Hope you're ready for some late night/early morning phone calls. I'm not really sure where I'll have the chance to call. I'm hoping in San Francisco if not in Salt Lake.
This week was great! It dragged a little just in anticipation of leaving but it was so great as well.
On Tuesday we had a real treat. So, the week before our group got to the MTC was this Mission President training thing so a bunch of the Apostles spoke at the MTC and then we came in and it was July, the vacation month for pretty much all the general authorities. Therefore we have never heard from anyone other than emeritus seventy members. We did have a chance to hear President Samuelson and then Elder Zivic who are both of the Seventy but on Tuesday guess who came for a visit?!! Only Elder Holland, no big deal.
He was soooooooo great! He hadn't prepared a thing yet it was one of the best talks I've ever heard. He is amazing! He was really emotional and passionate especially because that was the day a Sister missionary was killed in a car crash in upstate New York. I'm pretty sure I wrote a novel on his talk.
He talked about how everything in his life has been affected by his mission and that he can't remember a day when he hasn't thought about the mission. He talked about how the missionaries are the most prayed for people on the face of the earth other than the prophet. How everyone loves the missionaries and if there were a iconic symbol for the church like the cross is for most, he says he would bet it would be a picture of two missionaries. Then he got really powerful, you know when you can feel the Spirit in every word he says, and he warned us that we do not have the right to compromise this beloved image of missionaries, to damage the impression that people have that we are perfect. We aren't but all people have the right to hope and believe that we are. He talked about how it is incomprehendable to him that anyone can turn away from their mission afterward. To have been witness to the change in people's lives for two years of your life through the gospel and then turn away after it is unimaginable. That rang so true to me for some reason. I know I haven't really served a mission yet but even before that, when I would see certain people come home and then go back to the way they were living before... It doesn't make any sense to me. I feel like those people are denying the miracles they witnessed and the things they knew about God and Christ and especially the Restoration.
He spoke on the importance of immersing ourselves in the scriptures as well as the Restoration. This was one of my favorite quotes from his talk, "One verse of scripture on which the whole hinge of eternity would revolve," talking about James 1:5.
He told us that for 18 months (or 2 years) we are apostolic. Are calling is the same as those in the Twelve just with a lower case A. In spirit and kind we are the same, disciples of the Lord 24/7.
The last thing he talked about was in reference to the question, "Why does God love us?" Elder Holland began to describe the love he has for his children, it was so touching because you could feel the strengh of his love in his words. After expressing his feelings he talked about how great then must God's perfect love be for us, his children. And especially if he was willing to give up his only perfect son for us.
Ahh! It was sooooo good! I wish I could do it justice but all I know is that he is an Apostle called of God. The Spirit just radiates from him. It was crazy how silent and reverent and just joyful the MTC was after he had come. I mean there is always a special Spirit here but the difference was still tangible.
Anyway, prayers were answered and it was a perfect goodbye devotional. We also had the opportunity to host the new missionaries coming in this week. I helped 3 girls through the process of dropping off luggage, getting books, picture, card, and finding class. It was really fun. The first one actually knew Jocelyn from the London study abroad thing, CRAZY! haha Her name was Sarah Bown and she is going to Winter Quarters. The other two were going to Calgary Canada and Chile, Ospuro or something? I can't remember the name but it's the farthest south mission in Chile. So that was a fun experience. We had to miss some of class but it was worth it.
We had infield orientation on Friday where we learned more about contacting and things like that. I will admit I am terrified to contact on the way over there and just contact in general. Ahhh! Can Mom come do it for me? She'd be perfect at it! I bought some Book of Mormons and have my pass-along cards though so hopefully I can get a few out. Seriously though, terrified! I can talk to people but to force the gospel into the conversation... wish me luck haha! Sidter tom die! (I can do it)
On Saturday we had a sort of testimony meeting with our teachers after our last TRC. It was sad to realize we won't ever be together like this again :( I had the spiritual thought and shared Alma 17:13, it's perfect for this occasion but still sad. We are so sad to leave our teachers. That's one thing we will for sure miss at the MTC. They have been incredible and helped us all so much. Their testimonies are so strong and the love they have for Thailand and the Thai people is contagious. I am so excited and a lot of it is because they have shared that love with us.
We had a little culture lesson later that day. Bro. Olsen told us about when he got bit by a dog and Bro. Jenkins told us about getting his appendix out over there and the 3 giant spiders (GAH!!!!!!!!!!!) that visited his house. We have to remember how to "y" people (bowing and putting your hands together in front of your face) and all the different rules with respect to older people. It's going to be an adventure, let me tell you.
Well, I better go and finish the last little bit of packing, getting those dumb bags down to 50. I should be okay but it's super annoying to worry about it. Did I mention the books. So you know how they told us we should get like 10-12 pounds of books. Oh yeah, don't worry. We have at least 20 lbs. No big deal. I think I've got it figured out though.
I love you all! Thanks for all the letters and support! I really do love it and will read all of them over and over again. I have the best family in the world and I'm so grateful for the knowledge that families can be eternal. I am grateful for this gospel and know without a doubt that it's true. There's no way I'd force myself to do this contacting (ahhh!) if I didn't. No way! The Restoration really did happen and was soooooooo necessary. Joseph really had the faith to see God and Jesus Christ and they gave him the power to translate the Book of Mormon. The most correct book on the planet with the fullness of the Gospel. I love this work and I love that I have the opportunity to see the Spirit change peoples lives. Thank you again for the support and love!
On to the Land of Smiles! So deunden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chog dii!
Sister King
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