For your reading enjoyment, here is Elder Keith's latest email and pictures!
This week has been so crazy!
Something significant happened everyday and it's been amazing!
Where to start?
1. District A left this past
Monday and everyone was an emotional wreck. It was like saying goodbye to
your brothers and sisters. We had all grown really close to one another
and it was sad to see them go, but awesome at the same time because they are
now spreading the good word all over Argentina. As a treat for them, we
didn't go see a church film last Sunday but instead all got together and had a
get together where they all had a chance to bear their testimonies to us and
say goodbye. Everyone was emotionally exhausted by the end of it but it
was a nice time to say goodbye!
2. Jorge. This week was
our last week to teach Jorge and we all know how hard he has been. This
past Monday was such an amazing lesson! The Spirit was there and was so
strong, it was seriously so amazing! He wanted to know more about baptism
and he accepted our invitation to read with his wife and he said they both felt
the Spirit while reading and he knew what he was reading was true!
FINALLY!!
Last night was our last lesson with
him and, I'm not kidding when I say this, the best lesson Elder Gonzalez and I
have taught here at the MTC! The Spirit was just as strong as it was on
Monday and he really enjoyed our lesson and kept asking for more. At the end he
said that he has noticed a change in us, between our first lesson and now, and
more importantly, he's noticed a change in himself!
3. We are also teaching our
teachers, who are acting as investigators they taught on their missions, and
those lessons have been going well too! We taught Hermano Barrett, who is
acting at Oscar, and he has been one of our best investigators. He's been
receptive and willing to read and pray to know these things we are teaching him
are true. We were teaching him this week and the lesson was going
great! Scriptures were being used, personal experiences were being
brought up, and our testimonies were being shared! One of our best
lessons...basically this entire week has been a week of amazing lessons.
After our lesson with him, he came up to us and told us that our lesson was
great and our personal experiences really helped him understand the concept and
that our lesson was great! ....How's bout y'all come at us!! Like
fo real, we are on fire!
4. DEVOTIONAL! So
normally when you give the prayers are devotional you sit up on the stand and
do everything like a normal church meeting. Not this week. There
were rumors flying around this place, remember that I said people talk around
here, and we heard that there was a big named speaker coming to speak to us
because this Tuesday was the MTC Presidency's last devotional. We were
sort of worried but it's fine...who would be coming to speak to us in the
middle of January? Then on Tuesday morning during service, some kids come
in and say "There are three seventies and a General Authority already
here!" WHAAAAAT?! I hauled some butt to gym to find Hermana
Stanger, the sister who was praying with me, and we were freaking out. We
show up to devotional to get seated early and we are sitting on the floor in
front of the stage because THERE WERE EIGHT SEVENTIES AND A GENERAL AUTHORITY
sitting on the stand that night! Excuse me....I didn't agree to
that! I was FREAKING out! Like sweat stains for straight
days. We are sitting there singing out prelude music when Russell M.
Nelson walks in and I almost died. So I got up and said the opening prayer with
my hands shaking and it was magical. We were so nervous but everyone in
our branch told us we did wonderfully. Can you believe that? Can
you even believe that happened to me?! What is my life?! It was so
awesome! Oh! I almost forgot! This MTC devotional was being
broadcast to all the other MTC's around the world. Just to add on some
much needed pressure!
5. On Wednesday we got to host
the new missionaries and it was awesome! It was freaking frio our there
so we all huddled together in one mass as they pulled up. I only hosted
one missionary and he was from Sandy and was going to Canada. He got out
of the car and I got his bags and he turns around and looks at his entire
family, who all got out of the car, and walks away. I didn't know what to
do! I ran after him and they got into the car and drove away...odd, I
know. Just wait. So I'm all excited and talking with this kid,
asking him questions and such, and telling him about me and my mission.
This kid didn't say one full sentence to me. I would ask him questions
and he would say "yes" or "no" or "okay".
So I quickly dropped him off and welcomed his nervous took us to the MTC!
Elder Gonzalez and I were hot chocolate runners to all the elderly traffic
directors in the parking lot across the street. They were the funniest
guys I've met! One of them says to me "Now you walked all the way up
here with this open cup of hot chocolate and managed to not spill it all over
you or the ground. If that's not a testament to how you're drug free,
then I don't know what is!" Seriously. These words were spoken
to me. And I love that man.
6. After hosting we had the
opportunity to have the new Colombian MTC President and his sweet wife come and
speak to our district. They came and spoke to us about our purpose and we
were helping them with their "Welcome to the MTC" seminar thing that
everyone goes through on their first day. It was an awesome
experience. What made it so amazing? They spoke in English...the
entire time!! It was great. But seriously, it was so cool to hear
from them and be able to talk with them. They were really nice
people!
What a crazy week, RIGHT?!
Along with these nut-ball experiences, there have been some unbreakable vows
made between some of us. In case some are unclear, in Harry Potter if one
breaks an unbreakable vow, one dies...so these promises are being kept!
On January 6, 2017, Elder's Gonzalez, Sandall, and I are meeting in Rexburg as
a reunion of sorts. Then in July of 2017, Hermana Walfield, Elder
Gonzalez, me, and others are going to Spain. By that time we will be
fluent Spanish speakers and will travel the world speaking our new
language! That's the type of friendship we all have. We want to do
things with each other when we get back! So fun!
I leave the MTC in ten days.
Let's all take a moment to breathe because I really need one! Ten
days!?! What is that? C'mon! There's no way...gah! The
Spanish is getting much better but man...ten days makes me freak out! But
I know it's going to be awesome and I can't wait for it!
I love the work we are doing!
I love watching the hearts and minds of our investigators change and watching
them realize that what we are teaching them is true! I love you all and
can't wait to hear back from you!
Stay golden my peeps!
Love,
Elder Keith
Elders and Hermana's in the district
At the temple!
Elder Keith with his companion and Jorge, the investigator they have been teaching!
Tanner and Taylor! One of his roommates from college. He will be serving in New Jersey. Fist pump!
Well loyal readers, Elder Keith's time at the MTC is coming to an end. Time is just moving on by. Next week he will be on his way to Oregon. I will be sure to update his address as soon as I have it! I hope everyone has been enjoying reading about his progress! He is excited and motivated, how awesome!
Until next time!
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