Powerade Meals and Conference- Oct 5, 2017

Hi everyone! Sorry I didn't get to email last week. It was really confusing because our P-day is supposed to be Thursday, but they said that since it was our first day last week, there was too much for us to do...so we ended up with 6+ hours of study time?? It was good though. That was one of my major concerns coming to the MTC is that I didn't think that I could study for an entire hour, let alone 6, but when you have an objective and a goal to work towards, it actually isn't that bad. Conference was really awesome! I literally think I felt the spirit more than I slept the entire weekend. haha pretty crazy. We have 12 elders in our district. It's unusual to not have any sisters, but I feel like it has allowed us to bond. We are all in 3 dorm rooms right next to each other which helps. I know for a fact that the placement of elders in our district was inspired. I legitimately can't envision any of the companionships being switched. My companion's name is Elder Rowles. He's homeschooled, a little socially awkward, but super knowledgeable about the scriptures. He also speaks Arabic, so everybody asks me what it's like to be stuck with the really smart elder. haha I just smile and realize that the Lord is trying to humble me :) It's way different to not have that constant pressure know the answers. I really like Colton's format for letters, so I'm going to steal it ;)

Funny moments:

-Last night in our dorm room: "who dropped the F-bomb?!? (Faith) Whoever it was, if I ever hear you use that word again, then I'm... I'm going to pray for you!" (you kind of had to be there)

-Elder Kendrick in our district is super funny. We always joke that he needs to keep his missionary goggles on (aka: avoid sisters).

-We went and played soccer for exercise time a couple days this week. I like to think that my job is to humble all of the arrogant soccer players here at the MTC ;) But then I got scored on for the first time the other day by one of the elders in my room who has never played soccer before. haha go figure. 

Spiritual moments:

-Conference. I'd pick a favorite talk, but I literally wrote 30 pages of notes on all of them. 

-Our zone has really bonded and I can see the Lord's hand in us coming here. there are 4 missionaries going to Sydney South, 6 going to Sydney North, and 2 going to Barbados. Everybody had to wait  4 1/2 months after they got their calls, so I don't feel as bad about that. The Barbados elders were headed to the Dominican Republic MTC, but the Sunday before they left, they were told it was switched to Provo. They are a blessing to our district though.

-We're teaching an investigator named Oleg Simonov. He's from a Russian Orthodox church in Moscow and really liked how we offer the sacrament to everyone. It's cool how the spirit testifies of truth in different ways for everyone. Lessons are okay. We're still trying to find a way to break through and show him the significance of what we're doing. Also, shoutout to Colton, we were just studying Nephi 10:18-19 the other day to help him with Joseph Smith/Prophets in our day.

-A good discussion elder Rowles and I had yesterday: if we are supposed to have a conversation with God when we pray, why does the brother of Jared act so meek and almost apologetic when he turns to the Lord for help? Also, in the book of Helaman, Nephi is given the sealing power, but when he uses it, he is similarly apologetic and respectful to deity. It's because they both lived the gospel so completely that they were no longer just following commandments, but the commandments had become part of their life. That's what made them so humble. Just like I'm not prideful of the fact that I live the word of wisdom (it's just part of who I am), they live the gospel so completely that the power God gives them becomes part of who they are. So how do we get and stay humble? Serve others beyond your capacity. Then you know for sure that God is helping you. When you think that it is impossible, it becomes so much easier to see the Lord's hand in your life. It's much easier than the alternative which is to be chastened :) We see the example of Nephi when he serves the people until there is nothing left that he can do. Nobody will listen to him. So the only thing left for him to do is to go to the tower in his garden and pray for them.

Spiritual Challenge:

-Serve somebody beyond your capacity. I promise you will see God's hand in your life. He will give you power and you will stay humble. Two for one :)

That's about all for this week. I'll send pictures later today and check my email around 11:30 and try to reply. If I'm missing anybody's email addresses, just shoot me a quick email.

Elder Nelson II

P.S. I don't really need anything, but letters would be nice :) I didn't get the first Elder Nelson's letter this week, so if I could make it on that list, it would be nice.