Sister Julia Harrison

Kamusta po pamilya at kaibigan!       This week has been wonderful. It's still challenging, but it's so good. Tomorrow I will officially have been a missionary for a whole month, and I'm approximately 10 days away from my departure. Where am I departing to? ...I still don't know yet. But I should be getting that information within the next couple days, I guess we'll all just be in suspense a little longer.       This week is officially the best time to be in the MTC. Earlier this week was the new mission presidents seminar, which means the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were all here to for their training. Last Saturday we were heading to class and were within 4 feet of President Uchtdorf. It was so cool to know they were all in the same place doing the same thing we were. On Sunday we knew we were having a special devotional, because the MTC choir was singing on Sunday instead of Tuesday. We sang a beautiful arrangement...

​Kamusta po!      I'm at the halfway point! I have officially been here for 3 weeks and it has been incredible. It's so crazy to think that only 3 weeks ago I knew like two words of Tagalog. I have learned so much about being a missionary and about speaking Tagalog. Our teachers have started teaching some of the new Tagalog districts, and they said they really enjoy coming to our l class because they get to speak more Tagalog. Which made me realize just how much Tagalog they use in class, and how much we understand. We're approaching week 5, where we will be expected to use 100% in class. I am sobra takot, pero sobra excited!      Our branch has been transitioning from Portuguese to Tagalog, and the last group of Portuguese missionaries are leaving soon which is super sad. But we've been getting a lot more Tagalog missionaries, and it is so much fun to help them figure things out. Once you've been here for three weeks you're pretty much a p...

Magadang Umaga!     Well I have officially been here for 2 weeks. This last Wednesday the MTC practically doubled in size. There are so many people here! I'm really glad that I got here before and was able to figure out the routine before it got too crazy. We already look at the new missionaries and feel like we're so much more experienced than they are. It's been so fun to see my friends from BYU every once in a while. Every day is completely exhausting and completely fulfilling.     On Sunday , Sister Barnett and I had to teach two lessons. We taught a lesson about our purpose as missionaries for district meeting, and after church we were in charge of a zone family history activity because we're the "Technology Specialists." I know, I was concerned too. Fortunately my kasama actually kind of is a technology specialist and has a lot of experience teaching people about family history. The activity went really well and our zone really enjoyed ...

Kamusta po!       I have officially been here for more than a week! It has been the longest and fastest week of my life. We are so busy all of the time. We pretty much spend all of our time in class, studying, eating, and sleeping.       Learning Tagalog is definitely the hardest thing I've ever done. But it's crazy to look back and see just how much I've learned. A week ago I could barely introduce myself, and now I've taught 4 lessons in Tagalog (with notes). And I can teach a very broken first discussion by myself in three minutes ! When I was thinking about what I would email, I kept trying to figure it out to say it in Tagalog, pero maintindihan ang kayo hindi Tagalog. (you don't understand Tagalog.)         On Tuesday we had an amazing devotional. My kasama and I were in the MTC choir and we sang "This is the Christ." Then Elder Gong and his wife spoke! It was so amazing to be so close to a prophet. The atmosphe...

       I haven't even been here for three whole days and it already feels like I've been here for so long. I have had such a great experience and have been learning a lot. Day one is a crazy whirlwind. We had our first class within about half an hour of arriving and Brother Navarro greeted us with some enthusiastic Tagalog.         Things haven't calmed down that much yet, but it looks like will be able to get into a more regular schedule pretty soon. Today is already P-day and we were able to go the Provo temple this morning. It was great to slow down for a little bit. I am really excited about my classes and my district. My companion is Sister Barnett and she is absolutely delightful. She's from Boise, Idaho and has spent a year at BYU. The other sisters in my district are also really nice and I enjoy spending time with them. Everyone in my district is going to either the Cauayan or (Bagio?) missions. Apparently they just starte...