Last Three Days at the MTC

Well, my time at the MTC in Provo is over. I loved the sisters in my district and our two teachers, Sister Randall and Sister Hughes. I didn’t like the food! It was a menu for young men – lots of carbs! I am happy to be back to fruits and veggies again!

On Thursday, I had lunch with Simon and gave him the car. We went out for street tacos. I put what I thought was marinated red onions and veggies on mine and discovered that they were habanero peppers (100 times hotter than jalapeno peppers!) My mouth was on fire! Luckily, they took pity on a poor novice at understanding street tacos and let me try with some new tacos! 

The best things about the MTC were the wonderful spirit that is there and the practice we had at teaching one-on-one. Our teachers taught us how to create personal lessons based upon the needs of those we are teaching. We get to know them and any particular problems they might be having (sometimes, we can just ask them). Then we create a lesson to help them with their need:

1. What is the need?
2. What can we invite them to do that will help them with their need?
3. What is the doctrine/gospel principle that the invitation is related to?
4. What resources can we use to reinforce that principle (videos, stories, etc.)

Then, we teach in the opposite order:

4. Tell stories, show videos, etc.
3. Describe the gospel principle involved
2. Invite them to do something that will help them with the problem they are having
1. Talk to them about how this will help them and the blessings that will come to them if they do this gospel-related action.

Our teachers let us practice on them and were really open and genuine about the things that they themselves struggle with. This helped us not only to learn, but to appreciate their example of being genuine and humble.

Saturday morning, I left the MTC. I had to be out of my room at 7, with my shuttle coming at 9:40. I was told that I wouldn’t be able to check into the hotel until 3 pm and I was SOOO tired. But when I got to the hotel at 11, the room was ready and I laid down for a 3-hour nap. Heaven!! Then I went to an early dinner with Joseph and Rosa. A really good day!