Flight Plans and the 4th in a Row

It's pretty hard to believe that we had our 4th Apostle in a row here at the Provo MTC last Tuesday! Elder David A. Bednar spoke to us. He is such a powerful teacher. He speaks with such clarity and wisdom. He taught us a framework for learning the Gospel. He taught that doctrine will always answer the "why?" questions, principles will answer the "what?" questions, and applications will answer the "how?" questions. He taught us that we need to understand and help others to learn the principles behind the applications and the doctrine behind the principles. I'm so grateful to be hear and to have the opportunity to have experiences like that. He said that he was sitting in our seats, I think it was, 39 years ago. He said it's hard for him to believe he's on the other side of the equation now. It just made me stop and ponder what he might have been thinking when he was in my seat, did he have any idea of what awaited him in life? I'm excited to be alive in these days and look forward to what tommorow has in store.

We received our flight plans last Thursday. I'm flying from Salt Lake to Chicago to Frankfurt to Kiev. I leave at 8:10 AM on November 23rd and arrive at 1:10 PM on November 24th. As far as I know everything is good with our visas, but we don't have our passports back yet.

 

I have really enjoyed my stay here at the MTC. I have met so many great people and I'm surround by many more great people I haven't had the chance to meet. I often get the chance to speak all the languages I know and I pick up bits of other ones here and there. I've learned some German, Ukrainian, Mongolian and some more Mandarin since I've been here. Yesterday I was downstairs on the international floor in my classroom building and I said hello in 5 languages in about 40 seconds. It's so great to meet the saints from all over the world. We even have a couple sisters from Pakistan now, one from Marshall Islands, one from Vanuatu, all over. This is a marvelous work and a wonder.

 

I can't believe I forgot to mention. Last Friday I was able to go to Temple Square in Salt Lake w/ the other international missionaries. It is so nice to visit there. We did a session in the Salt Lake Temple. It's amazing to imagine all the people who have stepped foot in there. The majority of General Authorities in this dispensation have been there. I don't have much time left, but I'm so full of gratitude and love. Thanks to everybody for the influence you have on me. Thank you for your prayers. This will be my last email from the MTC. Talk to you soon from Ukraine.

 

Love,

Elder Mahoney

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