Week 6! (August 17, 2016)

Great week! This last Monday, the senior district flew out...so I am now in the oldest group of Koreans at the MTC! Before we know it I will be in Korea. Crazy! I am super pumped, but Korean is pretty difficult to understand.  It is going well though!

Elder Coles has arrived at the MTC!

Today we went to the temple. We did sealings for the first time; it was super neat! And afterward, we served in the temple. Elder W and I were in charge of feeding some of the temple clothing into these iron/rolley machines to make them nice.  And last week we helped fold. So that's cool!

Yesterday Sister Bonnie Oscarson, the General Young Women's President, spoke to us. She gave 3 main thoughts:

1.  The Lord will help us, especially when we put our trust in Him.  Sometimes we try to do it all ourselves, but that is exhausting and super difficult. So I would encourage you all to show the Lord that you rely on Him more! Whether that is by dedicating more time to scripture study, studying at a desk with a notebook in hand, praying more meaningful, serving others, magnifying your callings--when we show the Lord we have faith in Him, he confirms our faith to us. Sometimes it can take a long time though! Joseph Smith studied and pondered and thought for like 2 years before he received his answer. So have confidence and faith, and trust that the Lord will show his hand.  One thing that really strengthens me is looking for tender mercies. To me, tender mercies are small or big blessings, little things that are perhaps personal to you, that may not have seemed significant to other people. Sometimes it is something that saves you a little trouble, something that makes you smile--but tender mercies are definitely there. Look for the Lord's hand in your life! You will feel an added measure of the Spirit if you will take this challenge.

Elder Allen's first day at the MTC!

2.  If you let Him, the Lord will tailor your mission to prepare you for the rest of your life! I know the Lord gives us circumstances to help us grow, to develop our faith, and to strengthen us and prepare us for what he has in store.

3.  The Lord is the Gardener. I encourage you to look up the video, "God is the Gardener," by Hugh Brown. What a beautiful story.

After the devotional, we reviewed in our districts about it, and what most impressed me was how excited we should be about the Gospel! It is easy to get into a rote, routine presentation because we have been so accustomed to the Gospel; but imagine how life-changing it is for those who haven't heard the message--how miraculous the first vision, how amazing the Book of Mormon,  how tender and special the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love Alma 7-11-13. Read it, and pay attention to what all the Savior suffered for us--in addition to paying the price for our sins.

I love you all so much. I pray for you, I think of you! I love the Gospel. God lives! He is our loving Father, who knows our fears, every thought and feeling and worry we have--and He can comfort us if we turn to Him! He loved us enough to watch His perfect, unblemished son--the Saviour of the world--pay the price for us to live with them both again. For that I am forever indebted to their service. And I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve. I love this Gospel, and I know that Joseph Smith restored it to the earth. God worked through him.

Love,

Elder Beckett