MTC Week 3 - September

September 04, 2017

MTC Week 3 - September

Nihao, wo de pongyoumen!

The MTC is a great place. I wish I could tell you EVERYTHING about it since I'm just that kind of person. However, so as not to take all your time, I'll record a few choice experiences here.

I ate the juiciest, fattest peach of my life on Saturday night. One of the sisters next door was sent a package of glorious fruit, and she asked if we wanted some of her goods. How could I refuse such an offer? As we were preparing for our Relief Society lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy, I sunk my teeth into the peach and tasted Autumn. What a beautiful moment.

On Wednesday, we played volleyball again, our diqu (district) against another diqu of all elders. At one point, it was my turn to serve. I decided to serve the overhand way, as I've only ever done underhand. So I threw up the ball and smacked it over the net. It landed right on the ground on their side because no one went for it fast enough. SEVEN times this happened! The ball would continually fly towards this one elder who just couldn't for the life of him hit the ball. It was SO funny. Their whole team was laughing so much, and they told me to give them a second so they could get their dongxi (stuff) together. Finally, on my eighth serve, they were able to get the ball back over. Volleyball is so fun. Sometimes, by sheer luck I reckon, I am able to make some pretty quality hits. On Saturday, my diqu kept saying I was the MVP and our district's "secret." The "secret of Love." Lol.

Last night I watched Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk, "Missions Are Forever." What a powerful talk that was. He asked: why are missions so hard? Why aren't people flocking to the font? Well, Elder Holland said, because salvation is not a cheap experience. If it wasn't easy for our Savior, why should it be easy for us? Oh my. How TRUE! The Doctrine is simple, yes, but of course it's not easy! It was never supposed to be easy. It's hard work. It requires faith, which I'm working on. It requires obedience. Elder Holland also firmly and boldly demanded that we, as missionaries, do not waste our time here. How dare we give anything but our WHOLE SELVES to God's work? I squirmed in my chair a little bit because I know he is absolutely right. So I made a commitment that I would consecrate myself as a missionary. I want to give myself to the Lord. This morning, I jumped out of bed at 6:30am sharp and turned on the light. I wanted to begin the day in a way that will lead me to end this mission the way the Heavenly Father wants me to. I want to become who He wants me to become.

In a different talk, Jeffrey R. Holland said "You can have anything you want, or you can have something better." Wowza. When my branch president shared that in church yesterday, it really hit me hard. In this life, it may seem easier or better to do whatever we want and find our own path to happiness. But I have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he truly translated the Book of Mormon with God's power. Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet on the earth today. Thus, I testify that Jesus Christ is the only way to true and everlasting happiness. By following his Doctrine, having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized by someone holding proper priesthood authority, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, we can live in the presence of our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, again. We can and will receive blessings bigger than any of us can even comprehend. So keep your head up. Look for the miracles amidst any prevailing gloom. There will be miracles to find if you really seek them.