Lessons Learned in the CCM (MTC)

Oh how I love the CCM. My setting a part blessing said I would and I definitely do. It is a place of learning and preparation. It is like the pre-earth life  of my mission. At this point I have about 6 days left here and it makes me so giddy to think I am almost out but at the same time a whole part of me is saying YOU ARE NOT READY!!!!    I already feel like the Spanish is hard enough... Haha!   I know the Lord will help. He always does! But I will sure miss this safe haven the CCM has been! Also keep my human beings that speak English close to me! Oh the field is going to shock me I know it.... Oh I can just picture myself a week from now with my Latina companion having no idea what I am doing. It’s funny how in life the Lord knows that when my life starts to get comfortable.... better get ready because he has something to throw at me!

But today I wanted to share a few things I have learned this past week and also including the weeks prior here.

1. Being obedient is the key to success in my mission but also in my life. I heard once the saying -selective obedience brings selective blessings- well it is true my friends! This week my companion and I definitely learned this! We chose to stay up a little past bedtime, like 30 minutes just chatting about the day... It didn’t seem like a big deal. Nothing really came of it until literally 5 minutes before we taught our investigator, I became annoying tired, I couldn’t focus, and my Spanish (or the little Spanish I had) was not even coming to me! I could barely even start a conversation. And everything my comp tried saying was super confusing. Embarrassing!!! Oh man, we learned our lesson. It was Heavenly Father teaching us a lesson about exact obedience.

2. There is more to people than what meets the eye. Hermana Gonzales is a 5 foot, short haired, very controlling woman who knows both English and Spanish which is terrifying because she knows what you are saying ALL THE TIME! She is the wife of the President here at the CCM and she is definitely the strictest woman I have ever met. My 1st encounter with her was the 3rd day I was here I was eating dinner having a good time with the Hermanas and I was being myself (which if you know me I can get loud when I talk and my laugh is definitely not any quieter), but while we were eating she came specifically to our table pointed to me and said -sister- (not even Hermana) you need to quiet down in the most tight and intimidating tone ever. And then she does this motion with her hands showing me to quiet down, and believe me the first two weeks she had to use it ALL the time. But folds, I am here to tell you miracles happen. Through much prayer, help from my companion and constant reminders I have learned how to express myself without projecting. I am learning!!!! Yay! But the lesson learned came from 2 nights ago we were able to sit by both her and her husband (president) and we talked with them about the CCM and while this was happening she turned to me and asked if I would remember her by her hand motion and if it worked... Ha-ha I was caught off guard but the conversation was light and I was not even paranoid! We laughed and  joked about how she helped me overcome this TRIAL and now every time I catch myself being loud I will picture her hand motion. It was a good learning lesson because she told me she was the same at my age... and that over time I can succeed. Ha-ha! I HAVE HOPE!!! But also it taught me that the first impression of people is not always how they are. Oh and also listen to those with experience in life, they do understand and know quite a lot.

3. The Lord is my gardner. If you have watched the Mormon message of how the Lord cuts us down and prunes us because he knows we will grow. He gives us trials in order for us to grow spiritually. I was complaining earlier this week about why it is so hard for me to learn. I was mad because nursing school was already hard. I was angry because now I am struggling to learn Spanish... And why is he doing this when I am giving everything to be here and I WANT TO BE HERE, so why Heavenly Father why? I have learned quickly and I know I will learn more in the field. But he is preparing me for later. Life does not get easier, and we will always have trials. But the good thing is that I have learned that through these we can rely on our Savior. It is the only way to make it through. He is the rock. Heavenly Father will constantly be pruning us because he knows we can take it. But only if we rely on him.

I can’t believe my time is coming to an end here. So much change is going to happen in the next week... Crazy I have been here for 6 weeks! But here we go!!! Cuzcotopia here I come!!!! I love and pray for you all. I hope you all know I love this gospel. Keep going... Keep trucking. It is all worth it in the end.

Yo se que en El Libro de Mormon y cuando leemos en este sentimos amor de Dios. Yo se que el Evengelio es verdad y las familias pueden juntos para siempre. Yo se que mi mision es perfecto para mi. Creo en Jesucristo y su vida y su expiacion. Yo se que La Iglesia de Jesucristo  de los santos de los ultimos dias is verdad.

Short and simple but it goes a long way. I hope I can get pics in there next time. I love you all!

Hermana Frame