teaching our first real investigator, along with teaching our teachers, and teaching ourselves. We participated in hosting this week (bringing in new missionaries on their very first day). And we had new responsibilities surrounding our new zone. Just listing this much sounds like a manageable workload but this isn't even accounting our Sunday responsibilities. Putting together and planning the entire sacrament meeting. Preparing five minute talks in full Korean. And preparing lessons for Priesthood/Relief Society and District meeting. So knowing that we didn't have any time during the week to prepare for Sunday, our whole Zone was in turmoil.
BUT, there's a happy end to this story. I'll share a scripture; Alma 26:27 "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." Our hearts were definitely depressed this week. And I'm not sure how you're able to turn back at the MTC but I'll admit I didn't have the best attitude about it 100% of the time. BUt at the end of the day, I just had to accept the facility's timing, which happens to be the Lord's timing. And when I finally learned to accept it when Sunday came around, I was able to complete all the things which I had been tasked to do. I felt the Spirit numerous times that day when I thought I would only feel despair. The Lord's on our side, and he will give us success if we abide with Him.
Welp, that's all I got for this week. I'm not sure I'll be able to broadcast again next week, and if that doesn't happen: the next thing you will be reading is my experience in Korea! So stoked. But thanks to everyone who wrote! Thanks for the letters/packages! And thanks to Eliott for the cookies, they were awesome. I hope every one is well, and I'll talk to you later!
-Elder Metcalf
Some pictures of the new building/view. And a picture of my companions dying on Saturday.
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