Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Week 4: Та бол тагтаа

Hey everybody! This week has been great even though things are starting to become repetitive. But there's always something new if you look hard enough for it. Ours happened to be a devotional with Elder Holland which was amazing. But first let me start off with Friday. 

Friday was by far not one of my best days here at the MTC. We had class at 8:30 and I was so tired. I didn't talk at all during class and struggled to stay awake and learn the language. I'm pretty sure my teacher noticed because she had us take a break and run around. I definitely woke up more after that and the day went on a lot better. The next day was amazing. Elder Scrimsher and I were teaching our fake investigator and the lesson was surprisingly going very well. We were actually understanding her a little bit and we served her by "getting her water from the well." When we finished our lesson, she sat us down and asked us how well we think we did. We told her we thought we did pretty well and she surprised us by saying that this was the best lesson we had taught so far. My companion and I felt so proud and made sure to thank Heavenly Father. He had definitely helped us with the language and the spirit. I now try to make every lesson similar to that one and even better. 

So each week we plan the following week and when I got to planning this previous Sunday, I realized it was my mom's birthday. So I want to give a shout out to my mom and hope you had a great birthday! I'm so glad that you're my mom! And on top of that, Elder Scrimsher and I taught a lesson in district meeting on the Christlike Attributes. It was such a neat lesson and I learned so much about Christ. As a district we have a Christlike attribute that we focus on and this week has been obedience. It has definitely been a hard one with going to bed on time but we have made it a special effort and have seen progress. Then later that night Elder Scrimsher, Elder Rife, and I watched the Character of Christ by Elder Bednar. It was super nice to hear it again and afterwards the three of us popped open some apple cider and had a little goodbye party for Elder Rife because he was leaving the next morning. And that next day was hard because Elder Rife and I had become close friends and I hope I can see him after our missions. But it got better because later that day our teacher decided to teach us cursive in Mongolian and we all learned how to sign our names. They look so cool and I'm definitely going to be using it in the future. Then on Wednesday we had TRC and welcomed in the new missionaries. TRC is when volunteers come into the MTC and you teach them a twenty minute lesson. Our lesson went well and it was nice because they taught us some more Mongolian afterwards. After that we welcomed in the new elders and sisters into our district and I happened to see Elder Bedont and Elder Herrod. I'll have to send some pictures with them later. 

So the highlight of my week by far was having Elder Holland come Tuesday night and speaking at the devotional. He taught a lot on us being the missionaries that we are expected to be. He told us to give 24/24 months on our mission and not 12/24. But the thing that hit me the most is when he told us that the church perceives us as perfect. He told a story of how a teacher asked the people in his class who they thought was perfect. Everyone of course said Jesus Christ, but one also mentioned the missionaries. Elder Holland being himself, slammed the hammer down on us to never ruin that image. He told us how frustrated he gets with missionaries when they fall away from the church after their missions and then gets frustrated with himself  because he wonders what more he could have done. It was really touching to see how much he cares about us and it just makes me want to become and even better missionary. 

It's so hard when you are welcoming in new elders and realize that they go out into the mission field before you do. It's also really hard when you have a hard day with the language, are distracted, don't feel the spirit as strongly as you wan't, and are just struggling. But then you see that one tender mercy. That one blessing. That one small miracle that you think wouldn't happen and all of a sudden you feel like you're on fire. The spirit is as strong as ever, you can actually understand parts of the language, and you feel like nothing can stop you. I'm grateful when Heavenly Father gives me those days. But I've also learned to be grateful for the days that are horrible because those are the days that help me learn and grow. Those are the days that really change me. And if I let them change me, I will become the missionary and individual that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want me to be. I love this gospel and know that it is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that if you pray to God and ask if it is true, then He will give you an answer. I know that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and died on the cross so we can return back with Him to Heavenly Father. I know that Joseph Smith did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and restored His church on the earth. I know that Heavenly Father put us here on earth to learn and grow, but to also make us happy.

I love all of you and hope you all had a great week. Good luck with this upcoming one, too.

This is your Mighty Mongol reporting at the MTC,

Elder Ogden

 

2 comments:

  1. Belief is the reason we go on a mission. It is the motive for preaching about Christ and sharing/Proclaiming his love. Faith is understanding we are children of God and our Heavenly Father. May the definition of faith bless you in life Faith is defined again and because faith has an inherent joy it gives us a solid foundation that we finally have the peace we have been searching for.

    "Many believer's feed themselves on what God hasn't done. When I dwell on what hasn't happened, I create the atmosphere for the spirit of offense to arise and to thrive. When I dwell on what hasn't happened, I legitimize unbelief. I live with a sense of justification, for not believing God.

    Faith in the purest sense is the ceasing of resistance. even when there's no physical evidence, when the other evidence is present. Not feeding ourselves on what God hasn't done Faith in it's purest form is the absence of resistance

    Heaven is a place where everyone is celebrated, some are more honored but everyone is celebrated. All men and all women shall be judged on the light which they have received. Heaven is a permissible culture. God's nature is eternally permissible. These statements protect us from credit.

    Faith in the purest sense is the ceasing of resistance, even when there's no physical evidence, when the other evidence is present. Not feeding ourselves on what God hasn't done. Faith in it's purest form is the absence of resistance. Faith doesn't deny a problems existence, it denies it's influence. He or she was someone whom aridity and desolation never disturbed for he or she had a deeply rooted, and a vigorous faith.

    Now we can act as we have always dreamed. Now we can act as we have always been. Now we can step into the light and gather the sunlight instead of blocking out our possibilities. Instead of blocking out our joy. Variety will bloom in/under the sun. We can show off our best, we can enjoy other people's gifts. We can blossom where we stand upon the joy that faith provides us. Upon the joy that faith inherently has, which blossoms the entire field of flowers"

    .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDYaxabUfkA - The Definition of Faith

    ReplyDelete
  2. Precious brother in Christ,GOD is for real and HE knows you and HE sees you and HE loves you. now,if you too love HIM and Truth,it is important you come to know a well known documented and verified truth(although,hypocrites try to deny it by telling silly lies),that is the book of Mormon is totally worthless(Never a Tribe of Israel went to the Americas to give birth to the Natives-the DNA test denies it-and far less the Lord JESUS. Truly,the so called original manuscript with the "pearl of great price" were mere lists of obituaries written in the old language of Egypt,which Smith had purchased in a library and not discovered in a wood,and the "apostles" in Salt Lake know it well;'cause Hyrum and Joseph were Freemasons,many rituals followed in the temples come from masonry). We have,already,a perfect testament,which you can find it in the GOSPEL(Galatians 1,6-9,Jude 3-4). May the Grace and the Love of our Heavenly Father find a warm welcome in your soul,so that his Holy Spirit can protect you from deception,sin and hell(Luke 12,1-12);until the day-if,you turn earnestly and with humility to our Lord JESUS to get his personal revelation with his forgiveness and holy freedom;and,so,to taste his fellowship with his peace and mercy-you too 'll enter the joy of Paradise. In God's love and Truth

    ReplyDelete