MTC fun and learning! Week 2

Week #2 was absolutely fantastic for Mariah!  I love, love, love receiving her emails and letters.  I just can't wait until the next one comes.  In week 2 Mariah wrote that one thing she has learned so far in the MTC is to "get over yourself!"  She goes on to say..."It's not about everything you can do, it's about others and what God can do to help those around us come to an understanding of the things they are being taught. This life is the time to prepare to meet God, and we only get one chance! I'm so glad I took that one chance and decided to dedicate part of my life to solely preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping others to understand the importance and joy it can bring into our lives." 

Mariah shared something funny that happened to them during the first week in the MTC. She said this about the picture below.." If you zoom it in or hold your screen at a certain light you can see what the board says behind us. So our district wasn't informed that we couldn't do sack breakfasts on Sundays, and you can't enter the cafeteria at the MTC without a dress on, so when we showed up and there weren't any they told us we could just go into the cafeteria and grab something to go really quick just for that day.. um ya. Bad idea. Later that day they informed everyone by writing it on the board before you walk in that "everyone needs to be in Sunday dress to enter the cafeteria," and that there are "NO sack meals on Sundays.." whoops. Ha. We all got a good laugh out of that."

Mariah wrote a letter home the 2nd week and told that she was going to be able to watch "Meet the Mormons"!  She was so excited that she was going to be able to see it as it came out just 2 days after she entered the MTC and she was really bummed about it!  She told us to look up the talks by Elder Bednar on Jesus/Christlike love, forgetting ourselves, and Elder Holland's talk on Missionaries and how its the greatest opportunity in life!! Another thing she shared was that they sang a song "The Sisters in Zion" in Relief Society. She said that she felt the spirit so strong as they sang it.  I am going to attach a link to the story behind the song and the lyrics. The words were rewritten by Janice Kapp Perry specifically for sister missionaries and the tune is still to "As Sister's in Zion" which Janice Kapp Perry arranged the music for back in 1985 I think.  Check out this link..I am certain that you will feel the spirit as you read the story behind it and then read the words to the song:) http://ldsmag.com/article-1-12869/  There are places online that you can listen to a preview of the song if you just search the title of the song.

The picture below is of her and her companion at the temple meeting up with fellow Bingham Miner Braden.  Hence..Mariah and Braden doing the Bingham pick and shovel sign in the picture. Mariah's companion has no clue what that means:)

All in all, it sounds like Mariah is having the time of her life.  We feel so blessed that she has the wonderful opportunity of serving a mission!!