June 7, 2012 - Letter

All--

Things are getting pretty routine here at the MTC. Wake up, moan, sing in the shower (I got a pretty nice ovation for my rendition of "Hey Jude"), study the scriptures for an hour, teach a pretend investigator, have group language instruction, followed by lunch, personal language study, 3 more hours of class, dinner, gym, additional study time, and ending with daily planning. Just the other day, BYU shut down all the electrical power for five minutes, this included a black out at the MTC. Probably the most exciting that's happened here for a while. Everyone got out there flashlights, did their best Gollum impressions, and we were basically like little kids for a bit.


 Fun stuff!


On a more spiritual note, our teachers are especially effective at maintaining the Spirit and everyday yeilds new insights.



For example, I learned that the "Word of Widom" is NOT a health code. The "Word of Wisdom" is a means by which we can come closer to Christ. It's also a commandment, and following the commandments and being obediant brings and increased measure of the Spirit.


I had some pretty awesome teaching experiences this past week. One of such was with a progressing investigator named Antonio. We explained the commandments by doing a hands on activity, So we told him to close his eyes, and then we would give him instructions with our voices. He had to follow our voices in order to know where to go. We did this in Spanish to, and for the first time I realized that speaking Spanish can be used for fun things as well as spiritual discussions ( I know shocker, right?) Anyways we likened this to our lives in that being human, our vision and perspective is limited; we don't have a perfect knowledge of eternity or what bad decisions will do to us in the future. But there is someone who does...our Heavenly Father. He gives us commandments through his prophets; without those commandments, we remain blind and lost in life. However, if have faith and yield to the promptings of the Holy Ghost by following the commandments, we don't have to be lost, we can remain on the right path.


Antonio had an "aha" moment. He finally understood the "why" behind keeping the commandments. And that's critical for anyone; once we understand the "why" we find the INNER motivation to do whats right. The INNER motivation is what brings us to repentance, not outward pressure from other people.


It's amazing how the Spirit works. While Elder Morrell and I were explaining the concept, Antonio didn't understand us, mostly because of our weakness in Spanish.


But at some random moment, it clicked. The Spirit manifested the truth, and Antonio felt it. It truly is the Holy Ghost that teaches eternal truths, not man.



Great stuff is happening at the MTC! This work is true and I encourage everyone to seek these truths. It brings a measure of happiness and knowledge that you could never believe achievable.


Con amor,


Elder Powley