Elder Dillon Stott - Ukraine, Kiev Mission: Week 7

Yesterday was Day 50! This week has flown by just like the rest. We finally got more new missionaries so everyone in our zone was pretty excited! We now have around 45 missionaries in our zone and it is just a party and a half.

A lot of the time, it's pretty repetitive here in the MTC. You definitely get into a strict schedule that doesn't usually change. Tons of teaching, tons of studying, tons of reading scriptures, and tons of learning all together! It's really mentally exhausting so going to bed at 10:30 has become much easier since day one.

We love getting packages - especially with treats. It's like you're a hero for the day. Shoutout to Gma J for the cinnamon rolls this week, and to our family friend's mom here in Orem - that made and delivered a TON of cookies last week. They didn't last long.

This past week, an unexpected plague has spread among our zone. One elder got pink eye, and within two days, 8 missionaries had it! Then a sore throat came around too. Jussttt about every missionary has been sick at one point or another this week. Handshakes have turned into elbow bumps.

I sadly have no big news for this week, but I have something that's a huge deal for me!! Elder Malmrose and I are companions but we're both Solo Companions because we're the only ones in the MTC learning our languages. So we teach our investigators all by ourselves! It's been hard and easy in tons of ways. But now, to prepare for teaching with a companion, we get to teach TOGETHER like real companions!! We're teaching in English together and our investigators name is Franklin. He's a toughie but it's such a cool experience being able to teach with someone else by your side.

Since the temple is closed right now for cleaning, some of us missionaries got the opportunity to help clean it. We literally scraped and sanded putty off the ceilings for 3 hours. Grandpa would be proud. The Sisters got to clean the chandeliers.

This week I just want to talk about being happy. I've attached pictures of all the Elders in my district. I pulled out my camera and sat there until I got a real laughing smile from each of them. Each of them and each of us naturally face the ups and downs of life. Being in the middle of hard times and frustration, it is truly our choice whether or not we want to be happy. There are so many things in this life and things about every day that we can choose to be happy about. I started reflecting my thoughts and "adventures" of each day at the MTC when I got here. It's funny for me to start out a day's journal entry about how bad the day was. But the more and more I would reflect on the day, the more joy and happiness and good times I was able to see. There are so many good things in our lives that are each an individual gift from our Heavenly Father. He has no intentions for us to be miserable here! Everything that happens to us and everything we go through is for our benefit. There's a verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that really portrays this principle. D&C 121:7-8 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. 8. And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high;". It's so hard to try and find happiness during our hardest times, but it really comes down to us. We are the ones who get to decide how we feel. I can assure you that my time simply in the MTC alone has been the most challenging and frustrating of my life, along with all the other missionaries here. But at the same time, I think I can speak for all of us and say that we have also never been happier.

Here are the Elders in my district. None of us have worked harder, but at the same time, never have we felt more joy and happiness.

Love you all!

Take a minute and smile about somethin', will ya?

Love Elder Stott