Week 4?

Email dated 10.31.07

While I'm not really in week 4, my planner says that this is week 4, and so I'm counting it. Today is a good happy Halloween, and tonight I'm thinking about going "Scrupt-Ure Treating" and see how people react to my brilliant sense of humor. They can give me candy or the eternally hated by all primary children, "Spiritual treats" and read me a scripture. I probably wont do it to too many doors, but I wanted you all to know how funny I am.

The MTC is a really repetitive place. It's weird to think that I've been here for a full 3 weeks already. In some ways it feels like I've been here forever, and in other ways it seems like the time is just flying by. The missionaries going to the Dominican Republic from my district leave tomorrow because there's an MTC in the DR. I'm really sad to lose them. It was nice having a district with the 10 of us Elders. It's gonna feel somewhat lonely without them, because they are funny guys and they're the only Elders who aren't tone deaf, and so I always stand by them when we sing. Both the Elders that are going to Uruguay with me can't carry a tune to save their life. At least they sing, that's what counts. I try to make myself believe that. I'm gonna need to pray about the issue further...just kidding, but really i will. I do need to be patient and not let things get to me, and it sometimes gets to me. My companion and I get along just peachy. I live in the room with the Argentina missionaries, including my comp. So we'll all part ways and I'll be with Elder McLellan and Elder Tyler for our flight to Uruguay, but after that we'll all be greenies and have our separate directions.

So last night for our MTC Devotional we had David A. Bednar come and teach us. It was a really great talk. He talked about how the Articles of Faith are more than just a statement of our beliefs, but that they are inspired scripture. They are in perfect divine order, and the points they hit are the true basics we need to remember to focus on as missionaries. He taught from the Articles of Faith in a way I've never seen before. I learned something totally new. For instance: Satan and Jesus did not both present plans and Jesus won. That's not true. God had a plan, and Jesus volunteered "Here am I send me" and Satan volunteered, but he wanted to tweak it to take out agency. Yet he still said "Here am I send me". Satan didn't just lose a campaign. He rebelled against the Father's plan. It was the biggest "Get Something for Nothing" scam ever conceived. He wanted to remove agency and still receive the glory. Without agency there is no fall or sin and therefore no need for an atonement. So he was essentially volunteering to do nothing because he was a sissy pants, and he wanted all the glory for it. Bednar didn't really say all that, but that's what I got out of part of what he was saying. Anyway, Bednar's points were amazing and he used the Articles of Faith to say anything. I was on the 3rd row and it scared the crap out of me when he looked right at me at one point. I was so scared I looked down immediately, like a first grade boy when the girl he was looking at glanced in his direction. He was an amazing speaker, and the light and WITNESS he carried with him were apparent to me, and I know that he is an apostle of the Lord.

His wife said something that really struck a chord in me. She said that we "need to be the kind of missionaries that our moms think we are". I thought about that for a second. I can't think of a better way to be. I like the thought because it's so tangible. We always say "Be the Missionary that the Lord wants you to be" and that SHOULD be a more powerful statement, but so often we brush that off or convince ourselves that we are doing what we need to. But when I think of mom, someone who I know...There can be no denying what it is I need to do if I knew she were watching. I really am doing my best. And, sorry Dad, but I'm sure to your great dismay: I do obey the rules/guidelines. It's not because I feel like that is making me the best missionary or because they are making us, because I know a hundred good missionaries who break rules every day...but it's my choice. You see, I really am still learning independent thought and choice out here. I'm given a choice whether or not to obey the rules. They don't send guys home for not studying when they're supposed to or for staying up late...but I feel like it's an outward sign from me to the Lord that I am innerly committed to doing my best to serve.

Anyway, my time is almost up. I have plenty of candy from Janice, Mom, and Ashley sent me a package for Halloween from the Great Pumpkin. So my Halloween is fine. I love you all. I Have to go!!! I love you!!