After last night's class I just have to say that things are awesome!!! The missionaries the Lord is raising up are blowing me away! Brothers and Sisters, we have much to be grateful for! What a blessing it is to be here and witness this and help in a small way.
I am trying all I can to implement these recent trainings and I am seeing miracles in the class as I turn time over to them to have their own learning. As I focus on their conversion, their skills as missionaries are growing! A couple key things have stuck out to me:
1. Don't leap frog the missionaries - I don't know if you have noticed how Lisanne recently has been making the trainings more about us (or maybe I am just now noticing what she has been doing all along). She is helping us become more converted unto the Lord with the understanding that doing so will naturally create changes in the classroom. Recently I have been inviting the missionaries to consider God's hand in their own life concerning the activity we are doing. We then take those thoughts and use them to fulfill their purpose. Their studies are more powerful, their role plays are more powerful, and their desire to learn and help others is more powerful!
2. Setting up practices is key - I learned last night that if we take practice time more seriously by how much time we put into preparation and its uniqueness, the missionaries will catch the vision. They will meet our expectations, so we must push them! Think how Lisanne pushes us. Pay attention to how well thought out her practices are and how much they help us learn the objective. We must do the same!
3. Trust them - I have been humbled by the Elders' and Sisters' experiences with their Father in Heaven. Most are here because they know this is what they need to be doing. Many have quite the conversion to the Lord already. Trust them that they know the material, we are just helping them see it in the context of missionary work.
I know there are many Districts that are having their struggles. Many missionaries are needing very specific attention to needs. Don't give up on the hard times! Don't forget what you are doing and why you're here!
I will continue to enjoy this opportunity to be here at the MTC. I will forever treasure the lessons I am being taught. These blessings and gratitude are pushing me to do all I can to help them fulfill their purpose.
This is the Lord's work!!!
I agree strongly about the importance of trusting our missionaries. We sometimes fall into the trap of thinking of the curriculum as things that we need to teach the missionaries, whereas in reality I feel like the curriculum is what the missionaries need to be refined. They are ready and prepared and will do incredible work if we will let them. We must give them opportunities to grow, to exercise their faith and agency to come closer to their Heavenly Father and more fully receive His restored gospel in their lives.
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