Californian in Kansas: MTC

Time is flying super fast, and I don't really understand how I know as much Spanish as I do. The Gift of Tongues is so real and It manifests itself in so many ways. Most of the time, it will come in the middle of class, and I'll understand a topic I was previously stuck on. Other times It will come in a lesson and Ill testify of something I didn't know I could. It also helped my companion and I connect with our investigator in a very unique way. Let me explain.

We had our first TRC investigator this week, and we were given a little piece of paper that had a small description of the investigator. We learned that ours was in a DUI accident and wanted to have a better relationship with God. She moved to Provo for a better life, and her room mate suggested she meet with the missionaries. We prayed about it alot and both agreed that she needed to here a lesson about God's Love for her. We made a special lesson just for this full of scriptures, and explanations of the atonement. We met her and she said she only had 20 minutes when we had been told we would have 45, so we adjusted our lesson. She didn't seem interested in anything we had to say. We asked her if she had a relationship with God, and she told us she prays everyday, but that she never felt anything. We shared some scriptures with her, and she said she knew they we true. We were really excited and asked her to read Moroni 10: 3-5, this is when the lesson went to heck. She freaked out and told us that the book was of the Devil and wouldn't even touch it. So I read it to her and testified to her of the truthfulness of it, we prayed and left with our heads really low and wondering what we did wrong.

The next lesson we tried to break the barrier and get to know her so shed be more comfortable and receptive to our lesson. My companion Elder Barker told an embarrassing story about how he had emailed h is whole family home telling his sister happy birthday, and even sent a big heartfelt letter. But it turns out that her birthday was last month... June 27, not July 27. he even celebrated it with her! He then tried to end with "I'm embarrassed" but he said, "Estoy embarazado" which would translate to "I'm pregnant." The investigator laughed and told him it was wrong. She then pulled out her phone and showed him a picture of a pregnant lady. We laughed about it for about 5 minutes and then had an incredible lesson with a lady that had no interest in the church previously. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways, instead if blessing us with perfect Spanish, he gave us a mistake that led to a great relationship with the investigator. Ultimately he knows the way and we need to trust him. In the words of Elder Bednar, "Don't wait for an impression go, and do, the spirit will manifest".

We also had a thing called Member TRC, where we teach two 20 minute lessons to volunteer members and we get practice teaching people. We taught Emily, a sister that just returned from her mission in Peru 2 weeks ago. For our second lesson we taught Kira, a college student at BYU majoring in Spanish. They both spoke great Spanish and we were intimidated at first, but we still did really good.

Last Tuesday, we had a devotional by Spencer J Condie and his wife. I went to choir before hand so I could get better seats and got really lucky because I got to sit next to Elder Harris (formerly known as Connor Harris back in Fresno) we got to catch up a ton and it felt kinda like the old times before we were missionaries. For the devotional, we sang "Where Can I Turn for Peace" which is an absolutely beautiful song. Sister Condie spoke first and said some amazing things, my two favorite were, "Our testimony of Jesus Christ and his restored church is our most powerful missionary tool." and, "The spirit cannot be restrained when a pure testimony of Christ is borne."

Brother Condie shared Mosiah 28: 3

3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

He then stated something that I really loved, "We don't preach to bring others to church, we invite all to come unto Christ."

Our teacher was also gone most of this week so we had a sub, Hermano Workman. He served his mission in Honduras which is really cool, and one of the Elders in my district even knew his sister which was really funny.

There is also a really nasty virus going around the MTC, almost half of my district has been bed ridden at one point this week. My companion Elder Barker is sick right now, and we had to be in our room all day because he is "contagious" I got a ton of personal study in while he slept all day which was nice, but we had to miss a lesson! About halfway through the day, Elder Tribeilcock came back to the room with the same virus but much worse so Elder Burke (his companion) and I played doctor and then went on splits while they slept. We had to got food and stuff for them though. I'm sure that my family is shocked that i wasn't the one to get sick. Yes mom and dad I'm fine.

Also some pretty really exciting news, I get to be a Host for all the new missionaries that come this week! Its not a huge deal and probably doesn't seem like a big deal to ya'll, but here in the MTC its super exciting. We get to be the first missionaries that everyone meets when they come, and we answer any questions that they have. Its gonna be a blast.

About 20 missionaries from my zone left on Monday (8/1/16) and it was super bitter sweet, these were all my brothers and not seeing them all day is super weird. They were really cool and super funny, but I'm happy for them as they ALL head for Argentina! The night before they left, I was hanging out in one of their rooms and someone accidentally knocked off the Air Vents so in effort to put it back, we found a ton of stuff up there! It was legendary. There was a picture of John Cena, a letter to another Elder, a California License plate, and a Tie with the tin man from Wizard of Oz on it. I got to keep the tie because the Wizard of Oz was filmed in my mission, so how could I not. We all signed and dated the License plate, and put it back with a letter explaining how we found it, then closed it back up for another group of Elders to find.

Overall, the MTC has been so much fun. I'm excited for a bunch of new people to come because we lost so many this week. I think we are getting 26 total new people.

I love you all and miss you so much!! Thank you to everyone that sent me Dear Elder's this week!! Keep sending them to me! The record for most Dear Elders received in one day is 11 for my district so I wanna beat that!

Pictures to follow!!

Elder Murphy

An old bottle flip picture. Elder Erickson and Elder Yuvienco

All the Kansas bound missionaries! Elder Davies (middle) is in a different district. That's why this is the first you're seeing of him.

Elder Ward from my YSA Ward!!!! He will be serving in India, but has to wait for his Visa to come through, so he is assigned to the Seattle Washington Mission until then!

Elder Barker and I (Week 1)

This all my study materials! So many books! I try to always keep it this organized. The bright cases are my Spanish scriptures and hymn book.

Planning lessons! (Yes, we posed for this picture.)

Favorite scripture from this weeks personal study:

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?