Simplicity in Chtist

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

This last transfer, my last transfer, we have been focusing on the simplicity found in Jesus Christ. When we know the Savior, we know what truly matters. As we focus on Christ, the gospel becomes easier to understand, not easier to live, but simple to understand. I love the simplicity that comes as we choose to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

In the book of Numbers we learn that, “the people spake against God, and against Moses,” so, “the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.” 

Tough.

The people realized they messed up and they went to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.”

In answer to Moses' prayer the Lord answered, “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.”

And now we should have a happy ending where all the people repent and look to the serpent on the pole and live happily ever after. But instead…

“because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.” (1 Nephi 17:41)

Yikes.

Why is it so hard to look to the Savior? Because is it so easy to look to the Savior.

It’s so hard because all it takes is reading the Book of Mormon everyday and it’s so easy that I still struggle. It’s so hard because it’s simply praying to Heavenly Father and it’s so easy because I don’t want to kneel or speak out loud. Why is it so hard to focus on Jesus Christ? Because it's so easy.

I’m so grateful that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have incredible patience because so often, I turn away, just like the children of Israel. I forget, I complain, I think I should have more than manna. But I can look to Christ and live. The Savior invites simplicity into my life. Elder M. Russell Ballard promised, “It is in simplicity that [we} will find… peace, joy, & happiness.”

President Russell M. Nelson said, “Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life & teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His doctrine, & His restored gospel of healing & progression!” 

I invite you to focus more on Jesus Christ and allow Him to help you simplify your life. I promise that as you focus on Christ and simplify you will experience increased peace, joy, and happiness, I promise this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: When we focus on Jesus Christ we don’t die from fiery serpent bites.

Updated (& corrected) information regarding my homecoming talk 

Location 

691 E Cedarview street Tooele  

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cedarview+St,+Tooele,+UT+84074/@40.5563673,-112.2786781,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8752bdb42ab180b9:0xfa04d530fb210631!8m2!3d40.5563673!4d-112.2786781!16s%2Fg%2F11smn8djr_?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

Time

9:00 am 

The last email I sent said 10:30 and that’s wrong. Come at 9:00.

Be there or be square (because you’re not around).

#Humbling

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Apparently missions don't last forever :( and I've kind of been doing this for awhile so last week I got an email regarding  My Plan  basically this means part of my missionary responsibilities is planning some stuff for life after my mission. 

Please enjoy a short description of the existential crisis I've been experiencing as I try to make plans.

I've heard tales of a shoulder angel and a shoulder devil. Most iconically Kronk from Emperor's New Groove.

Well, I don't think I have an angel and a devil. This week I felt like I had a shoulder Jacob and a shoulder Esau. Esau likes eating jerky and takes a lot of pride in his hair and is real tough. Jacob likes growing food and flowers and is a real momma's boy. And, like, I'm both. 

Inner Jacob and Esau have been fighting over the birthright. But for me I'm just trying to decide which college to go to. 

Esau says, “Girl, you know which college you want. Just do it.“

Jacob says, “Sister Owens you know which college Heavenly Father wants you to go to and you know everything works out a lot better when you are obedient. Follow the prompting.”

I applied for and was accepted to the Jacob college but I still keep looking at the Esau college and selfishly wishing Heavenly Father will change his mind. But I know Heavenly Father is looking at me and saying, “Trust me.”

And so I'm trusting because Esau college is, for me, a mess of pottage. And right now I want it because I'm hungry and I've been working hard and I want easy. 

But Jacob college means eternal blessings not temporary comfort. Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and he wants me to become more like his son, Jesus, who seldom had it easy. Heavenly Father knows where that is going to happen. 

I am learning humility. It's been a hard lesson, but I'm learning.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Choosing a college is hard. God knows more than you and me and all of us.

Hands

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Yesterday we had a sister's study activity. Which basically meant wearing pajamas, talking about things we want to do differently, creating goals and eating cookies. Wow, being a missionary is the best.

As we discussed our lives as missionaries one sister commented on how she felt when she was in the temple, explaining how her white dress and everything was beautiful until she would look down at her hands. 

This sister serves at the This Is The Place Monument, where missionaries dress as pioneers and help people learn about early Utah history and the way people lived in those times. This Sister is a blacksmith there and often gets scars and burns on her hands from the work and demonstrations she does. 

When she is wearing a dress for church or while she is in the temple in her white gown she feels self conscious and perhaps sometimes even ashamed of her hands because of the scars.

As she expressed this to each of us I couldn't help but see the parallels to Jesus Christ.

My dear friend, Jesus, also has scars from his service. No one served quite like him. No one suffered quite like him. 

President Thomas S. Monson, then Elder Monson, gave a talk entitled, “Hands” in this talk he speaks of the sanctity of hard working hands.

Of the Good Shepherd’s hands Elder Monson said, “This was the determined hand which drove from the temple the money changers. This was the loving hand that blessed little children. This was the strong hand that opened deaf ears and restored vision to sightless eyes. By this hand was the leper cleansed, the lame man healed—even the dead Lazarus raised to life. With the finger of this hand there was written in the sand that message which the winds did erase but which honest hearts did retain. The hand of the carpenter. The hand of the teacher. The hand of the Christ.”

It is a sacred privilege to be the Lord's hand as his service missionary. An honor even more for this sister who will forever look at her hands and find Christ. How sacred that her service should reflect the Savior’s.

“I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love, and devotion can I forget? …

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”

His hands are always stretched towards us. Accept his hand. Let him help you. Oh how he loves you. When Jesus looks down at his hands he thinks of you. 

To this fellow missionary and representative of Christ, I humbly share, Psalm 24:3-4

“3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Your hands are clean and you are worthy to enter the Lord’s house. Thank you for taking upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ. You are an exceptional representative of the Lord. However, I would kindly suggest that we find you some high quality, thick, leather gloves.

I hope all of our hands can be a little more like Christ's.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Let us not be ashamed of the service we do in the Savior’s name. Celebrate those scars that make you more like Jesus Christ. Do more of what the Savior would do.

Sources

Hands

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1972/10/hands?lang=eng 

I Stand All Amazed

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/hymns/i-stand-all-amazed?lang=eng 

Psalm 24

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ps/24?lang=eng

 

I'm Glad Strangers Got In My Car

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Happy Friday! Happy General Conference weekend!

This week I had zone conference! I volunteered to drive people because sometimes transportation gets a little messy for service missionaries. All of the missionaries in the zone met at a church house and then we all stood around in the parking lot talking until it was time for riders to find drivers. 

That morning I had been introduced to two new sisters who had very recently transferred home, Sister Fawson and Sister Smart. A few weeks before that I had met Sister Merritt as we were walking to our cars at the same time and sort of helping one another not get caught in another conversation so we could go home.

That morning the four of us were standing by each other and chatting. When it was time to go I said I could take four people and the three of them decided to come with me. My dad's car's name is Gator, I told the sisters this as we walked towards the car, and they agreed it was a very good name for this particular car. 

As we drove we got to talk with each other and get to know each other and listen to music. I enjoyed driving because I didn't have to participate in the conversation, I got to listen and I love to listen. They were all so funny and it was so uplifting. It was easy to be with them.

We stayed together throughout the whole day, although they couldn't leave me because I was their ride home. It was the first zone conference in this mission for all of us but because we had each other it wasn't really an anxiety inducing experience, it was just fun.

When our conference concluded one of these sweet sisters asked me, “do you think Gator wants to go and get ice cream?” And I said, “why, yes, I think he would.” So then we all went and ate ice cream together. Laughter and ice cream are such a good combo.

On the drive home we were deciding which ice cream flavors each of us would be if we were ice cream and they said that I would be cookies and cream because, “it's hard not to like.” That's like a huge compliment.

We have a group chat and I'm excited to get to know each of them better. Sister Merritt, Sister Smart, and Sister Fawson were evidence that God is aware of me, knows my heart, and loves me.

I know God is aware of you, knows your heart, and loves you. I hope that you're able to notice the tender mercies and evidence of God's love in your life. They are there, I promise. I promise it will get better.

Love you! 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Zone conference= Yay! Carpooling with random strangers I met five minutes ago=Yay! Ice cream= Yay! You're going to be okay because God is watching out for you.

MosQUITos

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

This last week just before a member meal I was the victim of a mosquito bite. Please also note that since my mission I've come to a knowledge that I'm slightly allergic to mosquito bites which leads mostly to more swelling than the average person might get. This unfortunate wound was on my forehead. 

It was huge. 

It was like I was back in a trio, with an extra companion that lived on my forehead.

Highly unfortunate. Next time I'll take pictures. 

Luckily the members we were with are really cool and one of them works at the hospital so she had me put fancy chemicals on the bite so it would CALM DOWN. And it did. 

It also feels relevant to note that I carry something called after bite in my bag everywhere I go because I live in constant fear of mosquitos.

If you know me you may know that I love a good metaphor. Even more than that I love a bad metaphor. My favorite bad one is as follows, “he was as tall as a 6’4 tree.” Terrible. I love it. 

So here is a bad metaphor for you all to enjoy. A bad analogy if you will, mosquito bites are much like sin. 

I myself sometimes try to overcome mosquito bites without any help. This usually means scratching the bites because then it temporarily feels better. But after I do that the relief is so short and the bite swells up more and it often gets more itchy. It can also lead to infections if I break the skin and then ick gets in there, which is super duper unfortunate and then I really really would need help dealing with it. If an infection goes untreated I'm not sure what all happens but it can't be good. And some of my past mosquito bites are scars now because I itched them so much. 

I myself sometimes try to overcome sin without any help. This usually means hiding, even lying and/or convincing myself something isn't a sin or just trying to hide it from other people or even God. But after I do that the relief is so short my heart breaks more and I'm even more afraid to ask for help, but I need it more. If I continue to this I might deny the promptings of the Spirit and I might start breaking my covenants and further distancing myself from God, which is super duper unfortunate and then I really really would need help dealing with it. If I choose not to repent I become uncomfortable with my identity as a child of God. I begin to despise myself, my God, everything. Some of the sins that we try to deal with on our own can scar us. 

What I have been learning to do when I get mosquito bites is turn for help right away. Put on after bite. After bite has fancy chemicals that decrease the swelling and the itching. Sometimes after bite can sting for 2-3 seconds but it is always worth it for how quickly it prevents other problems. If I do scratch the bite a little and then put on after bite the after bite still helps and usually I won't have any other issues. Sometimes the mosquito bites are more severe, like the one on my forehead. Luckily I was at the right place at the right time to get all the extra help I needed. 

What I have been learning to do when I sin is turn for help right away. Repent right away. The Savior's Atonement has fancy power that gets rid of the harm of sin and gets rid of the separation from God that comes with sin. Sometimes repentance can be hard for a very, very short amount of time but it is always, always worth it for how quickly it prevents other problems and heals us from the original sin. If I do procrastinate repenting from the sin a little and then repent the repentance still brings so much relief and the repentance prevents other problems related to the sin. Sometimes our sins are more severe, but the Lord has ways for us to get the extra help we need. We can always talk to our bishop or mission President or someone we trust to get the extra care we need to heal and to repent.

The best thing I can do for mosquito bites is put on bug spray. I'd like to say I have bug spray on all the time so the mosquitos never get me, but that's not true and sometimes even when I am putting on protection I still get bites! But I know the bug spray makes a difference and I know I am preventing bites by putting on protection.

The best thing we can do for sin is also put on protection. We can put on the armor of God by praying, reading our scriptures and taking the Sacrament. I’d like to say that I have the armor of God on all the time, but that's not true and sometimes even when I am putting on protection, like wearing my garments, I still sin! But I know the armor of God makes a difference and I know I am protected from temptation by wearing my garments and praying often, daily scripture study, and taking the Sacrament. 

Mosquitos suck. Sins suck. 

After- bite & medical wonders and wonderful. The Atonement of Jesus Christ & repentance are wonderful.

Heavenly Father has such a great plan for us so that we can all be taken care of with things like mosquito bites and with sin. He provided a way for us to be okay. I love Heavenly Father and I love Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that I don't have to deal with my sins alone because I know I can't. I need the Savior. I testify of Jesus Christ's infinite love and grace that covers you and me, just like bug spray, but better. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

I love you! The Savior loves you! I hope mosquitos don't love you!

P.S. I'm giving another talk this Sunday if anyone has awesome resources for the topic, “Sharing the message of Christ with love and sincerity” send them [the resources] my way! Thanks!

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: Mosquito bites are like sin. The Savior helps us with everything. 

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Wow

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

An update from last week's edition. The four of us have a new dryer (our 3rd one) & it works! Hurrah! In other news they have a new apartment and they are splitting us up. Hopefully we will have til the end of the transfer but we don't know. 

I'd much rather have a broken dryer than have my sweet sisters taken away. But the transfer ends soon anyways.

Lately (the last two-ish months) I've had lots of people help me ponder on the Word of Wisdom. 

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have The Lord's Law of Health or the Word of Wisdom. It is what the Lord has asked us to do to take care of bodies. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to take care of our bodies because they are sacred gifts. We are specifically taught to eat healthy and to not use harmful substances. My trainer used the word C.A.T.T.S. to describe what should not enter our bodies. C-coffee, A- alcohol, T- tobacco, T- tea, S- scary drugs/substances (depends on audience).

The blessings for living in accordance to the Lord's law of Health include; health (go figure), wisdom, treasures of knowledge, and protection. These are powerful promised blessings!

[For additional information or to fact check please refer to page 86 of Preach My Gospel or Doctrine and Covenants 89]

There's been so many people that get stuck because of their addictions. 

In my mission there’s a rule where if someone hasn't been to Sacrament meeting in two weeks we can't teach them anymore. This may seem harsh but I can testify that even though us missionaries have to give up on people the Lord never ever does. The Lord is always aware of them and ever preparing them to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

With this rule things tend to be fast paced because a lot of people don't come to church. 

I've met people that do come to church but we can't continue teaching them because they continue to drink coffee or smoke (that's a big one), or they're alcoholics (this one is so sad). 

One lady I had the privilege of teaching for a short time had been having drinking problems for a long time. She lost custody of her kids when they were little for it. She was meeting with missionaries because she wanted to change because she was about to meet one of her now adult daughters. I won't be there for the happy ending but eternity is long and people have many, many opportunities to make changes so I'm confident there will be a happy ending but maybe not soon.

Two days ago we met a man named Tim. Tim spends $300 on alcohol every week. He was able to stop for 15 months but now it's as bad as it was before. Tim thinks about what that $300 could do for someone that really needs money but he can't stop.

On Friday night when we met Tim he said he knows he's dying. And he is. He has some pretty extreme liver issues. And Tim says everyone he knows is going to heaven. Everyone except him. And he's scared. He doesn't want to burn.

Well, the Lord's plan is far more merciful than that and Tim has a lot to learn. And hopefully I'll get to help teach him but it could go either way. While I was drinking the water that's been blessed by the priesthood, Tim was drinking something else.

If Tim does come to Sacrament meeting I know he'll be blessed with an increase of the Spirit and that'll get him pretty far. 

Tim is a good person and he's not going to burn. But he's still got some work to do. So do I. 

Please never mess around with potentially addictive anything. Drugs, alcohol, pornography. There's just no valid reason to mess with it. There just isn't. 

Addictions ruin lives in so many ways. Tim is physically dying. The woman I mentioned earlier probably will not be in contact with one of her daughters in this lifetime.

I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can and do heal and help fix anything and everything. But if we can avoid needing healing and fixing let's avoid it.

Love ya!

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Word of Wisdom= 

Addictions=

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Greetings from Goldsboro

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Once upon a time there were four young sister missionaries living together in a city called Goldsboro located in the North Carolina Raleigh mission. Each Sister had different traits, origins, and cultures.

The first, Sister Jones, was very stylish and fun. She came from Seattle Washington and she's a triplet. Before her mission she was a ballroom dancer at BYU. She is trendy, friendly and fun. She is easy to laugh with.

The second, Sister Colasurdo, no one quite knows how to say her name. She's been nicknamed Sister French though her name is Italian. She too is stylish. She loves cheese and if she eats gluten she may suffer for weeks after just one crumb that touched a crumb of gluten. (Celiac is real and it's bad.) She is bold and loving and open and honest. A diligent disciple. 

Thirdly, Sister Tingey, she recently came to the mission from a historical site where she had to wear pioneer dresses everyday, where she wasn't allowed to have braided hair so that people would be less likely to see her and think ah yes Mormons and polygamy. Sister Tingey is a Sister of great style and of great love. She has charity and can easily identify the miracles we are blessed with. She's a delight.

Finally is Sister Owens. You know her. She's a hoot and a half.

Each of these Sisters have a few wonderful common traits. Each are hard working, loving, missionaries. Each have their own challenges and each strive to do their best and to become better each day. You may notice I mention their styles and that is because we all wear clothes. We love clothes, an appropriate amount. 

Alas, here the challenge comes in. We four, together face the great and terrible adversity of not having a functioning dryer. It's been weeks. 

The lack of dryer paired with the humidity leads to some woes. 

But we four are facing it very bravely. We begin now to understand the Law of Consecration and have been borrowing one another's clothes. 

The four of us through this unique challenge have become more unified, more united. 

While not having a dryer is tough, we know that like Joseph Smith in Liberty jail, “[our] afflictions shall be but a small moment,” indeed the Lord has said, “My [daughters], peace be unto th[ine] soul[s].” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7)

We will look forward in faith and in wet clothes as we go about the work of salvation!  

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ [even if all ye have is wet clothes], having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life [and dry clothes, eventually].”

(2 Nephi 31:20)

And so we press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and in our wet clothes. 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

(Also featuring, Sister Jones, Sister Colasurdo, & Sister Tingey)

Summary: The whole email is me being melodramatic about not having a dryer.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Ok

Hey y’all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has time or the attention span to read this.]

Sorry I didn't send an email last week, not that sorry though, it will happen again. 

This last week the heating hasn't been working at our church building and I've had several meetings happen there and they were super cold and uncomfortable but that's okay. The lack of heating did make it so church was canceled. But it's okay because we were invited to go to another ward at our stake center. That church was also canceled. Because the electricity was out. Along with more than half of Fayetteville. None of the stoplights worked. Driving was terrifying. Tears were shed. Horns were honked. But it's okay. We talked to our zone leaders and they told us to go to a different ward, one about 30 minutes away in Gillis Hills, there's some other sister missionaries there and we were excited to show up to their ward and surprise them. Their ward started at 11:30 so we left Fayetteville and found that some of the stop lights in Gillis Hills also didn't work. Not super fun. But its okay because we arrived safely at the Gillis Hills church building. We walked in and almost no one was there. Their were a few people lingering in the hallway but no one in the chapel, we were then informed that the Gillis Hills ward had started at 9… New year, new time, website hadn't been updated and all that. Awkward. But it's okay because a branch was about to start at 12! But it was the Spanish branch… but it's okay I know like, 17 Spanish words and there were some Spanish elders there who were very confused on why we were there. Honestly we were confused too. But it's all okay because we were able to take the Sacrament and the Spirit speaks in a language anyone can understand. Even though I didn't know much of what was being said, I could easily recognize how much they spoke of, rejoiced in and loved Jesus Christ. Also a bunch of people came and shook our hands or gave us a hug at the close of the meeting, they were super excited to get hermanas and then they were disappointed we were just visiting. But its okay they said. 

It's okay. 

I hope taking the Sacrament is important enough to you that when life is chaos you will still find a way to make it happen. I don't know if taking the Sacrament is the highlight of my week but I know it's important to me. It's especially important to take the Sacrament when life is chaos. The Sacrament, Jesus Christ, taking part in an ordinance so focused on Christ, that's what makes it all okay. I love you. I miss you. I'm okay. Take the Sacrament you'll be okay.

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: the Sacrament is good and it's important. And life is crazy but through Jesus Christ we get to be okay. When we do what the Savior has asked us to do everything gets to be okay. You'll be okay.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Purple Donuts

 Hey y’all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has time or the attention span to read this.]

I'm here at the Provo mtc. From a very young age I have been taught that if you can't say anything nice you shouldn't say anything at all. 

Just kidding. 

Mostly.

I knew being a missionary wasn't easy. But I never realized how hard becoming a missionary is. Lately, I've been thinking about President Eyring's talk Tested, Proved, and Polished, there's this one part where he describes pulling weeds with his mom and his brother. The soil was like clay and the weeds would break off in his hands while the roots stayed firmly in the mud. His mom and his brother were rows ahead of him and the harder he tried the further behind he got. He cried out, “This is too hard!” and then his mom instead of offering sympathy smiled at him and said, “Oh Hal, of course it's hard. It's supposed to be. Life is a test.” 

This is hard. It's supposed to be. I feel like I'm pulling out weeds of old habits that no longer align with the disciple of Christ I want to become. A lot of the roots of unrighteous desires are still there. I'm selfish or lazy or blah blah blah. I'm learning though. I'm becoming a more devoted disciple of Christ. I'm gaining confidence in myself. I'm learning how to connect with people and how to see others the way Christ sees them. I'm learning to enjoy being a beginner. 

I love my district. My companion is cool. Sharing a room with five other girls is more fun than I expected. Our room is filled with laughter. Occasionally we cry with each other. The Spirit is present when everyone in the room is doing what they're supposed to be doing.

Classes are cool. Devotionals are good. The food here is edible. I really like blueberry donuts, they're a very definitive purple. 

Love & miss you all.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: This is hard but I know it's gonna be so so worth it. There's purple donuts here in the mtc.