Tacloban Phillipines Mission August 2019- August 2021: 09-20-2019

Week update: The SQUAD is about to take on MANILA

Kamusta Mga Higala! Today is my last P-day in the MTC! I leave for the Philippines this Monday. It is so weird, it feels like I arrived here yesterday We have about 24 hours of flight ahead of us and 8 hours of layovers between Monday and Wednesday. We are flying through Seoul, South Korea which will be really cool. We have to be at the travel office at noon on Monday which is nice because we don't have to be the missionaries who wake up and bang suitcases down the stairs while they are leaving at 4:30 in the morning. (True story) I can't express how grateful I am for everyone who has been part of my experience here at the MTC. I especially cannot express my gratitude enough for my amazing district. I really got lucky with such an amazing group of friends. Shout out to my companion, Elder Case who is by far one of the top three best companions I have ever had on my mission ;) He really has been a blessing though, I am lucky to be able to call him my companion. Not only has he been a faithful young padawan but he has taught me things about the gospel and strengthened my testimony. He has also scared me half to death several times. One of them recently was in the bathroom. As I was exiting the bathroom I was turning the corner when I heard a noise the opposite direction of the corner, I looked but saw nothing and swiveled back around to continue to exit the bathroom and find Elder Case when he jumped out from behind the corner. He made me jump at least three feet of the ground which is impressive because I usually can only jump a couple inches of off the ground normally. Me and Elder Case both have nouns as last names. We get that a lot at the MTC. We were talking to some sisters a couple days ago and they said that our last names were both things, we just smiled and replied with "Yup, we are thing 1 and thing 2". It was pretty funny. This week nothing new really happened besides Elder Christensen running out in his towel to hug some new missionaries again.

I will make my spiritual message short today so that this message isn't super long. I want to talk about the scripture D&C 4:2

It reads,

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the ^aservice of God, see that ye ^bserve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand ^cblameless before God at the last day.

Brother Owens who is the young men presiding president talked this Tuesday and one of the things that he said really touched me. He said,

"To be 100% converted we need to be active and moving forward in the gospel 100% of the time."

This resonated with me because I had a wrestling coach that used to always tell us to give 120% out on the mat. I would always think to my self, how is that even possible? That is the dumbest thing ever you can't give 120% if 100% is everything you have. I realize now that it is not about the silly percentages but about how we serve. As long as we are serving with everything we have, with all of our heart might mind and strength we will be 100% converted. If we are giving 100% we are living the gospel 100% of the time. Brother Owens said if we are doing this we are the message. When we live his gospel we are his message. God wants us to feed his sheep, he wants everyone to have his gospel in their lives. If we love him, we will show his love to others by feeding his sheep. In John 21:15-17 it reads,

15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, ^aFeed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, ^aFeed my ^bsheep.

Christ asked Peter three times on the shore after he was crucified, peter do you love me?

Peter responded three times yes lord I love you. Christ than said "Feed my sheep". If Peter had really truly loved Christ he would have not been on that same shore having the same conversation with Christ that he had when he met Christ. Christ does not need fishermen, but he needs fisher of men. He needs us to live his gospel and in doing so feed his sheep. Be an example and a light to everyone around you. People do notice the light that is in you. Although exhausting if we live his gospel we will be blessed. I have been exhausted several times in the MTC learning how to best live and teach his gospel, many times I have fallen asleep. (Refer down to the pictures to see me zonked out). I know that when we serve others, we are feeding his sheep, which blesses their lives and ours. For a closing scripture I will leave with you Mossiah 2:17,

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Live, the gosepl, feed his sheep, and serve your fellow man. Through these things you will find true joy. I know these things are true. I am so thankful for his gospel. He knows you individually, by name and loves each and every one of you.

In the name of jesus christ, amen.

A few pics:

The MTC at it's prettiest.