March 26th, 2015 - Alllllll Abooooooooard!

Ej živjo družina! 

I figured I'd quote my little friends' favorites 'Thomas' and 'Polar Express' . . . aaaaall aboooooard!! That's right. After over 2 months, singing 'Called to Serve' 14 times, eating approx 42 boiled eggs, cleaning 405 windows, teaching approx 50 lessons, playing in devotionals 7+ times, watching 7 groups of English missionaries come in and out of here, receiving a plethora of awesome letters and packages, learning approx. 2000 Slovene words, and offering 987987676527136547812634918723y48??287346 prayers . . . my time has come! This is my last email in the mtc and I am sooooo excited to get to Slovenia, meet my mission president and his family and start this amazing work in Slovenia.

I am extremely grateful for my time here at the mtc. I feel like Dad in my feelings of how awesome this place is. I have been tested in ways I did not expect and have grown in others. It's an opportunity that I treasure and will treasure forever. 

In a pre-field interviews with out Branch Presidency I got asked some rather normal questions and told some rather normal information. However at the end Brother McKay asked me something that I have think a lot about in order to answer. He asked how I had seen MYSELF change in these past two months, or what i have learned that is different about myself. I may have already told you guys this, but I came into the mtc and a mission expecting it to be a spiritual smack down, like I was constantly getting hit in the face by a frying pan from the holy ghost. Basically, I expected something different. After going through the temple for the first time, getting set apart, living in the mtc, the most important realization I have had, is that it is not different at all. The feeling I have here is the exact same I have felt all growing up; the frequency might have increased, but it is ALWAYS up to us when and where we want to feel the spirit. If you build it, they will come. Aka, if you seek it, IT WILL COME. Heavenly Father will never turn away a seeking child. He says that He will come to us. We just have to put forth the effort and allow him to do so. 

This has also given me hope going out into the mission field. How am I supposed to teach someone what the holy ghost is and teach them how to get answers or how it feel? The good news: I don't. It's NOT a new feeling. Just as it wasn't a new feeling being in the mtc. Everyone has felt the love of Christ, everyone made the choice to follow him and come to earth. I am just reminding them of what they already know. 

I love and miss you all so much. The Lord is truly watching out for me and for you. I will keep you all in my prayers as always. Go to the temple, stay strong, be happy and grateful no matter the circumstance. Also . . . study Christlike attributes with me and we will all see our lives blessed! We will be happier and more confident in our paths in life if we are constantly becoming more like Christ. And when you have thoughts or impressions, please share! He lives. I promise. He truly said:

"I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." 

Across the seas I go! Love you all! 

Sestra Rhodes 

Pics of the week!!!

Zone Picnic on P-Day, Too Good!

Travel plans!!! Freak out!! Germany here we come! (And Chicago:) )