By the end of this week, I WILL HAVE BEEN IN THE MTC FOR 5 WEEKS. SANTA VACA!
We get our travel plans this week, and there are a bunch of Elders in our Zone (which now consisted of 2 districts this week, for a total of 14 Elders, and 2 Sisters. 16 people in our Zone in total. Pretty ridiculous huh? Anyway, almost everyone has their Visas. 3 Elders do not, and guess who has theirs?NOT THIS GUY. NOPE. NO VISA.
My companion leaves to Las Vegas to get his, along with a few other elders, and the other person going to Tijuana, Elder Kessinger. I am not, so I'm going to be here, enjoying the fun times of having 3 people in class. Oh joy.
The next thing that was for me was the devotional. It was about scriptures, and I really needed to know exactly what I need to do for "studying" and this devotional taught me exactly what to do. It was as if the Lord was sitting right next to me and saying, "I notice you're struggling with studying. I will help you, if you would like, by sending a General Authority to speak on it. That way, you can use his methods, and he can help you understand what it means to study." I was just in complete awe.
I next found out what it meant to "Hunger and thirst for righteousness" I recently started reading the BoM as much as I could, and I suddenly found myself STRUGGLING, and I mean literally STRUGGLING to put it down. I just couldn't get enough of the words and promises that jumped out of the pages to embed themselves in my mind. It was just incredible. I also listened to a few recorded talks from the General Authorities, and I found myself desperately wishing to listen to them more. I have never felt this way before, but any free chance I get, I read. Any time I can, I watch a GA talk. Any time I have some way to hear the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, I take it. I am quite literally "hungering and thirsting" for righteousness.
1.) Elder Sawyer, one of the Elders in our Zone, is EXTREMELY wealthy. His dad is a Doctor who OWNS around 10 Medical Clinics in Gilbert, Arizona. Because of this fact, he is SUPER SUPER SUPER rich. So, Elder Hilton, Elder Madsen, and I all started just yelling "RRRRIIIIIIIIIIICH!!!!" Whenever anything that requires a lot of money happens. (Seeing a nice watch, or looking at new shoes, or if you say you have something that someone else doesn't)
2.) We always say stuff like "Esta SUPER bien (soo pehr)" whenever someone asks how we are, or if it's okay.
It's pretty funny.
3.) Apparently, Elder Smith told our investigator that it was a commandment to pray out loud. As it turns out, he was right. D&C 19:28.
There are a couple more inside jokes that I just can't seem to remember right off the top of my head.
WE SING CALLED TO SERVE PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE/TUESDAY DURING DEVOTIONALS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT I'M CALLED TO SERVE AT THIS POINT.
EVERYBODY WHO READS THIS, PAY STRICT ATTENTION TO THE NEXT STATEMENT THAT I MAKE:
REACH OUT AND SHARE THE GOSPEL WHENEVER YOU POSSIBLY CAN
I know now that there's no other Gospel on this EARTH as true as this one. It is literally the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. Not even the most intelligent person on this Earth could provide the immense promises that are made in the BoM.
Do what you should do, say what you should say, and be who you should be.
Love you all more than you will ever know,
Elder Carter