Nothing much has happened this week, so instead of my normal email I'm going to give you guys an idea of what it's like to be a sister in the OTC :)
It's 8:30 in the morning. No planning has been done, you haven't even finished studies, but there you are at the Online Teaching Centre on Ward street in Hamilton New Zealand. When you first open the doors you see 5 rooms with 4 computers each, a few sisters have already started so you sit down in the last room and log in. You say a prayer with your companion to open up the shift, then get to work.
You have about 7 tabs open; one is the referral manager where you take calls and chats and requests and send them to local missionaries. You have facebook open, to message people you're working with, your email, so you can email if they don't respond, and the local church locator so you can find out which missionaries to send them to. You also have churchofjesuschrist.org open just in case they ask any questions and need scriptures or a conference talk. You constantly bounce between the different tabs to accommodate different needs.
You spend most of the shift taking bible requests, calling them to see if they're interested, and calling the local missionaries if they are interested in having a free bible delivered to them (As I said before, If you're serving a mission, I can find your area and figure out your phone number pretty easy. Unlimited power ;)).
A name pops up on the chat; it's David from Australia, again. You roll your eyes and archive him immediately because you know he's just going to argue with you about the Book of Mormon and it's origins. Next you call Karen, a new bible request, and talk to her about the bible. She seems pretty interested! Even though she talked about how many cats she has for most the conversation, the missionaries have a solid chance of teaching her the lessons :) As long as they don't have allergies to cats...
Before you know it, it's already 12:00 and your shift time is over! You log out and prepare to go back into your own area. After a closing prayer you feel ready to take on the world :)
This is kind of what's it's like in the OTC! Honestly we have so many blessings each week that come from it :) I hope to never leave!
For my spiritual thought I'd like to share a verse from the hymn "Come listen to a prophets voice". We as a mission get to see the prophet tomorrow in person! As I have been trying to prepare myself to hear the words of president Nelson, I came across this line I really love
"Yet saints of God have found at last the straight and narrow way"
God has blessed us with a prophet so we can continue to draw closer unto Christ. The prophet will direct us to where we need to go so that we can obtain eternal life, which is our goal. I would love to encourage each of you to read over President Nelsons talk at the last general conference. (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2019/04/46nelson?lang=eng) I can promise that as you do, you will find inspiration to solve your own difficulties you are experiencing in life right now :)
Sorry this is suppper long!! I love and miss you all!
Ofa Atua!
SK
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