MTC Week 10 (last one!)

Hola familia y amigos,

 

So here it is my final email from the MTC.  I'm leaving for Panama, Panama City on Monday January 23, 2012 this Monday at 6 am.  I am so excited and this week was a bit of a blur looking forward to Monday!

 

So first things first thanks for the love Jen and Julianne and families.  Your letters were awesome and it is always so good to hear about my little nieces and the life of the real world outside of our bubble here. 

 

This week started with a fun activity.  In gym on Saturday I was playing basketball and decided to really be an athlete so I made a nice move down the baseline got past my man and then threw down a two handed dunk.  Needless to say I felt pretty cool and that got my pride pumping a little bit.  The Lord was very quick to humble me however and that night E. Petersen and I had a new investigator who we were teaching the first lesson and I was very tired...I decided to talk about Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden for some reason and when we told everyone in the class about what happened I was thouroughly convinced that I had been correct....Needless to say that humbled me right down again real quick...

 

So last thursday after I emailed we went to the temple as we always do and I had the opportunity to read the final chapter of the Book of Mormon and finish it while I was in the Celestial room.  It was such a neat experience and the spirit confirmed to me the truthfulness of the Book and the words within it.  I'm thankful for the Book of Mormon and how it blesses our lives and helps us center our lives around our Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

so Tuesday was also a very good day.  We had a neat lesson about the Second Comforter of the Savior which is when we reach a point in our life where we know that our salvation is guaranteed.  Our teacher Hmno Wiest taught us this and it was so neat to show how working to achieve this can help us maintain an Eternal Perspective on our lives and as a result our trials will become less sore and will mean less and less because we will know through our Savior they are but a moment compared to the Eternity in store for us. 

 

Tuesday was fun I got a package from Mommy, and Kenzie.  Thanks for the Moleskin journal and calling card. I am in love with those journals they rock!!

 

So yesterday I had the chance to be a host.  It was way fun!  I ended up hosting for my buddy Chase Hudson.  While I was out there I saw Devin Broadhead, Jake Davies and Landon Lowry drove through.  I saw the Richards and West families and even saw Aaron clegg.  (sorry that sentence was bad)  It was so sweet to see them!!!  They took pictures of me so be sure to talk to them if you haven't already! 

 

Also yesterday we got a taste of the real world we went to the Provo police stationg to get things for our flight.  We talked to a weird man about his bike being stolen and even heard a swear word haha.  We met the other elder who will be coming with us Elder Mendez he is a native speaker and from Puerto Rico.  He spoke a lot of Spanish to us and told us that our spanish was actually very good compared to other elders in the MTC so that made me feel pretty good but I know when I get down there it's going to be tough!

 

Last night we had a lesson with our teacher Hmno Wiest about the Savior and we read a large portion of Jesus the Christ about the Atonement and then studied in the scriptures a little bit and then shared testimonies.  Whenever talking about the Savior and his sacrifice the Spirit is always so strong and ALWAYS witnesses of the truthfulness and reality of it for us.  A scripture that stood out to me was Doctrine and Covenants 19: 15-19.  It's powerful and helped me to understand the importance of his sacrifice and how through it we don't need to feel down and unhappy but can have peace and tranquility because of his sacrifice!

 

My flight schedule is such that I will be at the SLC airport between 7 and 9 and then in the Georgia airport again from 11 to 1 utah time.  I have literally no clue when I will be able to call but everyone keep your phones close! I can't wait to hear from all of you!  This week was great there isn't a whole bunch more to report.  I don't need anything but I have a little memory card thing that plugs into the computer and downloads pictures.  That would be nice to have for when I am in Panama so I can send you all pictures.  I will also be sending a package home with a bunch of stuff home these next few days so look for that too! 

 

And dad work hard cause I want you coming to pick me up in 22 Months!! I'm praying for you.

Love you all so much and appreciate your prayers and love and support!

The Church is true, God loves us, and Christ suffered for us so that we can be happy!

 

Elder Andrew Russell Hawks