I'm still breathing. The afternoon that I got here was long and super tough. This place is a maze and we got lost like 7 times but we still made it on time to every thing, even if my companion and i did have to run up like 10 flights of stairs to get to class. Apparently they decided to put the 12 Week Miracles (that's what our branch president calls us), on the top floor of all the buildings that we go to. Needless to say its quite the work out. On the bright side I think I've finally got the lay out down to the point where I can find stuff.
My District is the greatest!!! My companion is the only other Elder going to Tuscon in my District. They said there are more, but we haven't found any. There are also three sisters in my district and they are going to Tuscon. Their names are Sister Stebar, Sister Quinonez, and Sister Cook(Andrea). Ya Sister Cook is in my District so that's cool. My companion's name is Elder Patteson. He's from Twin Falls. The other four Elders in my district are assigned to the Gauna, Accra Mission. They are awesome Elders. Right now I'm on a split with Elder Leon. He's from Aurora,
Colorado. Elder Whiting is from Mapelton, Elder Ballard is from Rexburg, Elder Smith is from somewhere that I can't remember right now. I was going to write something inspirational right now, but I have to go do laundry, so if I get back to a computer I will. If not write me. Let everyone know that I'm doing awesome, and it feels like I've been here a week.
Colorado. Elder Whiting is from Mapelton, Elder Ballard is from Rexburg, Elder Smith is from somewhere that I can't remember right now. I was going to write something inspirational right now, but I have to go do laundry, so if I get back to a computer I will. If not write me. Let everyone know that I'm doing awesome, and it feels like I've been here a week.
Love you all,
Elder Ames
P.S. P-Day is Friday in case you didn't catch on.
Later:
K I'm back and I've got some good stuff to share. K, first off, thanks to Elder Leon I survived my first laundry day without disaster. Second, I figured out how to send photos home so here are some good ones.
The First one is the view from our building of the temple spire.
Now for my spiritual stuff. This place is dedicated and holy ground. It is very much like the temple. The spirit is housed within these walls, and you can feel it all around you. Everyone here has a specific purpose. Officially our purpose is to: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I'm still trying to understand exactly what that all entails on my part, but I'm pretty sure that I was led by the spirit to this one conclusion. In 3 Nephi 9:20-22 Christ talks about the only sacrifice needed is a broken heart and a contrite spirit in order to draw near unto him. That is what the MTC is for. It is so able to break your heart open to allow the spirit to enter into you as well as be humbled in your failure to make your spirit very much contrite and ready to learn and listen.
We are told here that learning all of this and applying it is not enough. We have to learn through the spirit to be able to use this knowledge effectively in our teaching. When we learn how something works we need to get on our knees and pray for the spirit to help teach and confirm the principle to us on an unbreakable level.
Needless to say I have prayed more in the last two days than I have in a long time. I've prayed so much that it feels like I'm talking to a brick wall with no response. However, all I have to do is ask if God is listening and the answer is very clear. He is there. He is listening. Love you all.
Talk to you next week.
Later:
K I'm back and I've got some good stuff to share. K, first off, thanks to Elder Leon I survived my first laundry day without disaster. Second, I figured out how to send photos home so here are some good ones.
The First one is the view from our building of the temple spire.
Now for my spiritual stuff. This place is dedicated and holy ground. It is very much like the temple. The spirit is housed within these walls, and you can feel it all around you. Everyone here has a specific purpose. Officially our purpose is to: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I'm still trying to understand exactly what that all entails on my part, but I'm pretty sure that I was led by the spirit to this one conclusion. In 3 Nephi 9:20-22 Christ talks about the only sacrifice needed is a broken heart and a contrite spirit in order to draw near unto him. That is what the MTC is for. It is so able to break your heart open to allow the spirit to enter into you as well as be humbled in your failure to make your spirit very much contrite and ready to learn and listen.
We are told here that learning all of this and applying it is not enough. We have to learn through the spirit to be able to use this knowledge effectively in our teaching. When we learn how something works we need to get on our knees and pray for the spirit to help teach and confirm the principle to us on an unbreakable level.
Needless to say I have prayed more in the last two days than I have in a long time. I've prayed so much that it feels like I'm talking to a brick wall with no response. However, all I have to do is ask if God is listening and the answer is very clear. He is there. He is listening. Love you all.
Talk to you next week.
Elder Ames
D&C 6:36
