He's been out for 7 weeks!! (11/6/12)

Dear Pamila at mga Kaibigan (friends),

This are starting to speed up here at the MTC. I'm so excited! We get out travel plans in about three days! I'm kind of stunned at how fast the time has flown. I was always told that the mission would fly by and has it ever here at the MTC. In two weeks I'll be in the Philippines at the mission home. Ah! I love it here at the MTC though and I'm sure I'll love it even more in the field.Yesterday my district found out that we get to host the new missionaries tomorrow. It's crazy to think that it is our turn to help introduce the new missionaries to the MTC when it feels like it was just a few weeks ago that I was a new missionary, but it has been about a month and a half, 7 weeks.

Tagalog has really picked up. Yesterday (Monday) during class, we covered about 8 or 9 different random Tagalog grammar principles and basic ideas and usage things. We did it mostly because there were only two companionships in the classroom for about half of class. The Skype lessons began yesterday, but Elder B and I don't teach until tomorrow. I'm so excited! Those that taught yesterday dais it went well aside from a few technical difficulties, but that is to be expected when communicating via the internet over the Pacific Ocean. I hope that this is something that the MTC administrators implement for as many missionaries as possible. This will be a great way to be introduced to the language as spoken by native speakers since not many of the teachers are native speakers. Stay tuned to hear more.

This past Sunday was Fast Sunday, and here at the MTC Fast Sundays are great! Fasting has come to have a whole new meaning for me as I need the Lord's help more and more as I am striving to teach His Gospel. I hope that you all took the chance to fast for something specific and show your faith. I know that the Lord will bless you with whatever it is that He knows you need, since what we think we need and what He knows we need are not always the same. Fast and testimony meeting was awesome. Since our branch is currently very small, about half of the missionaries got to share their testimonies. Everyone form my district did and that was amazing. We hadn't planned it or discussed it, but we each felt impressed to use this our last fast Sunday at the MTC to share our testimonies with our fellow missionaries.

I want to share a real quick story from teaching this week. Elder B and I teach R and he has been having trouble with reading the Book of Mormon. Over the past week, we have been trying to figure out what we can do to help him. During the workshop on Saturday, we talked about using the Book of Mormon and saw clips form Elder Hollands Devotional in February about it. Yesterday when we went and taught R, the Spirit was super strong and he has committed to really read and think about the Book of Mormon. I have come to have agreater love and understanding of the Book of Mormon while I have been at the MTC. It is our most powerful tool in conversion. It can answer any question because of the Spirit that it carries. It has answered many of my questions. I encourage you all to use it. Live by its precepts and you will draw closer to God. I've been working on using it more and it has been an awesome experience.

I've been a bit sick with a cold and cough, but the doctor prescribed me and antibiotic and a nasal spray and I'm feeling much better that I was earlier. I hop you are all safe and healthy and that you are turning to the Lord for help. He will help you. I can testify of that because he has helped me so much. Thank you for your letters and especially your prayers. Mahal Kita!

 

Elder RWood