It feels like I have been here forever, but it has only been less than a week. On our first day in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) they began talking to us in Mandarin! We are part of a new pilot program that will be mainstreamed for every language taught here at the MTC. Our teacher only speaks to us in Mandarin. Needless to say, we act out a lot of what we are trying to say. If we really can’t get it, our teacher will write the word or a key word in English so that we can continue with the lesson. It is really funny to try and figure out what she is saying; it is amazing what body language can do. This program is suppose to help you learn the language a lot faster and to help missionaries focus more on teaching.
Speaking of learning Mandarin, it is HARD. Really, really hard. Thankfully you don’t really have to conjugate words, but there are five tones, and you have to swoop your voice to say the tones differently. It is kind of like singing, and even though I am OK at singing, I still can’t get the tones down. I have been very discouraged. I had never felt the spirit as strong as I have these first couple of days and I have never had such a desire to serve before, but at the same time, I have felt so discourages and have thought, “How will I ever learn to speak this language?!”
I get to see Garrett a lot. I see him many times a day because his classroom is right down the hall from mine and because we are on the same schedule. Yesterday at gym he and his companion came and talked to me and my companion. It is so fun to see him, and it makes me so happy.
I am so grateful to be a missionary!
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