This week had the biggest ups and downs of the MTC so far.
To start, the Korean is truly getting to me. It is so hard and is becoming so discouraging it has been hard to keep working. I'm doing my best, but I have never had to do anything as challenging as learning this language. Fortunately, I have some awesome teachers who have been really working to help me. When we teach in TRC (random Korean speaking people from the area) every Friday nights, I pretty much can't do anything. They speak so fast, don't use hand signals, and then at the end, they critique us on paper that we get to read later. The Korean people are nice in the lesson, but they really don't hesitate to critique away at our teaching. One lady last week basically told us we did a really bad job and we didn't say anything. Which may be true, but this has already been a hard enough week with the language as it is. Lastly, our building caught fire yesterday.... And we were mid getting ready to go. So we all got evacuated and the fire trucks had to come. So that was pretty interesting.
Now on a more positive note, this week we have had super awesome experiences.
First, my teacher Brother Nemelka noticed one day I just wasn't really there. And after class I talked to him for quite some time. During that talk, he shared with me a lot of personal stories and we just talked for a little while and pretty much since(I think it was Saturday?) it has been a lot easier. He really is an awesome guy. He reminds me a lot of all of my older siblings.
Tuesday night, we were extremely surprised to see Elder Oaks walk in to give our devotional. I was sitting down, and I suddenly just felt a hush walk into the room and a feeling of immense peace just hit like a tidal wave. I looked up and he had just walked in. It was the coolest feeling to be able to feel when he walked in before I saw him. To be able to carry the Spirit in such a way that I can just walk by people, and they feel it, is something I want to be able to do as a missionary. He talked to us on a lot of different things, but he really focused on Preach My Gospel. He also spoke a lot about the importance of teaching by the Spirit and how to be able to do so.
Last of the highlights--We got to host as a district yesterday. That was probably the coolest experience of the MTC. I absolutely loved being able to be there for new missionaries as they go about a huge life change. It was bittersweet, but it was so cool to see them be teary eyed leaving, but within 30 steps, they were all ready to go and happy to be here. It brought back memories of my first day here. Which to me seems like forever ago, but really was only a month ago.
Questions:
You’ve made a few references to your Korean Branch on Sundays. Who is in that branch? Just missionaries in the MTC or actual Korean speaking people from the community?
-My branch is my zone here at the MTC. All of us are missionaries. There are 80ish of us and we are all Korean speaking.
Do you interact with the missionaries from other districts? Do you work at all with the Korean speaking missionaries that have been in the MTC shorter and longer than you?
-Yes I work with all the other districts especially the ones who came in with me. We tutor the shorter group and get tutored by the longer group every once in a while. I love all the elders who came in with me. There are 3 districts of us and we all get along great.
Collectively as a district, do you get a lot of packages/food in the MTC?
-Not really, I get the most stuff, so I try to share it all because I feel bad because a lot of the other people rarely get anything.
That's pretty much it for the week. And although it has been a real challenge and test for me, I am growing more this week than I have in my whole life. I know that this is God's work. I know that he will not give us challenges/trials that we can not deal with. It may be that we can't accomplish our tasks on our own, but that was never asked of us. We can pray, and we will receive answers and help if we truly believe we will get it. If I have learned one thing at the MTC it is that God loves us, he will help us, and he wants what is best for us. I know this is true and I am glad that I can speak enough Korean to share that message because that is the message I want every single person on this earth to know. I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and support.
-Elder Jacob Nickerl
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