Monday August 27, 2012
Hola todas!!!!!! Well I have
survived 5 days in the MTC and I am loving life. My companion is Elder Fawcett
from Hurricane Utah and he is just a swell guy. He loves playing basketball and
reigns from the three point line. Well in any case, i will give you sort of a
run through on what I have done since coming here.
Wednesday: After my goodbyes, I
saw Elder Stephen Doxey! What a good guy. On my way up the ramp I saw Elder
Cody Jenson, then Elder Chase Bleyl, then Elder Scott Palmer all before I even
got to my room! Since then I have seen Elder Zach Bowman, Elder Jimmy Greene,
Elder Travis Draper, Elder Mark Burdette, Elder Warren Crowley, and probably
more that I can't remember right now. Elder Fawcett is convinced that I know
70% of the MTC, which is completely crazy. I love seeing people I know here! I
have so many great examples of people dedicating two years of their lives to
serve the Lord! On the Wednesday I came in, I went to my classroom and my
teacher already started speaking Spanish to me. I could pick out words here and
there, but mostly had absolutely no idea what she was saying. Her name is
Hermana Price. She served her mission in Argentina and she loves our district
so much. She is funny, a really good teacher, and just a sweetheart overall. Am
I allowed to say that about my teacher? Oh well. Just did. After our class, we
got to go and teach real people already! On the first night! We got in to rooms
of about 30 missionaries, and each room had 1 real live investigator in it.
Some elders or sisters would go sit down with them, teach a mini lesson, and
then the investigator asked questions to all the missionaries. I thought it was
fake at first but it turned out to be real! It was really cool. I didn't get a
chance to share myself because there were people that got to it before me... Oh
well. It was a way cool experience.
Thursday: We started out with a
workshop where we watched a 2 minute clip of a random person in NYC. They told
about themselves and what they did in their life. Afterwards, we wrote down
what we learned about the people during the clip, and then we wrote down what
we thought God thought about these people. They were all non-members. It was an
experience that made us try to look through God's eyes and develop charity and
love towards these random people that we had never met. I realized that I need
to do the Same towards the people of my mission. I have never met them, but I
pray for them every day and ask that I can have an unconditional love towards
them. It sounds really weird doesn't it? but i know that I must gain this love
for them so i can serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.
Friday: My worst fear... We taught
in Spanish! well kind of.. We were supposed to teach as much as we could
in Spanish, then say what we didn't know in English. It turned out to be about
50% English 50% Spanish Spanglish nonsense, but I did my best. In our classes
every day, we learn different Gospel jargon in Spanish. I already know how to
say a simple prayer and to communicate most things. Although I am not where I
want to be, I am getting there and el don de lenguas is very real. What was
cool about the lesson was even though I could barely understand what I was
saying, I could feel the Spirit. The Holy Ghost speaks Spanish, English, and
Spanglish, and everything in between. Even when I get out into the field and
can't speak that well, the Spirit can communicate what I cannot.
Saturday: We taught our second
lesson to Manuel, our "investigator." He is actually one of our
teachers, but plays an investigator for us to practice on. I could do a little
bit better on my Spanish, but the real improvement was doing the lesson out of
Preach My Gospel. The first lesson we jumped around like crazy and Manuel had
no idea what we were talking about, but through better organization we were
able to teach him better.
Sunday: My favorite day so far.
Feliz Cumpleanos a Mi! Our sacrament meeting was good, but the best part about
it was after the devotional, we were able to watch a talk that Elder Bednar gave
at the MTC this past Christmas. He talked about the Character of Christ, and
how the Atonement of Christ would not have been possible without the Character
of Christ. When He was on the cross, He wasn't even concerned about Himself! He
was worrying about His mother, her well-being, the well-being of the guards who
had just crucified Him, and the thieves crucified with Him! Elder Bednar said
that the way we can best emulate that in our lives is to turn outward when the
natural man tries to turn us inward. I strive to do that every day now! It was
a really eye-opening talk for me.
I love you all, and in perfect
honesty don't miss you much yet. Can't wait to see you in 24 months!
