Spain MTC 4/3/2014

Oh I love to read your letters! They are candy! I am sorry I probably won't be able to write as long of responses. Like I said, I am here at the Spain MTC and I love it! I am sorry I was so negative last time in my letter. God is so generous to me and I need to learn to bite my tongue! I won't tell anyone about the secret. Thanks for all your love and support! I do miss you!|

During the week, things happen and I think "Oh! I need to write home about that!" Then, when I am here, typing, I forget what it is. I wrote in my other email a little bit about what we do, so that is nice.

This week has been really good. I decided after I wrote you I was being silly and I needed to bet better. So, i vented to Sister Haynie, told her I was feeling a bit discouraged, but I knew I was going to be fine, and I have been great since! There was one day we talked to a native Russian who was a real inactive person; her daughter works at the Temple, right next to the MTC so she came and we taught her--- well she taught us! Seriously, she talked the whole time, and has an amazing testimony, she just doesn't like to go to church because she can't understand it.... and she wanted to know why bad things happened to good people, but every time we tried to answer, she talked! Hahaha it was funny, and a good experience, though at the time I was a little sad becuase I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HER!! Same thing happens when our teachers, who are native Russian speakers, talk in Russian! It is very discouraging... but after I talked to her, I felt a little bit sad and thought "I don't know if I can do this! I can't understand!" Then I remembered that God called me to Russia! And if I continue to study hard, He will help me when I need it. So, I decidede to work harder, and by the end of the week, I was able to understand SO MUCH MORE! So, I am so happy and grateful that the Lord blesses me that way. He is so kind and good to me, Mom, so many blessings! Always! Anyways, so I am feeling much better about that!!

Okay, well, I learned a lot. I realized one night while I was praying that I need more faith. I never thought I had a problem with faith, but I realize I do. I was praying to God, telling Him the desires of my heart, which right now are to change, I want to give myself to him completley, to be crafted into a tool that He can use, to dedicated my life to HIm! ACK! Mom! I cannot tell you how much I want that! Ugh! I can't even, express or say and it makes my chest tight and I just lkfjalsdjflsdfj! I don't know how to explain it! But I am so far, Mom! I am soooooo far! Haha... but that is Okay. When God shows me my weakness, it means I am coming closer to Him... anyways... as I was praying, the thought came to me that I don't have enough faith. Thinking that I am not good enough - that is not having faith in the Atonement. But it goes so much more beyond that!!! I think sometimes "Oh, James will never come back to church," or "I don't know if I will ever know this language... I can see myself going home and not knowing it" or "I am not good enough to feel the spirit when I teach. I know God can help others teach, but not me!" I can't really explain it, you see, I had faith that God can do those things, He can change hearts, He can give the Spirit to people when they teach, He can lead people to find those people who are ready, He can prepare people, He can fill them with the gift of tongues, he can do that, and I know that... where I lacked faith was that he could do those things with ME! So, I was resolved to study faith more... I know that if I try to exercize faith, if I am bold, coupled with the study of faith, if I understand it, find examples, and then apply those examples in my life, God will help me increase my faith. I know this! So, I got a brand new blue floppy Book of Mormon and I started to read and pray and focus on faith for just that Book of Mormon. I amr eading it through, and only highlighting or commenting on things that have to do with faith. I just started, so I am not far, but it is really cool to see. Faith is so powerful! And our faith here is an extention of the faith we had before in teh pre-mortal life. I am excited to see how the Lord will change me through faith..,

lolo

3/37/14 Spain MTC

So Spain, it´s an adventure... so is using this keyboard. I have had more typos already in the past two minutes than I have my whole mission! So sorry if I misspell anything. I really like Spain. It is a beautiful place; there are big tall red brick building contrasted with light blue skys with streams of thin clouds that stretch accross the horizon. There are many windows in the buildings, giving the place a feeling of openess. We are right by the Madrid temple. It is so beautiful! We got to go this morning, and we will get to go every P-day. So lovely. The celestial room was the prettiest celestial room I have ever seen! I really like the MTC President and his wife - President and Sister Lovell. They are really great and they made me feel welcome right away! So, I felt very welcome! The MTC building is on Temple Square. It too is a tall brick building that is very lovely. The first three floors are the church, I believe, and the last three floors are the MTC. We eat at the top floor, sleep on the second, and then study on the third - so it is like the three kingdoms of glory! Haha! It is pretty great. The food is good - all of it is very warm and somtimes I think the meat is mystery meat, but I still like it. Their pudding taste like bubblegum, so that´s fun! I have not met all the teachers but so far I have liked them - though I admit, I miss my teachers in the Provo MTC, they were the best. Everyday we have "sport" and that is pretty fun. Everyone really likes to play soccer, and we all get roped into it, even if you are inept like me; I am really good at hitting the ball... with my face. Honestly, the ball loves every part of me except my feet. I got smacked in hte face really hard twice. But it is still fun! I just wish I wasn´t such an embarassment when I played!! The dorms are small and nice. The sheets smell clean - of yummy spices and something exotic that makes me sleepy. I really like it. Today is Pday so we get to go out into the city and go to a muesem or see some ancient castles! Best Pday ever! I am excited! Spain is quite wonderful!

I am so grateful the Lord gives us opportunities to grow and learn. I can already tell that I am growing by being at the Spain MTC. I can also tell that he really loves the people here. Everyone involved working here at teh tmple or the MTC are so kind and genuine all the time. They all shine with the love of God. IT makes me want to be better and to tune my life more towards Christ so I can have that same light and draw people to me. Heavenly Father is so aware of all his children! He loves them so much, and I am honored thatI can be involved in teaching them. Sorry I did not have so much of a spiritual thought this week! But even without grand spiritual moments and learning, I know that God is in my life and in the lives of everyone around me. He loves each of us, that is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, for us. What a blessing.

I love you more. I am going to eat and then will have 30 more minutes of email and try to write you each a little more individually. Love you!

Lolo

3/20/14

I am going to the Spain MTC! What what!?!? Yes! So, on Monday Morning at 6am I will be leaving for the Spain MTC and will finish my training there. Exciting... and terrifying! It is strange, because the night before I found out, I was suddenly overcome with gratitude that I was at the MTC. I was so happy to be here! I love the people, the learning, the spirit, all of it! I was so grateful that the Lord continued to encourage me to go on a mission; and I was so happy to be here, at THIS MTC. Then the next day I get called to the Spain MTC! I am excited, but a little sad because I love this place; I think I have become comfortable here, which is probably why the Lord wants me to go! Haha! What a great God we have! He knows what we need when we need it! I am so honored He lets me be apart of His plan and that He takes the time to bless my life individually. I am sad to leave - I love my elders! They are great. Each one has a deep desire to serve and share their testimony. They are hard workers too. They learn the language so easily! I have learned so much from them and will be sad to leave them - we have all become very close! It is fun to see how the Lord works in their lives individually as well. He loves them, and He loves me, and He loves you!

I am sorry that as of late my letters have been choppy! I am just learning so much it is hard to put it all down and make it flow. Plus, I only have a limited time to write so I just kind of write whatever comes. It is amazing the amount I am learning; there have been a few motifs however. One theme I have noticed in my stay here is that God knows our name individually. I think I wrote before about the touching experience of watching The Testaments; yes, that movie is dripping cheese, we could have a nacho party that could satiate all of America, but there is still a powerful message in it. As I mentioned before, I was touched by Helam, the father; he spent his entire life preaching of Christ and waiting for him to come, and yet, when the Savior did come, he had been blinded during the catastrophe that came to the Americas when The Lord died. He had his son describe what the Savior looked like. Then, the Savior came to him, called him by his name, "Helam" and healed him. Helam was able to see the Savior, what he had been waiting for his whole life! I realized I need to make the Savior the focus of my life! What a wonderful, honorable thing to be called by name from the Crowd by the Savior! And the blessing is that he KNOWS are names! Each of them! And he has a calling for each of us to fulfill! This thought again was reiterated to me when I was reading 3 Nephi 11. In verses 17-19, it talks about how Nephi was in the crowd and the Lord called him forward. Nephi, too, had spent his ENTIRE life preaching of Christ and waiting for him to come. And when the Savior did come, Nephi did not clamor to see him, he waited patiently with everyone else in the crowd to see the Savior that this prophet had dedicated his life too! And then the Savior CALLED HIM OUT OF THE CROWD, BY NAME (!!!!! so exciting!!!) and Nephi just fell and wept at his feet. It made me realize that I need to work harder, I need to dedicate my life even more to the Savior, like Nehpi did. My greatest honor should be that the Lord knows my name. Finally, one more experience ingrained this thought into my soul, that it is an honored to be called by name by The Lord. It was a story of a man named Joseph Millett (Or perhaps Milett, or Millet... not sure... look it up, it is an amazing story). Anyways, he had heard from his children that a man named Brother Hall had run out of flower for the winter and needed more flower. Immediately Joseph Millett (spelling??) prepared some flour for Brother Hall. Shortly after, Brother Hall came to there house. He explained that he had prayed to the Lord for help to get flour for his family, and the Lord told him to "go see Joseph Millett." And so he did. Joseph Millett gave him the flour. Afterwards, Joseph Millett remarked that it was "a marvelous thing to know that God knew Joseph Millett." And that's the thing, He knows Joseph Millett! And He knows Lauren Poet! And he nows Annaliesa Peterson! And he knows EVERYONE. He called Jospeh Millett to the task to serve his fellow man and give Brother Hall flour. That was a calling, from the Lord; and he was called by name to do it! I realized that I need to be a servant that the Lord can call by name. I want to serve Him and honor Him so I can help others like Joseph Millett helped Brother Hall. Just as He said "go see Joseph Millet," the Lord says that for each of us. Sometimes he says "Go see Annaliesa Peterson," and that is a call from God, a call to you, by name to serve.

I realized this and I had the desire to work even harder. I want to be able to be a servant that the Lord can call by name. Then I had the most remarkable, humbling thought. He already has! I have a mission call to Russia, and at the bottom of that call is a signature from the Prophet, who speaks for God, saying that that call is a call from God. What an honor! But it extends far beyond that. Each of us that are here on this earth have been called. We have made the decision to follow Christ. Because of that, we were all called by name! And we have an obligation and the opportunity, and the honor to live up to that calling! We each have a calling, a call that we have been selected for by name! It is an amazing thing to know that God knows our names. He knew Joseph Smith, He knew Nephi, He knew Joseph Millett, and He knows you! Rise to the call! It is a blessing, an honor, a gift!

I am so glad that I have this call. I will do everything I can to endeavor to be worthy of it (yes I jacked that quote from Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility). I am glad and grateful He knows my name! What a blessing! 

Now, I must go. I love you so much and I miss you! I hope you are well. I will keep you in my prayers. Please continue to write! MIss you!!! 

Umm.... I don't know my Spain MTC address yet, but I will try to find out and then I will let you know ASAP but considering that I will only be there 3 weeks, the letters may not get there in time... you can just dear elder me!! GAAAHHHHHH!!! I miss you all so much! It is not even funny. And I love you even more than I miss you! LOVE YOU!!!

3/13/14 Happy Birthday Lauren!

Today is Lauren's Birthday! Please feel free to send her messages at dearelder.com She will get those messages today! It is free to send her those messages in the MTC- make sure that you select the PROVO-MTC selection. She is not in Russia yet.
She is in unit 78 and her mission is RUS-YEK. departure date is april17.

This is Lauren and her companion! As you can see Lauren hasn't lost her sense of humor!

Lauren and Her companion in front of the Russian flag holding their name tags.

My adorably stylish sister and her companion. What beautiful sister I have!

She is so beautiful and has already made some great spiritual growth. She is doing well and loving the MTC. What a wonderful thing Lauren is doing. Happy Happy birthday to my sweet sister!!!

3/6/2014

No major update from Lauren

Here is a tid bit:

Hope. I have learned a lot about hope. I have not been studying it as much anymore as I usually study the topics that I am going to teach investigators (we have fake investigators) and lately I have been studying judgment (weird looking word). But I will tell you what I have learned about hope. I have learned so much! I realize that hope is necessary for faith. Hope is the optimistic factor of faith. I also learned that hope is provided only through the Atonement. The only way that we are able to hope is because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us. The Atonement allows us to progress, but we can only progress is we have repentance. Hope and progression are inextricably linked. Our greatest hope should be to become like our Father in Heaven, but we can only do that through the Atonement. Does that make sense? I have it written in my journal in a much better way, but I don't have it with me unfortunately.

Lauren's email is:

 Lauren.Poet@myldsmail.net - She would love to hear from you

Lauren's Birthday is on the 13th! She would love to get some mail for her birthday!! 

Her MTC address is: 

Sister Lauren Poet

april 17 RUS-YEK

2007 N 900 E unit 78

Provo UT 84602

2/27/14-Part 2

Dear Mom, 

Here is a long email.

So, I wanted to tell you want I learned in the TEMPLE - I realized that this world was made for us to use! And the Lord "beautified' it so that we could enjoy it's splendor! When it was created, it was perfect, a celestial state. Then a really sad thought came to me!!! When we fell, the earth fell too, because it was under our dominion. This made me extremely sad because the Earth in itself did not do anything wrong - the earth was naturally obedient... it changed with the seasons, followed the pull of gravity, grew as it was instructed, and supported life as it was created to do so. But, because we fell, the earth had to fall as well. I remembered how in the scriptures it talks about how the earth groans with the weight of our sins - how badly the earth wants to be obedient! How hard we make it by destroying the earth so it cannot produce life as it was created and how we make it filthy with pollution and trash. It is in a fallen state, but does not wish to be. I just felt so sad for the earth, and the sea, and the trees, and just everything that was trying to be obedient but as in a fallen state because we had dominion over them. But then I remembered  the Lord would celestial the earth again -- it would become the celestial kingdom! So long as the earth remained obedient (which was it in it's nature - no pun intended), the Lord would celestialize it. I realized, that it is the same for us! We are like the earth. We naturally are pulled towards our Heavenly Father, but we are in a fallen state. But, So long as we try out hardest the Lord will no allow us to remain in a degressing state - He will help us reach a celestial state.... why? Because HE has dominion over all of us, the earth, the trees, the animals, the people - all of us. We are under His name so He will not abandon us. I am grateful for this. How much He loves all His creations, not just us, but the earth too!

Sorry you have a hippy child! Okay! Thought over!!

I have been studying language again. I realize that as true church leaves the earth, there is a new language that takes over. I call in "Language of the Apostasy" and it includes flattery, bribes, hypocrisy, lies, and boasting. More on this to come! It is a fascintatnig subject to me!

So, is it bad to have favourite teachers? Because I definitely have a favourite. His name is Brother Parson and he is just really a great teacher. I feel that he is the most effective teacher as well. He stays on point, he is very kind, and he speaks so we understand -- he makes US figure things out. He RARELY speaks in English. So much so, that when he does, it is weird. He has an amazing testimony - you can feel it when he speaks Russian and when he speaks English. He takes the time to get to know us as individuals. He is very much into role-playing, which I like because it forces us to use the language. But I also like it because it allows me to take on the perspective of an investigator and think about questions they may have or concerns that may arise so that I can better prepare myself for discussions. He is just a really good teacher. I have learned so much.. I have been studying verbs like crazy - if you know verbs, you can say anything. I used to have such a difficult time with verb conjugation in Latin, but in Russian, it has not been much of a problem - I know this is because the Lord is helping me - I need to learn Russian not for myself, but for the people I am going to teach. One time, while Brother Parson was praying I heard him say my name in the prayer - I thought it was very kind. He is a great teacher, I have great respect for him. HIs wife is going to have a baby soon and I now from watching him teach he will be a great father too! I hope I can know the scriptures and bear my testimony like him someday! 

My other teacher Brother Morris is also amazing. He is great with time managment. I am learning so much from him. What is more, is he has a great genuine desire to teach. He wants us to understand. He is very patient and kind, so I like him immensely. I am amazed with his testimony of planning - he is teaching me so much. He taught us how to create effective study plans. I am learning at a much faster rate now. He knows what it means to dedicate his time to the Lord. I hope I am better about that. I am already obsessed with my time, but he made me reaize it is never MY time. It is always the Lord's time, especially on the mission, and every moment counts. we teach him as an investigator too, and he always asks very interesting questions that are basic, but complicated at the same time. I like this becasue it really forces us to KNOW the doctrine and to seek out what things the investigator needs. He is a great teacher.

My Last teacher is Brother Ekkersely. He is also a great teacher. He is very very fun. We goof around the most with him. He keeps things light, yet serious at the same time. I really like him. He is fun. He teaches very well too - though he probably speaks englisht eh most. It is nice though because he clears things up for us that may have been confusing. He seems like a very d worker - he comes in whenever he has an hour to spare. I admire him for this. He is very smart and chill. He is also good at listening. There is one elder that he always takes time to listen too and talk to. He is a very kind person.

So really, I love all my teachers. They are all great!! Like I said, they are all married. They each have different things and yet they all work together to teach us. I love it! I love the MTC!

We sing in  Russian and like I said we pray in Russian. It is fun. The langauge is coming slowly, but it is coming!!!

2/27/14

Anyways, I have some bad news. Apparently I may have misread the thing - I may not be allowed to have a blog at all when I am in Russia! For now in the MTC it is fine. But, when I go there I will get more information and find out what is appropriate and not. I thought I could have a blog if I left out names and places of where we were - I thought I had to do that for every letter - but my companion thought we COULD mention names and places, we just coulnd't post ANYTHING on blogs. So, I will find out at let you know.

Anyways.... now for some other stuff. So. I am just here at the MTC. I love love love love love it. It is amazing. The spirit of the Lord is so strong here. Everyone is working their hardest and trying their best to serve the Lord. I love the feeling that it produces. I have noticed my English vocabulary that I have worked so hard to cultivate and nurture is starting to wane. I was somewhat sad, but then I realized it was actually a great thing because it just means I am making room for the Russian language. I am learning so much. I am amazed at the blatant blessings from the Lord that He gives me. I could hardly grasp Latin, but with Russian I am learning more and more everyday and I know it's because God is helping expand my understanding. He is opening my heart and my mind to receive the Russian language. I realized part of this was the difference of my motives. I was just trying to learn Latin for me, but I am learning Russian in order to become a better Missionary so that I can be a useful tool for God in Russia. I want to be of use to Him. I can only do this if I remove negative emotions such as pride, envy, contention and so that the Holy Ghost can fill me and teach what needs to be taught. I know that I, myself, do nothing; it's all the Lord. I just need to do my best to be living and working in a way that is acceptable to him so that I can feel the Spirit and the Spirit can teach. It really is an amazing thing. I am continually humbled every day at the honor it is to be a servant of the Lord. I used to get discouraged about the concept of being a servant for the Lord -- the reason being that I knew whatever I did I would never be a profitable servant; I could work and try, and work some more, but I would never be able to repay that incredible debt that the Lord suffered for me in the garden and on the cross. What was more, is my debt was continually growing as He would continually bless me. I do not deserve those blessings - I am already in His debt! I was saddened that no matter what I could do, I would always be an unprofitable servant. But then one day I realized something! It is true, I am an investment in the Lord, so therefore I can never pay Him back. Really, all of this is to help me so naturally I will be unprofitable, but I came to the realization that though I would never be a profitable servant, I could be a faithful one. I can work and work and work to show Him my gratitude. I can work and say thank you to show him how grateful I am and how humbled I am for this opportunity to serve. I get the chance to interact with more of Gods beautiful children, here in the MTC and eventually in Russia. I know that each of them are special. I know that He wants each of them to return to Him. I know he has a specific, individual plan for each of them... I am honored that He has selected me (and was patient with me as I came to terms with the call to serve) to be apart of His plan for those children. I know that I may never baptize anyone one (maybe I will, who knows!) but I know that so long as I work hard, those seeds are planted. That is a start. I am just happy and humbled to be a part even that much. How Great and Marvelous is our God! to come up with such a loving, specific, and nurturing plan for each of us! His plan will have the highest rate of return, it will have the highest success rate. I am comforted by the love of our Father and our Savior. What an immense sacrifice for both of them. I often think of the Savior bleeding in the garden and on the cross - what pain and agony He suffered just to give us OPPORTUNITY. Then I think of our great, merciful, Father in Heaven - how hard it must have been to watch His son suffer as He did! Yet He stood by and watched, and waited, and sorrowed so that we could have a CHOICE to return to Him. It wasn't guaranteed that we would all return to Him - He knew some of us wouldn't... in that way the sacrifice was heightened! But He knew that agency was essential, and He knew the price of agency, though great, was worth it. What a glorious gift both our Father in Heaven and our Savior provided for us. What a sacrifice for both of them. We need to take every opportunity and every choice and dedicate them to the Lord, so that we can return to our Heavenly Parents and our celestial Brother. I am so humbled by their love... I just hope that I can maintain a holy spirit about me so that I can be the faithful servant the Lord expects me to be. I have heard an analogy for it before - it is like piano lessons. Piano lessons are already paid for by a parent, just like we were already bought through the Atonement. However, it is choice of the child whether they practice or not. When we practice, or when we obey his commandments and use the gift He gave us, that is us showing our gratitude for the price that was paid for us. I thought it was a cool analogy. So, here I am, in the vineyard, I am working as hard as I can and I will continue to do so! I want to serve those wonderful children of our Father! I am excited to do so!

So, thank you for your letters - both the dear elders and the written letters. You have such beautiful handwriting! I really appreciate your spiritual thoughts. They are like spiritual candy, I pop them in and the sweet taste lingers throughout the day. I often roll them around in my mind and think of you words; thank you so much for the encouragement. Thank you so much for your love.