MTC First Week!

Well, I've basically finished my first week at the MTC! It's been incredible! I didn't think you could pack so many spiritual moments into one week, but I guess that's the mission life. It's really weird at first entering into the MTC. You see Elders and Sisters walking around with the experience that makes them seem like they've been there for months, but in reality most of them have only been there for a week!

It has been amazing feeling the Spirit every day and seeing miracles happen on a daily basis. I've already started teaching "investigators" (we don't know if they are members acting a real story or actual non-members with their own stories). I've learned SO much about missionary work. I think one of the most important lessons I've learned is to teach people, not lessons. We aren't there to sell the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others, we are there to come unto Christ WITH them. Every person has unique experiences and lives.

My roommates have been incredible. I think we laugh way too much. But we also understand the sacred calling we hold.

I was made a zone leader my first week here. I've never felt like one of the leader types, but as I've been trained how to be a leader in my mission, I've realized that perhaps I have been thinking of the word "leader" the way the world thinks. I really love the last verses in D&C 121 because they show us exactly what a leader should be like.

I also had a few firsts. For the first time in my life, I gave a priesthood blessing of comfort, and the day after I gave a blessing for the healing of the sick and afflicted. I think I may have put a little too much consecrated oil on the elder's head. He kept joking that I put a quarter cup on his head, but he said he was very grateful.

 

Sabbath day was one of the best Sabbaths I've ever had. We watched a talk given by Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve here at the MTC a few Christmases ago. It is called the Character of Christ, and it was life changing. The character of Christ is that when others would turn inward, He turned outward in love and compassion. He had putteth off the natural man that is naturally selfish, and had been naturally selfless, even in His moments of unimaginable anguish. If you get a chance to look up the talk you should. Because that is what we preach as missionaries, a gospel of selflessness.

 

I am so excited for this next week. I know that it is going to be beyond incredible.