Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Sister Jordan Wunderli's First Week in the MTC

Here is Jordan's email - unedited, for the most part:

Hi everyone!! (pics at bottom for any who don't want to read)
So I survived my first week at the MTC and I've learned a few things.
1) no food is safe at the MTC
2) don't take laxitives
3) you can have fun at the MTC
4) the gift of tongues is real
My district:
So my companion is Sister Kema and we get along really well! Our other roommates are Sister Gorner and Sister Phelps (not related to Michael Phelps). We are the only four girls in our district and then their are six guys. Oh my gosh our district is so fun and we laugh all the time and have so many inside jokes. We made up a Japanese Dora and we make Japanese versions of the songs to help us remember. We also created (well started) a rap about the first vision to Justin Bieber's Baby:
When I was 14 I had my first prayer,
I walked into the woods and I knelt there.
Then we have the chorus:
Joseph, Joseph Smith,
Joseph, Joseph Smith,
The Gospel is always right, right.
(more to come later)
So the first coule of days were soooooo long, but ever since Sunday, it's been going by so fast. I walked into my Japanese class the first day, and my teacher only talked in Japanese. LOL. But since then, the language is coming along way better. I absolutely LOVE my teacher. He is legit the best.
The funniest thing is when he talks all in Japanese and then will say one thing in English, like yesterday he was talking talking (all in Japanese), then he says "weak sauce" haha so funny.  We had to teach a 30 minute lesson all in Japanese on our second full day.  It was terrible. Since then, we have taught two more lessons and they've gotten a tiny bit better each time. I can also pray and bear my testimony in Japanese so yay.
Oh so something cool: we are the first ones EVER to have androids on a mission. So yeah I just thought that was cool that we're leading it off.
FOOD (if you can call it that) AT THE MTC:
I never thought I would say this, but I actually miss dorm food at the U. The food here is literally disgusting so I survive off of salads and wraps. Also, NO FOOD IS SAFE. Everyone is gassy here, and we are eating safe foods (or so we thought). So big shout out to my parents who packed me peanut m&m's.
My companion and one of my roommates took laxitive one night for "gentle overnight relief" and well the next day they had to go poop every 10 minutes. Not even exagerating. Soon, our whole district knew about it because they left the classroom ALL THE TIME. Seriously, funniest day ever. So don't take laxatives.
So.. spiritual now...
ELDER BEDNAR (ONE OF THE 12 APOSTLES), came here for my first Sunday devotional. Wow, I have never felt the spirit so strong. We first watched one of his talks "The Character of Christ" and then one of the MTC presidents gets up and says, so Elder Bednar is actually here.  And then Elder Bednar and his family walked in.  *Chills* He said he comes to speak at the MTC once or twice a year and I just so happened to be there. I know for a fact that that was a tender mercy from God. So I loved both of his talks but these were my two favorite things that he said:
1) "be good, not perfect, but good"
I think we stress on being perfect way too much, and I think it is better for us to just focus on being good because you can't be perfect.
2) "Girls do 9 things perfect and 1 thing good, and they talk down on themselves. Guys do 9 things bad and 1 thing half-alright, and they think they're all that. Girls: go easier on yourselves. Guys: be harder on yourselves."
Haha I just thought this was hilarious but sorry boys!
Church:
The church we go to is half in Japanese and half in English so I can understand 50.1% of it. Also, we have to prepare a talk each week in Japanese and they call you up randomly to speak, so that's scary. Luckily, I didn't have to speak the first Sunday.
EXERCISE TIME
My saving grace. So we only have exercise time 4 times a week (yep it sucks), and it is seriously the best. I've been going to the fitness center and lifting just any weights they have. Also, I got into a heated discussion about Utah football with one of the Elders in the fitness center (always reppin' the
U). I also made the mistake of asking what mission the Elder was going to, when he is in fact in my ward (our ward has like 30 people max) and he is in fact going to Japan. Oops.

My address for anyone who wants it (you can use it for dearelder.com too):
Sister Jordan Nicole Wunderli
SEP13  JPN-TOK
2005 N 900 E Unit  82
Provo UT 84602
あいしてます (I love you!!),
Sister Wunderli

PICS (going down):
1) I swear I am in the girl's bathroom
2) Mirror selfie with my companion!  
3) My rooommates and I with the Japanese people (they are actually from Japan), legit the nicest humans everrrrrr.
4) My district!!!!
5) My name tag and provo temple
6) Japanese....
7) My companion and I in front of the big world map.









Dad's take:  From a purely dad point of view, I loved hearing that she loves her companion and her district.  I'm glad she's able to get back to exercising and lifting weights.  I'm sorry that she has to put up with BAD food.  

From a spiritual side, she sounds like she's doing great and making great strides and that makes me very happy.  I love Elder Bednar and can only imagine what a great spiritual experience she had listening to the message he shared.  I love the statement about the boys and girls and their differences.  Great stuff.

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