Wednesday, April 17, 2013

MTC: Week 5


So I have a ton to write about. First, I am going to be leaving for sure next week! I do not have my visa yet so I will get reassigned thursday after in-field orientation. I will get the chance to call home for 5 minutes so I will be calling mom at 8:20 or so Friday morning. If you want to hear where I am reassigned then call her before-hand and hopefully we can do a joint call. Since my companion is Canadian she will actually be going to Argentina on Monday at 7:30 a.m. so I will be missing her like crazy.

Second, RICHARD G. SCOTT spoke at devotional last night!!! One of the best nights of my life and it was exactly what I needed to hear. He focused on prayer/ communication with our father and how much of a privelage it is. He also left us with his apostalic blessing to learn and master the language. It was so great because after we sang and the girl got up to pray to end the meeting he hurried back up and said a few more words. He said that the Lord has called us to succeed and not fail. He will not abandon us and He knows what we need. He knows what we will become. He will help us recognize the strength that we already have that you did not previously know. AMAZING RIGHT?! My favorite part was when he said that the principle to ask in faith is to have confidence. He also said something that I felt like I should write down and share in my email which is about receiving answers to your prayers. He said that if you feel like you have not received an answer ponder sections 6,8, & 9 in Doctrine & Covenants and see/review if He has already answered you. Elder Scott said there are three ways God answers our prayers: 1. feel the confirmation and peace from the Spirit, 2. stupor of thought (you do not feel good about the decision you have made/feel like it is wrong), or 3. you feel no response. In times where we feel no response Elder Scott said that we should thank our Heavenly Father for trusting us. The whole discourse was amazing and I am incredibly blessed to have been there. I was actually 10 feet away or so, so that was awesome! No one knew that he was coming. Usually there are rumors that an apostle is coming but this time I didnt hear anything. Total shock for everyone!

Next, I listened to a talk by Elder Bednar that helped me understand teaching so much more. I have no idea what it is called because it was never stated on any of the advertisement things but it is all about doctrines, principles, and applications. He said that the doctrine was the "why", principles were the "what" and application is the "how". Elder Bednar said that the reason we have so many issues with home teaching and other principles is because we focus on the how. How to make it better or how to force others to do it, but he said that what we should be focusing on is the why. Why is home teaching important, or why is a family struggling to come to church. If people understood the DOCTRINE behind the commandments then he said that there is no way they would not keep that commandment. He used 3 Nephi 9:14 which says that they understood in their hearts. When we understand the doctrine it becomes written on our hearts.

The Last main spiritual thing I want to talk about is Relief Society on Sunday. We had Mary Edmunds come to speak to us (I had no idea who she was either before I heard her talk), and she told us a bunch of stuff about missions. She has served four! It was cool for me because I got to see the future me. Seriously, though, she is a bit of a quack and everyone loved it! So all my weirdness that will eventually stew to overflowing will be generally accepted in an old lady. This is the wonderful future I can look forward to!

Now to the funny things. The Elders in my district were eating jello one day and decided to test its elasticity by shaking it as hard as they could from side to side and then up and down. It eventually escalated into jello flipping and Elder Allen (no relation) flipped it perfectly over on the place. It was funny but then he was going to do it again for someone who hadnt saw him do it and that time he missed and it landed on the table. Let me just say that the jello did not change one bit the whole time. Even landing on the table it didnt fall apart. I laughed like crazy. OH! Also, every gym time I play volleyball and yesterday when we played, two other Hermanas in my district joined us. It was probably the best game I have experienced yet, but the funny part was that one of the sisters was trying to kick the ball back to the server on the other side. She kicked it and hit Hermana Alexander in the leg (she had kicked it pretty hard too) and the ball came right back to her, so she kicked it again but this time hit Hermana Mills in the face who was standing right next to Hermana Alexander. It was the best thing ever and I laughed for 5 minutes or so.

There is an Elder Christofferson in our zone that is one of the most amazing singers ever! I wanted to cry hearing him sing Come thou Fount and then he sang How Great Thou Art. I love my zone and district and I cant wait to start my mission. I am extremely nervous but It will all work out well. I know it will. I wanted to send pictures but I cant find the Hermana that has them. Please continue to write me. I want to hear from all of you! I love you all so much. I'm so excited to share all of these experiences with you.

Hermana Allen

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