I'm halfway done! . . . with the MTC

Oh my goodness. Seriously? That went by SO fast...it also feels like I've been here for an eternity already though. I'm so excited to get to Boston!!! This is the start of my 7th week at the MTC, and I can't believe how much I've learned. I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but I have developed an absolute LOVE for this language. It's crazy and insanely difficult at times, but I love it. We're all mastering it, line upon line and precept upon precept. A few days ago I got compliments from two missionaries in our district on how well I'm doing with the language. Sis. Taylor told me during one of our language study times that she was super impressed and that I was doing a great job and Elder Decker talked to me later that night in our residence hall about how well I'm doing and how proud he is with how hard I'm working. That was super nice to hear - I know the Lord is blessing me SO MUCH for serving Him, especially to be able to learn Khmae. I've grown so much already, and it's only the beginning!

 

Elder Russell M. Nelson came to our devotional last week, so that was pretty cool! He gave this great talk about the scattering and gathering of Israel and the Abrahamic Covenant, which is something I didn't fully understand until now. He taught from the scriptures the whole time, it was pretty awesome!

 

We've started teaching each other in our district. By that, I mean that each of us has had to come up with a role to be an investigator, and we act as that person and another companionship teaches us as if we were real investigators. It's been fun to do some acting and getting into character, and it's also been really insightful as well. Up until this point we've been teaching our teachers as they pretend to be investigators, but now we get to be the ones being taught in addition to that. It's been interesting!

 

Speaking of investigators, one of the "investigators" Elder Nicholson and I have been teaching has been doing really well, keeping all his commitments, reading the chapters we assign him in the Book of Mormon, "coming to church", all that jazz. He's born brief testimonies and says he has a "good feeling" when he reads the Book of Mormon and comes to church, so Elder Nicholson and I felt it was time to take it a step further - last night we taught about the importance of baptism and what it means to be baptized. We asked if he would be baptized, and he said yes! It was such a cool experience because I was SO happy, and he's not even a real investigator. It's been awesome to feel the Lord teaching us how to help others come unto Him. I know that even though these aren't real investigators, we as a companionship can receive revelation for them to know what they need, because this is how the Lord trains His missionaries. That was something I struggled with at the beginning, but I definitely have a testimony of that and of the MTC! I love being here.

 

I had 4 auditions last week for musical numbers for firesides - I sang one myself (they said yes!) and I accompanied 3 others. When I first auditioned with a piano solo, Sis. Nally (the music coordinator and wife of Pres. Nally, 1st counselor in the MTC presidency) put me on the accompanist list, which is a huge honor because apparently she's extremely picky about who goes on that list. Anyway, I've had 2 Elders and 1 Sister contact me about playing for them, and they all ended up auditioning on the same day! That was crazy - but they all got accepted too, so that was awesome. One of the two Elders performed  for the Senior Missionary orientation meeting yesterday, since he's leaving next week. So yeah, you'll be happy to know that I'm keeping up with my music while on my mission!

 

I'm still having some difficulties with Elder Nicholson as my companion, but things are definitely better than they used to be. I'm still working on tolerating all the little annoying things people do (including my companion). It's a work in progress, but I know that it's for my good. The Lord is teaching me patience and how to love ALL of God's children, and I can feel myself growing. Hopefully I can continue to progress and become more like Christ.

 

If you get a chance, check out the new Mormon Messages video - "New Year's: Look Not Behind Thee". It's a pretty good one! I liked it a lot.

 

In my personal studies yesterday, I came across a scripture in the Book of Mormon. I really like it, and it's become one of my many "missionary scriptures". I'm not sure why it struck me so strongly, but I figured I'd share it with you!

 

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life."

- 3 Nephi 5:13

 

Much love to you all. I'm so thrilled and humbled to be out here serving the Lord! =D

 

Elder DeLong