2-24-15 Hip, Hip, PDAY!

Yay!! Today is Preparation Day! My district has been looking forward to this day all week long! We've been dying to get out of our super tiny classroom where we spend almost 8 hours each day! We're just super happy that we get to be out and about going around the MTC and meeting other Elders and Sisters! I've been a complete mess this week! I keep leaving my bag around everywhere and I realize it at the wrong times when we need to study or if I want to get something from the bookstore! Anyways, We've been so busy all week long! If you ever know somebody who wants to do a technology fast but they don't think they can give up their devices, just put them in the Missionary Training Center and have them learn a language they've never spoken before and have them teach lessons in that language! I've never thought I'd spend so long in one tiny classroom trying to understand what in the world this man is saying to me. Most of the time I'm thinking, "I think he's speaking Portuguese, and  think that I can understand that." There's no time for anything else other than studying and preparing and eating and sleeping! I'm actually really grateful for Irmao Buttars. He's really patient and helpful when it comes to teaching us. He'll do anything from charades to pictionary to help us understand since MTC teachers teaching languages aren't allowed to speak English that much! The MTC is actually really awesome though! I really enjoy being around SO MANY missionaries! You almost forget that there ever was a world outside this one! My companion is super awesome! Her name is Sister Magleby and she's from Idaho. My district is also SO fun! There's a picture of all of us in front of the Provo Temple where we went on Sunday (which was so nice to get out of the MTC for a little while). Man, the days go by in such a blur here it's so hard to keep track of everything that happens! Anyways, the Portuguese is going pretty well also. As of today I can say stuff like, Ola! Eu sou uma missionaria da Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias! Nos temos uma mensagem sobre Jesus Cristo! Podemos cumpantilhar esta mensagem como voce? Haha! Maybe try that in Google Translate, I don't have much timeto do it myself! Anyways, I put a few pictures in here! I've included Sister Magleby and me in front of the mission map pointing to São Paulo, my district in front of the temple, the temple, and maybe a couple of other things I can't really remember what! I'll try to look at them and explain them if they need it!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so amazing! I love being able to be a missionary here and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve Jesus Christ by learning teaching people about the church! If you have any questions about my mission or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, send me an email at holly.denton@myldsmail.net or check out Mormon.org! Love you all and I can't wait to here from you next week!

District Photo: Back Row left to right: Elder Brand, Elder Ship, Elder Reeve, Elder Raitani, Elder Dore, Elder Roundy

Front Row left to right: Sister Aki, Sister Pilcher, Sister Holdsworth, Sister Taylor, Sister Magleby, Me!
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 Our district in our classroom
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 All the sisters in my district
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 Sister Denton and Sister Magleby
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Me with the mission map
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-Sister Holly Denton

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." D&C 64:33

Crunchtime!!

Oh my goodness!! Today marks one week until I enter the MTC (Missionary Training Center) to begin my training to be a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I can't believe it! It seems like only yesterday I was in Idaho opening my call with my family over Skype! Then, February 18th seemed so far away! Now I have just 7 short days left until my full time mission begins!

These past few weeks have been pretty strange for me, what with my friends not being around and my family preparing to move from Nashville, TN to Columbus, OH. I've spent a lot of days at home getting the house ready for movers, painters, or realtors. I've also had a great opportunity to go out and teach with some local missionaries serving in the Tennessee Nashville Mission, which has been such a great way to be able to see what a little bit of mission life is like.

Mostly over the past few months, I've been getting a LOT of questions regarding what, why, and how I made the decision to serve an 18 month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I thought I might take today to publish a few of those questions and answer some to the best of my ability.

Q: Why are you serving a mission?
A: I've pondered this question a lot over the entire process of applying and preparing for a mission. Obviously, it was not a very easy decision to make. The answer is kind of simple though. I was given very direct and very personal direction from God that I was to serve a mission about 2 years or so ago. Ever since, I never really had any doubt about my decision to serve.

Q: What do you do on your mission?
A: Spread the good news of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!! As Latter-day Saints, we believe that when Christ was on the earth, He set forth His gospel exactly as He wanted it, and then gave the authority to preside over it to His 12 apostles to act and speak in His name. However as they died and left the earth, so did that authority. We believe that in the latter days, His gospel and His priesthood authority has been restored and we are just so happy to let everyone know about it!

Q: What will your living conditions be like?
A: Missionaries of the church are very well looked after and are certainly not left in awful conditions, but that does not mean that we live in the lap pf luxury! Each missionary companionship usually have a humble lodging of sorts, whether that be a small apartment, a townhouse, or a room in a member's home. They are provided with a weekly income just a little over 100 USD with which to buy groceries and other necessities.

Q:  What are you most excited about?
A: I am just so excited to be able to travel to Brazil and to learn about the culture there! I want to learn everything I can about the people and their way of life! I can't wait to try all new kinds of food and to learn Portuguese and to learn all about futbol! So say a prayer that my visa comes in soon so I can go there as soon as possible!

There have been a lot more questions, but this post has gotten kind of lengthy as it is! If you have a question about my mission or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can email me at holly.denton@myldsmail.net. You can also visit Mormon.org by clicking the brown "I'm a Mormon" button on the right side of my blog!