Hello Everyone!
I love being here at the CTM. It's great. My district (our
group of Elders and Sisters) is pretty tight. We got two new Sisters this week from
the Provo CTM, and holy cow, it's been nice to have a little less goofing around in the classroom (Sala de Aula.) We pretty much settled down and
we're super great friends, but now we can also get some studying done.
I'm worried for the new sisters a little though. At the
Provo MTC, there's just not as much Português practice. You're in the US and
you only practice with your instructor really. Here, I have to use it all the
time. I'm learning so quickly. I'm loving all of the studying. Super weird, but
I think my brain was having school withdrawals from a 6 month summer. The
sisters will catch up quickly though. Being in Brazil with lots of Brazilians
makes a huge difference.
Not much new stuff goes on at the CTM. It's basically training
for being a missionary, so I'm not going to get all of the stories that I
probably would in the field. I figured it might be nice for you guys to see a
typical schedule while I'm here:
6:30 – Wake up
7:00 - Personal Study
7:30 - Breakfast
8:00 - Personal Study
8:30 - Practice Teaching and
Preparing Lesson (We teach "Jéssica" who is
really Irmã Majory in disguise)
really Irmã Majory in disguise)
9:30 - Instructor Lessons (Irmã Majory)
11:30 - Additional Study and
Practice
12:15 - Lunch
1:00 - Additional Study and
Practice
1:30 - Practice Teaching and
Preparing Lessons ('Luis")
2:15 - Instructor Lessons (Irmão
Mello)
4:45 - Additional Study and
Practice
5:15 - Dinner
6:00 - Physical Activity (We play
Volleyball and it's SO FUN!) After this we either have a devotional, service,
or more studying and planning for the rest of the day.
It's hard to get use to at first,
but I do really love it. Although, I cannot wait to actually get out into
BRASIL!!!
Spiritual Thought: Tuesday, we had a great devotional about scripture
study. The scriptures can really change people's lives. There's this great
quote by Ezra Taft Benson that goes something like this: "The world works
from the outside in while God works from the inside out. The world would take
the people out of the slums while the Lord would take the slums out of the
people who could then take themselves out of the slums... People would change
human behavior where God can change human nature." I love to think that I
really can change, that I can become better. I love that there is such thing as
infinite potential, and that we all have it! It makes me so sad to see people
say that "it's just the way I am" or that "I can't change."
I know that I'm not satisfied with where I am right now. I want to grow and
change. I know that I can change my heart and all the bad parts of me through
the gospel of Jesus Christ. His atonement and sacrifice for me doesn't just
make up the difference between me now and the better me later; it makes ALL the difference. (LOOK UP BRAD
WILCOX'S GRACE IS SUFFICENT TALK.) Through scripture study and prayer, we
can access the atonement and change ourselves into the person we want to be.
I've felt this.
Thanks for your emails. I love you guys!
Until next week, Sister Hansen
