We got our travel plans!

 Mike with his buddy Camden Buchanan and their matching purple Mr. Mac ties

 Mike and his comp in front of the Provo Temple holding Philly flag shirt

 Mike's attempt at photographer.  He called it "Angel Moroni & Fall Foliage" Rachelle what do you think?

Hola! Como le va familia? It is all good here. There were some nice highlights of our week. First of all, WE FINALLY GOT AN APOSTLE TO COME AND SPEAK TO US!!!!!!!!!!! It is about time! Elder Bednar came and spoke to us on Tuesday. He is becoming one of my favorites to hear. He taught us a cool way to analyze and study the words of the living prophets. He said that this pattern worked for him, and that, if we wanted, practice it and eventually come up with our own. What he does, is 1. Find doctrine or principles that are being taught. 2. Realize what blessings are being promised by the general authorities, and 3. Heed the invitation. He said that the conference Ensign he receives is destroyed with notes, highlights, among other things. Another cool thing that he said was that when the General Authorities, especially the 12 and first presidency, promise blessings, they don't do so lightly. It isn't something that might come to pass or might happen. If they promise it, they do so under direction of all the keys of the priesthood!!!!! I think that we forget that sometimes. Even though President Monson is the only man authorized to use those keys, all the brethren work under direction of those keys!! Listen to those men!! They are the bomb!

Secondly, WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!!! I was kind of surprised. I thought I would spend about nine weeks here in Provo and then just go home and resume my normal life. I guess the Lord has planned otherwise... Anyway I report to the travel office at 4:00 AM on Tuesday morning, and my flight leaves from SLC at 7:15 and arrives in Atlanta at 12:55 PM, then we leave from there at 2:10 and arrive in Philly at 4:17. THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!!! I am so stoked out of my mind I can't even wait. Madre, let me know when you want to talk to me. It may be a little early, but I think you can sacrifice for you favorite son. If not, I'm not coming home. I will bum it in Philly for the rest of my life. But probably not.

Anyway we also got to watch a talk that Ronald A. Rasband gave here at the MTC and he talked a lot about finding people. He told stories of a lot of street preaching, singing hymns in the street, and other way cool methods of finding people. If you hear on the news that 14 people in the Atlanta airport were singing hymns and baptizing hundreds, don't be surprised. That talk got me really fired up! If I can, I wanna do street preaching! It sounds WAYYYYY fun!!!! We will learn more about that in about 8 or 9 days though.... I will keep all yall posted. Oh speaking of travel, Dad I don't remember bringing $200 bucks cash. Maybe you could just put it on my card and I could take it out of the ATM here. Or send Jason to the airport or something. He is always looking to break the rules.

Ok one more cool thing. The mission is made up of 8 fundamentals, and we learn one each week. This week's fundamental was "Teach People, Not Lessons." This is what Preach My Gospel is all about. We are to go in, ask INSPIRED QUESTIONS, discern the needs of the investigator  by the Spirit, and then teach specifically to those needs and resolve doubts. If you into a lesson with an awesome plan, and the investigator asks a question that you need to resolve, you go there first. If you can answer the question with your lesson plan, thats great. If the Spirit prompts you to go elsewhere, all the better. Sometimes Plan B is just so good that you secretly want Plan A to fail drastically. I think that I am getting better at this fundamental day by day. I try my best to discern needs, and teach to them, but sometimes these ruddy investigators won't open up. I know they are fake, and the real ones are gonna be worse, but I say bring it on. I can't wait these final 8 days that I have left!!!!!

Mom, so I auditioned about 3 or 4 weeks ago to sing somewhere. I sang the Michael Hicks arrangement of Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. They told me that it was breathtaking, and that I was a definite yes. When they found out I was leaving when I was, they were excited that I had time. That was like 4 weeks ago, so hopefully they didn't forget about me. I am banking on singing at the fireside this coming Sunday, so pray for that because it would be FETCHING AWESOME!!!!!!!

Anyways, love ya tons. Can't wait to talk to ya in the wee hours of the morning next Tuesday. I took some pictures and will try to find a blasted computer that will accept my camera cord. Thanks for the love and support. Couldn't do it without ya folks.

-Elder Dial