I've learned more in one week than I have in 18 years of church and seminary!

10/29/2014

Hello Mother!!!

I'm glad my letter went through! Now I understand what Myra meant when she said Kaitlyn has no time to write back! I'm always busy!!

I LOVE it here! I thought it would be hard for me to adjust, but relying on the Lord 24/7 has really helped me! I'm so grateful for you and Dad teaching me to be self sufficient and how to take care of myself. It's sad to see elder and sisters here who have such a hard time jumping into the work. The food here's pretty good, but it takes your body a couple days to "adjust" to it!

Elder Knights from Baltimore, Maryland. We get along really well! We're teaching two investigators, Kitty Zhou and Dreazo, and it's definitely a learning/humbling experience! I started out trying to teach them from my own understanding, and when it came time to say something, my mind went blank. That first night, after teaching, I got down on my knees and let God know that I was turning to Him because I can't do it on my own. Now, I'm relying on Heavenly Father to fill my mouth. And it's amazing to see the results. We've committed Kitty, who didn't even know who/what God was, to pray and read the Book of Mormon to find out if it's true and if God's really her loving Heavenly Father. Dreazo felt like he wasn't worth Heavenly Father's time, but during our last lesson, we had the Spirit with us, and he was able to feel God's love!!! How cool is that?! It's amazing for me to see how much I love and care for these people!

My teachers are awesome!! Their names are Brother Whiting, and Sister Westover. I'm really grateful for them and for all the help they've been. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple! I've learned more in my week here than I've learned in church and seminary during the past 18 years!! 

I'm sad I missed Preston's farewell! But I'm glad that he's learning and getting ready to go! I wrote him today and gave him some advice about the MTC! I've been bearing my testimony every day! It gets easier and easier every time!!! 

I'm sure if you saw me now, you wouldn't recognize me! I still look the same, but I'm not the same 18-year-old kid that came into the MTC one week ago! I've gained so much confidence, not only in myself but in the Lord, too. I'm not afraid to open my mouth! Because I know that when I open my mouth, God is going to put words in it that whoever I'm teaching needs to hear!

Last night I had the opportunity to give my companion a priesthood blessing. He was feeling down and homesick, and asked me for a blessing! I was scared out of my mind!!! But as I put my hands on his head, a feeling of peace came over me and I knew exactly what our Heavenly Father wanted me to say. He truly does love all of us and knows us better than anyone else will ever be able to!

So take our normal Sunday meetings, and level of spiritualness, and multiply it by 6!!! Haha! That's what it's like at the MTC. We have personal study and district meetings in the morning. Afterwards we go to priesthood, with our zone, where we talked about why baptism is so important! In the afternoon we have sacrament meeting with all the members in our branch/zone. Our branch president's name is President Boone! He always has some personal experience or story to share! He also is full of great advice and definitely loves and cares for all of us missionaries in his branch. Sunday night we had a devotional with ALL the missionaries! Brother and Sister Allen were speaking. Brother Allen is in charge of the whole mission program for the Church. After the devotional, we have four options of films to watch. We stayed in the gym and watched "The Charachter of Christ". It was a devotional Elder Bednar gave at the MTC a few years ago. I know that it's not released to the public to watch, but I know he's given that talk before. FIND IT AND READ IT!!!! It will change your life!!! It's definitely change mine!

Last night (Tuesday), we had another devotional with the whole MTC. Sister Wixom, the Primary General President, and her husband spoke! She told us to come to a better understanding of Christ, follow Him more diligently, and to love others as He would!

I leave Tuesday, November 4! My flight leaves at 8:41, but I have to leave the MTC at 3:35 (YUCK)! I can't wait to get out in the field!!! Yes, I can call from the airport!! Buying a phone card is on my very extensive list of things to do!

Tell Ryder that I pray for him too, and I pray for all of you! I know that God is watching over you wall I'm away and want everyone to look and see how God's reaching into their lives every day! I know I see His hand in my life constantly!

I love you and miss you! 

Love, 

Elder Warren

Mom,

Make sure that piano gets used!!! That's what it's there for! Music is a powerful way to invite the Spirit!!!

There are six of us in our room and sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, but it's a lot of fun and I love them all!

If you could give my email out, that would be great! I don't have very many people's email addresses and this is a little faster than writing a letter!

Thank you!

Lots of love,

Elder Warren

p.s. will you throw a binder and some paper into my package of bedding? I wish I had brought one with my, and they're uber expensive here!