Week 5, Sept 5, 2012

 

Well, here's what I want to share this week. I hope that by sharing some inspiration, revelation, and blessings that I received, that I can help others learn something in turn.

 

The MTC is an oven. With hard work, it turns green missionaries into seasoned oak.  It brings calluses to smooth palms. It takes Elder “Coal”, and turns him into Elder “Diamond”.   This is a school of the prophets, where we learn at the feet of the Lord, according to His design and plan. That being said, it is certainly a refiners fire that can cause missionaries to introvert and close up against themselves as harsh critics of their imperfections and deficiencies.

 

I am a difficult critic of myself on a regular basis, and the MTC catalyzed that habit for me since I arrived here.  But this past week, things have begun to change.  I prepared last week for fast Sunday.  I had concluded that to stop analyzing myself, I would simply have to forget about me.  And so I prayed for love and charity, and the selflessness to turn outward and look elsewhere, and leave my growth and learning to the Lord.  Being hard on one's self is a great burden that prevents us from serving others, and we need to follow Jesus Christ's example and turn outward.  Jesus Christ, after being tempted by Satan, didn't have angels minister to Him, but rather sent them to His cousin John in prison!  I asked for Christ like selflessness, charity, and love, and was answered the very same Sunday.

 

The Lord's help and answer to this struggle was one that greatly relieved me, in that it has and will continue to give me opportunities to forget myself and serve others.  Elder Crowley and I were called as the Zone Leaders for the 40th Branch here in the MTC.  I have, since Sunday, been able to speak with and help some of the dozens of missionaries in our zone!  We had a new district of 10 arrive last night, and I gave them some basic training.  Today we will be touring them around the MTC and giving them more training and work to do.  I have all the while been able to help them acclimate, answer questions, give advice, and in countless other ways, be helpful and service minded to them.   We have also had the opportunity to sit in council with all the district leaders and come up with a way to better serve the missionaries and prepare them for the field in the coming weeks.

 

This opportunity has already helped me learn so much, and I am so grateful the Lord saw fit to give me responsibilities that will take away from my self attention, and let me serve others. I know that prayers are answered, that we can receive personal revelation. I know The Book of Mormon is true, and I know the gospel is restored.  Pray for what you need and if it's an honest desire in harmony with the Lord's will, you WILL receive.  I promise. I bear testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Talbot