Pilkington in the Heartland: Week #3 - I want to be a REAL missionary!

Provo MTC

Companions: Elder Busby and Elder Sperry

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Hola!!

Wow. what a week it has been. Time is starting to fly on by here in the CCM. There are so many fun and so many awful things that happened this week, but that's what makes missionary life exciting!!

Elder Bair, Elder Bennett, Elder Kent. All of them leave this week.
So sad two districts are leaving.

Every Sunday and Tuesday we have the opportunity to have devotionals from a wide variety of people. Sunday we got to hear from Brother Matthew Richardson- BYU VP of Advancement. Tuesday was from Elder Zwick- Quorum of the 70 (He gave a wonderful talk recently in General conference). I really want to focus on Brother Richardson's, his really strengthened my testimony of missionary work. He said when he was in the MTC he had a plan to become a REAL missionary. He then posed the question: "What is a REAL Missionary?" Well we all have our own opinions and such but he said that a REAL missionary is one who does exactly what it says in your mission call. If we devote our time and attention to the Lord we will see ourselves become real missionaries. When he was speaking I started to ponder of what I thought a real missionary was and started reminiscing on my memories of past missionaries. All throughout my life I have LOVED being with missionaries. I always had this image of missionaries being so perfect, they know everything, and they carry the spirit with them so strongly. Now that I am a missionary I realize how off my image of them was, except for the last part, they carry the spirit with them so strongly. This is something that I can do, I won't be perfect, I won't know everything. I want to be the missionary that I always thought missionaries were when I was a little kid. I am trying my best to be an instrument in the Lord's hands and align my will with His and really trying to be a REAL missionary.

Elder Zwick taught about prayer, and how we need to have sincere, fervent prayers with the Lord. My favorite part of that entire devotional was singing in the choir(half the MTC is in the choir, its massive). We sang the song Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer. It is a beatiful song, and the words of that song spoke to my heart. Wow I love being on a mission.

Love the work

Our investigators are progressing very quickly, we commited Angela to baptism and Hermana Cortes. Even though Angela is our teacher and Hermana Cortes is most likely a member, these people that they are acting as, are real people, and the spirit is stilll so strong when we are teaching them, and when they make and keep commitments it's the best thing ever. Long story but we met this couple from Guatemala who was walking around the MTC looking for one sister, but she had already left. We could understand and speak with them perfectly. We talked with them for about 40 minutes and then we asked if they knew about our church, they said no, so we sat down and taught them the first lesson. WOW. Spirit was so strong during that lesson. They loved what we were teaching them, you could see the light of christ just beaming in their eyes. The gift of tongues is so real, I have seen my spanish and my companions spanish increasing so much. The gift of tongues isn't heavenly father just helping us with spanish, we have to put in the work and bust our butts and then the Lord will bless us.

In one of our lessons with Angela the lesson before we committed her to baptism, we were teaching her the Plan of Salvation. Thanks to Chelsea, I had a picture of my family and I on the day of my baptism. I took this picture with me and at the very end of my lesson I showed Angela the picture and talked about my baptism day and why that was such a special event in my life. I then testified to her that I knew that my family was sealed in the temple for all time and eternity. I testified to her that she could have this with her family. I bore testimony that I love my family so very much, and that while I miss them so much, I am devoting two years of my life to serve the lord and to share the happiness that my family has, with other people. It was such a beautiful lesson.

Friend in our ward from BYU!!!
Sister Dickerson is going to the PI.
Awkward photo haha!

I just want to thank everyone that has helped me learn so much about the gospel and to see your examples. I have had amazing, Sunday School teachers, seminary, young mens, primary, bishops, missionaries, etc. the list goes on and on. Thank you to those who have helped me gain a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for strengthening my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that the Book of Mormon is the most true book in the world today. I know that it is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that if you are to do what Moroni says in Moroni 10:4-5, read the Book of Mormon and pray with real intent desiring to know if the Book is true or not, you will receive an answer from God. Brothers and Sisters, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints is true. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and through Him we can be forgiven of anything and we can also be lifted up in times of trial. It is because of His life full of service to me that I am here on my mission. I hope one day that all of you can come to know of this truth, for it has given me so much peace and comfort in my life. I love and miss all of you, I pray for you daily (trust me, I pray so much each day). Until next week Hermanas y Hermanos. Les Amo!