FAMILY!
It's P-day once more and it has been a remarkably busy week in the MTC. The first few days we were here they told us that if we made it till the first Sunday then the days would fly, and I can testify that's SO true. The days just melt and fly by here! The only reason I can tell the days apart is that I've been writing in my journal still faithfully every night. *High Five*
I don't remember if i mentioned last time, but last Tuesday we had D. Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the Twelve come and speak to us. Actually I think I DID tell you that. Well, on thanksgiving day, we got to have a special devotional from Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve and it was just fantastic. The most amazing thing about the devotionals that the Apostles give is that literally, they have NO remarks planned, and they talk for 40+ minutes meaningfully and with the Spirit. They get up to the podium with no teleprompter or notes, only a set of scriptures, and they just tell it how it is. It's amazing!
Oh! By a similar note: Last night's devotional was given by Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Quorum of the Seventy. He just got called as a general authority last April so he's still pretty new, but his remarks on missionary work and how key our role is in eternal progression were just astounding. In the Book of Mormon it talks about the gate to the kingdom of heaven being narrow, and that gate is baptism. Like threading a needle, our main role as missionaries is to get them to that gate not just as a baptismal statistic, but as a Brother or Sister as children of God. Missionary work is starting to make sense more and more as the days go by. Haha! BUT! Sister Yamashita also gave a talk before she did, and she's only been speaking English (or should i say, ENGRISH) for 4 months! They moved to Salt Lake City 4 months ago and her English exposure is very primary to say the least. But she got right up in front of 2000 missionaries and told of her conversion story and testimony and it was just awesome! And quite possibly the most broken English I've ever heard, but she was laughing at herself talking the entire time! It was impossible not to love her and feel the strength of her testimony.
I didn't mention Thanksgiving dinner! Well normally the food is good.. But... That had to be THE PINKEST, SLIMIEST turkey I have EVER eaten. It made me really appreciate blessing the food before we ate it... It was strange being away from home, but the Elders in my district are so crazy awesome that it's hard to feel homesick. I guess I'm over it.
I've been singing a lot since I've been here! We sing hymns before and after every class, but the most meaningful Hymn's we've sung were last night at the devotional. We opened with "Called To Serve" which is always a fuel-injected Hallelujah from all of the Elders and Sisters singing at full blast. For intermediate hymn I got to sing with the MTC Choir with a special arrangement of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" that was just.. moving. The part where God and Jesus Christ appear to him in the song is where it goes A Cappella in 6 part harmony and its almost like a whisper that grows and grows and grows. The Spirit just exploded and it was incredible. To top it off, the devotional ended with us singing "Praise to the Man" which, I admit, I teared up a little bit. :)
It's P-day once more and it has been a remarkably busy week in the MTC. The first few days we were here they told us that if we made it till the first Sunday then the days would fly, and I can testify that's SO true. The days just melt and fly by here! The only reason I can tell the days apart is that I've been writing in my journal still faithfully every night. *High Five*
I don't remember if i mentioned last time, but last Tuesday we had D. Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the Twelve come and speak to us. Actually I think I DID tell you that. Well, on thanksgiving day, we got to have a special devotional from Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve and it was just fantastic. The most amazing thing about the devotionals that the Apostles give is that literally, they have NO remarks planned, and they talk for 40+ minutes meaningfully and with the Spirit. They get up to the podium with no teleprompter or notes, only a set of scriptures, and they just tell it how it is. It's amazing!
Oh! By a similar note: Last night's devotional was given by Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Quorum of the Seventy. He just got called as a general authority last April so he's still pretty new, but his remarks on missionary work and how key our role is in eternal progression were just astounding. In the Book of Mormon it talks about the gate to the kingdom of heaven being narrow, and that gate is baptism. Like threading a needle, our main role as missionaries is to get them to that gate not just as a baptismal statistic, but as a Brother or Sister as children of God. Missionary work is starting to make sense more and more as the days go by. Haha! BUT! Sister Yamashita also gave a talk before she did, and she's only been speaking English (or should i say, ENGRISH) for 4 months! They moved to Salt Lake City 4 months ago and her English exposure is very primary to say the least. But she got right up in front of 2000 missionaries and told of her conversion story and testimony and it was just awesome! And quite possibly the most broken English I've ever heard, but she was laughing at herself talking the entire time! It was impossible not to love her and feel the strength of her testimony.
I didn't mention Thanksgiving dinner! Well normally the food is good.. But... That had to be THE PINKEST, SLIMIEST turkey I have EVER eaten. It made me really appreciate blessing the food before we ate it... It was strange being away from home, but the Elders in my district are so crazy awesome that it's hard to feel homesick. I guess I'm over it.
I've been singing a lot since I've been here! We sing hymns before and after every class, but the most meaningful Hymn's we've sung were last night at the devotional. We opened with "Called To Serve" which is always a fuel-injected Hallelujah from all of the Elders and Sisters singing at full blast. For intermediate hymn I got to sing with the MTC Choir with a special arrangement of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" that was just.. moving. The part where God and Jesus Christ appear to him in the song is where it goes A Cappella in 6 part harmony and its almost like a whisper that grows and grows and grows. The Spirit just exploded and it was incredible. To top it off, the devotional ended with us singing "Praise to the Man" which, I admit, I teared up a little bit. :)
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I'm back! Sorry. I had to go turn in my suit to dry cleaning and get my hair shaped up a bit. Such is the life of a missionary. Umm... I don't remember what my thought processes were, so I'll try to think of a new one... And i forgot to bring all your letters with questions on them so I don't have your questions. What a drag...
Uhh... Sooner or later I'll send you my memory card. I've actually been taking pictures AND journaling. I know, right? Who is this kid??
My next e-mail to you guys will be from the mission field, as this is my last P-Day in the MTC. We're shipping out to Ogden early next Tuesday!! I can't believe it's almost that time. Its crazy. Also - can you send me Andrew Olson's address in a DearElder maybe? If you send it to me in a letter that'd be fine but i wouldn't get it for a while and if you send me an e-mail then i won't be able to check till my next P-day, which I don't know when its gonna be.
And YES! I'm getting your DearElders and they're really neat. :P I think they start costing a bit once I'm not in the MTC, like 44 cents or something? They just forward it to the mission home and they print it off and mail it to me from there, so you're just paying for the stamp and a few cents. Its still quicker than a letter, but snail-mails are always appreciated too :). By the way - my selection of ties? Comparatively to almost every other missionary here, my ties are drab and dreary. I would appreciate if you'd send me some neat-o new ties in the future, but I'm willing to wait until Christmas! Then again, a great quote I've heard here:
"Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles."
So not some snazzy-wazzy ties, but a few more to add some variety to my repertoire would be nice!
Well I should probably get going. I still have to go do laundry and write a letter to one of my friends. Have you put up the link to DearElder and/or my mission blog on my facebook so that all that miss me may rejoice once more? Thanks for all the help. AND thanks for the package! I was craving some of DE LORDS CHEEEEEEEEEEEEPS... and NACHOOOOOOOOO cheese. :) I don't know if you picked out what was in it, but I appreciate the thought!
Well I love you all! I'm still learning as much as I can, and the church is still true! Its strange how little time i have to actually dig in and read the Book of Mormon with all the technical teaching skills that are .. uhh .. taught. That sounds silly. But hey. I'm not learning a language here. I can screw up English if i want!!
Love,
Elder Tyler Grant
I'm back! Sorry. I had to go turn in my suit to dry cleaning and get my hair shaped up a bit. Such is the life of a missionary. Umm... I don't remember what my thought processes were, so I'll try to think of a new one... And i forgot to bring all your letters with questions on them so I don't have your questions. What a drag...
Uhh... Sooner or later I'll send you my memory card. I've actually been taking pictures AND journaling. I know, right? Who is this kid??
My next e-mail to you guys will be from the mission field, as this is my last P-Day in the MTC. We're shipping out to Ogden early next Tuesday!! I can't believe it's almost that time. Its crazy. Also - can you send me Andrew Olson's address in a DearElder maybe? If you send it to me in a letter that'd be fine but i wouldn't get it for a while and if you send me an e-mail then i won't be able to check till my next P-day, which I don't know when its gonna be.
And YES! I'm getting your DearElders and they're really neat. :P I think they start costing a bit once I'm not in the MTC, like 44 cents or something? They just forward it to the mission home and they print it off and mail it to me from there, so you're just paying for the stamp and a few cents. Its still quicker than a letter, but snail-mails are always appreciated too :). By the way - my selection of ties? Comparatively to almost every other missionary here, my ties are drab and dreary. I would appreciate if you'd send me some neat-o new ties in the future, but I'm willing to wait until Christmas! Then again, a great quote I've heard here:
"Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles."
So not some snazzy-wazzy ties, but a few more to add some variety to my repertoire would be nice!
Well I should probably get going. I still have to go do laundry and write a letter to one of my friends. Have you put up the link to DearElder and/or my mission blog on my facebook so that all that miss me may rejoice once more? Thanks for all the help. AND thanks for the package! I was craving some of DE LORDS CHEEEEEEEEEEEEPS... and NACHOOOOOOOOO cheese. :) I don't know if you picked out what was in it, but I appreciate the thought!
Well I love you all! I'm still learning as much as I can, and the church is still true! Its strange how little time i have to actually dig in and read the Book of Mormon with all the technical teaching skills that are .. uhh .. taught. That sounds silly. But hey. I'm not learning a language here. I can screw up English if i want!!
Love,
Elder Tyler Grant
