My Dearest Readers,
Can I just start out with how much I love you all? Receiving letters and dearelders are so great.
I definitely feel your love. I'm sad that I can't reply to you all individually,
but just know that I appreciate it and your emails. I have about 6 more weeks here in the MTC.
After that, letters and packages will be just about near impossible to send to the motherland.
So if you want to communicate the traditional way, or send yummy treats *wink wink,*
then do so in the next 6 weeks. Sending things to Russia can be a wee bit difficult.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Okay so it's really hard to keep track of the days here and the Holidays.
Like oh my goodness. I may have forgotten about this wonderful day. And all the Father's Day cards at the bookstore were gone by the time I remembered, so . . . sorry Dad. I love you haha.
Happy Father's Day to all those pops out there. Please watch this video. I seriously can't get enough of it.
Our Heavenly Father has done so much for us, we just can't see it ourselves.
They are training Mission Presidents starting this week, so they have focused all there efforts
on making the MTC ready for the presidents and . . . the first presidency and
quorum of the 12 apostles!!!!
How cool is that? It only happens about once every two or three years.
I really hope the prophet comes and speaks to us.
Our church has the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, which means that the capacities held
during His ministry are present today. For example, the Twelve Apostles.
I know that they are men of God.
It is so exciting to know that they will be so close!
This week has been really funny. I'm getting to know my Russian peers much better.
They are so much fun to get along with. Our lessons have been going really well recently!
We taught 3 lessons yesterday. Cectpa Foote and I planned to teach 8 this week even though
they only asked us to teach 5 or 6.
One of our investigators who did not have a Christian background at all really had an
"aha" moment. We had asked him to only read the first chapter in the Book of Mormon,
but he read 8 chapters instead.
He then went on talking for 5 minutes just about Lehi's vision of the tree of life in 1 Nephi 8.
It was incredible. Prior to this lesson he seemed unreceptive.
He didn't know who God was and why he should bother praying to someone he doesn't know.
Then I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to read 1 Nephi 11 with him. THANK YOU SEMINARY.
I could not have done that based on my knowledge alone. It was God sent.
Seminary really works you guys haha. Just as Lehi wanted his children to partake
of the fruit of the tree of Life so that they may know joy,
our Heavenly Father wants us to partake of the fruit,
which is the love of God. Nephi wanted to know for himself of this truth so he asked of God.
I cannot wait to teach the people of Russia. There are so many people living without
the knowledge and light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I can't imagine my life without this wonderful gospel.
I would not be as joyful, hopeful, and loving without this in my life.
One of the Seventy came to speak to us last night. It was great. He talked of many things,
but he talked about the Plan of Salvation in particular. It is the answer to all of our concerns.
Once we understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going,
life makes that much more sense, and our loads are that much more easier to bear.
I have so much to learn still. Yet, I know that God has given me my weaknesses,
so He knows what will remedy them.
Just before the devotional, my companion and Cectpa Thomas went to choir practice.
We performed "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer." What a powerful song.
Not just the dynamics, but the lyrics. It perfectly encompasses the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Not only is the atonement meant to take away our sins, but it is also the enabling power of God.
The things we can't do on our own (like learn Russian in 9 weeks), through the atonement,
the Lord makes up the rest. He also helps us bear our burdens.
He does give us things we can't handle on our own. If He did,
then there would be no need for the Atonement.
The ONLY way we are getting through these tumultuous times is through our Savior Jesus Christ.
He is the way. There is no other way.
I love you all so much. I pray for you everyday. Stay in touch! I know God love you.
Our Savior has done so much for us. Watch "Joseph Smith: the Prophet of the Restoration,"
it's on that thing called Netflix. I watched it on Sunday. Man, that hit me hard.
The early saints went through so much, starvation, mobs, constant evacuating.
Yet I'm here complaining about food and not learning a language fast enough?
My sacrifice of 18 months is NOTHING compared to that of our prophet Joseph Smith and the early saints.
I'm sure the saints in Russia have sacrificed just as much.
I cannot wait to meet them and serve them.
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