LAST WEEKS LETTER
9/24/2012
Dear Family,
Not sure why last weeks letter didn’t come…maybe too many attachments…so
I resent it today…
Hola!!! I am officially halfway done with my MTC Experience!!! Just think, I only have to do that 23 more times and then I am going to be coming home! JK that would be awful if I had to be in the MTC for 23 more months. Don't get me wrong, I definitely love it here. The Spirit is so strong and I have so many awesome experiences here, but being in here for that long would be completely horrendous. But that's OK!!! Because I leave in 29 days. Isn't that weird? I feel Like I just got here! The days go by kind of slow, but when I look back time has flown by like none other. Before I know it I will be in the field speaking Spanish 24/7! I should probably learn Spanish before then. Oh well. I can do that later.
Thank you for the packages!!!!! I am an ungrateful stupid person and I am so grateful for them!!!! Love you!!!
The temple dedication was way good! We got to see the 9 o Clock session! President Packer doesn't have much left in him, but I am so excited that he lived long enough to see that temple dedicated. It is his temple basically and there was such a sweet spirit in the room when we were watching it!
W. Tracy Watson (dude) brought up an interesting point. It was at a fireside about a week ago. He said that in old times, the Lord would take his people out of evil places and put them somewhere else. Brother Watson said that in our days, we don't run from Babylon, we attack it. He talked about the Book of Mormon Musical and about how the church is countering it with all of the "I'm a Mormon" ads in NYC. He said that the Musical is going even farther, like to Los Angeles, Chicago, San Fransisco, all of the big cities. But, what the church is doing, is putting ads about the Book of Mormon (the real book, It's TRUE!!) in the physical playbill for the musical. Captions like "The Book is Always Better," and "You've seen the play, now read the book." We are attacking Babylon head on and the church is continuing to grow and will continue to grow. There is no stopping it. The truth that we have can bless the lives of anyone, member, or nonmember, regardless of race, gender, status or anything. I have a sincere testimony of that.
Anyway, moving on. On Wednesday, our District had a goal to solamente HSI (Habla su Idioma) between our class times, which was from 11:50 to 6:30. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but I loved it!!! I am trying to always speak Spanish. That is my personal goal for this week. I want Spanish to be my first language of choice and English to be my second language. I got Elder Sam Neff's letter this week, and in it he said that even though it is his second week, he can speak and understand pretty much anything! People are asking him if he is Cuban or from Lima! It may be a longshot, but I am going to do all that I can to reach that point ASAP. In saying that, don't let it phase all of you faithful readers if I throw in a little Spanish in my letters or accidentally use Spanish grammar when I am writing in English. I catch myself doing that... Which is a GOOD THING!!! I wrote in my journal that to get to that point, I need not only to be 100% obedient, but also 100% committed. If I am not committed, then I am not going to get anywhere anytime soon. I have to dedicate myself completely to have effective study habits, and do things that will help me progress and also help my "investigators." I only have a taste of this work and I love it! I absolutely can't wait until I get out en el campo!!!
Another cool thing!!! We had a way cool workshop about the Doctrine of Christ. We can spit people doctrine, principles, and ordinances all day long, in other words, the "what" of the Gospel. People won't give a you know what about what I have to say until I explain to them the "why" of the Gospel. They won't care until they see for themselves how it can change their lives for the better. I came away from that knowing that to do that, I need to always focus and fall back on the Doctrine of Christ in my lessons. The best place to study that and teach from it is 3 Nephi 27. It lays it out so perfectly.
At the devotional yesterday, Stephen B. Allen, the guy basically in charge of the missionary department, talked about the Power that a missionary has. First of all, I am a set apart, ordained with priesthood power, representative of Jesus Christ. Secondly, I carry the word of the true and living God in my message. Thirdly, I have a testimony of this work and its divinity that nobody can deny. Fourth, I have character. He said these things will help me teach with power, authority, and all those things that God has blessed me with.
Anyways, Thank you so much for your support! Mom I did receive the package. Love you so much. Not just for the package that would make me an ungrateful son of a gun. Love you forever. Grandma Dial thank you so much for the letter! I always appreciate the mail and the updates. Keep them coming! If you see people I know tell them to write me or I will cry.
Hola!!! I am officially halfway done with my MTC Experience!!! Just think, I only have to do that 23 more times and then I am going to be coming home! JK that would be awful if I had to be in the MTC for 23 more months. Don't get me wrong, I definitely love it here. The Spirit is so strong and I have so many awesome experiences here, but being in here for that long would be completely horrendous. But that's OK!!! Because I leave in 29 days. Isn't that weird? I feel Like I just got here! The days go by kind of slow, but when I look back time has flown by like none other. Before I know it I will be in the field speaking Spanish 24/7! I should probably learn Spanish before then. Oh well. I can do that later.
Thank you for the packages!!!!! I am an ungrateful stupid person and I am so grateful for them!!!! Love you!!!
The temple dedication was way good! We got to see the 9 o Clock session! President Packer doesn't have much left in him, but I am so excited that he lived long enough to see that temple dedicated. It is his temple basically and there was such a sweet spirit in the room when we were watching it!
W. Tracy Watson (dude) brought up an interesting point. It was at a fireside about a week ago. He said that in old times, the Lord would take his people out of evil places and put them somewhere else. Brother Watson said that in our days, we don't run from Babylon, we attack it. He talked about the Book of Mormon Musical and about how the church is countering it with all of the "I'm a Mormon" ads in NYC. He said that the Musical is going even farther, like to Los Angeles, Chicago, San Fransisco, all of the big cities. But, what the church is doing, is putting ads about the Book of Mormon (the real book, It's TRUE!!) in the physical playbill for the musical. Captions like "The Book is Always Better," and "You've seen the play, now read the book." We are attacking Babylon head on and the church is continuing to grow and will continue to grow. There is no stopping it. The truth that we have can bless the lives of anyone, member, or nonmember, regardless of race, gender, status or anything. I have a sincere testimony of that.
Anyway, moving on. On Wednesday, our District had a goal to solamente HSI (Habla su Idioma) between our class times, which was from 11:50 to 6:30. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but I loved it!!! I am trying to always speak Spanish. That is my personal goal for this week. I want Spanish to be my first language of choice and English to be my second language. I got Elder Sam Neff's letter this week, and in it he said that even though it is his second week, he can speak and understand pretty much anything! People are asking him if he is Cuban or from Lima! It may be a longshot, but I am going to do all that I can to reach that point ASAP. In saying that, don't let it phase all of you faithful readers if I throw in a little Spanish in my letters or accidentally use Spanish grammar when I am writing in English. I catch myself doing that... Which is a GOOD THING!!! I wrote in my journal that to get to that point, I need not only to be 100% obedient, but also 100% committed. If I am not committed, then I am not going to get anywhere anytime soon. I have to dedicate myself completely to have effective study habits, and do things that will help me progress and also help my "investigators." I only have a taste of this work and I love it! I absolutely can't wait until I get out en el campo!!!
Another cool thing!!! We had a way cool workshop about the Doctrine of Christ. We can spit people doctrine, principles, and ordinances all day long, in other words, the "what" of the Gospel. People won't give a you know what about what I have to say until I explain to them the "why" of the Gospel. They won't care until they see for themselves how it can change their lives for the better. I came away from that knowing that to do that, I need to always focus and fall back on the Doctrine of Christ in my lessons. The best place to study that and teach from it is 3 Nephi 27. It lays it out so perfectly.
At the devotional yesterday, Stephen B. Allen, the guy basically in charge of the missionary department, talked about the Power that a missionary has. First of all, I am a set apart, ordained with priesthood power, representative of Jesus Christ. Secondly, I carry the word of the true and living God in my message. Thirdly, I have a testimony of this work and its divinity that nobody can deny. Fourth, I have character. He said these things will help me teach with power, authority, and all those things that God has blessed me with.
Anyways, Thank you so much for your support! Mom I did receive the package. Love you so much. Not just for the package that would make me an ungrateful son of a gun. Love you forever. Grandma Dial thank you so much for the letter! I always appreciate the mail and the updates. Keep them coming! If you see people I know tell them to write me or I will cry.
Les amo siempre. Estoy muy agradecido por esta oportunidad a
ser un misionero de Jesucristo. Le amo con todo mi corazon. Nos Vamos!!! (I love you always. I
am grateful for this opportunity to
be a missionary of
Jesus Christ. I love him with all
my heart! )
Elder Mike
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