Dear Family,
Ok so more about the mtc. Me and elder Francis are getting along great. We have set some pretty high goals set for ourselves in both the language and the doctrine. The language is really really getting hard. It is so bad because it is what is called a jungle language so there really are no rules to it... Can you say CONFUSING?!?!?!?!?! hahaha But I know that the lord is going to bless me and my comp here sooner or later. It just takes time and we need to be patient so that we prove that we truly want the gifts that god can give us.
We just got word Sunday that one of the 12 is going to be at the mtc on Sunday for our devotional!!! I am so excited! To sit in the same room as an apostle of god is going to be a dream come true! I hope we get to shake his hand! Ha I told elder Francis that I didn't care what was going on we were going to go camp outside the door of the entrance. Ha He nodded and said ok sounds good. The funny part is that he still doesn't speak English very well so I'm not even sure he knew what I said. But I know that he has one heck of a testimony and that it is killing him that he can't share it very well. He prays in Marshales or however you spell it every other night for companionship prayer. I can just tell by the tone of his voice that he truly loves our savior and that like me is why he is here.
But always know that this church is true! I have never been so sure of anything in my life! If you don't know for sure, pray and read with a sincere heart and god will witness it to you! He has to me and I know that he will for you too! There was a quote in a fire side this week that said this. "If you but remember these 6 magic words you will never fear, 'with god nothing shall be impossible!''' I believe this quote so so much! God truly loves us. Yes he gets disappointedwhen we make mistakes but he will never give up on you. When the world is crashing down around you if you have built a sturdy foundation on Christ, you will not fall! That is the key my friends and family. We must all build our lives on top of the savior. He will not fail you. He will not give up on you! The world is a scary place and I have experienced the pain and the struggles that can come from it. But I also know that if you will but build your foundation upon Jesus Christ our savior I know that nothing can touch us! Like I told our investigator last week, yes we are all responsible for our sins and feeling guilt is never fun- trust me, but through the atonement of Jesus Christ that guilt and that sin can be washed free of our skin! Challenge of the week is to read in Alma about when Alma the younger gives up the judgement seat and takes it upon himself to travel to the surrounding cities preaching the word of god. Pay close attention to the different ways that the people react to his words, and also to the way that Alma follows the work of the lord.
I love you guys with all my heart and want you to know that I personally know that our savior lives! No I have not seen him, but I have felt his spirit and I have seen his hand in my life! I was asked the first week out here that if put in the situation would I be able to stand and testify to someone like the Prophets of old, knowing that if I continued to do so I would probably be put to death. Sadly I had to think about that one. Did I have the faith to stand at gun point so to say and to tell that person that they are a child of god that is loved and can be washed clean of his sins if he will but repent and be baptised? I talked to my teacher after and told him that sadly I didn't know if I would be able to do that. He just smiled and said that he had the same question when he entered the mtc. He told me to go home and pray every night that god would put inside me that testimony and the fire in my eyes that I would always have the strength to stand! Now I want to tell you all that I KNOW that if even at gun point knowing that my life would shortly end, I have the strength and I have the faith and testimony to stand! I know that god loves me and the punishment that would follow would be far worse if I just backed down and didn't preach what I know! I challenge you to always be willing to stand! Like pres. Monson said in conference, dare to stand alone, Dare to stand alone. Real quick a quote from elder Holland Let him push you that we may all FLY!!!
I love you,
Elder Shelley
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