From the MTC

A Whole New World!

Today is my third day at the MTC- and my first preparation day. I have discovered that p day is necessary to maintain sanity.

My trip to the MTC was a bit hazardous. My flight came in alongside the first major snowstorm  to hit Northern Utah this season.

 We got between 10 and 12 inches, I think. Because of the snow my cousin Angie, who picked me up from the airport, and I were unable to drive all the way to Provo from Salt Lake. We saw several accidents. I was terrified. So in Draper my Uncle Ken and cousin Angie helped me to get on a train bound for Provo. From there I took a bus to BYU campus. As I dragged my bags through the slush my skirt actually froze- which has never happened to me before. I met my brother Jordan and one of my best friends at the Wilkinson Student Center and they helped me out. I was so afraid that I would miss my bus and end up stranded at the train/bus station. Lisa was a lot of help to me in figuring out how to get to Jordan.

Christ in Gethsemane -by Harry Anderson

Here at the MTC we spend almost all of our time studying the scriptures and the Missionary manual. We do some teaching and we eat and sleep, but almost all of our waking hours are spent studying. We spend most of that time focusing on the application the Atonement of Jesus Christ and loving others. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. His name is on our name tag in big, capital letters and we have a responsibility to act as He would act and teach what He would teach. What did He do? He served, healed, and taught correct principles but at every opportunity- as He did all of these things He invited us to come and follow Him. To serve Him, to be baptized, to have faith, to be healed emotionally and spiritually as well as physically. He invited us to repent because He loves us and He was about to sacrifice everything so that we could be forgiven if we would repent. My purpose is to help others do just that.

I have learned so much about the doctrines of faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. 2 Nephi 31: 4-9 Repeating that cycle over and over again is the way that we come unto Christ. It is the way that we progress and it is the way that we apply Christ's atonement in our lives. Even when we use Christ's atonement to be healed spiritually or to receive strength in trials or to forgive others we are falling back on the application of these principles. As we repent and partake of the sacrament (renewing our baptismal covenants) each week we can be made clean and innocent. We can be made whole. Isaiah 1:18.

John Baptizing Jesus -by Harry Anderson

Matthew 3: 15-18

My companion's name is sister Karony. She is the best. She is a vocal performance major at BYU with an emphasis in Opera.



 I love her attitude and enthusiasm, I am continually impressed by her love for others and her compassion for those we teach. She has great insight and we work well together. I'd be happy to serve with her in the field any day.

I know that this is God's work. That we are doing what Christ wants us to do. I have never made a better decision. I feel the spirit so strongly here. (And everyone has been very kind and helpful.)

I promise to include pictures next week. I need to take a few more and I need to take my camera with me when I go to the computer/laundry room. I apologize for the lack of pictures.

God be with you,

Sister Caroline Elizabeth Faulkner