So I'm not sure if I correctly wrote that title... but hey I'm still learning! (It says something along the lines of much love from the MTC)
It is such an exciting time to be here in the MTC. All of the new mission presidents that will be starting in July are here for training. That means that the quorum of the 12 and the 1st presidency are here as well! As you can imagine that means lots of security! Over half of the cafeteria is blocked off and missionaries are not allowed into the main building. Buuut on the plus side, because the Germany Frankfurt mission is getting a new mission president we got to meet with him. It was such an awesome experience and I am super excited to serve under him. He said his biggest advice for us is that Attitude is Everything (Dad its our motto! AoG, Attitude of Grattitude). We often run into some of the mission presidents just walking around, it's tons of fun to get to talk to them for a bit and get some words of advice, this is what the new President for the Argentina Mendoza mission told us, "I have served as an Elders quorum president three times, and a bishop three times, as a stake president, and in various other callings. But every time I get on my knees I thank the Lord for the chance I had to serve my mission, because that set the pattern for my entire life."
It's tons of fun to have friends here while I am here. By a super miracle I was able to run into Sister Cynthia Crider even though she is on West Campus and I am on the Main Campus. I have also seen Elder Braxton Miller, Elder Caleb Anderson, and Sister Jill Weber. Fun fact- Jill was roomed just down the hallway from me :) So I got to go talk (but mostly laugh) with her every night. Oh, and we found out we both brought the same pillowcase (Winnie the Pooh!!!).
So I have already had my first companion transfer! (For those of you who don't know we are assigned a companion that we spend 24/7 with.) My first companion was Sister Eschenmann from France! I had expected a language barrier when I got to German, but didn't expect to have it with my first companion in the MTC! It was a super cool experience though and showed me that love doesn't have language barriers. But alas, she was already so good at German that she got moved to the fast track program and will be leaving for Germany in about a week. So I am now in a tri-panionship! With Sister Williams and Sister Heywood. I absolutely adore them. We are definitely an inspired companionship, we all get along great. I also love my district! (that is the people I have class with for around 11 hours a day with) It includes the three of us sisters, and two elders, Elder Fitzgerald, and Elder Taylor. (They graduated high school under a month ago!!)
Dad, you were wondering about the numbers- there are around 50 of us going to Germany, 15 are girls. (Of that 5 girls and about 12 guys are going to Frankfurt) 1 sister is going to the Alpine mission (Munich area) and the rest to Berlin.
For the music lovers, Sister Janice Kat Perry came to talk at our Tuesday evening devotional. (She has written multiple hymns for the Children's Songbook and also wrote 'As Sisters in Zion') She changed the words to As Sisters in Zion specifically for Sister Missionaries, and we were lucky enough to get a copy of the lyrics! It was so powerful as we were all able to stand and sing it to her in a medley with the Elders singing We'll Bring the World His Truth.
The Sisters of Zion
The sisters of Zion are called to God's labor,
We willingly serve Him with spirit and might.
We go to the nations with truth everlasting,
We teach of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ
We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us,
We trust in his words and our purpose is clear.
The angels of heaven are walking beside us,
We'll share our glad message with all who will hear.
We go forth enlisted with Helaman's Army
In numbers much greater than ever before
With power and spirit we'll faithfully witness.
The heavens have spoken and truth is restored!
Funny story of the devotional.... Sister Perry was recounting how her and her husband first met. They had been in multiple music classes together during the semester, and at the end of the semester in one of the classes Brother Perry said to her "I was just thinking those lips were made for something better than playing the clarinet" Now this story by itself was funny enough, but after she quoted him, Brother Perry (who was also up on the stand) stood up, walked over to her and gave her a big ole kiss!
To all my missionary friends out there, remember- Preach the gospel always, use words when necessary.
I love you all so much, have a most wonderful week!
Liebe,
Sister Wahlquist
It is such an exciting time to be here in the MTC. All of the new mission presidents that will be starting in July are here for training. That means that the quorum of the 12 and the 1st presidency are here as well! As you can imagine that means lots of security! Over half of the cafeteria is blocked off and missionaries are not allowed into the main building. Buuut on the plus side, because the Germany Frankfurt mission is getting a new mission president we got to meet with him. It was such an awesome experience and I am super excited to serve under him. He said his biggest advice for us is that Attitude is Everything (Dad its our motto! AoG, Attitude of Grattitude). We often run into some of the mission presidents just walking around, it's tons of fun to get to talk to them for a bit and get some words of advice, this is what the new President for the Argentina Mendoza mission told us, "I have served as an Elders quorum president three times, and a bishop three times, as a stake president, and in various other callings. But every time I get on my knees I thank the Lord for the chance I had to serve my mission, because that set the pattern for my entire life."
It's tons of fun to have friends here while I am here. By a super miracle I was able to run into Sister Cynthia Crider even though she is on West Campus and I am on the Main Campus. I have also seen Elder Braxton Miller, Elder Caleb Anderson, and Sister Jill Weber. Fun fact- Jill was roomed just down the hallway from me :) So I got to go talk (but mostly laugh) with her every night. Oh, and we found out we both brought the same pillowcase (Winnie the Pooh!!!).
So I have already had my first companion transfer! (For those of you who don't know we are assigned a companion that we spend 24/7 with.) My first companion was Sister Eschenmann from France! I had expected a language barrier when I got to German, but didn't expect to have it with my first companion in the MTC! It was a super cool experience though and showed me that love doesn't have language barriers. But alas, she was already so good at German that she got moved to the fast track program and will be leaving for Germany in about a week. So I am now in a tri-panionship! With Sister Williams and Sister Heywood. I absolutely adore them. We are definitely an inspired companionship, we all get along great. I also love my district! (that is the people I have class with for around 11 hours a day with) It includes the three of us sisters, and two elders, Elder Fitzgerald, and Elder Taylor. (They graduated high school under a month ago!!)
Dad, you were wondering about the numbers- there are around 50 of us going to Germany, 15 are girls. (Of that 5 girls and about 12 guys are going to Frankfurt) 1 sister is going to the Alpine mission (Munich area) and the rest to Berlin.
For the music lovers, Sister Janice Kat Perry came to talk at our Tuesday evening devotional. (She has written multiple hymns for the Children's Songbook and also wrote 'As Sisters in Zion') She changed the words to As Sisters in Zion specifically for Sister Missionaries, and we were lucky enough to get a copy of the lyrics! It was so powerful as we were all able to stand and sing it to her in a medley with the Elders singing We'll Bring the World His Truth.
The Sisters of Zion
The sisters of Zion are called to God's labor,
We willingly serve Him with spirit and might.
We go to the nations with truth everlasting,
We teach of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ
We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us,
We trust in his words and our purpose is clear.
The angels of heaven are walking beside us,
We'll share our glad message with all who will hear.
We go forth enlisted with Helaman's Army
In numbers much greater than ever before
With power and spirit we'll faithfully witness.
The heavens have spoken and truth is restored!
Funny story of the devotional.... Sister Perry was recounting how her and her husband first met. They had been in multiple music classes together during the semester, and at the end of the semester in one of the classes Brother Perry said to her "I was just thinking those lips were made for something better than playing the clarinet" Now this story by itself was funny enough, but after she quoted him, Brother Perry (who was also up on the stand) stood up, walked over to her and gave her a big ole kiss!
To all my missionary friends out there, remember- Preach the gospel always, use words when necessary.
I love you all so much, have a most wonderful week!
Liebe,
Sister Wahlquist