Esperanza-Week 2: Home MTC/CCM

Daydreaming. This still doesn't feel real. Home MTC is a wonderful and strange thing. The classes have been "super-good." I feel like over zoom I'm still learning more than I could imagine would be possible, and my district is great. If anyone who had experience with zoom school saw how productive and connective our experience has been(and how many smiling faces there are), I think it would blow their minds. But it is so strange to be in the MTC/CCM at home. It is like some sort of daydream, living a new life in a world I once knew so differently. There are reminders of my life all around me, and it is so strange to wake up every morning with those reminders constantly surrounding me. It would be easy to lose sight of my mission, as I am constantly reminded of what it is I'm sacrificing for these next two years. But somehow, someway, I have, at least the majority of the time, been able to turn those reminders into motivators. There truly is a reason why I am doing what I am doing, and I wouldn't be preparing to spend the next two years of my life in a foreign country if I didn't have a testimony in this work. Nonetheless it still hasn't hit me yet. I leave Tuesday morning, rainy and early, to catch a 5:30a.m flight, hopping over to Dallas before making my way to Mexico. It still doesn't feel real, probably won't on the plane or once I land, or until despues(after) the first few weeks in Mexico. But I am so excited. The nicest part about this transition is that I know I am going to fly to another loving family in the CCM. My district already feels so close even from over 5,000miles apart. I can't wait to be in person with all of them and our amazing maestros. I feel like I have come so much closer to my Salvador/Savior this week. As we have practiced teaching of him and shared our testimonies of Him, I have felt the Spirit so strongly. Sometimes it is a bit surprising too. One lesson Hermana Schmitt and Maline were teaching, it was just a short practice, and I was in the role of someone unfamiliar, but interested in the Gospel. And as the lesson went on I began to feel the spirit testify of the truth of their message. And I was a little confused...like, I'm not actually in this situation... I'm just trying to help them learn to teach. As I went along with that lesson and answered their questions, I found peace and truth in their words, and it grew my testimony in a way I wouldn't have ever expected. And boyo, that was just 5min of this week. Mi compañero, Elder Fe'a, and I also had our first teaching appointment practice this week, and it was a great experience. I got to ponder lots of questions that I have had experiences with, but that I haven't taken the time to reflect on much and I felt like the lesson went well for who we were teaching. There is so much room for your testimony to grow as you teach others. Another experience was after we had watched a devotional from Elder Gong. When we watch devotionals at the end of the day, our teacher wraps up and leaves. So it is just the 10 of us missionaries, which has been great. We watched this particular devotional together, and once it was finished we shared our thoughts about it, our experiences, and our testimonies. It was such a spiritual moment full of past experiences and the joy, peace, and Hope we have all felt through Christ's expiación/atonement. It was remarkable to see how the blessing of Christ's atonement can be seen in all of our lives. The ability that He gives us to pick ourselves up and continue to grow each day, has distinctly influenced all of our lives in similar, yet very personal and unique ways. Being able to share and listen to all those experiences was so powerful, and I'm so glad we have grown close enough as a district to do so. El Buen Pastor. The Good Shepherd. I'm so grateful for the time I had this week to not only study Español and the gospel, but especially the time I spent studying the Christ. John 10:11,14 really stood out to me this week in my personal studies of the Savior and his Atonement. 11-"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." 14-"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." Yo sé que Jesucristo es el buen pastor y Él conoce nosotros individualmente. Y gracias a Él nosotros podemos arrepentirnos, aprendemos, y crecemos. Gracias a Él yo quiero a enseño de Sus expiación y Sus amor a las personas de Argentina. Yo se que Él tiene amor para tú, mi, y todos hijos de Dios. Él es el buen pastor y gracias a Él nosotros tenemos Esperanza. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amén. (I know that Jesus Christ is the good shepherd and He knows us individually. And thanks to Him we have the ability to repent, learn, and grow. Because of Him I want to teach of His atonement and His love to the people of Argentina. I know that He has love for you, for me, and all children of God. He is the good shepherd and thanks to Him we have Hope. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.) Still can't believe it, but I'll see you in Mexico. Hasta Luego! Élder Shepherd