MTC: Week One

 May 10th, 2014

 

I LOVE THE MTC!!! It feels like I've been here for a year let alone two days! I have learned sooo much it is ridiculous. Every day I feel the comfort and softness of the spirit in my life and I know how true it is seeing it in my life and touching the lives of others here. My companion, Elder G, is from England and has a proper English accent. The guy feels the spirit like none other and I am so blessed to have him always with me. He's really quiet but when he talks he speaks with simplicity and power, it's really awesome. The rest of my district is going all around the world. Elder P and Elder W are going to Portland Oregon mission. Elder P is a super close friend to Keith Lolofie! Wyatts brother! and Elder W is from Texas and is such a stud. Sister M and Elder A are both going to Guam/ Micronesia mission and are the absolute coolest! Sister M is Samoan from Melbourne, Australia with the awesomest accent and the greatest and biggest smile you'll ever see. I haven't seen her stop smiling and it really bring's the spirit into a room and also so much joy. Elder A has such a strong testimony of the church and is a convert who had to go against his parents' wishes to do all of this, really inspiring. The rest of us, Elder G, Sister A and Sister C and I are going to Singapore. Sister C and Sister A both went to BYU this past semester and it is super funny how a guy I worked with, Martin, was trying to get me to meet Sister A when he learned both of us were going to Singapore. Sister C has an amazing testimony and is so strongly set on this mission and is ready to go! The food is amazing here and if anyone tells you differently they are crazy. They try to fatten us up before we go out on the missions because so many of us are going to third world countries. I ain't even mad.

Everyday I learn something new and go through so much of an emotional roller coaster it can only be described as humbling. We wake up, personal study, eat breakfast, go to class til lunch, then we go back to class until dinner, and then also have meetings after dinner until 9 in which we go back to residence hall to get some zz's. I've never felt the spirit like I do here, always seems to have a hum of that fire burning within no matter where you are. Me and Elder G had to teach our first investigator yesterday, and woooowwww I've never felt so unprepared. So we went to a room by ourselves and prayed for how we should teach and the spirit really hit us. We then planned the lesson around prayer and tried to teach it with only the small amount of time that we had. Didn't go as well as we wanted but we didn't butcher it either. We'll get there.
 

My main problem is just trying to plan out lessons and basically everything before hand and doing it my way. It's not like that at all. We can study and plan for many lessons but have to let the spirit lead us in everything. The spirit is what guides all missionaries in doing the Lords work, I have to learn to let go of my attitude and let him lead the way.

Ive learned so much this week and every single second I've been here.

I love the work and wish you all well!
 

Love Elder Holmes