=====
你們好！( Hello Everyone!)
I’m sure as you read the subject line you probably think that I did some terrible sin, like wear crazy socks or something. Not true. I’m actually pretty good at keeping the rules here. As being in a mandarin branch you quickly learn that obedience has a direct correlation with the amount you will learn. It’s pretty impressive. I learned that the atonement is for growing in all things, not just repentance. Let me explain:
Anyways, so I want to tell you something I figured out about the atonement. So if I haven’t mentioned it much, at the MTC we do A TON OF STUDYING. Like we have 3 hours set aside for just studying, and then we also have 6 hours of class a day. It actually goes by so fast and it’s not that bad. But that's besides the point. I have noticed as I have been here I have started to slack a little bit. I wasn't keeping up with my own scripture challenge. I felt like I was struggling to learn as much as I could, something was off about me and I wasn't sure what it was. I had spent the first part of the week trying new things out, failing time and time after again, making me feel even more lost. For my Chinese study I would throw all 5 of my cards on one card. That didn't work. Then I thought well I know the Book of Mormon is super important, so if I spend most of my time reading the Book of Mormon then when we have set time for learning new things I'll just cram everything in at those times. That didn't work either. Which was really discouraging because there is some people in my class in which that method does work for them. I began to feel SUPER lost, something was missing and I wasn't really sure what it was. So I just kept pushing through out the week, still testing out methods and finding a balance, which is SUPER hard. Then I sat in my room on Friday night, sitting down trying to figure out what I was going to right in my journal and it came to me, everything started to make sense. I knew what I was missing for the first 6 weeks of my mission. Myself.
Here's what I wrote in my journal to give you a full perspective of the thoughts I had in the moment:
Journal 08/03/2018
Today was amazing, and not because of the events, or even because of the effort that I put in today. In fact most of what happened today was sub par, and honestly in a way, a disappointment. Today wasn't bad because of the numbers of which I learned, but because of the effort I put forth. Today.. I was average, I started to speak way to much English, I didn't focus my 100% and I didn't dedicate my time fully to the Lord. Now as you read this it may seem like I'm beating my self up. That I should be easier on myself. In a way I am. [ I was disappointed in myself ] Because I started to talk my way out of goals. I started to lower my standards. This is why I am so disappointed and why I became super stoked and happy. I realized that the MTC isn't just for learning and studying, but for growing. Physically, Mentally, and Spiritually. This started to get me thinking about the person I am, the person I want to be daily, and the person that I want to become. I then thought about the person I was known for. How other people have seen me, and how I want to see myself. I have always been know as the go getter, confident, successful person. And it seems as if at the MTC I forgot to bring that person with me, like I just left him at home. I remember people would think I was nuts for just going non stop. But I loved it. Today I realized I want that person back. That my whole life I have told myself I will be successful. That starts with dedicating every amount of energy in helping others, and bettering myself. I am not average. I know that, I've seen that. IT's time for a change. This MTC and mission experience is a great opportunity for growing myself, especially spiritually. But it's also going to set the tone for the rest of my life. It's time I start to have the other half of Braydon Carter enter the MTC.
From this experience I learned 2 things of great value that I know will help me for the rest of my life:
First thing: Be yourself. God sent us down, gave us bodies, spirits, and personalities. Granted he wants us to be the best version of our self. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN CHANGING YOURSELF. We are the people we are for a reason. He has given us talents and strengths for a reason, not because he doesn't want us to use them, but because he want's us to use them and strengthen them to better help ourselves and others in this glorious work. He needs us to be ourselves, because he has been saving ourselves for this specific time to be a great help in his work. In a devotional we had on Tuesday, our Choir Director told the choir of 1000 missionaries, He said " I want you to imagine what it was like for all of you in heaven, think about all the times, that our Heavenly Father could of sent you down. That he pictured in heaven there was multiple times that all of the angels probably got together and were like, hey it's the dark ages is it time yet? Or hey this crazy event is going is it time yet, and God would just keep saying not yet. Then right when everything started to take off, with the restoration, and all the technological advances He looked at the angels and said, it's time" When I heard this is made my heart so full, and helped me realized that God has saved all of us for now. Think about that! Why did he do that? Why does He need me now? I promise if you start to think and pray about it you'll feel the spirit so strong.
Second thing: The atonement, a lot of time, I feel like the stereotype of using Jesus Christ's atonement is for when we sin. It almost seems like an if then statement. If we sin, then we can use the atonement and repent. Now that is a very true and powerful statement, but I have learned that it also doesn't credit the atonement for all it has to offer. Jesus Christ atoned for us that we may be able to grow in all things, that as we turn to Him he will help us, in ALL things. He will help us with talents, and dreams, He will help us grow into the best version of ourselves. Because He loves us with an infinite love.
2 Nephi 32 tells us:
5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.I love how it says "All Things". With that I want to extend to each of you a challenge, find time in your day and think of a question, a concern, a trial, or just anything and general you really really need help with. I invite you to pray about it and ask God to help you find an answer, then open up the Book of Mormon, literally anywhere. I promise as you do, either through the words you will read, or through the spirit that you will feel, you will receive an answer. " It will show unto you all things what ye should do."
On top of having a fantastic learning experience through failure. We had some really fun things happen this week to, and have some even better things coming up in the weeks to come! Here's what happened this week!
I focused really hard on getting Joseph Smith’s vision down in Chinese. AND I DID :) here’s a video :)
I have seriously loved learning the language and I can promise the gift of tongues is so real.
Next, something else our district really likes to do is floral Friday, it spices things up! Here’s the cute photo of us succeeding for the first time :)
My zone has: ( left to right )
Elder Oquias, Elder Stolle, Sister Lobb, Elder Johnson, Sister Vea, Elder Young, Elder Hubert, Elder Caubalejo, Elder McCarther, and the cutest one me:)
This week was also kind of a bitter sweet week because all of the missionaries that got here I’m the beginning of June are leaving. Here’s our zone photo:
I won’t attempt to list all the names but all of them have a special place in my heart!
Lastly for this week I had an awesome experience, and this experience comes with an apology. We can all go to the temple now so I won’t be able to email near as enough, I hope I put a lot in these emails that it may be able to be a good email for all, because I am losing more and more time. BUT, THE TEMPLE WAS INCREDIBLE! The spirit was so strong and it definitely boosted my week. I also was able to do a Chinese name that I received from someone at the MTC it was really cool that I could already start doing work for the Chinese people! Here’s a picture of us at the temple:
I seriously love this MTC experience, yes I’m counting down the days till I leave, which is 21 by the way. But I have grown and learned so much! I cannot thank you all for your support and all the prayers, I can totally feel them!
I can’t wait to email you next week! I have some crazy things happening this week that I can’t wait to tell you about!
我想分享我的艦長。我知道這教會是真實的。我知道我們的天父愛我們。如果我們讀摩爾門經和祂可以幫助我們在我們的生活中。
( I want to share my testimony. I know this church is true. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. And if we read the Book of Mormon He will be able to help us in our lives.)
I love you all so much,
Elder Carter
No comments:
Post a Comment