Hello Family and Friends!

Things are going great here at the MTC. Let's see if I can cover what's been going on:

We've been doing role plays and lessons with investigators (teachers and volunteers acting as investigators) and learning a lot about what it's like to teach. I spoke of our investigator named Angel. We only had a few lessons with him, and he was progressing well, but we weren't able to committ him to baptism. What we learned from that is that we are certainly able to challenge people to be baptised much earlier than I had previously thought; as soon as the FIRST lesson actually, which is pretty neat. That way they understand what the end goal of learning about the gospel is. That was really interesting for me. So the teacher who had played the role of Angel has been teaching us a bit, and has some good stories. He served in Sonora, Mexico, and it was super cool hearing what the mission field is like.

Other investigators we've been teaching include Eric, and Jorge, and they're both doing well. With these two, we've been able to progress faster and help them understand earlier how important it is to work towards the covenant of baptism. We've met with both of them for only 20 minutes each thus far, but we've already discussed baptism and other gospel topics. Hopefully we can move them towards that committment, while also being aware of their needs and searching to understand their questions or concerns. Yesterday we also had our first experience with the Training Resource Center. There, volunteers come in to be taught the gospel lessons and discussions, even though they are usually already members. The two that Elder Crowley and I taught were a young woman attending BYU, and an older man who I think was part of a local bishopric. These were no longer role-playing individuals, but real people with lives and challenges like the rest of us. We were there to teach them the doctrines of the gospel to help them in their lives and help them feel the Spirit. We talked about the scriptures, faith, eternal families, the life of Christ, and lots more, and it was neat because they already have a knowledge of the gospel, and were able to share stories of their conversion, personal testimonies of things, and more. The young woman we taught actually happens to have been born in Cottonwood, and lived there for a couple years before moving to Utah. Small world, right?

Other things that have been going on... I really enjoy the Sunday missionary conferences. We've heard from members of the 70, both present and Emeritus, and we also heard from the global director of the missionary department. His talk was great, as have been all of those given at the conferences and devotionals on Sundays and Tuesdays. Also, this Sunday, I was called as the Music Director for the 40th branch, and as the branch pianist. I was promised that I'd be used in that capacity, and the mission has taken no time at all to follow through with that! The very first Sunday I was asked to play the hymns and a special musical number shortly before Sacrament meeting. I have also been dubbed the district music guy, and I pick the note to start on for the hymns we sing during class. It's sort of awkward when I pick the starting note too high and we have a bunch of elders trying to sing high C's, so I have to watch out for that....I do ok most of the time :) Our district found out that we will be on an improvised experimental schedule for the MTC in which instead of being taught here for 9 weeks, we will only be here for 6, or at least taught for only six, and then tested after to see if we are prepared for the mission field in that shortened amount of time. We are an experimental group for the MTC to see if a 6 week s program would be more effective in preparing missionaires. So that should be interesting, and I'm going to see if I can prove them right that 6 weeks is enough. Gotta learn that Spanish and more importantly how to teach the gospel in it!

The food is still good and plethoric in quantity, and we covet our gym time in which we have a change to burn off a small percentage of those calories... But whatevs... My serves are getting better in volleyball, and I found the weight room here. It's pretty fun.

I want to share what Elder Crowley and I have determined to be the 5 S's to Success in lessons with investigators. They are as follows: Scriptures, the Spirit, Simplicity, Smiles, and "Se Bautizado?", which means, "Will you be baptized?." We think that if we can focus on these as a companionship, then we will be more successful teaching and inviting others to come unto Christ. We have to remember that we are indeed "inviting" others to come unto Christ, and that it is their choice and agency and their willingness to feel the Spirit that will change their hearts, but we must also remember that we are there to rescue them and bring them back to the truth. I encourage everyone to review a number of things to learn about this concept. Please read the parables of the Prodigals Son, the Lost Coins, and the Lost Sheep, and think about what that means as missionaries. I also encourage everyone to listen to the talks by Elder Holland about The Book of Mormon, and the one about Missionary Work if you can find it. These are great testimonies of the need to serve Jesus Christ as missionaries. That is why I am here, and that is why I am cherishing every second knowing that I can strengthen myself for the field, and grow my testimony and relationship with Heavenly Father so we can teach the truth by the Spirit. I bear witness of the truth of the gospel, and of the reality of the Life of Jesus Christ. I testify that the gospel is true and that Father in Heaven loves each and every one of His children and plays a role in their life. It is our responsibility to see His Hand, and even in the hour of our greatest trial, we must realize that our mortal probation has a purpose, and that in a similar fashion to the way that I cherish these minutes of preparation for my years of service, we must all cherish every moment of this life in which we are preparing to meet God. I promise that if you reach for it, you will find a Hand that will lift your burdens and calm your heart. And that Hand of which I speak is that of our Father in Heaven, a Hand which has been extended to the children of men for all of time and for all of eternity. I share these truths and do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sincerely,

Elder Talbot