The Last of Nine Weeks in the MTC

Last week at the MTC!!!!
I survived 9 weeks at the MTC! hahaha, I really can't believe it has been
nine weeks! It seems to have flown by, but thinking back to June 29th feels
like a lifetime ago. I have learned so much here and made forever
friendships. I have been changed, and I know that I will take these lessons
with me throughout the rest of my life. I am so excited to go to Hong Kong!
This Monday, 3:30 am I will be with 5 of my best friends, preparing to move
to China for 16 months!
This week has been crazy. Our best friend district left Monday and Tuesday,
and we said goodbye to all of them. They left at 3, 4 and 5 am through
Monday/Tuesday night, so we were running on very little sleep. Both of our
teachers are also in California, so we've had substitutes. All our teachers
are amazing! Thankfully, both our regular teachers will return before
Monday, because I will miss them so much! The things they've done and
taught our district are truly amazing and selfless.
This last week has also been a little strange because it feels like the
last week of school. Anticipation, nerves, excitement...you know the end is
near! And you are all starting school this week!
Juan A. Uceda spoke at last night's devotional and these quotes really
touched my heart...
"The Lord speaks to us in silence. The most important voice is the
Spirit's, and he speaks to our hearts, within our souls."
I love that, because it says so simply and poetically how we can learn
from God and feel the Spirit. I know that when we are worthy and have the
desire for spiritual truth, the Holy Ghost will speak to us.
"My eyes have not seen God. But my spiritual eyes have seen His hands in my
life and my family's."
The best way for me to conquer discouragement is to be grateful. When
we notice Heavenly Father's many tender mercies, and allow them to
strengthen our testimonies, our faith will become unshakable. His love is
simply always there and His hands always outstretched. Notice it!
"There is power in you that you need to find."
This is so true. There are abilities I have found here at the MTC that I
never knew I had. There are many I still want to develop, and I have faith
Heavenly Father will help me develop them. We can pray for spiritual gifts
and increased abilities. If we seek in meekness and need them to serve
Heavenly Father, we will receive them. It's a privilege to be on His
errand. And we can know what that errand is through prayer and listening to
the Holy Ghost.

This week's email is simple. This week was one of much learning,
realization, growth, challenge, and joy. But what it really comes down to
is love. And love is simple. Christ has made it simple for us: love
everyone, use the Atonement when you feel you can't love, increase in love
for your God and for your neighbor all your life,* consistently choose
charity. *Trust in his grace and his capacity to fill you with charity. The
pure love of Christ is within all of us.Share it, develop it, and cherish
it.
--
*Sister Dopp*

Magically Blissful

This week was amazingly fantastic and magically blissful and marvelously trying.
Every week here is awesome, but the consistency of being at the MTC so long has led to such wonderful blessings and realizations. Every week brings new challenges and so much spiritual knowledge. Every day my companion shares
insights about what she learned in her personal study, and I will miss her
so much when we separate in HK. My district is practically perfect in every
way. I know I will be best friends with these girls for the rest of my
life. I really admire how Christ-like they are and am grateful for how
different we all are.

We had a devotional last night by the General Young Womens president,
Bonnie L. Oscarson. I loved her talk so much, and want to share a few of my
favorite quotes...
--"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" This was a comment someone told her
when she was called with her husband (at the ages of 25 and 29) to be
Mission Presidents in Sweden. She was pregnant with their fourth child.
Talk about a challenge!!! But truly nothing is too hard for the Lord
--"Your mission will become holy ground for you for the rest of your life."
I know that I could never ever forget the experiences I am having right
now. Missions are soul-stretching and life-changing. I don't want to take
any second for granted. At last night's district meeting, we were talking
about how we prepared in the premortal life for our missions, and how our
missions will help us in the future; do be better students, daughters,
wives, moms, and most of all disciples. *Don't worry dad, some of those are
still a long way off!
--"Don't have regrets." As we approach the final MTC countdown, our
district made it a goal to have NO REGRETS. Exact obedience, deep
gratitude, Christ-like deliberateness, and constant charity.
When reading Emily's blog, I was reminded of Bishop Gary E. Stevenson's
talk "Your Four Minutes." Since the Olympics are currently going on (btw-we
get a daily score on the cafeteria menu board haha) this is especially
applicable. We've trained for thousands of years for this time on the
Earth! I also love the quote in his talk: "The Atonement can make up for
any imperfections in our performance."
--"We should accept and even seek correction." Someone invited me to fast
for "What lack I yet?" And think about my weaknesses, the Atonement, and
how I can improve more. It taught me a lot about myself and has helped me
try to turn my weaknesses into strengths.
On Sunday we had an amazing lesson on Enduring to the end. It is a joyous
experience! The atonement will strengthen us to bear life's challenges, and
his grace and love will be more than enough.
I know the Savior lives. I know Heavenly Father loves us. Truths that were
once plain to me are now plain *and precious. *
The Book of Mormon restored plain and precious truths to the Earth. I know
that if we ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in the
Lord, he WILL manifest the truth of it to you. ~Moroni 10:4
Seek for the truth, the good, the joy. Seek Christ. Love, Sister Dopp

Loving the MTC

I love the MTC!

So first of all, this week's pronunciation fail: After our lesson, (our teachers act as our investigators) our teacher nonchalantly asks, "Gwondung wa dim gong 'revelation' "? (How do you say revelation?) And I'm like 'Kaisih.' And he's like, "Yes. Not 'keisih. Which means racism." Me: *face palm*

So I had told him in our lesson "Moses, through racism learned of the Ten Commandments." 

Anyway, Cantonese really is coming along. Besides those occasional very unfortunate mishaps, our lessons go well. Plus, they always know what we mean. We are working on asking inspired questions, as Christ did, and it is amazing how much it helps during lessons. Even though it's hard because sometimes we don't understand their whole response, the Spirit helps us, and we can answer them very simply.

Last night Elder Anderson came and spoke for Tuesday night devotional. It is always so amazing to hear an apostle of the Lord speak. It was broadcast to all the MTCs around the world. My favorite part of devotionals are District Meetings. After the devo we go back to the classrooms and share our favorite thought with our district. We usually combine with one more district, and I feel like I get more out of these meetings than the actual devotional! Things I had missed or not pondered are shared in detail, and the testimonies I hear strengthen mine so much.

My dad mentioned in a DearElder that in Rio, a team of Refugees came in waving the Olympic flag. For the first time in history, there was a refugee team. I thought that was SO cool! In Elder Anderson's talk he briefly mentioned the Olympics. I was thinking 'I wish I could watch the Olympics' but then I thought 'This is kind of like the Eternal Olympics! I am here with thousands of young people who have sacrificed to be here, we are from all over the world, going all over the world, to CHANGE the World!!! It really is amazing. Elder Anderson also talked about not letting our flame of faith dim or die. I know that we are all born with a spark, an ember: the Light of Christ. With Heavenly Father, Christ, and the Spirit's help, we fan that ember into a flame, and then teach them to continue to nurture that flame into an unquenchable fire. I know that because we are children of God, that flame can never really die. We are children of God. We have the potential to become like Him. Our souls are infinite in nature. We have already accepted Christ as our Savior in the premortal world. "Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever." ~Elder Uchtdorf.  Our job is just to not let anything get in the way of that flame. Distractions, sins, doubts, fears. Do not let them get in the way. Heavenly Father will constantly fan our flames if we allow him, and then we will be able to be a light to others. "We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true." ~Elder Uchtdorf. 

This also made me realize that when other people, governments, and disappointments abandon us, Christ will not. We are all refugees in a sense, but we are all part of one eternal family. I love this scripture: "Nay in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." ~Romans 8:37-39. 

It is true. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. There was a man that lived upon this Earth that died for you and for me. So that he could understand us and love us more perfectly. So that one day we will return to our father and live forever as the glorious beings that we are. It is miraculous and amazing. It is true. Don't let anything block your flame, it can "grow brighter and brighter until the perfect day." ​

Sharing

Okay so a member of the branch presidency yesterday was like, "You are all
just here trying to fit a bunch of Chinese into your craniums!" or
something like that, and I thought it was so funny!!!!!!
Anyway, this week was AMAZING. I am again at a loss for words. The biggest
blessing I have received from my mission so far has been realizing EVERY
DAY how *miraculous* the gospel really is. I am reminded and relearn it
every single day. One of the biggest highlights was last night's
devotional. I have 5 pages of notes from it because the speaker was so good
and the Spirit was giving me so much personal revelation. It's like
Heavenly Father was like 'Quick! She's actually paying attention!' hahaha
The speaker was Bishop Waddell...
things the Spirit taught me:
~Life is about sharing. Heavenly Father has given everything to us to be
shared. The scriptures are the words of Christ and Heavenly Father, written
by prophets to be *shared* with God the Father's children. Our talents were
given to *share* and *help* others. The example Heavenly Father gave us
lived a life of perfect service, compassion, sacrifice, and charity. Jesus
Christ was about *sharing. Sharing* his knowledge, goodness, mercy, grace,
and love. Look around-*everything* denotes that there is a God. Everything
testifies of Christ. And everything has a purpose. *We find purpose in
sharing*.
~This line in Redeemer of Israel really stood out to me yesterday, "Our
shadow by day. And our pillar by night." First, I learned that Christ is
always walking with us. His shadow is always there, but in the day time,
you must be looking to find it. It is less apparent. However, in the
darkness, at night, a pillar of light would be obvious and distinct.
Darkness is needed to recognize and choose light. Trials are another way of
giving us our agency, and of showing our love for God. He is always with
us, especially as we walk in his footsteps. But we must choose to follow it
and let that light "grow brighter and brighter until the perfect day." -D
and C 50:24
~"You will have Goliath-type moments on your mission." -Sister Waddell.
Sometimes the language, prospect of asking people to change, being 18
months without my family, etc. seem like Goliath-type challenges. But what
is more important, is that we will have David-type strength bestowed upon
us. "You are on the Lord's errand, and you can expect the Lord's
blessings." That goes for any good work! Not just missions
~The Plan of Salvation was dependent on a covenant. Jesus Christ covenanted
with the Father to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. How amazing and
sacred that we get to make covenants with Heavenly Father as well, because
his Son kept his covenants and performed the Atonement.
~"God has a plan for every interaction." How cool is that?? Every street,
every contact, every conversation in Hong Kong has a purpose and is part of
God's plan.
"You will realize that this is a lot more difficult than you anticipated.
And that's a good thing. You will sacrifice." Wow! Bishop Weddell did not
hold back at all in his devotional, and I loved it. Missions are hard. But
they are good! I may have already said this previously, but whenever we
sacrifice, it is for something greater. "But in the gift of His Son, God
hath prepared *a more excellent way*." -Ether 12:11. Choose Christ. And I
know if you do, "you might with surety hope for a better world."
All right, friends and family. The gospel is simple, because Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ love us SO much. And in the end, that is all that
matters. And because that's all that matters, there won't be an end.

The church is true. Like Joseph Smith, "The Lord has called (me) in (my)
weakness, but He qualifies (me) in (my) work." The Cantonese is coming
slowly and surely. I love my companion, and the MTC, and my zone, and life.
I love my Savior and am eternally grateful for this opportunity to become
converted unto the Lord.
*Sister Dopp*