Week 5 at the MTC (Glorious Learning and Understanding)

Hello Everyone!

It's been an exciting and moving week for me, and I hope it's been as exciting for you as well! My computer crashed and I lost half of this letter, so we'll see if I can get through everything in the next nine minutes of time I've got to write.

For starters, last Tuesday, Yoshihiko Kikuchi of the Seventy visited the MTC. Among other things, there were two things that really struck me to the core. First, I talk waaaay to fast. To speak slowly and deliberately brings with it great power and intensity. Even if you have a great capacity for rhretoric or speech, it pales in comparison to short, simple, deliberate, spiritual statements. Very very true. Try speed reading the first vision (JSH 1:16-17) and then read it slowly. Very different experiences.

Second, I discovered that the gift of tongues manifests itself in more ways than one. Classically, to have this gift is to be able to speak with limited to know exposure to the language you are speaking, being done through the Holy Ghost. This is something that certainly is prevalent in my experience at the MTC and in other times of my life. But, I have discovered a second part to this magnificent gift: If you use another language to teach, it doesn't matter how poorly you may speak. If it is your best, you can deliver the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with the same power and intensity as a native. Elder Kikuchi demonstrated this indirectly, because he spoke with a thick accent and with words and phrases that were none to elegant or refined by English grammar book standards. But, the words he spoke were heartfelt, delivered by the Holy Ghost, and brought with them incredible power. If you ever teach, do so through the spirit. I testify that I know that you can teach with incredible power and intensity no matter the language, if you have testimony, the spirit, and are doing all you can to prepare yourself for that teaching experience.

Thursday rolled around, and we went to the TRC to teach Hana. This went rather well, but there was one thing that struck me to the core: she didn't pray to know what we had taught was true. I was absolutely depressed for the next day or so. I was shocked at my reaction! Why should I feel this way? I have done nothing wrong? No, it was not that I had failed, but that she hadn't tried, and the magnitude of our message is such that to take it for granted is to disregard it entirely. I never want to feel like that again, but I know that that feeling is what Elder Holland refers to as being "devastated" when those you teach don't receive what you say completely.

The rest of the week has been rather great. I can teach for 45 minutes in czech from the Book of Mormon, the vocabulary and principles come faster and faster each day, and I'm overall very humbled that the Lord has blessed me in these ways so effectively.

Some questions have come to me regarding my district. I'll speak specifically on Sister Reese, the sister going to the Czech Republic. She's from Mapleton and is absolutely hilarious. Great attitude, great language skills, and she teaches with great power and authority. Sometimes she gets frustrated with the sheer volume of material we have to learn, as we all do, but she overcomes it because she knows who she is, not only as a daughter of God, but also as a called and set apart missionary. It's great being a missionary! I love it, and I could do it forever!

I hope all is well at home. I miss you all terribly, and it's hard to not be distracted with home. But I know that Jesus is the Christ and truth has been restored, and I get to share it!

Brent