A Letter from Holly
(From the MTC, Sunday, October 26, 2003)
Hello Family and Friends,
Where do I start? This has been a rollercoaster week for me. On Monday I had a wonderful chance to teach a full first discussion with my companion. The teaching experience gave us a chance to have someone come in from the outside and allow us to teach them as pretend member referral investigators. (These three young women were from BYU & Timp High.) They brought good questions and allowed us to really redevelop our discussion.
On Tuesday we had our devotional. Because my companion is so sweet she went with me to choir practice. The director talked over what the song "Where Can I Turn For Peace" meant. We talked over how amazing the fact is that we can turn to the Lord when all the world around us is confusing. When we returned from dinner we learned who the speaker would be. Elder Russell M. Nelson. I cannot express how spiritual it was to be a member of the choir that sang for him that night.
When Elder Nelson began to talk, one of the first things he said to us was a welcome from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. How amazing to realize that they are mindful of every missionary serving all over the world. Most of the things he discussed we had already covered in our classes. It brought home how much our teachers are really guided to teach us the things the Lord and his leaders need us to learn. He discussed families, eye contact, baptism & retention, first impressions, staying close to the spirit, teaching by the spirit, and much more. One of my favorite things he said was a promise and a prophecy of the Lord. The promise: "I will open the hearts of the people and they will receive you." The prophecy: "I will restore the gospel by your hand." All we (missionaries) need to do is obey the commandments and mission rules. One of the other things he talked about is keeping our spiritual batteries charged. He said the best way to do this was to keep in action, for use of the battery will recharge it, expecially as we study. Lastly the thing that really touched me was his testimony. He talked about "knowing the Savior lives." That was just power phrasing for me. To sit at the feet of a prophet/apostle and to know his message was said for me particularly was amazing.
The week just continued in this spiritual vein as I worked on outlining the rest of my discussions and having amazing classroom experiences.
In Alma chapter 26 verse 30 it says, "And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some souls; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some." On Thursday night one of the afflictions of my mission was made manifest unto me. As I was walking up the stairs to my classroom after dinner my knee went out. It was like my knee suddenly became a water balloon that popped and collapsed under me. Naturally this caused me to collapse and hit the knee on the stairs. Needless to say, it was very painful. (Yes, it was my left knee -- the one I had surgery on in August.) My companion helped me to my classroom and into a chair. Then she got the other sister to do a companion exchange and sister Bjarnason stayed with me while Sister Juanitas went with Sister Buckles to the room to get me some medicines and my knee brace. By the time they got back (5 minutes) my knee was shooting pain and swelling considerably. So while they were gone I asked my district Elders if they would give me a blessing in a bit. (Elder Lang had asked if there was anything he could do and that was my response.) Then as soon as Sister Buckles returned the first thing she said to me was I needed a priesthood blessing. Since 3 of us had independently been prompted of this, Elder Fletcher annointed and Elder Lang acted as voice, and six of the eight other elders stood in.
This experience made me so grateful for the priesthood in my life, and grateful to be in a district with all these worthy elders. I know that without this priesthood blessing I would not be able to walk tonight. After the blessing my companion, the other sisters & the district leaders (Elder Lang and Medwin) accompanied us. After talking to the nurse on call and the people at the information desk it was decided to call the branch president. He gave permission for my companion and I to call my parents and inform them of what had happened and to ask them to bring some things to the MTC. Being so wonderful they talked to Sister Buckles and agreed to come as soon as possible.
The next morning I went to the doctor and he basically told me that this can occasionally happen and that if I'm careful I can do fine still.
When I returned to the MTC & went to the clinic I talked to the doctor. What she said was very sobering. She warned me not to leave the MTC on Monday morning unless I was sure my knee was all right. She said that at the MTC I would be able to recover. But in the mission field my mission president could just send me home.
After several days of prayer and talking with my branch president I've decided to go forth with faith and leave for my mission tomorrow. I have faith that the Lord will help me and I will do my best to keep my knee in as good a shape as I can.
Tonight since I made this decision I have tried to savor all I can of my remaining time. I have had some marvelous experiences. Our Sunday fireside was by Brother Stephen B. Allen. He talked about what the atonement can mean to each individual. He then went on to show us church commercials. It was so amazing to see many of the old commercials and to attempt to apply them to our future work in the mission fields. It was a wonderful evening.
The evening was finished off by my district (and many others) gathering and watching The Testament. If you have not seen this recently I would greatly encourage you to go and see it. It was the perfect end to my time here at the MTC.
Thank you all for your prayers while I was here. I could feel your love so close. Please keep me in your prayers as I go out to carry the Lord's gospel to Florida.
I love you all.
Sister Holly Neibaur