Monday, September 19, 2016

1st Week at the "Make the Change" (MTC)

Friday September 16, 2016 at 7:59AM

Good morning friends and families,

I want to first thank you all for your love and support. I don't have much time to write, however I am so blessed to be a child of God. I am safe and loved here. I am doing well and in great care. 

I am currently in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. My stay here will be short, but I've learned to savor every bit of the experience here. I love the MTC. It is a diverse environment. Coming to the training, I expected to be put in the Cambodian speaking courses. To my surprise, I was put in the Advance language training. The training course is in English, taught in regular missionary English language, but we'd have to learn to speak in our native tongues in our own free time. My zone is absolutely amazing. Just the people is great. I am surrounded by people from different walks of life. I have elders and sisters who are from Finland, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Mongolia, the Islands areas, Guatemala, and more from South America. Elders and sisters who were born in the U.S, but speak two languages. The challenge for all of us is to be companions in unity. We all speak different languages and we all striving to understand each for the purpose of serving God's children.

Brothers and sisters, I am challenged. It's been very difficult to learn Khmer with a companion who is trying to learn English. My companion is sister Gandbold. She is from Mongolia and is striving to learn to speak English. I am constantly trying yo help her with her English. I have learned quite a bit about service and love for God's children. I've had a hard time trying to understand my companion and she is having a hard time trying to understand me. On our first night at the MTC, as we finished our prayer togther, we both knelt down and did our own personal prayers. I looked over my companion and she was sobbing. I felt helpless. I felt helpless in my power to help her with her English. I felt weak in my power to get to where I strive to be. I want to learn the Gospel and teach to the best of my ability, but I have to so much to grow.  I realized that what I have is not mine, not my power. It is all God's power and the manifestation of this power to strengthen my ability to love, to serve, to be patient, and to be obedient.

I'd like to talk about the principal of service, one's service to God and His children. I learned quite a bit during my stay here at the MTC regarding my service to God and my service to my companion, sister Gandbold. I've learned to love and embrace each of our differences and unite those differences to one common ground, in our love to serve Heavenly Father. In John 13:35, Jesus had said "by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one another." I've learned to love my companion through thick and thin. I've learned to love her through obedience and patience. I've learned to help her in the English language. She is progressing and it's been a light to see her grow. I can testify that if we love one another as He loves us, anything and all work is possible through Christ.

P.S- Prior to entering the MTC, I realized that I took someone else's luggage. This was minutes before reporting to the training center. Haha I'm laughing at it now, at my own stupidity. I promise I'm not always like this. What's even more crazy is I took the suitcase of the guy I sat next to and He's the elder who reports to the same MTC. However, I received my luggage that overnight. Anyway, I'd like to offer a thank you to Marylynne for all of her help in dropping off the correct suitcase for me. She is such a kind soul.

Love,

Sister Sok

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