Today is our final P-Day here at the MTC and then tomorrow we wake up at 3 in the morning and will be at the airport around 6ish. Our flight however will not depart until around 8:25AM.
So my companion and I and our other two Elders within our district got a good early start to the day, got our laundry finishing up in the dryer right now, and now we're getting to email!
We're going to the temple one last time here today so that's exciting! Our sisters from our district left early this morning to South Carolina so for the first time it had just been us Elders.
It is kinda sad, and weird. We actually grew very close to our sisters, last night for our District meeting we all bore our testimonies in front of one another, individually. It was very emotional, but a good kind.
For only the second time since being here while giving my testimony have I cried, and both times it was when I was explaining how hard it was to let go of my brother. I told them they have literally been brothers and sisters to me.
There's one Elder in my district, the Colombian guy (if you have seen pictures) who is not my companion, who I've grown very close to. I find it crazy how Heavenly Father paired us up with one another because it feels like we've been best friends since birth. I hope to be getting paired up with him sometime in the near future on my mission because we would be great together.
I have absolutely loved my MTC experience here. The District that we had was what really made it so enjoyable. In just two weeks we've all grown so much, I've grown so much. I've learned how to read the Book of Mormon with a purpose.
My testimony has gown, my confidence has grown, and I've come to realize our true purpose as a missionary. "To invite others to come unto Christ, and help them receive the restored gospel, through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end."
I never realized at the beginning how powerful that is. I myself have to go through that process, that same process that I want whoever I'm teaching to go through, before I can truly teach them that. And that's exactly what I'm doing. It is a life long process and the hardest part is simply just enduring to the end.
I know this is only the beginning of my mission, my journey, and I need to grow so much more but I look forward to it. The sisters before they left each gave us letters, and then they had one their moms mail them temple recommend card holders for each of us that has the Las Vegas temple on it with a message and it is SO cool!
This week has been so spiritual. My Companion and I on Sunday had to conduct Priesthood meeting and teach a lesson over baptism for 30 minutes. I planned the lesson, and I took complete charge of it. Little did I know it would last as long as it did and that the spirit would literally talk through me like he did. Its so crazy because I cant even recall everything I said.
We had all of our branch presidents in there, and we had the other Elders from our zone in there as well and by the end everyone was in tears. One of the Branch counselors is an athletic trainer on the BYU football team and just to see a grown man like him who is around football guys all day, and really any grown man cry is just powerful. Why would you get so emotional about a gospel that isn't true? I know this gospel is true.
It was so powerful because at the end my companion and I each bore our testimonies, and everyone was just very impressed. WE ourselves were impressed because we didn't think we could do that. It was just a very humbling experience for all us.The MTC branch Presidents held my companion and I after class and really let us know how great of a lesson we gave, and how much they were impressed that we were here with all that we've been through.
My companion also fell out of the church for sometime so we've been able to connect really well on that. We also last Tuesday at the fireside had a member of the Quorum of the 70 come speak to us, Elder Suerez, and after we were one of the few who were able to shake his hand! You could just feel his spirit and how powerful it is.
However, TONIGHT WE HAVE ELDER HOLLAND WHO IS MEMBER OF THE 12 APOSTLES COMING TO SPEAK!! We're so pumped and we're going to try to get there early so we can have really good seats! We imagine he will have security very close to him and all around but we're going to try to shake his hand! So we're very excited for tonight!
Know I'm doing great. Doesn't mean I'm not struggling thinking about home and all of my loved ones because I do every night but whats made the difference is that I've relied on Heavenly Father to help comfort me every step of the way and it works. He works. I know why I'm here. I know my purpose; All I hope for is that Heavenly Father is watching over my loved ones, everyone in my life. My Mom especially.
I'm so thankful to have the privilege of being here. You all are ALWAYS in my prayers. Always. Thank you so much for all of your support.
P.S. Weighed myself 3 days ago and I weighed in at 158 so based upon the amount of food I've consumed since then, I should be a solid 160+. I FEEL GOOD.
I love you all.
Elder Angele
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