"Can We Eat A Prayer?"

So this week was FANTASTIC and full of tender mercies of the Lord. You are probably wondering why the subject of this e-mail was "can we eat a prayer?" Well, we are all continuing to teach Jose and Hna Binks and Hna Israelson came back from their lesson laughing hysterically and told us that they had accidentally asked if they could eat a prayer instead of say a prayer. haha. Chistoso! Hermana Hill and I are really progressing in our lessons and in our ability to teach in Spanish. We can really feel how much the Lord is magnifying us and helping us to learn. We pray daily for the gift of tongues and we work SO hard. It is really good. Hna Hill and I really like teaching together and we can really help support the testimony of the other. I have found that even though I don't know a TON of Spanish, I can usually get around what I don't know and figure out how to say what I am trying to say. I can pray, bear my testimony, teach the first lesson, and recite Joseph Smith's account of the first vision all in Spanish. I feel so blessed. I love teaching. Even though I know they aren't "real" investigators, we come to love them and really want them to accept the gospel. We strive to teach and testify with the Spirit and just be instruments in God's hands.

 

I have found that I have to make sure that I am using my personal study for 100% gospel study. Then I just have faith and work extra hard during language study. When I use that time well and learn and grow in the gospel, I find that my language study time really is magnified. It's truly a miracle.

 

My first Sunday here was absolutely amazing. I don't even know how to describe it in words. It's kind of funny, but as the music coordinator, I have to go to branch council. I don't really have much say in anything, but it was really edifying and a great experience to talk about the needs of the branch. RS here is kind of like a devotional. It was a really spiritual experience to be with all of the sisters in the MTC. You would be surprised how many are here. Our Sacrament meeting was all about faith. Our Branch President used the scripture "Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief." He talked about how i have to give all of the faith that i DO have to the Lord and then ask him to help me where I lack faith and He will make up the difference. It was wonderful. We have a District Meeting for Sunday school and that was awesome. I really love my district. The Elders and Sisters and fantastic and we have set some high goals for ourselves. We will do our best. We also have firesides on Sunday nights. This one was one of the MTC Coordinators, and was about finding JOY in repenting DAILY. It really opened my eyes to more fully understand the Atonement. I know that Jesus Christ provided the way for me to repent and that it is a GIFT to repent daily. If we will ask Him to help us know what we did wrong, He will show us where we need to improve.

 

We have Tuesday Devotionals with a general authority, usually a 70. This week was Elder Winkel who was in the second quorum of the 70 until 2006. He is from Mt. Pleasant of all places!! Dad, do you know him? I think his first name is Richard. He talked about how we really have to KNOW Christ before we can testify of Him. He gave a simple presentation about who Christ is and His life; although it was simple, it was very powerful. After, we had a district review of the meeting and all bore our testimonies about the Savior. It was really awesome.