11/19/09

Hey everyone,
How is everyone back home? I am doing great here at the MTC. I am going a little crazy but I am still good. Today is already day 51 but I still have like 25 days left. I might go crazy. This week though I finished my goal of reading the book of Mormon in the MTC. I finished on Saturday and have already started studying the D & C. I am trying to finish that before I leave. We will see how that goes.
My week in Review.
Thursday was just another P-day. We did all the usual things and that about it. We did our welcoming of new missionaries and just went through the motions of a regular P-day.
ON Friday we did a little bit more. That day we ended up teaching the third lesson in Mongolian. We did okay. It is really hard but we are getting more confident in our language. That day we also had a LGM and it was really good. The guy talked about faith and how we need to have faith in Jesus Christ. He showed us a clip of Elder Holland telling a poem. It said:
“come to the edge”
“I can’t I will fall”
“Come to the edge”
“I can’t I will fall”
“come to the edge!”
“so I came to the edge, he pushed me and I flew”
IF we trust in the lord we can do anything. If we come as far as we can go, the lord will push us the extra little bit and we can fly.
Saturday was the day that I finished the book of Mormon. I was so happy to finish. I know that as I study more I will become a more effective servant of Jesus Christ and can bring the gospel to many people. Also that was the day that marked one month left in the MTC.
Sunday was a really good day at the MTC. We did all the usual things that you would do on a Sunday. Then we found out we would be released from being ZL this coming Sunday. That night at our devotional sister Sheri Dew came and spoke to us. She gave a great talk. There were a few things that really stood out to me. She talked about how we need to be better followers of The gospel. She also said that we need to figure out what really defines us. She said the things that would define us is “our family, our relationship with loved ones and how we build up the kingdom of god. The other hobbies and things are fun but in the end they shouldn’t define us”. She then went on to say a few things that will help us accomplish our mission that we have been sent to earth to do. We need to know who we are and what we believe, we need to understand what jesus did for us through his atonement and figure how we can receive the word of god. When she was talking to us about who we are, she said “we were held until the last day. We had the courage to come to earth in the hardest times and would be fearless in building up Zion”. I know this is true and these times are so hard and there are so many problems. But the lord is there to help us and because of the courage we show he will bless us. She also said that “it is not the endless doctrine that we know that will bolster our spirits. It is when the lord reaffirms who we are through the sprit”. We should pray to the lord and ask him to help us know who we are. When we know who we are, we will be less likely to fall in to temptation and be able to more effectively build up the kingdom. Then when she was talking about hearing the voice of god, she said “You may be learning a foreign language but we also need to learn the language of the lord. The scriptures are our textbook to show us the grammar and rules of revelation”. Just as the scriptures show us how to better live our lives, they show us how to speak and receive answers from our heavenly father. Her talk was really good and it has helped me throughout this week.
Monday was just another day. I started reading the D & C and I am already to section 30. I use any free time I have to read.
Tuesday was a great day. It usually is. We had a great RC experience. I talked with a lady who was having problems with the trials she was having and didn’t know if she could get through them. Then I told her about how the lord doesn’t give us a trial we can’t overcome. I told her to read Alma 13:28. This answered her question. She seemed so happy and I was glad that I could help and that the studying I did in the Book of Mormon paid off. Then the presiding bishop cam and spoke to us. He taught how important it was to be serving diligently. If we serve an honest mission, not only will we be blessed but our families will be blessed. He also taught how we should teach with knowledge but mainly teach for feeling. We need to teach them so they feel the spirit. The spirit will manifest the truthfulness unto the investigator and that is how they will gain a testimony of the gospel. Also we can’t measure the success of our mission by how many baptisms we have when we leave. We need to plant the seed in people’s hearts and then judge if we served our missions according to what is says in D & C 4 about missionary work. That is how we judge how our mission went. Tuesday was a great day that helped strengthen my testimony. I know that if I do my best, I may not get baptisms but the lord still loves me and as it says in D &C 18. If I bring one soul unto him how great shall be my joy. I may not bring them while I am on my mission but you never know what will happen down the line.
On Wednesday we got to be host for the new missionaries. If was pretty fun but really sad. That day was hard for me and as I saw parents crying it made be kind of sad. I also saw one like 5 year old girl who wouldn’t let go of her brother leg and was just bawling. I didn’t like that part. Then we got to do the ZL responsibilities and train the new ZLs that will be called on Sunday. Also that day I got a package and it made my day because I found out I got my associates degree finished. I was so happy.
This is my week in review.
Remember everyone, харамсалгYйгээр амдьрах live without regrets

Your friend,
Elder m scott draper