Dec 16 - From the MTC

Packages for Christmas!

This has been week 3 of my MTC experience, and things have started to fall into a routine, which is dangerous for me. When I fall into a routine, I don't put as much thought into the things I do, and I've had to make a conscious effort to keep the Lord in my thoughts and to keep my prayers thoughtful.

Last Saturday evening, we had our first Training Resource Center experience. It's where members who speak the language come to the MTC and are taught by the missionaries. It's pretty nervewracking, because you have no background on the people you're teaching before you walk into the room. Right now, the TRC is set up to be two twenty minutes lessons, though I'm told that later it'll become one forty minute lesson, and that our last TRC visit will be a skype session with Filipino natives.

Before we went to TRC, we prepared a brief lesson, and we were impressed to teach about the atonement. Our vocabulary isn't very well developed, so most of the lesson was centered around the scriptures.

Our first visit was with a return missionary who served in the Philippines and his girlfriend, who had recently gotten her mission call to the Philippines. She didn't speak any Tagalog, but she wanted to get some exposure to the language, and her boyfriend agreed to translate for her. 

We dove into the lesson, and it started off really well. I don't remember exactly what was said, but about halfway through, I was impressed quite strongly to share about losing two sisters. The first thing through my head was panic, because I definitely didn't know how to say something like that in Tagalog. Most of our vocabulary up to this point was gospel based. After that, I just jumped in. I knew the word for sister (I'd had an impression about a week before to learn that word) and I knew the word for death, and the tears streaming down my face communicated the rest. I shared about how I knew that through the Atonement of Christ, I could live with them again someday. I then was impressed to share Alma 7:11-12. This wasn't one of the scriptures we'd prepared, and if you don't know me, you know that my memory is pretty terribad when it comes to historical dates and scripture references. I had no idea what was in that scripture until I opened to it with the couple we were teaching and read it. Feel free to do so yourself. I remember reading that scripture and loving it, but I never could remember where it was. I know that the Holy Spirit guided me to that scripture and made up for my own weak memory.

After I read that scripture, the Brother we were teaching related a story of his own. I couldn't make out all of it, but I understood that he had lost four siblings of his own, and that he loved the scripture I had read because it makes it clear that the atonement didn't just cover sin. Christ experience every difficulty and every sorrow that we have, and that he understands our trials perfectly. He pretty much stole the words right out of my mouth (though his Tagalog was much better)

I know the Holy Spirits guides those who will allow it to. I know that it guided me when I needed guidance. 

I love you all, and so does your Heavenly Father

Elder English

Dec 7 - From the MTC

So, I promised to share my epiphanies last time. The first was this. As members of the Church, we follow each member of the Godhead in a different way. We follow the Holy Ghost through personal revelation, we follow the example and teachings of Christ, and we follow the commandments of Heavenly Father. When I think about following three different people, I could see how some might be concerned about splitting loyalties or being pulled in three different directions. That's why the savior said several times "my Father and I are one." To make it clear that following Christ would never interfere with our loyalty to Heavenly Father and his commandments. I'd never really understood why Christ said that so many times before now. The second was that management of expectations is a skill that we need to develop as human beings. The third I think I'll keep to myself for now. If you're really curious, you're welcome to send me a message, and I'll consider telling you. (by the way, if you want to contact me, it's much more convenient if you use DearElder.com instead of email while I'm in the MTC, because I can read those throughout the week, whereas email I can only read and respond to for sixty minutes each week. Though if you're inclined, handwritten letters are wonderful as well)

I'm writing in chronological order, so if it seems like I'm jumping around topics a lot, it's because that's how my life is right now. Anyways, my teacher said something this week that I think definitely applies to me and that I need to work on. She said "a goal not written is but a wish." Goal making is something that they really stress in the MTC, and I'm not great at writing down my goals. 

So, at the beginning of this week, Elder Rilloraza wasn't feeling all that well. Saturday night we gave him a priesthood blessing. If you're keeping count, that's the second one I've had the opportunity to give since I got here. It was such a good experience. The priesthood is such a wonder. The next day, Elder Rilloraza rushed out halfway through the Sunday morning devotional. Elder Rilloraza was so sick that he slept for most of that day and the next. When we got him to the Health Clinic, they diagnosed him with mono. I don't think I've been around someone with mono. It was usually just material for funny jokes in high school. I'm not going to lie, it's rough. He was passed out for almost two days straight. During those two days, I stayed with him and Elder Whitney made a temporary exchange with another companionship. I was worried that missing that much class would drop me back behind the other Elders, but I found that in the front of our Tagalog-English dictionary, there's a grammar guide, and I managed to pick up quite a few useful language tools that I taught to the other Elders. Along with that, I ironed a bunch of shirts, polished shoes, wrote in my journal, and read in my scriptures. It was some alone time that I think the Lord recognized I needed. (technically I wasn't alone, but Elder Rilloraza was so out of it that he certainly wasn't imposing on my alone time) That Sunday was fastSunday, and when dinner rolled around and I was still with Elder Rilloraza, I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to get anything to eat until the next day. Let me just tell you, God has everything worked out. My district is the best, and my fellow Elders brought food by that they had picked up at the cafeteria. They're the best.

That Sunday morning devotional that I got to sit in on (Elder Whitney went out with Elder Rilloraza, and I tagged along with another companionship in the zone) was mostly focused on the life of Christ and Joseph Smith's life. Apparently Joseph was born on December 23rd, and we were encouraged to learn more about his life, so I've been reading through Joseph Smith-History as part of my scripture study. It's been such a wonderful experience. There's a lot about the initial restoration of the Church that I didn't realize. If it's been a while, you might consider reading it as well.

By Tuesday, Elder Rilloraza was feeling well enough to go to the Tuesday Night Devotional. Rumor had it that we were going to have an Apostle come. When we got there, it was announced that Elder Hafen, Emeritus General Authority, would be speaking. I was definitely a little disappointed. Apparently Elder Ballard was delayed by the snowfall, and couldn't make it. However, that disappointment only lasted until Elder Hafen started speaking. He spoke mostly about how we would go through great tribulation, and that we'll want to go home, or harden our hearts to protect against the rejections we would face, but if we endure the trials, we will be able to experience incomprehensible joy. It was so cool, because the day before, I'd stumbled across D&C 121:7-8 in the Maeser Alumni Missionary journal in Elder Nathan Haug's entry. 

His wife also spoke, and her message was very brief, but she related a story about her granddaughter, who was born twelve weeks premature with Cerebral Palsy. Sister Hafen talked about what a blessing Kiah was. Kiah passed away at the age of sixteen. Sister Hafen related how thankful she is to have a knowledge of the Plan of Happiness, and how peaceful she is to know that she will see her granddaughter in the next life. That message is so touching and so personal to me. I'm so grateful that I have a knowledge of the Plan of Happiness, and that I will be reunited with my sisters in the next life.

The other thing that Elder Hafen talked about was that he had known Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve since he was three years old. He said that Elder Holland wasn't sure whether he wanted to go on a mission, and that his decision to do so brought him the spiritual growth that later allowed him to be in a place to be called as an Apostle of God. It was intriguing to me to think of Elder Holland at about my age being conflicted about whether or not he should go on a mission. I don't think that we as church members ever realize that the leaders of the church were not always as spiritually strong in their faith as they are today.

I have more to say, but I'm running out of time, so I'll have to add it to next week's email. I love you all. God loves you. Have a wonderful week!8888

Elder English - Nov. 30, 2013

Wow. It's been over a week. Not gonna lie, this last week has gone by really slow. Not sure if that's just the Lord stretching out the time I have so that I'm prepared before I hit the Philippines or if that's just my perception, but man does time seem to be going slowly. I guess I can't complain though because I feel like I'm blazing through this language. My vocabulary is starting to flesh itself out, and I can say prayers, bear my testimony, invite someone to prepare to be baptized, get to know people (to a point) and a lot of other things. I know how to simply conjugate verbs and a lot of other stuff I can't think of right now. I think all that praying for ng koloob ng mga wika (the gift of tongues) is seriously paying off. Now I just need to get to the point where I can consistently understand my investigators...

Speaking of investigators, We've had three more lessons with Brother Ricky since I last wrote. They went so so so well. During all three I could feel the Spirit. I don't think hardly anything we said was grammatically correct, and even as is it was barely intelligible, but I know that we taught by the Spirit, and the Spirit can breach barriers that I know I can't. Wednesday was our last meeting with Brother Ricky, though we will have other investigators. I know that Brother Ricky was a role being played, but I had grown to love Brother Ricky. I found myself tearing up during the closing prayer of our last lesson. I'm going to miss him. 

Oh, and another tidbit about the investigators we have. Every investigator is played by a Return Missionary, and ever RM chooses an investigator that they themselves had, and takes on their personality, habits, and lifestyle during our lessons. I found that really cool, like we are learning to get to know and love the Filipinos even before we fly out of country.

Last Saturday, after writing I had the opportunity to attend a session in the Temple. It was a bitter sweet experience, because it would be my first and last opportunity while at the MTC, because the temple is closing for renovations. I've also heard whisperings that if you don't have a temple in your mission (which I don't) then you don't get to attend temple sessions in the field either. Not sure whether that's true or not. Guess I'll find out! The temple itself is such a wonderful place. Each time I've gone through, I've learned and felt so much. I really hope I don't have to wait two years to go again.

Last Sunday we had some great services, but the highlight of the day was after all the services were over, a screening of the talk The Character of Christ by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was offered. The talk was originally given in the MTC on a Christmas Sabbath. He started by saying that he didn't mind if we didn't remember anything that was said that night, but he hoped that we would never forget how we felt. I definitely will never forget how his talk made me feel, and I highly doubt that I'll forget what he said too. He also said that if that day had been just any Christmas, he would have opened the meeting up for a Q and A, but since it was the Sabbath and they'd partaken of the sacrament, such a meeting was not fitting. Every time I think of that sentence, I think "what a waste that would have been." I know that a Q and A from an apostle isn't a waste in and of itself, but the words he offered in that talk made up one of the most profound spiritual feasts I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I wouldn't be able to do the talk justice, but I encourage you to watch it. It has a lot of beautiful insights into the life of Christ.

On Tuesday they had an evening devotional, and the key speaker was Elder Teh of the Quorum of the Seventy who is from the Philippines. He had all those who were going to serve in the Philippines to stand up, which was really cool. Elder Teh spoke about Ammon, and his extreme focus while on his mission. Ammon turned down the kingdom of his father in order to go on a mission, and soon after arriving in the land of the Lamanites, he was offered one of King Lamoni's daughters, which would have made him heir to yet another kingdom. Ammon, however, knew what he was sent to do. He turned down the offer of yet another kingdom and asked to be a servant. If I am to be as successful as Ammon, I need to have that same focus and realize that serving a mission is about becoming a servant to the Lord, to my companion, and to the people of the Philippines. He also shared Alma 18:2, which contains the reaction of the people of King Lamoni to Ammon. It uses the words "exceedingly astonished" and they become certain that he is more than just a man. I know that if I have the focus of Ammon, I can draw the same response, and people will look at myself and my companion and say, "surely this is a servant of God."

Thanksgiving was amazing in here. We had Elder Nelson speak in the morning, which was really cool. We also had one Brother Foster who works for the Church Humanitarian services give a talk about the humanitarian services the Church offers and the importance of service. Normally, I find talks like that suspicious, because a lot of people that talk about service in that way don't actually offer all that much service. However, when we did a service project later that after noon making meals for Utahn children who don't have enough to eat over the weekend, his family ended up working at our station, and he was just a couple of tables over. It was really heartwarming seeing someone roll up their sleeves and bury themselves in the work along with everyone else. It really gave me a desire to visit Welfare Square in Salt Lake and inquire into giving service there when I'm back in school at Westminster. That evening they screened Ephraim's Rescue. If you're interested in pioneer stories at all, I highly recommend that one. It's amazing. Funny, heartwarming, and tear jerking. 

Lastly, I had the opportunity to check out FamilySearch.org. It was really cool to see my family tree so plainly set out. I love seeing Jedediah Morgan Grant in my family tree, and being able to trace my lineage to Heber J Grant, who I really look up to. I'm so thankful to those who did the family history work to make that possible. Also, I tried to find the line that goes farthest back, and it was through the Grant line that I found I am distantly related to King Henry I, William the Conqueror, and Vikings spanning back as far as 150AD. I love family history. 

Oh jeez, a single hour of email is not enough to relay all of the wonderful experiences I've had while here. I'm going to have to cut out the spiritual epiphanies I had yesterday, but I'll try to add them in some other week when I don't have so much to say.

I love you all. I hope you can feel God's love and know that he is watching out for you. Ingat!

November 23rd - From the MTC

My first day was pretty disorienting. Once I got all of my materials and dropped off my luggage in my room, they sent me straight to my classroom, where they immediately jumped into a lesson. I should have realize, but I didn't know that they practice immersion here. I was so so lost. The material we were supposed to be learning was "Getting to Know Someone." A lot of it was lost on me at the time, because I couldn't make out the instructions due to it all being in Tagalog. One thing I did learn is that Tagalog is a very guttural language. The sound "ng" from song has its own consonant and is often used as its own word to mean "of" more or less.

In that first class, I met my companions. Yep, companions plural. Apparently three man companionships happen and are commonly called tripanionships. I love Elder Whitney and Elder Rilloraza. They're fantastic missionaries with great testimonies.

Elder Whitney very recently graduated High School and is still eighteen, but knows a lot about missionary work because he has an older brother that got back from his mission a week before he reported for his own mission.

Elder Rilloraza graduated from High School when he was sixteen, and only has a single term left of college before he has his bachelors. He's was in the ROTC program for the Air Force. He is second generation Filipino, so he understands a lot of what is said, but isn't used to speaking Tagalog, and what he does speak doesn't have the words of respect that missionaries are taught to use. In a way he knows a lot more than we do, but he also has a lot more bad habits when it comes to Tagalog.

After we left class, Elder Whitney  felt quite ill and didn't eat at Dinner, and vomited more than once. We took him to the front desk where they gave him some medication and where Elder Rilloraza and I obtained consecrated oil from a brother there. Once we got back to our room, with help from the missionary handbook, Elder Rilloraza anointed the oil, and I was able to seal the anointing for the very first time. It was a beautiful and intensely spiritual experience. I think I quoted scripture in the blessing itself, but I definitely couldn't do so if I was asked to do so know, and I'm not even sure which scripture I quoted. All I know is that later that evening, Elder Whitney was up and about and feeling much better.

The other amazing thing I learned on that first day is that Elder Ryan Moe and Elder Jordan Kocherhans, who I went to school with, are both here in the MTC, and Elder Kocherhans is my zone leader. I also ran into Sister Mary Hoskins on my third day. I love running into fellow missionaries from Maeser.

The second day, I learned that there's a journal that is passed between Maeser Alumni, and each missionary that gets hold of it adds a single entry into the journal. I saw names that I recognized from my first year at Maeser all the way down to classmates of my own year. The last entry was from Sister Sami Baker, who was a very good friend. Hers was the only one that I read all the way through, and it brought a powerful spirit to my heart and a broad smile to my face.

The third day, after two days of learning the language, we were given the task of giving a lesson to our "investigator" Brother Ricky. We were told that Brother Ricky speaks very little English, that he already had been given a Book of Mormon by a friend, and that he was originally from the Philippines. That lesson had me very very worried. I wrote down my testimony, using the very limited Tagalog I knew, and did my best to memorize it. Before we entered the room, we said a pretty desperate prayer. Then we knocked on the door with a "Tao po" which is the common phrase that Filipinos add to knocking on doors. Brother Ricky opened the door, and we fumbled our way to being welcomed inside. The message that we shared and the answers to the questions he had weren't pretty, but I think a native would have understand our general meaning. I felt the spirit, but was very relieved to have it over with. One thing I realize in retrospect is that we cannot teach the Lords message without feeling the Lord's love for our investigator, regardless of if he's an actor or not. It's something I pray for and ask the Lord for help with.

I love you all and so does Ama po namin sa lagint (our Father in Heaven). He's watching out for Tayo (all of us)

Alam po ko na propeta po si Joseph Smith. Alam po ko na totoo po ang Aklat ni Mormon. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo Amen.