MTC!

Hello to all my lovely people. Welcome to the Sister Mortensen chronicles. 

It has been quite the last few weeks. I started home mtc May 13th and came to provos mtc last Wednesday. I wouldn't say saying goodbye to my family, friends, and favorite dog tober tot was fun, but I'm excited to be on a mission serving the Lord who let me have those people in my life!

I don't have a lot of time because we're going to play games with our district (who are the best) but the mtc has been pretty good so far. I love my teachers, classes, companion (shout out Sis Phillips), and have learned so many things already! We've been to the Payson temple twice and it's so pretty- definitely a new favorite.

To be vulnerable (because I'm working on it), my first few days here weren't easy. I was extremely homesick and wasn't sleeping at night. I usually can find the positive in any situation, but I wasn't seeming to find any happiness or comfort. I got really sick and eventually told my companion about everything and let all my sadness out. Crazy how that would help right? Kidding but I learned the valuable lesson that sometimes showing others our weaknessess and being vulnerable is the way to go. And I'm so grateful that I have an amazing family that I get to be homesick over! Since then I've been doing much better. Lots of laughing and making memories.

A quick spiritual thought:

On Wednesday, we had a really cool devotional that all new missionaries get to attend. A guest named Ryan (I think) spoke at the end. To make a long story short, he grew up a big athelte and loved sports. His jr year of college, he was in a basketball class where there was a major accident involving a brick wall and he ended up breaking his top two vertebrae. He's now paralyzed from the neck down and has to breath through a tube in his neck. Despite the way his life completely turned around, Ryan chose to love God. He chose to believe in His perfect plan and infinite goodness. And he chooses to continue serving others where he's able to and serves in various church callings.

It was such an amazing reminder for me that I have everything to be grateful for. I have a working healthy body that can move and walk and dance. And no matter our circumstance whether it be an illness or disease or an inability to move from the neck down, we can choose to love God and believe in His goodness.

Oh also my mom sent me the cutest package of yellow happy sunshine things. Made my entire life. I love you.

Sincerely me. See you all next week.