Well, I have been here another week...10 full weeks...too fast.
Let's see what has happened...on Sunday for fireside, we had some professor at BYU who was an expert on Joseph Smith, so that was pretty awesome. I was like a fat kid in a candy store during that.
Well, because we have so much time on our hands...Elder McQuivey and I are taking this opputinity to teach as much as we can. It really is paying off. We try to teach 4-5 lessons a day...that is pretty good for the MTC.
One experience that is cool, that I will share is this: We were teaching a teacher in Brazil on skype...her name was Sister Gasper...she was playing a person named Aline who she taught on her mission. We wanted to committ her baptism that day we taught. She got really concerned because her family was really against it. The spirit was really strong. After a while I just stopped and asked..(this was not me talking it was the spirit)...Do you believe in the Book of Mormon?...I believe..Do you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet?...I believe...Do you believe that this church is true?..I believe...Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized?...I will...It was so amazing...and we also promised blessings and everything. We found out after the fact...sister gasper told us she did almost the exact same way that we did. It was amazing.
I have learned this week that as an authorized represtative of Jesus Christ...I have the authority to promise blessings to people. That had not clicked with me before. That was pretty cool.
Tuesday we had Elder David F. Evans from the 70...that was pretty cool. He spoke about the Book of Mormon...he spoke for like an hour and a half...but it was a blast. His talk prompted me to start reading the Book of Mormon...so I have started over once again. But I really am taking my time with it...like it has taken me 2 days to get through one chapter. I love it. To all that read this letter...read the book of Mormon, you will feel spirit...I know that because I have felt this joy in my life.
There is not a lot to report... the mtc is a lot of the same everyday.
Oh yeah remember Abby Goode from Advance Eye Care...She is on a mission now she got here this week...she is going to Pocatello, Idaho...that's 2 from charlotte now. The other is Blake...I have seen like 20 people that I have known here at the MTC. I love it.
Still no visas...oh well...perhaps I have more to learn here in Provo...I just need to keep doing my best. The mission really takes a lot of energy out of a person. Pray for visas...so that this great blessing of the gospel can be taken to those people that are ready for the message.
Muito Amor
Elder Athans
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tudo Bem minha familia e meus amigos
Wow, I love being on a mission. There is nothing better, and the best part about it is that I am still in the MTC...the field is gonna be amazing. Well, we got 8 visas this week.....all to the younger kids.
We became a mega distict this week. What this means is that we don't have a teacher and we decide what we do with our time here in the MTC. Some of the older mega districters gave us the advice to treat it as if you actually were in the field. To be honest, I have done just that and it has made all the difference. Elder McQuivey and I set our goals on what number of lessons we want to teach, how many referalls and etc. We teach our investigators on skype or other companionships. We treat them as real investigators by...praying for them, studying for them, filling out the area book. It is one of the coolest feelings ever.
So I had the scariest experience of my entire mission this week. So, the branch that I am in here at the MTC is all portuguese, and each week they have all the missionaries prepare a talk on a christ-like attribute from chapter 6 of PMG. Then they call 2 elders at random during sacrament to give the talk. One of the counslers who I know pretty well...and I guess knows me conducted. The first person called was a kid named Elder Swanson...he is a few weeks younger than me and is also going to Vitoria, and then I was called up. I was so nervous, and you know me, I never get nervous about talking...but in portuguese...wow talk about scary. I am gratefrul for that opportunity; it was a chance to grow and learn.
This week they had a training for new MTC presidents and director of vistor centers...so we had a lot of general authoirites here. We had L. Tom Perry speak to us again. It was good. He taught the first lesson very simply for us so that was pretty legit.
Well I am still here in Provo and still learning a lot. One of my teachers, Brother Smith brought in mission pics and shared stories from his mission in Brazil. That made me very excited. He is the one that grew up in Holladay.
Well, Sister Swope will leave before me.....haha.
So thats about it. The gospel is still true...I will get to Brazil but until then the Lord has a purpose for me here in Provo.
The church is true
Te Amo
Elder Athans
We became a mega distict this week. What this means is that we don't have a teacher and we decide what we do with our time here in the MTC. Some of the older mega districters gave us the advice to treat it as if you actually were in the field. To be honest, I have done just that and it has made all the difference. Elder McQuivey and I set our goals on what number of lessons we want to teach, how many referalls and etc. We teach our investigators on skype or other companionships. We treat them as real investigators by...praying for them, studying for them, filling out the area book. It is one of the coolest feelings ever.
So I had the scariest experience of my entire mission this week. So, the branch that I am in here at the MTC is all portuguese, and each week they have all the missionaries prepare a talk on a christ-like attribute from chapter 6 of PMG. Then they call 2 elders at random during sacrament to give the talk. One of the counslers who I know pretty well...and I guess knows me conducted. The first person called was a kid named Elder Swanson...he is a few weeks younger than me and is also going to Vitoria, and then I was called up. I was so nervous, and you know me, I never get nervous about talking...but in portuguese...wow talk about scary. I am gratefrul for that opportunity; it was a chance to grow and learn.
This week they had a training for new MTC presidents and director of vistor centers...so we had a lot of general authoirites here. We had L. Tom Perry speak to us again. It was good. He taught the first lesson very simply for us so that was pretty legit.
Well I am still here in Provo and still learning a lot. One of my teachers, Brother Smith brought in mission pics and shared stories from his mission in Brazil. That made me very excited. He is the one that grew up in Holladay.
Well, Sister Swope will leave before me.....haha.
So thats about it. The gospel is still true...I will get to Brazil but until then the Lord has a purpose for me here in Provo.
The church is true
Te Amo
Elder Athans
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tudo Bem Toda Pessoas
Tudo bem in portuguese for "How are you?" but it literally means all is well...It is used in the hymn, Come, Come Ye Saints...I use that as my subject because that is my feelings...tudo bem.
This week truely has been extraordinary and ordinary all at the same time if that is possible. Hahaha...
Monday, I went to the doctor again...He said my foot looked good...but to discourage anymore growth he put some acid stuff on it. But, because of the acid I could not shower till tomorrow (Saturday). So, I had to take a bath in the MTC....yeah pretty gross hahaha. The day I did take a bath some thing happened and I was in a lot of pain. I wanted to die, but, the foot feels good now. I have been able to walk on it just fine, so much better than last time.
Tuesday, Elder Ringwood from the 70 spoke to us. He was awesome because he talked about enduring to the end and it was very inspiring. Lets see, I did cancel that life insurance policy thing or catusportific (good one Zach).... whatever.
The visa situation....still not here because I am still in provo. None this week that I know of. This is our last week of regular class before we become a megadistrict. What that means is that we have the entire day to decide what we do because our teachers have to move on to teach other districts. Its okay though because I have realized something...I am on the Lord's time...He is calling the shots...If he needs me to be here in Provo, I will stay.
One really cool and spiritual experience I have had this week is this. Our teacher talked to us a bit about prayer and read from the Joseph Smith story. He then let us spread out and just pray for like an hour. It was amazing. When you just stop and take time to really pray...you run out of the superfical prayer stuff and really get down to some good prayers and holy communication with father. He really does answer...at times it was like he was literally talking to me. I really can't describe it...I got some very poignant information. One of the revealtions i will share. I was praying about the visas and the answer came in time. Amazing and then to top it off I got a letter from dad that same day and it was also like a second testimony of what my father in heaven told me. Prayer is so real. I remember the overwelming feeling of love I got from it. Indescribable.
Correction: Nehiamah was techinically on a mountain because he was in Jerusalem. Mark Hall taught me that, so sorry for last week.
Mark Hall sent me another package...so amazing. He sent me a muscial card and it was tommy boy themed. what more could you ask for and then it gets better. He sent pics of the fam...and cards his girls drew for me and a few letters from him.....and the best part he sent me a University of Utah Tie. Amazing right hahaha... he said it was the only one he had and he gave it to me. I love it...and I am wearing it. Sorry mom, dad, Aunt Cindy, Grandpa and everyone else.
The mission is a very hard and demanding thing, but I am a living breathing example and god does qualify those him he calls.
The gospel is true even in portuguese....I mean especially in portuguese. The Lord has a great work for me and all of us to do...we just need to do it.
All for now, Thanks every one for the love and support.
Te Amo
Elder Athans
This week truely has been extraordinary and ordinary all at the same time if that is possible. Hahaha...
Monday, I went to the doctor again...He said my foot looked good...but to discourage anymore growth he put some acid stuff on it. But, because of the acid I could not shower till tomorrow (Saturday). So, I had to take a bath in the MTC....yeah pretty gross hahaha. The day I did take a bath some thing happened and I was in a lot of pain. I wanted to die, but, the foot feels good now. I have been able to walk on it just fine, so much better than last time.
Tuesday, Elder Ringwood from the 70 spoke to us. He was awesome because he talked about enduring to the end and it was very inspiring. Lets see, I did cancel that life insurance policy thing or catusportific (good one Zach).... whatever.
The visa situation....still not here because I am still in provo. None this week that I know of. This is our last week of regular class before we become a megadistrict. What that means is that we have the entire day to decide what we do because our teachers have to move on to teach other districts. Its okay though because I have realized something...I am on the Lord's time...He is calling the shots...If he needs me to be here in Provo, I will stay.
One really cool and spiritual experience I have had this week is this. Our teacher talked to us a bit about prayer and read from the Joseph Smith story. He then let us spread out and just pray for like an hour. It was amazing. When you just stop and take time to really pray...you run out of the superfical prayer stuff and really get down to some good prayers and holy communication with father. He really does answer...at times it was like he was literally talking to me. I really can't describe it...I got some very poignant information. One of the revealtions i will share. I was praying about the visas and the answer came in time. Amazing and then to top it off I got a letter from dad that same day and it was also like a second testimony of what my father in heaven told me. Prayer is so real. I remember the overwelming feeling of love I got from it. Indescribable.
Correction: Nehiamah was techinically on a mountain because he was in Jerusalem. Mark Hall taught me that, so sorry for last week.
Mark Hall sent me another package...so amazing. He sent me a muscial card and it was tommy boy themed. what more could you ask for and then it gets better. He sent pics of the fam...and cards his girls drew for me and a few letters from him.....and the best part he sent me a University of Utah Tie. Amazing right hahaha... he said it was the only one he had and he gave it to me. I love it...and I am wearing it. Sorry mom, dad, Aunt Cindy, Grandpa and everyone else.
The mission is a very hard and demanding thing, but I am a living breathing example and god does qualify those him he calls.
The gospel is true even in portuguese....I mean especially in portuguese. The Lord has a great work for me and all of us to do...we just need to do it.
All for now, Thanks every one for the love and support.
Te Amo
Elder Athans
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tudo bem!
Well, this week has been exciting as always. I will start with visa news. We got 50 visas this week. Mine was not in it, but our district leaders was.... hahaha. So yeah...that's where we are. I hope we get another batch on monday...if I do get that I will call you for like 5 minutes...yeah pretty exciting I know.
Lets see....well Monday I had to go to the podiatrist...no insurance..but the doctor helps missionaries for free...so it was good...I went because of my wart....it came back with a vengence...he cut it out again just like last time. I think that he went deeper this time. it bleed a lot more which actually had me concerned. I even got a blessing because i was concerned about the bleeding. I went to the nurse the next day and she told me to stay off my feet. That was Wednesday when the new missionaries come in...I was supposed to host...which means you just walk all the newbies around and help them. I couldn't do that because of the nurse...so while I did that got to work on português with my teacher, Irmão Smith, for like 2 hours just us. So that was pretty much my week. I go back to the doctor on monday. I can actually walk on it without it hurting too bad. That is a blessing from serving.
I got a package from Aunt Cindy with goodies in it.
Last Saturday I placed a set of missionaries for a girl who called in at the Referral center.
New Years was kinda of dead....not a whole lot of excitement.
I have learned today from my study about repentence. I like the talk by Elder Andersen ...repent that I may hear you....I like it because our families are blessed when we repent.
So tomorrow I am gonna fast for the visas. I have a big hope for Monday that it will come...but if not...the church is still true and I am where I need to be.
Hows the house? Mail me pics if you can.
How's Tazie?
We taught in the teaching resource center again yesterday. We taught the 2nd lesson for the first time. It wasn't too bad. Its weird to think I have been out almost 2 months...craziness!!!!
Thanks for all the support you guys give me.
How did my Christmas letters turn out...anyone cry? Hahahaha!!!
Well, that's all for now.
Te Amo,
Elder Athans
Lets see....well Monday I had to go to the podiatrist...no insurance..but the doctor helps missionaries for free...so it was good...I went because of my wart....it came back with a vengence...he cut it out again just like last time. I think that he went deeper this time. it bleed a lot more which actually had me concerned. I even got a blessing because i was concerned about the bleeding. I went to the nurse the next day and she told me to stay off my feet. That was Wednesday when the new missionaries come in...I was supposed to host...which means you just walk all the newbies around and help them. I couldn't do that because of the nurse...so while I did that got to work on português with my teacher, Irmão Smith, for like 2 hours just us. So that was pretty much my week. I go back to the doctor on monday. I can actually walk on it without it hurting too bad. That is a blessing from serving.
I got a package from Aunt Cindy with goodies in it.
Last Saturday I placed a set of missionaries for a girl who called in at the Referral center.
New Years was kinda of dead....not a whole lot of excitement.
I have learned today from my study about repentence. I like the talk by Elder Andersen ...repent that I may hear you....I like it because our families are blessed when we repent.
So tomorrow I am gonna fast for the visas. I have a big hope for Monday that it will come...but if not...the church is still true and I am where I need to be.
Hows the house? Mail me pics if you can.
How's Tazie?
We taught in the teaching resource center again yesterday. We taught the 2nd lesson for the first time. It wasn't too bad. Its weird to think I have been out almost 2 months...craziness!!!!
Thanks for all the support you guys give me.
How did my Christmas letters turn out...anyone cry? Hahahaha!!!
Well, that's all for now.
Te Amo,
Elder Athans
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