- It’s impossible to share all of the wonderful experiences and feelings of the MTC. We so enjoyed our time there—it was exhilarating, exhausting, enlightening, enveloping, and incredibly spiritually uplifting. We met wonderful people who were making enormous sacrifices to serve in the twilight years of their lives. We met committed young elders and sisters from all over the world who were filled with the energy and enthusiasm of youth and the ability to lift everyone around them. They truly are youth of a noble birthright and they will “Carry On!”
- In addition to our peers and the 1400 or so young missionaries who surrounded us and brought light to our lives, we were inspired by wonderful speakers and teachers. One of the highlights of our time at the MTC was having Elder David Bednar speak to us at a devotional. He reminded and taught us through scriptural references such as the Prodigal Son, the Lost Sheep, and the Savior’s visit on the American continent that every person is important and deserves our attention and love. Elder Bednar talked about the Savior inviting people “one by one” to come to Him and then invited us to do the same. He arranged for two of his little granddaughters and three other children (along with a choir of the 1400+ missionaries) to sing a song that he wrote. What an experience! The song is titled “One By One” and will be published in the July 2016 New Era.
- Since I don’t have the words or capacity to really share our MTC experience, I would like to share a few of my favorite thoughts from our time there:
- Thoughts from Elder Bednar:
o
You might ask how do I tell if my thoughts or
promptings are inspiration from the Holy Ghost or if they are just me? Answer:
Quit worrying about it!
o
Listen to the Spirit and you will always be where
you should be doing what you should do.
o
After telling of an experience where he was in
the right place at the right time, Elder Bednar said, “I could not have told
you at the time that it was a spiritual impression.” (I really related to this
as I have reflected so often the past three months on my decision to have a
mammogram before our mission, even though I’d had one six months before. I
could not have told you at the time that it was a spiritual impression either,
but as I see how things unfolded with the early detection of breast cancer,
successful surgery, and a clean bill of health before leaving on time for
France, I have no doubt that it was a spiritual impression and I’m so grateful
for it!).
o
There is no such thing as a coincidence when you
are on the Lord’s errand.
o
God will take you to where you should be and
tell you what you should do if you are being a good boy or girl.
- Other tidbits from other sources:
o
Read Elder Packer’s talk “The 20-note Mark”
o
Read Elder Eyring’s talk from the October 2002
General Conference, “Rise to Your Call”
o
President Monson in the November 2008 Ensign, “The Lord will shape the back to
bear the burden placed upon it.”
o
We don’t move up in the Church, we just move
around.
o
And SO much more!
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