First email from MTC!

This is Lara's Mom.  I haven't yet figured how to post pictures from my phone to this blog, so I'll try to educate my techno-unsavvy self for next time.  Now, for her update:

HI!

I'm LOVING the MTC so far.  It's seriously amazing.  I can feel the Spirit pretty much all day long. Although I spend a LOT more time than I would like sitting in the same room. Like 12 hours a day.

I don't have a companion though...I have two!  Sister J is from Utah, and her dad is a general authority.  And Sister T is from Florida.  Both of them are going to Spain too, but to Malaga.  We get along super well.  We're all on the same page as far as obedience and language ability and we're just pretty similar personality-wise.  One of the sisters in our zone asked us if we thought we were really similar and we sort of shrugged...and then today we got sack lunches so we could stay in our jeans (you have to wear a skirt to eat in the cafeteria) and we all got EXACTLY the same lunch.  Weird...

We only have 8 people in our district: us three Hermanas and 5 elders. 2 of the Elders are also going to Spain: Elder T to Malaga and Elder V to Barcelona.  The other 3 are going to Mexico: Elder A and Elder B to Chihuahua and Elder H to Guadalejara.  We're all in the intermediate class so all of our lessons are in Spanish and we've taught our "investigator" two lessons in Spanish already.

Sunday was super good.  We had a devotional with Steven Allen, who is a general authority over something missionary-ish.  Don't really remember what. But it was awesome.  And then we got to watch an old MTC devotional by Elder Bednar which was probably one of the best things I've ever heard.  He talked about how becoming converted is taking upon yourself the character of Christ, and he defined the character of Christ as turning outward where the natural man would selfishly turn inwards.  He challenged us to get a new cheapo copy of the Book of Mormon and read it with whatever theme we want, so I'm going to get one and do a study of the atonement.  That has been the main focus of every meeting I've been to so far.  I have been so filled with gratitude for my Savior and for everything He's done for me.  I've come to realize that not only does the atonement offer us comfort and peace, but it fills us with grace.  A divine means of strength.  It allows us to change in ways that are literally impossible for our natural selves to follow.  What an immense blessing that is.

Our main teacher is Brother B, who is apparently the head honcho of MTC teaching.  He is an incredible teacher and you can tell when he teaches that he loves us and he really loves the Lord.  He invites the Spirit into our lessons so well.  He was training a new teacher who taught his first lesson to us on Saturday, and it was amazing.  He talked about the atonement and said how his mission president challenged them to talk about the atonement in every lesson, and they had immense success because of it. It was an immense reminder to me of something I had heard in mission prep a long time ago, that as missionaries, we don't teach lessons or doctrine, we teach access to the atonement. The atonement really is at the heart and soul of everything in the gospel.  I love it so much!

It's actually been really fun to teach lessons in Spanish, and we aren't as bad at it as we were afraid we might be.  If one of us says something in a really confusing way, one of the others will bail us out.  YAY for trios. Our next lesson (which should be tomorrow...) is going to be on...guess!  THE ATONEMENT!  We already taught the Restoration and we were on the plan of salvation lesson but we all felt really strongly that we needed to focus our thoughts on the atonement.  It's amazing that even though we're just teaching one of our teachers and none of us are anywhere near experts at Spanish, we can always feel the Spirit testifying of what we teach.  How amazing is that?

I've been praying for you guys too! And I will continue to do so.

I haven't gotten the second package yet, but maybe that's because it's P-day and our DL hasn't checked our mail yet.  And no, there's not anything else I've noticed I'm missing.  The bookstore here has pretty much anything I could need, and it's all 40% off for missionaries!

Please forward this to whomever you will and post it on my blog!

I'm not sure I have time to upload pictures right now, but I'll get some for you next week, for sure.

I love you guys and I'm excited to hear from you!

-Hermana Schaumann

P.S. Next week for Easter we get a "special" General Authority, who is probably one of the First Presidency!  HOORAY!

Dios Permanece Con Vosotros!

I just finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish last night, gave my farewell talk this morning, and I have about 3 hours before I go to my farewell dinner and then get set apart.  It doesn't feel real yet.  I'm sure it will, really soon.

My address in the MTC:

Sister Lara Brooke Schaumann

MTC Mailbox #142

SPA-MAD #0428

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793

I will gladly welcome any letters/packages you may feel inclined to send.

My mom will be posting my weekly emails on here for your reading pleasure, so keep checking back! 

Buena suerte, amigas!

-Lara

5 DAYS!

I cannot believe I'm going to be in the MTC in 5 days, 1 hour, and 30 minutes.

Is my stuff packed?
Yes.

Am I going to unpack all of it and rearrange it in a totally different way?
Probably.

Do I still need to get more stuff?
Of course.

Is my farewell talk written?
Yep.

Am I going to tear it to shreds again before Sunday?
Most likely.

Do I fully realize what I'm getting myself into?
Not at all.

Is it going to be the best thing I've ever done?
WITHOUT A DOUBT.

Alma 26:37
"Now my bretheren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth.  Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thaks unto my God forever."

On Trust

If you have't listened to Elder Bednar's CES devotional from Sunday night, stop whatever you are doing and go listen to it. NOW.

DO IT.

(Elder Bednar's part starts around 19:00.)

As I've been pondering his talk and my own experiences on the topic, I have a few insights to share.

Here are three different times I have learned to trust in the Lord.

1) In mid-September, I suddenly realized that I wanted to be preparing as much as I could for temple marriage and the choices I was making, though not bad, were not getting me closer to that goal.  I started making dramatic changes: stepping outside my comfort zone to serve people, bearing and strengthening my testimony, studying the gospel more diligently and regularly.  And I decided that with this spiritual progress, I also wanted a boyfriend.  I knew (and felt confident) that I was doing what Heavenly Father wanted me to do, so I began to ask for His help.  I would do what I could, and He would help me find a boyfriend.  On the next fast Sunday, I fasted for "an experience that would prepare me to be in a relationship."  The following day, it appreared that my prayers were being answered.  More boys than usual had talked to me and even flirted a little, and I felt incandescently happy.  

Two or three days later, all that progress was completely gone.  No one I knew had any interest in dating me and I began to feel frustrated.  I didn't understand why Heavenly Father approved of my efforts to work toward temple marriage and yet refused His help in what I considered one of the most important parts.  It was beyond my comprehension why He didn't want me to have this (and it was pretty clear to me that He didn't.)  This was the best thing I could do to prepare at this point in my life and He was telling me NO.

So I took a step back and calmed my own desires.  It was apparent to me that He wanted something else for me, so I began searching for what that might be.  I prayed and studied my scriptures and kept working on the things I knew I was doing right while asking Him what He wanted me to do instead.  And I was excited to receive His answer and follow His guidance.

Then came Saturday.  I was sitting on the couch in my best friend's apartment, watching the beginning of Conference on her TV, when I decided to pick a question I wanted to have answered.  The words came into my mind "What do you want me to do right now, with my life?" and although that seemed a bit blunt, that was what I asked Heavenly Father just before the opening prayer.  It was not five minutes later when I received my answer.  The Lord wanted me to serve a mission.  And He wanted me to go without hesitation, to be able to drop what ties I had and go.  I felt so strongly that this was His plan for me, this was the reason for the "NO" before.  It was not because He didn't love me or didn't approve of my efforts to serve Him: it was because He had something far, far better in mind for me.

2) As I was working on my mission papers, nearly all my friends assured me that I would serve in a foreign country, and I really wanted to.  I really, really wanted to go to Europe.  But then I realized that I didn't have the proper attitude: this was not my mission, it was the Lord's.  And it was for Him to decide where I was to go.

In the week before I received my call, I stopped wanting to go to any specific place.  I didn't just say "I want to go to Europe, but Thy will be done.  Just keep in mind that I really want to go to Europe."  By the time my call arrived, I had no hopes or expectations for where I might go.  I had realized that it didn't matter where I went: what mattered was that I did go and that I was teaching the gospel.  Before I opened my call, I said a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for this chance to serve Him and telling Him that no matter what it said in that envelope, I could not wait to go and serve Him.

When I opened my call and read the words Spain Madrid, I could hardly believe my eyes.  I felt that Heavenly Father had known my desires all along, and that fact that I had completely let those desires go to make room for His will is what allowed me to go to where I had wanted to go.

Opening my call...

Right after reading my call

3) After I received my mission call, I heard that there was a huge backup for visas to Spain, and a lot of Spain-bound missionaries were waiting in the U.S. for their visas to come through.  At first I was rather disappointed, and then I again realized that I wasn't looking at this the right way.

I knew that if Heavenly Father needed me in Spain right away, He could get my visa through.  But if He first needed me somewhere else, He would send me there first.  And as the latter seemed more probable, I started to get excited about the chance to maybe be a visa-waiter somewhere.  I had served a mini-mission, and knew how potent missionary work is no matter where you are.  I was thrilled at the thought that I might lead someone closer to their Savior, whether I did so in Spain or elsewhere while waiting for my visa to go through.  As it turns out, the holdup on visas has stopped, and there is a very good chance that I will be able to attend the Madrid MTC for at least part of my missionary training.  

What I've learned from these experiences about how to trust in the Lord is that it's not enough to say "Thy will be done," but you actually have to look forward to His will.  When you stop wanting your own desires and actually want His more than anything, that's when you are blessed. Whether that blessing is what you desired or what He desires for you, you'll know that it's right and you will be immensely happy.  I have done so, and I am unbelievably happy with the way every one of these situations has turned out.

This is, of course, much easier said than done, but it's a perspective that is worth gaining.  I promise!

A Thought

I've been told that the greatest learning comes from the most challenging circumstances you face.  

And now that I'm climbing towards the top of a peak in the up and down craziness of my life, I can look back and see how that is undoubtedly true.  

This is from my journal several months ago, during what was definitely the darkest period of my life so far.  

"I know, know so strongly that I would give my life for it without hesitation, that I am a daughter of my own Heavenly Father.  I know He loves me, know that He sees in me the constant effort and desire to be better, to work harder, to strive to do my best.  I know He sees my true regret when I make mistakes and go wrong, when I’m lazy or rebellious, when I don’t do what I know I should.  And I know that every time He looks at me, He sees the still fully possible potential that I possess to become like Him, infinitely compassionate, omniscient, omnipotent, filled to the brim with mercy and love for all of His children.

"I know He wants me to be happy.  He doesn’t want me to despair or give up hope.  Not ever, not for any reason.  He is always standing with open arms to help me back to Him, every time I stumble or stray.  In His eyes, there is always a reason for me to keep trying, because He wants me back, and it doesn’t matter, does it, what anyone else thinks or says or does, because He wants me back with Him, and that’s enough reason to try over and over again, enough reason to get up every time I’m drowning, lost, crippled, or blind.  He has the infinite power to heal me, and He has offered that power to me as many times as I may need it."

What else can I say?

"I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." (Mosiah 3:17)

I am thankful today for the learning that has come to me from a great deal of suffering, and for the fact that I would go through the pain over again because of how wonderful are the things I learned from it.