MTC life is pretty awesome...

Monday, November 29, 2010

Hello to all!

I first wanted to say thanks to everyone for the letter, dearelders, and emails, I love reading them, and hearing what is happening back in "the real world."

MTC life is pretty awesome, there are ups and downs, but I still love being here and learning.

This week things slowed down, we now have a regular week schedule which I love. Getting into a rhythm is really important and makes it a lot easier. The days feel like lifetimes, and the weeks feel like seconds, if that makes sense. I can't believe I've been here 2 weeks.

Spanish is coming along great, I've been studying hard and can figure out more than I've ever imagine this fast. Thank goodness for the gift of tongues.

Good news: rumor has it the Jazz beat the Lakers? Wow.

Bad news: rumor has it Utah beat BYU by 1? Wow.

It's hard to leave behind the sports and music but its so worth it.

My zone leaders, Elder Fuqua and Elder Hammer are awesome. Elder Hammer looks and talks exactly like David Putty (Elaine's boyfriend in the later seasons of Seinfeld), and Elder Fuqua looks and talks exactly like Jesse Curtis (Alyssa's Brother). They are hilarious and have a great spirit about them.

Elder Fuqua said something really awesome in our zone testimony meeting. He said that missionaries feel like they've sacrificed so much to go on a mission, such as school, work, girlfriend, car, etc...when we have really sacrificed nothing. Think for a second of what the Savior sacrificed for all of mankind on the cross and in Gethsemane. We haven't sacrificed a single thing.

I love that, its so true.

This week was Thanksgiving, great to hear that the family had fun in St. George and Jake did so well in the tournament.

Thanksgiving, no offense to the family and all the great times we've had on Thanksgiving, was easily the best one I've had. In the morning devotional, we were blessed to have Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (my favorite apostle if thats even possible to choose) speak to us. It honestly changed my life. He had some important things to say about being grateful, and to not let the people of the world down as missionaries, because we are literally representatives of Christ, and we are to act as He would act. I love that man. Later, we participated in a big service project and mad 33, 400 bags for people in need, which was awesome.

Elder Miner and I are great teachers and work well together, the Spirit is so strong when we teach. I love him, he is a great example. We figured out that he is great with doctrine, and I do well with spanish, and so together we help each other out with both. It's crazy to think how much I've grown in this short time here. Gotta love the MTC, right?

I've been reading the Book of Mormon as fast as I would a Harry Potter novel (ps don't tell me about Harry Potter 7 movie). It's been my rock and foundation so far here, and everytime I'm feeling down I feel the comfort it brings. It really is the word of God, and has the conversion power and spirit surrounding it.

I want to end with my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I have been reading in Mosiah (possibly my favorite book in the Book of Mormon) quite frequently recently, and always come around the story of Abinadai. I would challenge everyone to go back and read his words and testimony. Our district was talking about who they want to meet post death on Earth, and I think he would be near the top of my list.

En espanol, yo se que el Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios, y el Libro de Mormon es verdad.

Thanks for everything, I love you guys. Keep me updated about your lives, and I will do the same with mine.

Pray for me and the people of Paraguay!

- Elder Babcock