Lovin' It.

I don't know what it is, but the past few days especially, at the end of the day and throughout I just feel so happy to be here. I love the MTC. This is such a unique experience. I feel the Spirit every single day I am here. It's not always easy either, which I love because it gives me opportunities to grow.

 

Last week my companion and I taught our first lesson in Russian. It went quite well I think. Really well for the first time. We didn't speak and English. I'm learning more and more Russian and having native Russians here is so great. It's just hard to convince my companion to sit with them at meals for some reason. We have to sit together and he never wants to. I learn so much more when I talk with them. They are super awesome. One of them, Elder Vargin, is 6'8" from Moscow, I call him my gigantic friend, in Russian, and he calls me his Canadian friend. They all have such a great spirit. They will be the future leaders of the Church in Russia and Ukraine. I am so grateful for the missionaries who have gone before and brought the Gospel to the Russian people. Most of them are converts within the last 5 years or less. There are 8 of them. 4 Sisters and 4 Elders.

 

So, I learned last week that the day before we arrived all the Elders filled out a survey so they could choose who would be in the MTC Priesthood choir which will sing at General Conference. I was pretty disappointed to learn that I don't have any chance in being in it. But my voice wasn't 100% anyway the day they started the rehearsals and I am doing a pretty good job at accepting it. It's just a bummer because opportunities to sing the the Conference Centre are very rare. I feel better knowing that because I am not in it some other missionary has a chance to be. They just refinished the gym here so there hasn't been an MTC choir for devotionals yet, but the first time should be today. I'm planning on being in it with the German in my District, Elder Dannenberg.

 

I'm training to try to beat the push-up record here at the MTC. It's 142 for men. I think I will probably be able to do it before I leave. Everybody in my room (2 companionships) are working on the 100 push-up challenge. I also play volleyball quite a bit in gym time these days but my elbows and shoulders ache a lot. It occurred to me the other day that maybe it's arthritis. I wonder what that feels like.

 

Everyday is very busy here, but I feel like I've learned to live in the moment pretty well and I'm just trying to soak it all up. We learn so much everyday. We have amazing teachers and great devotionals, firesides, and large group meeting. Our Branch Presidency rock, 2 of them were mission presidents in Russia before. I feel true joy here.

 

I know that we are literal children of our Father in Heaven. I love Him and I know He loves me. Thanks to everybody who has helped me to get here. I am full of love.

 

I really like something I heard yesterday about faith. One of our teachers said, "I prayed not hoping that something would happen, but expecting it." I hope we can all do that.

 

Love,

Старейшина Махони

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