Week 7 -MTC

Dearest Family,

How are you? How was the catering event? What/who was that for? Oh that Russian Book of Mormon you found, I advise you to open it and read inside the cover. It's meant for better purposes than sitting with my stuff. Well this is interesting, Memorial day is next Monday, this will be the first time I can remember that I have been to Camp out. I'll probably, this Sunday, sing a bunch of the songs we sing. Yeah that would be nice.

It's so nice how present and strong the Spirit is here. Yesterday we had a devotional, Elder Russell M. Nelson cam and spoke to us. The spirit was there. After the devotional, we have a devotional review with my district, I never thought I would love this group of people this much just in 7 weeks. It's crazy, because at this particular devotional review almost everyone was crying, not including me and a few others. These strange people are always here for me in the MTC, they are my family now. I have a family reunion every day. :)

I have a personal study time everyday, today I plan on finishing the Book of Mormon, if all the letters I have to write don't get in the way. I need to write 9 people! Crazy! Looks like everyone only wanted to talk to me this week! In other words, (that one's for you Josh) the Book of Mormon is true, I know it to be true, it has blessed me everyday, every time I read it. I know remember scriptures easier, I know scriptures that will help me at different points of times of need. If I can advise anyone back home, it would to be read the Book of Mormon like you are reading any other book. It helps a lot. It blesses my life everyday, every moment. I look forward to reading it everyday. Yeah right now I'm in Ether 7, my goal today is to finish it, by tomorrow. I think I can do it.

Experiences I have had this past week (our week here starts on Wednesday not Sunday): Last Wednesday we had the opportunity to do TRC again, and this time, it was some random girl from BYU who volunteered. We also had to teach in 100 % Russian. It went well, extremely well, we made her cry as we were bearing our testimonies. She told our teacher after wards, that was what she needed personally. I can honestly say, being in tune with the spirit is the greatest thing that has happened to me. I feel like I have changed so much since before my mission. I didn't know I had all this in me. I didn't know I could make someone cry bearing my testimony. I didn't know I could be this blessed. It makes me feel, an inadequate greatness. Like I feel awesome and great being a tool in the Lord's hands, and yet I feel unworthy and inadequate to have such a blessing upon me. It makes me appreciate the Lords love for me. That is something you can feel so well here, the love for me from the Lord. He is always there for me, waiting with his arms open, waiting to embrace me and say, "It's OK, It's OK." That's something that I truly have grown profoundly, my love for Jesus Christ. He truly is our Savior and Elder Brother. He is my best friend, it's my turn to be his friend in return. Become His best friend. I love Him so much, to go through what he did, for me a sinner, I can't even fathom why he would do that for me. Why? How could I ever love someone like that? Yet, I know I can, through Jesus, I can love everyone with Christlike love.

I can't remember what day, but we, my companion and I, taught our teacher, in Russian, as he acted like one of his investigators from his mission. I think I told you what this is called, but I will tell you again, this is called Progressing Investigator. Well this particular one, Женя (pronounced like Jenny but more like Jyenya, it's short for Eugene) had an issue with praying in front of us, so we taught him why it was important, and what he needed to pray about. He agreed to pray in front of us, it was a sweet and nice prayer. After that my companion, said out of the blue, "Будете ли вы крештится" (I butchered the spelling on some of that) but that means, "Will you be baptized?" That surprised me for a second, but after a few seconds it felt right. He then committed to be baptized! That was the best feeling in the world. I really really hope I have an experience like that in Russia. That felt so wonderful, to have someone feel that prepared to be baptized. He did have an issue in our next meeting about smoking and drinking tea. I told him that in order to be baptized he has to keep the word of wisdom, and he said he would try. He really wants to be baptized.

I really do love it here in the MTC, but nonetheless I'd rather be in Russia right now. I am really excited. 3 1/2 weeks left, I get my travel plans next week. After that I will tell you when I can call you on June 20th. Even though the total travel time is 24 hours, I'm actually excited for it. The "older" district that left two weeks ago, actually made it a goal to contact people on the plane. That's so weird! People, real people! It's going to be weird to see everyone without a name badge. The MTC is great in all, but it's so sheltered. They need a Wendy's here! OH! That's another I'm excited for in the airport, real food! I think I will probably have two subway foot long sandwiches!

I just got your dearelder dad, thank you so much for sharing that. I love hearing from you, I see you as an apostle. You have so much wisdom in you, and hind-sight being 20-20, I realize the mistake that I, too often, didn't heed to your advice. You truly have a wonderful spirit about you, I never realized how lucky I am to have you and mom as my parents. I am truly blessed to be raised in this family. You are right, I did feel homesickness about 5 weeks being here, I know that's peculiar. Now I'm better! Loads better, I am here for the Lord not me. Because of that the Lord will help me with all my trials, whenever I ask him to help me. I did ask him, and he did help me. Now the MTC is wonderful, minus the food. ;)

I hope all is well the Davis family! Thank you all for your letters! I really do enjoy them, they lighten my worry about everyone back home. I pray for all of you every night!

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

Стареишйна дэйвис