Missionary Monday - Advice
Elder Beck sent us his MTC schedule.
He said nothing really changes there from week to week so he'll send another group email when he gets to DC.
We are able to email with him back and forth briefly on his P days so I'll share some of the things we've talked about. He's doing great and said he hasn't really been homesick. He's just going with the flow :). That's how he's always rolled. He was excited to see his friend Josh who arrived at the MTC this past week.
Elder Beck shared that the advice Jackson gave him about companions and Aubrey's advice about learning a language have been a big help to him. Here's what Jax had to say...
My hardest companion was hard for everyone that he got put with throughout his mission, but I definitely didn't handle him as well as I could have. I wish I would have realized that he had good intentions and he wasn't being hard on purpose. I felt like he was getting in my way. Getting in the way of studying, planning, and learning the language. Getting in the way of me enjoying myself. I wish I would have realized that his development as a missionary and a person was the most important thing. I could have helped him work through things instead of impatiently trying to get him to get over it or convince him it doesn't matter. I could have thought more about what I could learn from him and less about what he was doing worse than me. Eventually I realized I was almost as much of the problem as he was.
Here's Aubrey's advice...
I can empathize that learning a language is overwhelming. Learning a language is a process that takes time. Learning Russian also taught me to really listen, humility, empathy, nonverbal communication, and dedication. I really feel that on my mission I nearly mastered the Russian language. Although not perfect, I strive to maintain my fluency. I thought it might be helpful to include a bunch of language study tips.
Language Study Ideas:
Be task driven. I would choose specific tasks that were difficult to do in Russian. Then I would focus my efforts, vocabulary, reading, and roleplays on these tasks. (I focused on one task at a time.) For example, specific lesson points, giving a tour of the church, getting to know someone, and sharing a BOM on the street.Keep a running list throughout the day. When I first arrived in Ukraine, I thought to myself several times a day, "Man, I wish I could say XXX in Russian." I began writing these thoughts down and actually learning to say XXX. Focus on listening. I learned that it is SUPER HARD to listen in a different language, especially if you eventually have a companion that really knows the language. It was easy to let my mind wander while my native companions spoke with members and investigators. It required self control to listen without daydreaming. Study Spanish with members. This will be a resource when you are in the mission field. You will probably have an hour to do language study. I would often go to a members house and practice talks, object lessons, analogies, stories, and lessons. This helped to build relationships and was a more interactive and effective option than studying alone. Speak Spanish. I spoke Russian from 9:00am-9:00pm, including at home or with other American missionaries. Write. Writing is obviously less important than speaking, but it really strengthened my grammar. I would write talks, stories, experiences, and notes to members and investigators. Read the Liahona in Spanish. I liked reading the BOM in Russian, but that was not how people spoke. The Liahona is current language. Watch Mormon messages and other church videos in Spanish. This is another way to practice listening.Comment during church meetings and branch council. I would force myself to talk, especially when I least wanted to. I had a goal to comment during Sunday School each week. Be humble. I always asked for correction. I asked my native companions and members to ALWAYS correct my mistakes. I would let my companions correct me in the middle of lessons and even when I prayed.
You got this! Celebrate your language learning successes and be patient. Don't lose yourself in the language! Learn how to share your personal experiences and sense of humor. In another language, it is easy to be robotic and teach memorized lessons. It takes more preparation, but learning to be yourself in Spanish will make you an effective missionary. Take it one step and day at a time.
