MTC Week 1

Ola everyone!

 So hows it going? In case your wondering the title says- I am Sister Davis. That is one of the only sentences I know. So the MTC (or CTM as they say in Portuguese) is great. I have learned a lot from the devotionals and classes we take. The first day at the MTC goes something like this...the shuttle drops you off and an elder comes and helps you with your bags, then he holds onto your bags while you go in a building and get your missionary tag and some other things. Then you are introduced to your host who basically helps you with your suitcases, takes you to your dorm room, then 1 minute later walks you to a building where you get a huge bag of books- if your learning a language. Then she takes you to your classroom...or in other words...your new home. I was actually very late and when I walked in the room, the teacher asked me a question in Portuguese...ummm what? So I missed most of that class which has made this week a little hard because I pretty much missed a whole language class, which isnt good when learning a language.

 

I have 2 companions- Sister Earl and Sister Lillian. They are great, they both went to BYU and so they know a ton of people here. Being in a trio is nice in some ways but also hard. Its nice because you have 2 people to talk to and walk with. But its also hard because my companions practice their Portuguese together, which means I dont have a partner to practice with. They also make a lot of decisions without me, so I usually have no idea what is going on. Its hard but Heavenly Father knows what is best for me and He must have given me 2 companions for a reason. In our district we have 14 people. 5 sisters and 9 elders, we have a lot of fun.

 

At the MTC you get to go to quite a few meetings, which are usually great. Our branch president asked us to read the entire Book of Mormon while we are here. Its amazing how much I am learning from the scriptures. 1 Nephi 3:7 really hit me this week. Nephi talks about "I will go and do" and that is what I am trying to do. The rest of that scripture talks about how the Lord will not make us do things that we cannot do and will always help us. I have really come to know that is true. This week has been hard. Learning Portuguese is hard. Teaching 3 lessons in Portuguese is hard. And everything you do here at the MTC can get overwhelming, but I know Heavenly Father takes care of us. I really have learned this week that I need to be patient with myself. I am not learning the language as fast as the members in my district and its frustrating but I know I will learn it and things will work out. Not in my time, but in the Lord's. We were able to go to the temple this morning which was great. I really needed to feel that peace that I always feel at the temple and it made me feel so much better! I am so happy I have the chance to go to the temple every week!

 

I think thats about it. In case your wondering...Baylee and I see each other all the time. Our rooms are right next door to each other which is great! We accidentally dress a like quite a bit and it really confuses everyone haha. Oh, and by the way...there is a sister missionary turning 20 this Saturday (ME and Baylee of course). I will no longer be a teenager...weird. I hope everyone is doing well! I love you all!

 

Sister Kaycee Davis

 

P.S.- the funny thing about learning Portuguese is quite a few things sound like my name. Like- que followed by a word starting with 's' or 'c'. Its been kind of confusing and I have to remind myself that I am sister Davis now and my name is not Kaycee haha :)

Leaving

I leave for my mission in less than 24 hours. Where did the last 4 months go?! The purpose of this blog is to keep people updated on my mission and how I am doing and I hope that I can help people back at home as well as the people in Brazil. I feel like I should give some of you preparing for missions some advice...

1. When you get doubts about whether going on a mission is the right choice, remember how you felt when you received your answer on deciding to serve. And always remember that Heavenly Father does not put doubts in your mind.
2. If you have to get a visa, start working on it right away! Getting a visa to Brazil is a lot of work, and it is disappointing when it doesn't come in on time for you to go to the Brazil MTC and you have to go to the Provo MTC instead.
3. Talk to returned missionaries and ask them for advice, they will gladly give it to you :)
4. Go to lessons with the full-time missionaries, its a great experience and you learn so much.
5. Have faith that you were called to your mission for a reason. I have no idea why I was called to the Brazil Vitoria mission but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me, and everything will be ok.
6. Study preach my gospel and go to the temple as often as you can.

Well, I guess that's it. That's the best advice I can give, hope it helps someone! I hope everyone has a great 18 months! Write me a letter every once in a while, I'll try to write you back :)

Go and Do

Last October when the announcement was made that girls could now serve a mission at 19, I knew I had to make a decision. A lot of girls knew they wanted to go right when the announcement was made, but I didn't, and I knew this was something I had to seriously consider. I decided that the only way I could know if serving a mission was the right choice for me was to pray about it. So I prayed...a lot. Read my scriptures...a lot. But I wasn't getting an answer. I made a list of the pros and cons of going on a mission. I was discouraged after a few days that I still didn't know what to do.

Then...my answer came. It didn't come in a way I thought it would. I had been at work, looking at my pros and cons list and realized that all of my doubts and fears of going on a mission were gone. I was going to go, and I was excited.

Then on December 6th, I received my mission call...Brazil Vitoria Mission, leaving April 10th. I was shocked that I was going to Brazil, I hadn't wanted to go foreign, but I was going and I knew that going on a mission was the best thing I could do.

So the last 4 months have been crazy with all the preparations that come with going to a foreign country. A lot of people thought that not being in school and not having a job would be great and that I would basically be on vacation. But preparing to go on a mission is not a vacation, its hard, it has many ups and downs.

But I do think having a lot of time to prepare has helped me. I feel like my testimony has been strengthened. Believe me, the adversary will work so hard on you before you leave. At one point I was having a hard time and my mind was filled with questions and doubts- why am I going on a mission? I will never be a good missionary. How will I learn the language? But a friend of mine helped me though all of that by saying that because I am doing what the Lords wants me to do, Satan is losing, but he would be doing everything in his power to convince me that I am doing the wrong thing. This made a lot of sense to me and I realized that serving a mission was going to be hard, but it will be worth the sacrifice.

So that's my story. I am serving a mission because I know that is what I am suppose to do right now. Its going to be hard, but hard things make us stronger. And if I can help, even just one person come closer to Christ (even if its just me) than serving a mission will be worth it.