Hello family!
Holy moly I can't believe this
is my FIFTH week here at the MTC. It literally feels like yesterday I
was dropped off and taken to to start my mission. Time is going by SO
fast! In just a week from today, I'll have my mission re-assignment!!
I'm SO excited! Various Elders and Sisters from my zone going to Brazil
have been reassigned from California to Kansas and everywhere in
between. I'm so excited to see where the Lord calls me for my Visa
waiting time! The process for re-assignment is the same as your
original call (an apostle receives revelation for YOU personally as to
where you should go). I hope that I'll be able to travel with some
people from my district. We've really gotten close, and many
companionships have gotten re-assigned to the same place, which I would
really love! We'll see what is in store.
Since this is our fifth week, we're really stressing
"SYL" or, "Speak Your Language" in the classroom and anywhere else we
can. It was really hard at first, but it is an excellent way of
learning more and more Portuguese. I'm really starting to LOVE the
language. I'm pretty sure I know more Portuguese that Spanish now, and
almost always pray in Portuguese. It is such a neat feeling, praying in
a different language. It is amazing to me that Heavenly Father can and
DOES understand every language! So neat.
This past week, we had a wonderful devotional, where
the speaker spoke about "acting well our part" (remember that general
conference talk "What ere thou art, act well thy part"?). It was
phenomenal. He told us that our missions won't necessarily be the "best
two years" of our life, but they WILL be the best two years FOR
our life. The spirit bore witness that that was true! He told us how
our missions will help us become the kind of Father, Husband, Mother,
Wife, and disciple we want and need to be. It was touching. Gosh, I
LOVE the MTC!! Everyday we are blessed with an outpouring of the
Spirit, and it truly is beautiful.
My room
When we first arrived, we were challenged to read the
Book of Mormon cover to cover before we left. I thought it would be
difficult, and that I wouldn't get much out of reading it reading it
that fast, but it's been a beautiful experience. I'm done! With 10 days
to spare! And I've learned more than I thought possible. In my
patriarchal blessing, it mentions how my "...mind will be opened to
gospel truths as you study the scriptures.." and that blessing has
certainly come to pass. It's amazing how the Book of Mormon truly
testifies of Christ and really does contain the fullness of the Gospel.
The Gospel is SO simple! All we're asked is to come unto Christ,
accept and keep his commandments, utilize the loving gift of the
Atonement, and endure. That's it! What I've come to know more than
ever this time as I've read through the Book of Mormon is that Heavenly
Father is a God of LOVE. Time and time again, the people are given
chance after chance to repent and come unto Christ. As they do, they
are blessed and always prosper. We see the sadness it brings Heavenly
Father when we refuse his invitation to "come unto Me". He is there
with open arms, always beckoning us to come unto Him. Let us come unto
Him!
In other news, 4-Square is quite the activity here at
the MTC. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but it is SO fun!
That's all we do! It gets pretty intense sometimes :)
Me and Elder Han!
I
love you guys! I KNOW this Gospel is true. It is incredible. Can't
wait to tell you where I'll be embarking to wait for my Visa next week!
(I'm thinking Alabama or Arkansas)
O evangelho de Jesus Cristo é verdadeiro!! Eu amo minha familia!!
Com moito amor,
Elder Jason Allred
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