Wednesday, September 14, 2016

9/12/16 - Last week in the MTC

Well it’s here! This week has gone by so fast, which I did not think would happen. It kept hitting me that this time next week I’ll be living in Portugal.  I realized that I was going through the same cycle over and over again. First, excited, happy, ready to go, next, feeling overwhelmed and nervous, then realizing how much I love the MTC and don’t want to leave, and lastly, understanding how much better the field will be than the MTC. Then the cycle would start again and go round and round. But finally I have decided to just focus on the part of the cycle that is excited, happy, and ready to go! 

This last week we learned all about subjunctive in Portuguese, talk about trying to scare a missionary before they leave....SUBJUNCTIVE IS HARD, and English doesn’t have it so it’s difficult to really understand. But it’s all good, the Lord is on our side. It was sad closing up our fake investigators this week. Even though they were fake, I truly did love them and pray for them and think about them all the time. My teachers, Irmao Machado, and Irmao Sears have been such a blessing in my life. They have taught me so much and I will miss them a whole lot. Machado said that when I am married that I can go down to Brazil and stay with his family whenever. Looks like I know where the "go to trip” is. The last day of class they just showed pictures and told stories of their missions and it got me so excited to go serve! 

I love and will miss my zone so much. We were the smallest zone with only 26 people, and we have grown so close to each other! We can just talk about anything for hours... I have been so grateful for my zone.

I was spiritually blessed this week with not 1 but 2 APOSTLES (Elder Russel Ballard and Elder Todd Christofferson) Something I have noticed is that when they bear testimony of Christ it’s so powerful and real. We sing “Called to Serve” like every day so it kind of lost its hype, but when we sang it for Elder Christofferson is was like we were his army and he was our leader going into war and it got me so pumped!  Another thing that has changed my life this week was reading the Ricciardi Letters (IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT GO READ IT NOW). It changed my whole perspective of a mission!! Something that he said that hit me really hard was, "To find yourself, you have to lose yourself." Over the next 2 years I want to lose myself in the work in order to find myself.

I want to mention my favorite missionary, and that is Ammon, what a STUD! The way he is so humble and so dedicated to the Lord and preaches with such power is amazing! So please read ALMA 17!! 

My time at the MTC is over and now it’s time for the fun to begin!! In all reality, I truly did LOVE the MTC, it’s a very special place that I will remember forever. I have learned, felt, and laughed more here than anywhere else and that is because of the Spirit and sacredness that is here. There are no outside influences from the world and I have made so many great relationships with so many great people who will change this world! I have learned to recognize, follow, and teach with the Spirit here. It’s so amazing how the Holy Ghost works through us and I can’t wait to have him work through me with the people of Portugal.  I just have to be prepared and ready to receive it. The funny thing is, if you told someone if they could volunteer to go to a closed campus with no communication with the outside world, a whole lot of rules, being in class for 9 hours out of 16 hour days, for 6 weeks they would look at you and say you are crazy.  And that is exactly what we are. We are crazy enough to leave everything behind and go help Gods children. "The field is WHITE and ready to harvest." I am so excited to share the truth and happiness of the gospel of Jesus Christ!  Elder Ballard told us yesterday that the missionaries are more ready now than ever before and that the children of God are more ready now to hear the word then ever! 

I am so excited to be in Portugal even with no idea what they are saying and the frustrations and hardships of a mission. I am excited for the relationships and memories, and I am most excited to help people come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. That is my purpose.  I am honored to represent and serve Jesus Christ, my savior and redeemer. I love this gospel and love you all! VAMOS!

Elder Herrmann




My teacher, Irmao Machado! Love him!

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