Hey everyone!
Before I get into my main email, I just want to let everyone
know that our district is having a competition for who can get the most
packages, letters, and Dear Elders. I'm at 13 points so it'd be great if you
could help me out haha.
So it was a crazy first day. You walk into the MTC having no
clue of what you're doing and the whole time other elders and sisters are
screaming into your face, "Welcome to the MTC!" You're in full shock
so thank goodness there's an elder there to help you guide you to your room,
and then your class. Once you get to class there a bunch of new elders and
sisters who are in the same predicament as you, and it was awesome because my
whole district is so nice and awesome. Then a teacher walks in and starts speaking
straight up Mongolian and we are all looking at each other thinking, "What
in the world is he saying?!" At least they use hand motions to get what
they want to say across. So, you could say I'm learning Mongolian and MSL
(Mongolian Sign Language).
Then we get paired up with companions. My companion is Elder
Scrimsher and at first I wasn't sure what he was like because he was pretty
quiet. But now we are best friends and enjoy a lot of laughs and spiritual
moments together. He played on defense in soccer in high school, is really good
at the language, and volunteers for anything and I love it. Something funny
that Elder Scrimsher did was this morning we all woke up to the lights already
on and Elder Scrimsher getting ready. None of us had heard the alarm go off and
we were really confused. We asked our district leader Elder Cox what time it
was. He said it was 2:00 in the morning! We all yelled at Elder Scrimsher as he
was busting up laughing. Aparrently he had a dream that an alarm went off which
caused him to wake up and think it was morning. It was super funny and we give
him a hard time. Also we are also known as "The Power Companionship"
in our district and fist bump whenever we do something right, which isn't a lot
hahaha. But we are getting better.
The district and zone are so awesome. We mess around a
little but focus mainly on trying to learn the language and feeling the Spirit.
We would get discouraged because we weren't learning the language as fast as we
wanted to. But then we would notice that we had only been there a few days and
realized how far we had gotten. I for sure know that the Lord has been blessing
us with the gift of tongues because we are already teaching first investigators
and we are actually getting a sense for what they're saying and are able to
reply. It's awesome!
So the first night and second day were by far the hardest.
We would recall funny moments that seemed to have happened weeks ago and then
realize it was just earlier that day. I of course missed family and friends,
but know this is where I want and need to be. So, I just put my head down and
got to work. Also it helped to be able to talk to my district and realize that
everyone is in the same boat. The language is probably the hardest thing and
sometimes in the middle of class I just sit back and say to myself, "Elder
Ogden, what in the world are you doing here?" I would start to freak out
but then say a silent prayer and feel the spirit. Then I would remember 1 Nephi
3:7 ,"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I
know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he
shall prepare a way for them, that they may accomplish the thing which he
commandeth them." Then I would go back to learning and know that Heavenly
Father will help me if I obey Him and do my best.
When the first Sunday rolled around, I realized that our
schedule was packed. But it didn't matter because in priesthood meeting we were
learning about having exact obedience and I felt the spirit so strongly. Then
we went over how the 2,000 stripling warriors had so much faith that none of
them died and all of them were injured. Literally that whole meeting the spirit
was there so strong and I now have a strong desire to obey with exactness no
matter what anyone else says. And then we went and watched the
"Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar and that hit me so much too to
be looking outward instead of in. I realized I had been praying to learn
Mongolian for me, but I soon realized that I needed to pray to learn it so when
I go to Mongolia I'll be able to bring the people unto Christ in their
language. It was a super special experience but it wasn't over then. Our whole
district ended up joining choir and we were going to sing "Joseph Smith's
First Prayer" at Tuesday's devotional. When we sang it I felt the Spirit
so strong but it wasn't until we watched a video that I started to tear up. The
part in the video that hit me the most was Joseph Smith raising his right hand
to restore the LDS church and then seeing Presidents Monson, Eyring, and
Uchtdorf raising their right hands in general conference. My testimony for
prophets and missionary work grew so much that day and I'm so happy to be
here.
It has been hard at times. Sometimes I feel like I'm just
getting knocked down on the ground throughout the days. But I know I want to be
here. Our Heavenly Father has called missionaries to go out and bring everyone
unto Christ. He has blessed my life so much and the least I can do is give Him
two years of my life so I can help Him save other lives. I know this church is
true and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love all of us. Sometimes we
might get discouraged but I know if we obey Him with exactness and pray, study
our scriptures, go to church, and do our best, then he will bless us and we
will receive miracles.
Love,
Ахлагч (Elder) Ogden
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