Kumasta mo, Everybody!!
Welp, another amazing week here in beautiful Provo, Utah! Haha the weather has been awesome - freezing cold in the mornings and perfectly cold in the afternoons. But enough about the weather... Let's see here.
Friday. I think I told you guys about how we had to teach our "investigator" in Cebuano starting the day after we got here? Yea, so we have been teaching at least one lesson a day this week because we now have TWO investigators! Even though it is just role play, it has helped me and Elder Lasalosi SO MUCH!!! The past two lessons we have had - no notes! At all!
So I am starting to be able to communicate my thoughts (to a certain extent of course) in Cebuano! It's been two weeks! That is what I call the Power of the Spirit and the Gift of Tongues. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father's help in these crazy 6 weeks we have here to learn a completely new language. I know that, if I do everything I can, The Lord will pick up the rest and I will be able to get this language down.
Anyways, our two investigators' names are Luke and Jerrick. They were both raised Catholic because that was what their parents were. Long story short, they are both basically just wondering why they are here. What are they supposed to do in this life on Earth?? Well hellloooo!! That's perfect, because that's a question that I can answer. Alma 34:32 (among so many others).
Alma 34:32 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."
I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of where I came from, why I'm here, and where I'm going after I die. We are so lucky to have this peace and comfort in a world where people are scared when a loved one dies that they will never see them again. That makes me so sad. I just want to tell them everything and tell them that they will see them again.
Saturday marked a very special day in our hearts... ONE MONTH UNTIL WE LEAVE! Hahah kinda funny that we're already so excited to get out of here, but it's just because we want to get to work and to start serving the people of the Philippines. But we do still have lots to learn haha.
Our two devotionals were pretty amazing this week! The Sunday one was good, but my favorite part of Sunday was after the devotional when we had the opportunity to watch Elder Bednar's "Character of Christ" address that he gave to the MTC a couple years ago for the Christmas Devotional. Uh-Mazing.
I learned so much! It was basically all about how we need to strive to overcome the natural man in everything we do. The natural man is inside all of us and pulls us toward worldly things and toward always thinking about ourselves. The Character of Christ is never - not even once - pointed inward to ourselves. We need to always be looking for ways to serve others and put their needs before our own. And these aren't just little decisions that we make to serve others when the time comes, but it is a lifestyle we lead - a character we have. Christ's character is something that we can all strive to have just a little bit more of as we go through this life. As we constantly focus our thoughts outward, on others, our needs will be met, we will be so happy, and most importantly, you will bless the lives of others.
Our Tuesday devotional was given by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy and was on opening our mouths. Haha I feel like this talk may have been directed towards the nervous, maybe a little more shy, group of missionaries here that may struggle to have the courage and faith to open their mouths. I'm not sure I really fall into that category of missionaries. I think I'm in the group that talks too much and is too outright and open and maybe makes people uncomfortable by treating them like we're best friends before I know their name. Hahaha I've had that happen a couple times here where I start a conversation with someone and learn about every detail of their life - except their name. At the end of the conversation I'll be like, "So.. uhh.. What's your name?"
Anyways... The talk was amazing and I know that as we strive to open our mouths and talk to everyone we meet, we will increase our opportunities to find someone who is ready to listen. I like the analogy to baseball. A hitter has a 0% chance of getting a hit if he doesn't swing the bat. 0% - there is no possible way. When we swing, or open our mouths, we increase that ratio.
So that was pretty much my week! It was amazing and I learned so much! Emily McAlindin asked me a question about what my days typically entail here at the MTC. I thought that was a good question and a lot of you may be wondering that as well. So this is what I sent her:
6:30 - Wake up and get ready for the day
7:00 - Personal study (scriptures, preparing for lessons, reading, writing in journal, stuff like that)
8:15 - Breakfast
8:45-11:45 - Classroom instruction (learning the language and spiritual stuff too)
11:45-1:10 - Language study
1:10 - Lunch
1:55 - Companionship study
2:45-5:45 - Classroom instruction (same thing as before) (also, we teach "investigators" during this time to practice teaching in our language and stuff like that)
5:45-6:15 - Planning for the next day
6:15 - Dinner
7:00 - TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning) (Computer language stuff)
8:30 - Gym
9:30 - Get back to dorms and prepare for the next day!
10:30 - Lights out
Anyways, I love you all so much! Or in other words.... Basta, gihigugma mo kaayo! Baby Jacobs out.
Kinasing Kasing,
Elder James Ryan Jacobs
P.S. I FOUND THE PILLOW ROOM. It's heaven. I may or may not have 5 extra pillows in my room right now.
P.P.S. Thank you all so much for the letters and packages!! They make my days even more awesome.
