Ready to leave the MTC!

Ready to leave the MTC for Boise!

MTC companion Elder Magnusson

Hello,

This week has flown by!!!  The first few days in the MTC were some of the longest in my life, just because they were jam packed with things to do and learn and there was little down time.  Everyone kept saying that after your first Sunday in the MTC it all flies by.  I didn't believe them at first, but turns out they're right!

Tuesday evening, Elder Claudio R.M. Costa (the one who spoke in Conference) came and spoke to us and he was awesome!!!  He was so funny too.   But the main point from his talk was that "You can count how many seeds are in an apple, but you can't count how many apples come from a seed."  I think this will be a great thing to remember during rough times in the field.

Speaking of the field, Elder Magnusson, myself, and part of our district/zone depart for Boise at 3:35AM tomorrow!  That'll be great.  But also Elder Mag and I met with some guy that's over missionary travel in India and explained to us the details of how to get into the country (if and when we get there).  He told us that if they question us as to why we are there, we're supposed to say that we're "volunteers for our church here to share a message with anyone who will hear." And that's exactly what we're doing! Plain and simple, I thought it was cool.  

We've been teaching mock investigators in TRC and the classroom.  Seeing these investigators progress and seeing the light and joy the gospel brings to their lives is incredible.  I feel the Spirit so strongly as we teach them and especially when I testify to them that what we're teaching is true.  Sometimes I get so excited I just want to stand on like a tower or wall or box or something and yell the lessons from there and bring everyone to a knowledge of the truth.  I want to bring thousands back to the fold like Alma and the Sons of Mosiah.

I learned about Thomas the Apostle a bit this week, he has a super cool story (as he was the first missionary in India, how cool is that?!).  After Christ was resurrected, Thomas was called to preach the gospel in India.  At first he was like "Eh...I don't think so."  So Christ appeared to him in a dream and said "There's no need to fear for I'll be with you."  He still was like "Eh..." The Lord's will will always prevail though, so he was put into slavery by some merchant that did business in India.  Upon arriving in India, Thomas was then sold to an Indian king as a slave.  He then converted the king and his brother and was liberated from slavery.  He went on to convert a said 17,000.  How cool is that?!  I wanna do that kind of work, but really I just hope I get there haha.

How did everyone like conference?!  My favorite messages were delivered by Elder Uchtdorf (Saturday Morning), Elder Larry Lawrence (Saturday Morning), Elder Eyring (Priesthood Session, especially the story about his great-grandfather), Elder Durrant (Sunday Afternoon), and Elder Allen D. Haynie (Sunday Afternoon).  I also really loved the testimonies given by the three new apostles!! I know they're men called of God and they'll do wonderful in the Quorum of the Twelve!  I feel that no one can denounce the validity of the Gospel and the truthfulness of the Church after this Conference.