Let the Holy Spirit Guide

Wow, Singapore is starting to feel really close, especially with the accumulation of some Mandarin gear: namely an all-Chinese name tag (we aren't allowed to wear them around the MTC is what I hear though) and some Chinese Pamphlets (check out the pictures to see the fun differences between the English and Chinese pamphlet's pics). As I write this email, I realize that I have only one more email that I will write before I head out to the field.

The MTC has been great, with many learning experiences not in the least bit limited to Chinese. I have to admit, when I came here I thought that my spiritual level was going to be good enough, but what I have learned is it wasn't, nor is it yet still :). When we have the spirit with us, we will be guided to do whatever we need to do, missionary or member. This blessing sounds really desirable, and yet we do not always see it as an achievable goal. God wants to help us though, and if we seek His help, we will receive this guidance, being able to retain the influence promised to us in our baptismal covenant.

As far as news this week, I am sure all of you are wondering how many laps I ran around the MTC track today. Wednesdays are always the best days to run because exercise time is optional on P-days. I got 73 laps today...I am degrading...MTC food and no real chance to do anything but distance is taking its toll. Despite an all-you-can-eat cafeteria, I weighed myself this morning and I am lighter than I was when I came in (goodbye running muscle :).

Chinese is progressing great and so are teaching skills. We were able to teach another Skype lesson to a member from Taiwan on Monday (her Tuesday morning). I also want to share an experience that we had while my companion and I were teaching one of our teachers who was role-playing a member who had a nonmember wife. One big thing that the MTC has taught me is that we are here to teach people according to their needs. When this "member" expressed concerns over not being sure how he should approach sharing the gospel to his wife after she previously showed no interest, we were able to share a scripture in 3 Nephi 18: 23-24 that talks about what Christ said concerning those who are not of our faith. In this scripture, Christ expounds doctrine that he exemplified during his earthly ministry- "pray for them, and (you) shall not cast them out" as well as "hold up your light that it may shine unto the world." The scriptures truly have answers to many of our questions, and are one of our greatest resources.

I also want to add my testimony that I know that this doctrine is true. We are to be patient, loving, and an example. If we do these things, God will provide us with opportunities to bless other's lives so long as we are willing to move forward in confidence.

The Seniors

Hello everyone, thanks for reading this email today.

Yesterday morning we had a bunch of missionaries from our zone leave to Taiwan. We have hit the six week mark, and since we get and lose missionaries every three weeks, all the missionaries who came in with me are now the oldest. I am in the computer lab and am sitting next to Elder Howell - it is good to have some more Lehi influence.

Other notable events are my district getting a new (permanent) teacher and having the grandson of Elder Eyering (brother Eyering) teach one of our lessons. We have the same Chinese last name (Ai) so we basically have a connection. Our new teacher is the older brother an elder who is in a different district than us but still in our zone so it is kind of weird that he gets to see a family member every day he is in the MTC. The only downfall is that his Chinese name is Feng - and so is our other Chinese teacher so we don't really have any great way to distinguish between the two.

This week we got to teach our first skype TRC member (I'm not sure what TRC stands for but it basically involves us teaching a lesson to a real member who is acting as themselves - so there is no role play). We taught someone from Taiwan and it was a really fun experience to be able to hear the testimony of someone who is living sort of close to where I will be serving.

This week we had another devotional from the Nashville Tribute band - so we got to sing some pretty country-style songs about the gospel again. On Tuesday's devotional we heard from Elder Juan A Uceda and he gave a really great talk about his personal conversion experience and things that missionaries should keep in mind while they teach. He talked about D&C 4:2 - a great missionary scripture for all of you up-and-coming missionaries. As we serve the Lord, weneed to see (personally examine) that we serve the Lord with all (everything) of our heart, might (skills, talents, abilities) mind, and strength. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord. I feel the confirming witness that the message of the gospel is true as I teach it, and I know that everyone can feel that witness as well, whether they be members or investigators.

This week's pictures:

1. Elder Eishert (not sure if that is the right spelling) with Elder Olsen and I (all from Lehi)

2. Hanging out with our new friends at the temple. Elder Tseng is on the left, and Elder Hsieh is on the right. They are super awesome and it has been fun to get help from them on my Chinese, and help them on their English. Elder Hsieh accompanied Elder Yu for their Violin and Piano performance.

3. With the older elders heading out, we inherited a mini-fridge. Basically what this means for me is more traffic to our room.

Put Your Shoulder To The Wheel

Hello Everyone,

This week I passed the half way mark, so I have less than four weeks until I leave into the field. Like everyone else here, I would agree that it feels like I have been at the MTC forever, but yet I can't believe that I am past half way in my time here.

This Thursday was our last week with our Taiwanese teacher Wu (she is really awesome). She is leaving to get married though and so our whole district is really happy for her. In the four weeks since we have gotten here, we have sent two of our teachers into "retirement" after working at the MTC for at least a few years. Since we have only had three teachers - this is fairly unusual. One thing that Sister Wu did before she left was bring in an "investigator" who we taught together as a whole district - in English. It was a really big learning experience because I was able to see what things in my teaching I could work on, besides learning how to speak the language better.

Things in general are pretty good here. In one week, the missionaries who came in on the same day as my district and I will be the oldest Mandarin speakers in the branch. I feel like I basically am a pro at knowing how the MTC works now - and I still have a few more weeks before I head out. I have yet to break my 80 lap record during one exercise time. Fun fact though - I weighed myself before and after my runs a couple of times this week, and I lose about a pound and a bit just in water within the one hour that I run.

This week the Tuesday devotional was by Sister Oscarson and she shared the clip of Elder Christofferson's story about a currant bush that was cut down. The need for divine direction in our life and correction is something that we must not only accept, but also seek. This, as I am learning, is easy to simply state, but harder to simply follow because sometimes we cannot see anything wrong with what we are doing. I am gaining a testimony though that as we strive to do our best AND seek the Lord's guidance and correction, we will be lead to do what we need to do and what is best for us and others. This is not just a missionary need, it is something that we all can improve on.

Thanks again for your commitment, letters, and love.

Sincerely

Elder Allen.

Pics: 1.The sisters are leaving this week and Elder Yu got to know them as we ran on the track every day - I am just in the picture so that they can take pictures together (mission rules :)). The other Elders are in our zone and leave on Tuesday.

2. Last group picture with Sister Wu

3. Elder Yu and I were twinning. 

Don't let me leave Murph

The subject of this email comes from a cross fit exercise that we did on Friday that is called "the Murph." Needless to say it reminded me of the movie "Interstellar". The workout consists of a one mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats, and then a mile run to finish it off. I did 50 % of the pull ups and push ups and then 100% of everything else - I'll try to improve for next Friday.

Anyway, some other highlights of the week include getting to talk to some Mandarin Missionaries while Elder Yu practiced for his violin audition. One of the Mandarin missionaries - Elder Hsieh, walked in while we were practicing and offered to accompany Elder Yu in his violin piece: "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Peace." Elder Hsieh is amazing on the piano (and the violin too) but my favorite part was just talking with him and his companion Elder Tseng. They are here to learn English in the MTC and so while we try to communicate with broken Chinese and fluent English, they speak broken English and fluent Chinese. There is no doubt that there English is better than our Chinese though. They are super nice and I'll see them later tonight.

If any of you were wondering, when the new Mandarin-speaking missionaries came into the MTC a week ago, none of them came into our room - so we still have room for our stash of food (see picture) and Elder Boud in our room put up his hammock where we have empty bunk beds. One of the highlights from last Wednesday though was that I was able to see Elder Asa Neilson (Nielson?) when he came in. I also saw Elder Connor Arnell when I went on the temple walk on Sunday. 

As for me - there isn't too much to report. Every day I study by myself for an hour, with my companion for an hour, and then the language whenever I have free time (at least an hour though). My language goal is to learn 50 words a day - which over the past week I have found possible. The key is finding the time to review them so that I can retain them. I also want to learn ten phrases a day (using the words I learned) and two scriptures a week. When I don't study we are in class or in meals. See the pictures for some language learning tools my Taiwanese teacher made for us... her pictures are awesome! I love being able to read the Book of Mormon for 45 minutes to an hour each day. 

I am still running; I am sure that running is boring news by now but I ran with an Elder in my zone that ran a 4:17 mile in high school.

Yesterday in our Tuesday devotional Elder Anderson came and gave us a message. His grandson Elder Hadlock is in our zone and sat on the front row and read aloud the scriptures that Elder Anderson used in his talk. Another Elder in my District - Elder Bosco - is a family friend to the Anderson's so he and his companion got to go meet with Elder Anderson after. Because an apostle came, they broadcast the devotional to all the MTC's around the world. This is cool because I sang in the choir (More Holiness Give Me... it sounded great) and I heard that I was on camera. I hope that my friends in the other MTC's got to see me!

Finally, I just want to share a couple of the thoughts that Elder Anderson shared. He said that our testimony is like a fire, and that we need to keep it burning bright. Often times in the MTC (or when things are just generally easy) the flame is easy to be ignited. However, if we let it simply burn it will begin to burn out. Elder Anderson shared advice from Elder Oaks: Be Obedient, Be Worthy, Be Busy. He told us that missions are not complicated, but they aren't easy either. I hope that I can stay diligent to do the things he mentioned. The work is good, and my testimony is growing each day. I'm learning more and more about how I can bring my own talents to the field in order to be an instrument in God's hands.

Keep the faith!

Elder Allen

Diligence

Hello from inside the MTC, some of you who I have been writing to have headed into the MTC today. In fact I just saw Elder (Asa) Nielson about 20 minutes ago as he arrived into the MTC. Since this is the third week, we are receiving more Mandarin missionaries into our zone. This is pretty exciting, but I am a little anxious that we will be getting two more people into our room - we have had four people in a six person room for the last three weeks and it has been pretty awesome.

I honestly don't have too much to write about this time because there aren't many changes in my day to day life. Elder Gibson left yesterday so that was a sad goodbye...but I am kind of used to it. This week we continued teaching our "investigators" the gospel and we have a lesson tonight. If there is anything that I have learned while being at the MTC, it is that if you don't have the spirit while you are teaching the lesson, it is basically impossible to have a good lesson. As you focus on the people you are teaching, trying to address their needs, you get the greatest success. I have been blessed to teach what I would call a "hard" investigator because I feel like it is probably what I will face in the field. She doesn't believe in God at all, and so basically we are teaching her about new ideas from day one. But as you go slow and address what she needs to hear, then you are able to progress your investigator in their search for truth.

Life is still good here in the MTC. Perhaps my favorite parts are the temple and the devotionals. I don't have any new running records to speak of... I have been running every day. The language is coming well, and my new goal is to learn 50 words a day, 10 phrases, and two scriptures a week. It is a lofty goal so wish me luck!

I'll just close with my testimony, I know that the church is true and I know that the Book of Mormon is a powerful tool in conversion. One thing that my eyes have been opened up to is the need to fulfill my purpose on this earth - and that is to become more Christ-like. When I first came into the MTC, I thought that I didn't need to change too much, just tap into a side of me that I don't use very often. What am starting to learn though is that sometimes change in ourselves is necessary, and that when we change the things we need to, we find joy.

Till next time.

Elder Allen

Pictures

A Taiwanese flag even though none of us are going to Taiwan in order to decorate.

Some of the district.