What a week! I've hit the ground running in my first seven days as a missionary. Tuesday morning I flew to Salt Lake, and was met by Tre Barnes, my roomate from BYU and one of the coolest guys ever. After unloading my stuff at his house, Tre and I went out with two missionaries and taught right there in Salt Lake. We were able to meet with Javier, a twelve year old boy that wants to get baptized, Ricardo, a husband and father who just wanted to learn about the church, and we were even stopped in the middle of the street by an old woman who wanted us to join her family in scripture study. It was a great night.
I spent the next morning with Nate Jones, another roommate of mine. We were able to go to a session in the Salt Lake temple, which was absolutely incredible. To feel the Spirit in that historic building was just amazing. Afterward, Nate dropped me off at my sisters' workplace. We got my things together, and after a few hugs, I was finally at the MTC.
The first two days were some of the longest of my life. Not in a bad way; there was just so much information and learning that was crammed in...I feel like I've been here for two months. Again, it's a good thing. I've learned so much about the doctrine of Christ, and the personal relationship we can have with our Heavenly Father. Another one of the main principles we're taught at the MTC is to teach people, not lessons. I've tried to take that to heart. One elder in my zone put it best: "They don't care how much you know til they know how much you care."
Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. We must do that in His way: with perfect love. It might take me all my life, but I hope that I can come even just a bit closer to having the kind of love Christ had for all of us.
My district is amazing! As we're all going to the Arizona Mesa mission, we have been officially dubbed "The Sandstorm District" by Elder Allen, one of the funniest people I've ever met. He and his companion, Elder Dobbie (No, not like Harry Potter) are both in the same room as Elder Wadman (my companion) and me. Elder Allen is from Samammish, Washington, but is adopted and originally from the islands of Kiribati. He and I share a lot of the same interests in movies, TV, and random internet humor. He's my brother from another mother if I've ever met one (No offense, Devin). Elder Dobbie is SO quiet, but we all love him. He's got a great spirit. He's only been a convert for two years, but he teaches more powerfully than a lot of us.
Elder Wadman is awesome. Even though I've only been here for a week, I can honestly say I love my companion. It's not even our personalities that let us work well together, but our unity in purpose and our prayer that has helped us be such good friends. Elder Wadman has a powerful testimony and unwavering desire to serve the Lord. He loves God's children with all his might, and is a great example to me. He has worked diligently and with great faith to overcome personal struggles and is a blessed servant of the Lord.
Our district leader, Elder Tremelling is everything a leader should be: loving, caring, a great example, willing to give counsel, he corrects us in love, and he does everything by the Spirit. He does that all while being a goofy guy and being just fun to hang out with.
The MTC has pushed me harder than I've ever been pushed. I've never had to study and work on something for so long during the day without any breaks. I haven't had a single nap in over a week! It's been crazy! This very blog post has been my first hour of free time since I've gotten here. But I am grateful for it. In the last week, I've barely thought of anything but the work. It's been a brand new challenge, but it has been more satisfying than any other work I've ever been involved in. It is His work.
"And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:17)
God bless, and don't forget to write!
- Elder Miller