Ok,
I have a lot to squish in!!
Temple
Square was great with Abe, we walked in to the SLC temple and walked right back
out. Saw Hope Davis and took a picture with her, that was fun. Ate at the
garden, super yummy rolls and salad. Picked up Clark, then headed to MTC.
It's
not this pretty drop off at the doors anymore because of the new buildings. You
get dropped off in a parking garage, which isn't as pretty of a picture. I had
a host missionary help me with my bags, to the ground floor. Went through the
new building for registration, got my name tags and missionary handbook. Got to my room, met my companion Elder Bendixen,
super cool and spiritually gifted guy from Philly. We headed to our classrooms
without unpacking or anything, you just bring your scriptures, Preach my Gospel
and put on your name tag and go. Super super chaotic and exciting. The nice
thing about being here is everyone is new. The longest you stay here is 9 weeks
so everyone is still fresh. So we met our district
in the classroom by about 2, and started a gospel discussion about our purpose,
shared reasons why we were service and just got to know each other. The MTC, is
like the City of Enoch. Not quite there, but it's definitely a few feet off the
ground. It's cliche, but the Spirit is strong here. Truly. After the classroom
instruction, we had dinner.
Holy
crap. I thought we were supposed to be eating healthy to get the necessary
energy we need. That, is not necessarily true here at the MTC. Soda machines,
endless chocolate milk and sugar cereal every meal, lots of fried food, and
dessert every meal. On top of that there's always ice creams coolers open at
every meal. I've been trying hard to not eat dessert, and I drink water at
every meal, except for Fast Sunday. Fast Sunday I stuffed myself and had 3
cookies, the ice cream provided for dessert, chocolate milk, Fanta, and 2 ice
cream sandwiches from the ice cream cooler. Oh yeah.
After
the first very long (not boring) day, I was worried my roommates who are part
of my District weren't going to like my school bell alarm clock, they
were super laid back and the past few days they've thanked me, because it gets
everyone awake in the morning. Very awake.
Showers
were in insane! We were awake a tad early too, but it was packed pretty fast.
needless to say, I'm a night showerer now. Spellcheck is disabled on missionary
computers so I don't know if that's how you spell "showerer".
The
first full day (Thursday), We taught our first lesson to Sarah. The method to
teaching, is to set a commitment from the info you have of the investigator,
and also what the Spirit tells you to say. i testify that the Spirit has guided
us in EVERY single lesson, the Spirit truly does guide you. The very first
thing they taught us, and reemphasized over and over again in the lessons the
first day was to love those you teach. love those you teach. love them. love.
From there, the Spirit will help you to give them the best information. My
companion and I Elder Bendixen, get along great. We are also great instruments
together in the Lord's hands, makes it very easy for the Spirit to guide us in
our lesson.
Our
district has been having discussions in the evening, in our "free
time". They've been powerful, and we have been put in this district
together for a reason. We all have strong testimonies of the Atonement, and our
Savior Jesus Christ. Very interesting to see our different testimonies are
about the Savior. The MTC theme is "Become as He Is. And our District
goal, is to increase in Charity. Which believe it or not I felt strongly
prompted to be my personal goal, the first afternoon here.
The
first day we were here, we got chewed out by Elder Holland (in a video), that
the first conversion we make on our missions is not others, but ourselves.
Elder Sanders is my first convert. Kind of interesting. Going along with that,
we watched a devotional that's only shown in the MTC, the Character of Christ
by Elder Bednar. Holy crap. Changed my life. He talks about how we ARE NOT to
convert people to ourselves first of all, or the church, but to Jesus Christ.
He talked about how all missionaries who come to the MTC have testimonies, but
aren't converted to Jesus Christ. The Character of Christ that he talked about,
is that Christ turns out when we turn in. Example, he suffered ETERNITY in the
Garden, and after that healed the Guard's ear. We, would have turned in,
thinking and worrying about ourselves. He talked about not being cookie
monster, and did a spot on impression of cookie monster. This was shocking, and
hilarious to see an Apostle to an impression of Cookie Monster at a Missionary
Devotional. Anyway, he gives other examples like while being hung on the cross,
he comforted the thieves next to Him. He said "get over yourself
missionaries. It's not about how you, how many people YOU baptize, how many
people YOU help, it's not you. It's the Lord. Get over yourself".
Conversion, is getting rid of the natural man. Getting rid of the cookie
monster. Most of us have testimonies, not all of us are converted to Jesus
Christ. Elder Bednar talked about how %60 percent of missionaries at some point
leave the Church, the brotheren didn't understand why. Then they realized it
was because they weren't converted to the Lord, they were converted to the
Church. He PROPHECIED, that if you will convert yourself to Christ, you WILL
NOT fall away.
So
many other things to share, I'm sorry my grammar isn't perfect, I don't have
time to fix it. Only 60 minutes to write emails. I commit you to practice the
gospel of Jesus Christ. Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy
Ghost, and Enduring to the End EVERYDAY. It is not a checklist. It is a life
time commitiment, but is also something you can do DAILY. Mom, I love you. I
will send a little email to everyone but this will be my big email so read it
to everyone. Edit as needed. I love you, I pray for you several times a day.
Thank you for giving me my testimony, I'm learning how to be converted to the
Lord, and the Pure Love of Christ/Charity, and Patience. That's what I'm
working on. Pray for me please, I do not have the strength to do it on my own.
I need the Spirit, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ almost constantly,
missionary life is hard. But I love it. Finishing each lesson motivates and
energizes me. I wouldn't be able to do it without those 2 things. I love you.
Tell Henry I love him too. Tell Eve I love her. Tell Lucy I love her. Tell
Camilla I love her.
Sincerely
and with much much Love
Elder
Sanders
PS
this is not proof read or spell checked at all because of time.
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