Dearest Family,
Thank you for all the letters this week, they ment a lot because this week has been a letter less week so far. I would ask some questions about home, but it seems they don't get answered. ;) Work on that!
This week has been quite "eventfull" the first time teaching in 100 % Russian, went...well. The investigator, Yuri (who is actually a convert from St. Petersburg) asked some pretty difficult questions, that I could answer in English pretty easily. But, it being the 100 % lesson couldn't really answer them, because I didn't have enough vocabulary. I teach each of my teachers once a week, they pretend/act to be an investigator from there mission and we, my companion and I, teach them as we would teach a real investigator (in Russian). I taught one of my teachers yesterday, he was Jyena, and the spirit was so present there. It felt wonderful. I loved every minute of teaching him. I love how I feel the Spirit everyday here. It's not that I haven't felt it before every day. It's just everything is focused around him, it is more easily to recognize when I feel it. If I could ever teach anybody at home, it would be to listen, actually listen, don't try to put answers in your head where you "think" it's the spirit. Listen and wait for that still small voice/feeling. This can help you always, if you think you aren't getting your requests/questions answered, maybe you are, and just aren't realizing it. The Lord always listens to his children, but far too often, we don't take the time to listen to Him. Strive to always head to the teachings and promptings of the Spirit, if you do this the spirit will become a more common feeling, and you can tell definitely that it is the Holy Ghost. No second guessing. But, you have to work at it. Always.
Yesterday, we had a devotional, Elder Hinckley (Gordon B. Hinckley's Son) came and spoke to us. He reminded me so much of his dad. Always to the point, no reason to mince words. He basically told us a list of things what to do and what not to do on the mission. To obey all rules with exactness. To be the missionary that my mother thinks I am. He actually said straight up, "you are not cool, so don't try to be". That made me smile, and think that we shouldn't try to fit into the crowd, we are representatives of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter Day Saints, we don't need to be anything more or anything less. He told us a story when he was younger, when his dad (Gordon B. Hinckley) told him a story of Adam and Eve, the story went like this: "After Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden, they began to prosper and began to have children, one day Adam took two of his children to the wall of the Garden, hoisted them up on his shoulders, and said, 'Take a good look boys, this is where your mother ate us out of house and home'." It was really funny to actually think a prophet of the Lord said this, given that he said it before he was actually the prophet.
This past week has been nice, my zone, which is considerably smaller because the "older" districts have left, it consists of 19 missionaries. Later today, we get 48 more missionaries. 48! That's a ton! I have to be an example to every single one of those missionaries. They will look up to me, like I looked up to my "older" districts. I feel old, my friend worded this perfectly, "It's not my family that's keeping me back, it's not my girlfriend that is keeping me back, it's the MTC that's keeping me back. I need to get out of here!" It's so true, I will have 4 weeks left on Monday, I leave to Russia on June 20th. So yes I only have 10 1/2 weeks, they tell you twelve but, that has rarely happened. I can honestly say that I am kinda tired of the MTC. It's wonderful in all, but, I want to get to Russia. I have a foot in the MTC and a foot in Russia.
Dad, I was thinking this week, I really didn't here any stories from your mission, as I recall, you actually didn't talk about it that often. I would love to get some dearelders from you also. What you like about it, what you didn't. I don't care if you just copy from one of journals, I just want to hear what you think.
I just got back from the temple today, and had a wonderful experience. In the celestial room I was sitting next to an older lady, she was in her 70's/80's and was waiting for her husband. He came through and was clearly 5-10 years older than her. She went over and gave him a hug, and said, "You made it." That was so wonderful. I wonder if it will be that wonderful in the actually Celestial Kingdom. I surely think so. It will be a glorious occasion, having my ancestors come and hug me and say, "Good Job, You've made it." Then have the savior come and hug you and say, "Thank you, you did your best." That was such a uplifting and humbling experience, that will be one of my goals to have the Savior say that to me.
I also want to say in this letter, how much I love the Book of Mormon. I've decided to make it a goal to read it, the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price before I leave the MTC. Right now I'm in Helaman, so far I'm on track to accomplish that goal. As I read I also mark scriptures that pertain to me or that will help me. It truly has blessed me. I advise all to do this. Another goal I made, I made while I was reading about the sons of Mosiah, Ammon, the one who converted King Lamoni, when he returned to Zarahemla, Alma figured out that he served the Lord for 14 years. I too want to serve 14 years. No, not all at once, but by the end of my life I want to be like Ammon. If you think about it, 14 years is 10.20 % of my life, I would be paying the Lord more than he has required that we should give. Which will result in more blessings. I'm so excited.
To rap it up, I'm going to give everyone there Russian Names:
Ray- Рай
Londa- Лонда
Cavin- Кавин
Marissa- Марииса
Cassie- Касии
Mason- Масон
Thank you for all the letters this week, they ment a lot because this week has been a letter less week so far. I would ask some questions about home, but it seems they don't get answered. ;) Work on that!
This week has been quite "eventfull" the first time teaching in 100 % Russian, went...well. The investigator, Yuri (who is actually a convert from St. Petersburg) asked some pretty difficult questions, that I could answer in English pretty easily. But, it being the 100 % lesson couldn't really answer them, because I didn't have enough vocabulary. I teach each of my teachers once a week, they pretend/act to be an investigator from there mission and we, my companion and I, teach them as we would teach a real investigator (in Russian). I taught one of my teachers yesterday, he was Jyena, and the spirit was so present there. It felt wonderful. I loved every minute of teaching him. I love how I feel the Spirit everyday here. It's not that I haven't felt it before every day. It's just everything is focused around him, it is more easily to recognize when I feel it. If I could ever teach anybody at home, it would be to listen, actually listen, don't try to put answers in your head where you "think" it's the spirit. Listen and wait for that still small voice/feeling. This can help you always, if you think you aren't getting your requests/questions answered, maybe you are, and just aren't realizing it. The Lord always listens to his children, but far too often, we don't take the time to listen to Him. Strive to always head to the teachings and promptings of the Spirit, if you do this the spirit will become a more common feeling, and you can tell definitely that it is the Holy Ghost. No second guessing. But, you have to work at it. Always.
Yesterday, we had a devotional, Elder Hinckley (Gordon B. Hinckley's Son) came and spoke to us. He reminded me so much of his dad. Always to the point, no reason to mince words. He basically told us a list of things what to do and what not to do on the mission. To obey all rules with exactness. To be the missionary that my mother thinks I am. He actually said straight up, "you are not cool, so don't try to be". That made me smile, and think that we shouldn't try to fit into the crowd, we are representatives of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter Day Saints, we don't need to be anything more or anything less. He told us a story when he was younger, when his dad (Gordon B. Hinckley) told him a story of Adam and Eve, the story went like this: "After Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden, they began to prosper and began to have children, one day Adam took two of his children to the wall of the Garden, hoisted them up on his shoulders, and said, 'Take a good look boys, this is where your mother ate us out of house and home'." It was really funny to actually think a prophet of the Lord said this, given that he said it before he was actually the prophet.
This past week has been nice, my zone, which is considerably smaller because the "older" districts have left, it consists of 19 missionaries. Later today, we get 48 more missionaries. 48! That's a ton! I have to be an example to every single one of those missionaries. They will look up to me, like I looked up to my "older" districts. I feel old, my friend worded this perfectly, "It's not my family that's keeping me back, it's not my girlfriend that is keeping me back, it's the MTC that's keeping me back. I need to get out of here!" It's so true, I will have 4 weeks left on Monday, I leave to Russia on June 20th. So yes I only have 10 1/2 weeks, they tell you twelve but, that has rarely happened. I can honestly say that I am kinda tired of the MTC. It's wonderful in all, but, I want to get to Russia. I have a foot in the MTC and a foot in Russia.
Dad, I was thinking this week, I really didn't here any stories from your mission, as I recall, you actually didn't talk about it that often. I would love to get some dearelders from you also. What you like about it, what you didn't. I don't care if you just copy from one of journals, I just want to hear what you think.
I just got back from the temple today, and had a wonderful experience. In the celestial room I was sitting next to an older lady, she was in her 70's/80's and was waiting for her husband. He came through and was clearly 5-10 years older than her. She went over and gave him a hug, and said, "You made it." That was so wonderful. I wonder if it will be that wonderful in the actually Celestial Kingdom. I surely think so. It will be a glorious occasion, having my ancestors come and hug me and say, "Good Job, You've made it." Then have the savior come and hug you and say, "Thank you, you did your best." That was such a uplifting and humbling experience, that will be one of my goals to have the Savior say that to me.
I also want to say in this letter, how much I love the Book of Mormon. I've decided to make it a goal to read it, the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price before I leave the MTC. Right now I'm in Helaman, so far I'm on track to accomplish that goal. As I read I also mark scriptures that pertain to me or that will help me. It truly has blessed me. I advise all to do this. Another goal I made, I made while I was reading about the sons of Mosiah, Ammon, the one who converted King Lamoni, when he returned to Zarahemla, Alma figured out that he served the Lord for 14 years. I too want to serve 14 years. No, not all at once, but by the end of my life I want to be like Ammon. If you think about it, 14 years is 10.20 % of my life, I would be paying the Lord more than he has required that we should give. Which will result in more blessings. I'm so excited.
To rap it up, I'm going to give everyone there Russian Names:
Ray- Рай
Londa- Лонда
Cavin- Кавин
Marissa- Марииса
Cassie- Касии
Mason- Масон
Love Always,
Elder Ky Davis
Стареишйна дэивйс
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