In Arkansas

I am alive and well!!! I love President and Sister Wakolo!!!!! They are amazing and have such a strong testimony of the gospel and Christ and missionary work. They are both converts to the church and are phenomenal!!!!

 

When I walked out of the plane and towards the baggage claim and saw them, I felt immediately at peace and that I was home. I KNOW I am supposed to be here. I was called here for a reason. I am going to be touched and will be able to touch other people's lives.

 

I love you!!! I'll be able to email better and reply to your email on Monday. By then I'll know what my area and who my trainer is!!!!

 

Love,

Sister Pochop

Leaving the MTC

I have loved it here!! There is great power in spending two weeks just with missionaries. We learn from each other and grow together. My district is amazing. We have become very close- and we are going to 4 separate missions!!!

My companion, Sister Evans, one of our district leaders, Elder Ortiz, and I are going to Little Rock. Sister Judd and Sister Searle are going to Des Moines, Iowa. Elder Brown and Elder Hock are going to Indianapolis, Indiana. Elder Rosenhoover is going to Manchester, England. He was here because his VISA hadn't come in yet. These missionaries have amazingly strong testimonies. I am so glad to have been able to meet and interact with them these past weeks. 

 Mom, you were right! I was asked to play the piano for my branch last Sunday. I didn't expect to be the only person who knew how to play, but I was going to volunteer anyway!

Tonight is my last night in the MTC!!! The past two weeks have FLOWN past!! I can't believe how fast. Tomorrow is going to be terrible with a massive light at the end of the tunnel. I wake up at 3:30am to leave. My first flight is at 7:05, and my second fight is at 2:22. I finally land in Arkansas at 3:03. (Remember I am flying into another time zone.) So I am going to be tired and done with airport food when we land. BUT, I get to meet my mission president and his wife!!! I can't wait to finally meet the Wakolo's!! 

There will be 8 of us flying from Provo (counting me). My companion and the other elder from my district. Then 5 other missionaries I don't know yet. It'll be fun!! I think we are all English speaking, so we'll only have been missionaries for two weeks!!! So that'll be interesting! :) 

I can't believe that in less than 24-hours I'll be in the field!!! I am so excited and ready to go out and teach! Thanks for the letters and support!!! Remember that the address to use is the Arkansas one and the email is paige.pochop@myldsmail.net!!!!

Sister Pochop

Week 1

The MTC is intense!! It really is non-stop studying and learning and improving and growing. The first couple days are interesting and kind of hard. You are adjusting to a whole new life and being given tons of information. Everyone said that Sunday is the day. You make it to Sunday, and you'll make it through. So true. It wasn't that it was too much per say, just that we don't really get to have any free/ down time. A quick idea of a daily schedule is 7:00 breakfast, 7:30-11:30 class, 11:30 lunch, 12:15-3 class, 3-4:30 study, 4:30 dinner, 5-8:15 study, 8:25-9:15 gym, 9:30 personal time, 10:15 quiet time, 10:30 lights out. So that doesn't really leave room to think about anything but the gospel and teaching. And even then, your mind starts to hurt. But I'm not stressed out and I love it here. 

 

I have honestly learned so much!! Did you get my letter earlier about my companion and district? I still love them! My companion is Sister Evans. She is very sweet and spiritual and we get along really well. For part of class, we teach "investigators". We have 2 teachers who each picked an investigator they taught on their mission. We call them our progressing investigators (PIs). They act like them and we teach them. So Sister Evans and I are teaching Wade. He is from Tennessee, was a Baptist, wants to come closer to Christ. So really good practice for the mission! Teaching him the first time was amazing! That was Saturday. The Spirit was really strong with us and it was just amazing. We also have another investigator. We got her through the TRC (teaching resource center). This is a group of members and non-members that get paid to be taught all day by missionaries. Her name is Tayla. She is from South Africa and is in Utah for school. She was recruited by BYU to play softball. She has a strong-belief in Christ and has a great knowledge of the Bible. (also perfect for the mission). We taught her for the first time yesterday. I love her. Missionaries are completely right when they say they fall in love with their investigators. After teaching her, I finally saw just HOW much I've changed. She asks deep questions because she wants to learn the doctrine. Anyway, she asked a question and we didn't quite have an answer for her and we had to go. But after we got back to the classroom, I was searching the scriptures for an answer. I have a much greater desire to learn more and search the scriptures. I used to be content with the information I learned during church, seminary, EFY, and our family studies. I wanted to know more. I wanted to answer her question and show that I cared enough to find out for her. I had a good feeling after I realized that! :) 

 

For the morning of P-day today, we went to the temple. The Provo temple is beautiful! It is a unique experience to attend the temple after a week of intense spiritual growth. Also, the sister, who's work I did, was born in 1735. That was 280 years ago. She waited a long time, and I'm glad that I was able to help her. 

 

WHEW! It's hard to think of all that I've done this past week, because it feels so long. Please ask questions so I can be sure to tell you everything!! :) And tell me MORE!!!!!!!! I want to know what's going on in your life!!!!!!!!!

 

Love you tons and tons!!!