Date: Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Subject: Week 6
Holy Smokes...
I can't believe it has been six weeks! Wow only three more to go! We just barely sent out the Tongans and it was really crazy... They have been here the whole time we have and we have grown really close to their district. It made me realize that I'm going to be doing the same thing that they are in 3 weeks! Crazy! Life here in the MTC has been really fun and really busy! We have been teaching a lot in Samoan and I have gotten a lot better than where I was, but I still have a lot to go. I know that it will come eventually and that I will be able to say what my Savior would have me say, but I've been working hard to learn it and to gain a stronger testimony. Our teachers said the spirit can not draw anything from an empty well... That hit me really hard, and then our Branch President had us read a scripture. It's a scripture mastery in D&C that talks about how we take knowledge with us from this life into the next life. After he read that and explained what the doctrine meant to him, he switched life to MTC and he switched resurrection to Mission Field and person to Missionary. It was really neat to see how much more that scripture meant to us at this time because it was directed at us. It talked about how much more of an advantage we will have with the knowledge we gain here. I know that to be true and I know that I need to maintain the spirit here so I can learn that much more effectively and to work hard. Hard work and Obedience are key for a successful missionary! I'm working on trying to get both down and hopefully I will become the missionary the Lord wants me to be.
So how is everybody? Are you all having a nice summer? It's crazy that Chanses and Andreas summers are over and there headed back to school. I wish the both of you the best of luck out there and remember to study hard but also to take some breaks as well. I learned in a study last year that students that spent an hour exercising a day did better than those that studied and didn't have any exercise. Thanks mom for the package, it was very thoughtful! How is everyone else. Jack and Abby thanks for writing me! I always love to hear from you. Good luck with try-outs bud. I hope Shauni and Lindsey got my letters, for awhile their I had a hard time getting a letter to you guys but hopefully they got their. It's still just as hot as ever out here in good ol Provo. Hopefully it's cooler where you guys are at ha ha.
I'm still learning a lot! It's amazing to see how much a missionary can learn if they use their time wisely and have the spirit. I know that I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now on my own. It's just another testimony to me that the church is true. We have learned a lot about accountablity as I already stated. In preach my gospel it talks about all the blessings missionaries obtain but that they are accountable for their use of time. Because we aren't on our own time anymore. We are on our Savior's time. It's interesting to think about that. Like I used to always pick out the missionaries and notice how quick it is to pick them apart from everyone else. Now I can't even imagine how easy it is going to be able to pick me out being a Palagi and in clothes that nobody else wears down there. It helped me realize that I always have to be doing the Lord's will, because how bad would it look like if I was breaking the rules and acting like a teenager with this nametag on.
The other day in the TRC I totally froze in our first lesson. I had a very hard time understanding anything and I could barely speak any Samoan. It was humiliating! The next lesson went a lot better! Not like way better, but I could at least understand some things that they were saying and say some things. Afterwards it hit me hard to even study harder than I was in the language. I have never studied so hard in my life, even more than I did at BYU and he was asking more! I couldn't believe it! I had a bad attiude about it at first but then I knew that I needed to push even harder! My Savior has done everything for me, why can't I try a little harder! Studying has been good and in teaching sometimes I shock myselves at what I just said. I know that the spirit can help me speak whatever needs to be said. There is still a huge language barrier but I know that that's how it's going to be for the next while. Especially in Samoa where I won't be able to understand anything they are saying! ha ha I know that this place is an amazing place. I know that if you take the most out of this place that you will be that more ready for Samoa and that you won't have to waste time in the field learning stuff I could have been learning here. I never knew how much you could enjoy the scriptures. Since being here I can hardly take my hands off of them and you actually can't wait for church to start. You get anxious about everything! It's such a spiritual environment here and it has been a blessing to my life. It stretches you more that you could imagine but that's really good right! It's good for us to be pushed and challenged so we can conquer those challenges and become stronger, but here it seems like you conquer one hill and once you get to the top of it you realize there is another huge one standing right in front of you... Ha it's insane! But at the same time you look back and realize I have already learned a lot! I want you all to know that I love you. Thank you for being my friend and always being there for me. I want you all to know that I know that my Savior lives and that he loves all of his children. I know that God wants all of us to return to Him, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way we can reach that final destination. Cherish the scriptures, and liken them unton yourselves. Make them fun! I love you all so much and God be with you till we meet again!
Tofa Soifua!
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Elder Boren
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