A Single Purpose

Sister Natasha Szilagyi's first email from the MTC! Names have been abbreviated for privacy:

Hello all! It has officially been a whopping 2 and a half days at the MTC (Missionary Training Center). My first day, so many missionaries kept asking me if I was tired and I had no idea what they were talking about. Today, I know. This short period of time has felt like a week. But my time here so far has been remarkable. My companion is Sister Shannon Kendall. She is a funny, spunky girl from Gilbert, Arizona. We have 9 people in our district and 18 in our zone. And we are all going to Macon, Georgia. Just in case you guys don't know how much of a big deal that is, well... it is. It hardly ever happens. But we're special. I already absolutely love them all. I didn't realize that it was humanly possible to love people so quickly. The MTC is truly sacred ground. Oh, and everyone in my district is musical. Sis Kendall plays the piano, flute, and piccolo. Before we leave, my district is going to perform a musical number, I will make sure of it. 

People I now love: Sis O. She's is from Ghana and absolutely hilarious. Her laugh is infectious and she truly shines with the light of Christ. When she speaks about the gospel, it sounds like scripture. We sing together all the time. Our most difficult thing at the MTC is not singing every song that comes into our heads whenever someone speaks. It is very difficult to control ourselves, so we just give each other a look, and we both know. Her father was one of the first Mormon missionaries in Africa. Oh and she's wonderfully sassy and sarcastic. Did I mention we get along well? Sis W. She's 23 and was my very first friend at the MTC. She's wonderfully sweet and silly and is from Utah. Elder V. He is the biggest hambone + teddy bear in the world. I mean, truly hilarious. He's 18 and a goofball, but I've already seen him cry multiple times here. Many elders cry here. It's a marvelous thing. His companion is Elder S. He is also 18, fresh outta high school and as he likes to say, "used to be a bit of a punk, because I thought being angry was cool". But he is an absolute sweetheart, a true gentleman. And those two lovely Elders are our new Zone Leaders. When it was announced, the look of shock on both their faces was priceless. Elder H is a total hipster from Tampa, Florida, but tries his best to control himself. And a musical theater major at BYU. Oh, and he's a 6'4" bean pole with an angelic tenor voice. Elder C is his companion, a soft-spoken, nerdy type from Montana with a sweet spirit. Wonderful people all around. I am so blessed.

My favorite part of the MTC so far is the singing. I am in Heaven. Or at least, I hope Heaven is like this. At our first devotional, the girl sitting next to me said I had a beautiful voice and I almost shed a tear because she had one of the most wonderful voices I'd ever heard. There. Are. So. Many. Mormons. Here. I don't know if you guys were aware, but missionaries are Mormon and there are a lot of those guys walking around, and I'm just not used to that. But I'm trying to adjust. On a serious note, the fact that we're all here with a single purpose is like nothing I've ever felt.

A brief interruption: I knew that people were going to have a hard time with my last name. But it's hard to make friends at the MTC when everyone looks at your name tag with fear/confusion on their face. Tis a struggle.

Yesterday, the other sisters and I decided that our theme for the day was "small and simple" things. These girls are angels. Their sweet spirits and laughter keep me buoyed. We participated in a workshop entitled: "People and Your Purpose". We were able to watching short videos of nonmembers from New York who were all inspiring and Christ-like. We are here to teach people, not lessons. And when we, as missionaries, knock on someone's door, that is not the first instance of God entering their life. I am continuously reminded of the good of so many children of God around the world, no matter what their religion. It fills me with hope. And just as our experiences of gaining testimonies and conversion were made up of just that, experiences, so too must be the experience of the investigator. "Everything in the conversion process must happen to you before it happens to them." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. If a professor was teaching me science and had never completed an experience of his own, I would not trust a word he said.

I have already experienced so many small, tender acts of mercy. I know that God knows me and loves me. He has paired me with Sister Kendall for a reason, and I can't wait for what we will accomplish together.

All I want is for people to feel the love and peace that only the Savior can bring. It is like no other feeling on this earth. His way is the only way. I am a missionary. I know it. I live it. I love it.

And remember: the prize is worth the price.