Day 6: Saturday, October 25th- It was a blessing to sleep in today. After I got up I went out to the field and played flag football. I am still trying to get to know people, so I wasn't as intense as I usually am. But it still was alot of fun. After football I went to lunch and then went to the computer lab and caught up on emails and blogging. Then I had a worship meeting for my ministry team that I signed up for! We all get to do a ministry while we are here and I am on the Cross Cultural Worship Team. We led every Sunday night service. It's cool because we are not leading typical American worship services but doing a different country or culture each week and how they worship. So it was fun to brainstorm and plan about different ways people are worshiping all over the world. Then for dinner Lauren came and picked me up and we went to Chick fa lay for dinner with Erin Wolfe. As we were sitting there a bunch of my close friends for Training walked in and it was fun to see them. :) Then I went to Allissa's (Lauren's sisters) volleyball game downtown Richmond. It was really good to caught up with her hear about what God is doing in her life and was fun to share about my first week at Training.
Day 7: Sunday, October 26th- We had small group church in a Quad with our region. We sang 3 songs and then Adam, Jess, and Amy shared their testimonies. Then we read scripture and talked about it. We have such an awesome region and all get along so well. There are about 10 single girls and 3 couples. Then I just hung out that afternoon with friends and relaxed! Then that night was amazing. It was our mapping ceremony! We all went into a room with a map and took our pictures one by one and went up to a microphone by region and shared where we are going and how to pray for us, and then put our picture on where we are going. I shared that I am going to Peru, and doing Extreme Team and that everyone would pray for me to rely on God for everything here and training and while I'm in the jungle! Here are some pictures of the 263 people that are going to be serving God all over the world at this FPO! :)
Day 8: Monday, October 27th- Today the Jerry and Bobbie Rankin came in and shared about their missionary experiences on the field. They both are so cute and sweet! Everyone loved them. Then Jerry Rankin (the president) spoke to us about spiritual warfare. He told alot of crazy stories and was interesting to listen to. Then after dinner the IMB Women's Prayer Team got together and did a Ladies Tea for us. We all sat at different tables with one staff member sharing and talking with us. The vice presidents wife was at my table with Kelli, and Ellen as well. It was really encouraging. We went around and shared about things we can pray for each other about and then took a long time praying for the person on our right. I prayed for Kelli. Here was our invitation to the Ladies Tea!
Day 9: Tuesday, October 28th- In the Morning time Elbert Smith talks to us and does personal discipleship. It is always so good. We started going through the book of Acts! We use the SPECKA bible study method (Sin to confess, Promises claimed, Examples to follow, Command to obey, Knowledge to gain, and Application to life). We do one chapter at a time and today was the first chapter in Acts. Then Dr. Rankin spoke to us about spiritual warfare. His stories are always so good but the rest it's hard to stay awake for. Maybe I need to go to bed earlier. I always say that but it never happens. My lifestyle right now is classes during the day and hang out with friends at night. Today the Entrust lady came. I have to open up another bank account to get paid through the IMB. This meeting was boring.
Day 10: Wednesday, October 29th- Today we had time with Elbert in the morning again and studied Acts 2. I REALLY enjoy this time, and studying God's word here. Then Dr. Rankin spoke his last day of spiritual warfare. It is a huge eye opener for alot of people. We broke into our small groups after lunch and talked about different spiritual warfare questions. Then in the afternoon the nurses came and talked to us about Malaria and how to deal with it and what is it. Then we had a Goal development meeting. I had sat down with my accountability partner, and went through some of this before. Her name is Katie and she is going to Bolivia to work as a Spanish translator. Today was a long day of meetings but good. Then this night we all met in the gym and played volleyball. It was a ton of fun, there was music on and everyone was silly dancing. It was crazy how many people wanted to play and took a long time rotating people in. the Recreation team organized it and was fun! After everyone started leaving the gym some people got together to play basketball. I should have went to bed because I was tired and had alot on my mind about all the things we had learned during our meetings. But of course I didn't and had to play b-ball. I played terrible and then went back to the room and cried myself to sleep because I played so bad. I truly believe that there was alot of spiritual warfare going on and had a hard time closing my eyes to sleep.
Day 11: Thursday, October 30th- The next morning I woke up and told Misty about how I had a hard time sleeping. She said that she had a terrible time sleeping and didn't go to bed till really late as well. I really believe that Satan is trying to attack so many people here at training because we are going to be so effective on the mission field in the future serving God. This morning we studied Acts 3 with Elbert-Loved it! Then we talked about transition and grief in the morning. We heard a speaker and then broke into our small groups and shared about who we are going to be sad to say goodbye to. Alot of us girls cried but it was really good to understand each other and encourage each other. Then during lunch and after lunch the Regional Office came and they talked to us about things we needed to get done and what other questions we had. Our South American Region is so cool and we always all have so much fun together. Then this was one of the first nights that Kelli, Emily, and Kyle and I hung out and played cards and really got to know each other. Emily, Kyle and I are missionary kids and so we have a fun bond to each other.
Day 12: Friday, October 31st (HALLOWEEN!)- So today didn't feel like Halloween at all because we didn't dress up or go trick or treating. But it still was a really fun day. Mr. Holden talked to us about language and we did some lessons on different languages, and was funny. He really made some of us laugh alot. Then in the afternoon we had a talk on how to live healthy on the mission field. Then got out early today of meetings. Kelli told me that she would take me to Elbert's house for the Journeyman Supper with all the singles but then she forgot and took some other people. It hurt me really bad but then the Lord knew exactly what I needed because He brought another sweet friendship into my life to encourage me when I needed it. Then I rode with her to the dinner. Then I found out later that Kelli felt terrible and cried as well about being a bad friend so later that night we talked and got it all worked out. I think it made Kelli and I really close after that. The dinner at Elbert's was AWESOME, we all felt like we were being set up with each other and went around and shared how many years we wanted to on the mission field. Kirk and Rachel then took on the challenge of saying everyone names in the room. It was really impressive. But yeah we felt like we were all at an E-harmony meeting or something. Then we went back and played capture the flag on the campus. It was alot of fun. Emily and Kyle and I lay ed down in the playground so no one could see us for a little bit. It was a really cold night.
Day 13: Saturday, November 1st-Wow who would think that I would take classes on a Saturday. Well I got up and went to ESL class. It was extremely boring but I had fun with my friends playing dot to dot, and keeping each other awake. I wanted to get certified to maybe get a job in the future, or use it as a ministry tool, and some other reasons.
Day 14: Sunday, November 2nd- Then Sunday morning we got an extra hour of sleeping because of daylight savings time. We then had church with our small group! Our small group consists of all the people in our region, and so it's exciting to get close to people that we are going to be seeing occasional on the mission field! Then this afternoon we had a flag football tournment, and I was on a team with Kelli, Kyle, Emily, John David, Jess, and Amy. It was alot of fun and of course I was really intense about winning and playing hard. Then we went to the gym and played around for awhile. After dinner we had our first Cross Cultural Service, and it was an underground church service in China. Everything was really good. The kids were loud, and the singing was soft, and the message was totally in Chinese. So everyone was confused and just had to sit there and listen.
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