S1:E1 The One Where I Travel Alone and Arrive at The Manila MTC

 Hello, everyone! 

I am finally Sister Sy  When I arrived inside the airport, I was scared because I was alone by myself. After waiting for awhile, I approached a sister who looked uneasy finding for someone and she was also wearing a Sunday's Best. I asked her if she was Sister Millor and she gave the biggest sigh because she felt so relieved after finding me haha. She was from San Remegio but I was so confused because she barely spoke any Cebuano, so I had to unleash my Tagalog speaking skills  She was very sweet and kind, thankfully she liked talking so that was nice. While waiting for our plane for almost an hour, we saw Elder and Sister Choi and I told Sister Millor (Legaspi Mission) to come with me and say hi to them. We talked a bit and it was comforting to know that we weren't alone.

                                            

                                            

                                                         

We finally rode the plane and I was excited to ride one again  I got a little dizzy and deaf from the flying but they gave us a delicious Filipino snack so that was nice too. When we were leaving Cebu, that's when it finally hit me that I won't be back after 18 months and I kinda wanted to back out a little but I guess those were just mixed thoughts. We finally landed in Manila and there were 2 girls holding a "LDS Missionaries" sign and then we waited for like 30 minutes until the van arrived. I felt so sleepy so I slept in the van and then we arrived at Privato Hotel.

                                                         

                                                           

We waited for like an hour to be able to go up to our rooms. They also gave us breakfast and lunch, it wasn't the best but I was so hungry already. I was alone in my room for a few hours so I was just preparing my stuff. Then my roommate, Sister Lizaso (QC North Mission) arrived and she told me that we could go to the roof deck and that's where we met all the other sister missionaries. Finally got to talk some English and Bisaya.   When we went back to our room, me and Sister Lizaso were just talking all night about our personal lives like school, where we come from, stories we heard about the mission and more. It was hard to sleep because I tried so hard not to cough hahahaha she might think I have Covid but it was just the aircon.

                                                        

                                           

We arrived at the Manila MTC on Friday!! The van was so cold and the van was so full also. We had to do something like a treasure hunt, we had to go to places so we could surrender our phones, get vaccinated, answer a few forms, get vitamins (which weren't even chewable, so I only ate 1 and we're supposed to take 1 everyday but it's hard for me. I'll probably buy vitamins today because it's PDAY.

                                           

My MTC experience has been okay so far. I'm learning a lot, I can't remember all of it but they're in my notes. All I can remember from yesterday was that "Miracles always happen in the action". I belong to the Job District under the Cumorah branch. Our sacrament is scary, because we have to prepare like 2 talks about 2 topics and then we don't know who the speaker will be until it's announced during the conducting part  We have so many classes and we have a lot of assignments which is a good and a bad thing because we don't know which one to prioritize first and we get to forget ourselves and focus on the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

                                           

The food here at the cafeteria is FEI CHANG HAO!! I love the breakfast and I'm eating a lot I guess. I look forward to every meal and I know it's not allowed to take food from the cafeteria but we sneak in a Nutella sandwich whenever it's available hehe! We get so hungry in the afternoon, I think God can understand 

                                                    

                                  

So far these are what I've learned in the MTC devotionals, classes and workshops:

1. "Sacrifice • Blessings • Joy" … I am part of the Lord's finest team. The Lord, the most magnificent being, trusts me and is confident in me [and all the missionaries].

2. True doctrine understood changes attitudes and behavior.

3. Make SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timebound

4. "Missionary Work in Social Media" … No matter what era we live in, our Heavenly Father has prepared [another] way for us to reach people and bring the glad tidings of great joy. The pandemic allowed missionaries to share their talents and new creative ways to share the gospel in this kind of time.

5. Cultivate your desire, then act that desire.

                                             

       

6. Allow the Master, our Savior to finish the work you are working so hard on. Do ALL you can, then let the Lord seal and finish what you've done.

7. Success means doing well over the things you can control.

8. Will you choose to act or to be acted upon?

9. The results of a mission (or even life in general) will be a reflection of the choices you are making. It is entirely up to you!

10. You cannot convert people beyond your own conversion.

11. A diamond only becomes a diamond when pressure is placed. 

12. We are all pieces of a puzzle that complete the whole puzzle. Our talents are all different but they unite with one another.

13. You cannot control your circumstances but you can control your attitude.

14. Begin with the end in mind

15. Stop looking at the world through your eyes' perspective only. Look at the world through other people's eyes the only way they can see it.

16. Miracles take action. Miracles always happen in the action.

                                                      

*I can't send photos from my camera yet but I'll send it when I'm at Hong Kong. We can't download canon connect and my wire can't connect to the phone they gave. Sorry mom, I know I promised 100 pics hahaha*