Elder CJones: Last P-Day in the MTC and Thanksgiving

It's finally here!

Monday morning at 2:30 am and we leave for our mission in Northern Mexico. It's crazy to think that I've been out here for 6 weeks, an entire transfer, there are a total of 16 transfers in the mission, including the one in the MTC. It's absolutely crazy to think that in one week, I will be out somewhere, walking the streets and trying to find people to teach to come to Christ. I know that this gospel is true and that if we all turn to Christ and be perfected in Him, we can do anything.

This last week, I have to say, has been one of the most spiritual uplifting weeks of my entire life. Testimony meetings with our district are crazy! There is so much emotion in the room, everyone is in tears, this has been the most spiritual experience of my life and I am so excited to go out to the field and teach this wonderful gospel to the people outside the enclosed compound we are in.

Some crazy miracle have happened this week, my testimony of faith, prayer, and fasting have grown exponentially this week. One of our guys had a really hard week, when he checked his e-mail last week he found out that his grandmother's liver failed and had a 10% chance of living, his mom was diagnosed with cancer, and he lost his soccer scholarship, all in one week. This week, most of the guys in our district fasted for his grandmother, we prayed and every prayer that was offered this week was for his grandmother. He was able to check his e-mail during the week to be updated. When the doctor's went in to do the surgery, she didn't need it, she was progressing on her own. It's such a blessing to see the miracles that are wrought through faith, prayers and fasting.

There have been so many things that have grown my testimony this week!! My district had the most amazing testimony meeting this last Sunday, emotions were crazy high and tears were shed. I love Jesus Christ, I know he is my Savior and Redeemer. I know he lives and that he loves us all.

Not much new goes on besides all that, after I get into the field, we will all have the most amazing experiences as we begin to teach real investigators about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings it brings. I know that as I invite the Spirit, that I will be blessed because I have already seen the blessings that come when I teach with other missionaries.

One really cool experience I've had this last little while, we get to teach other missionaries as they pretend to be investigators. I also have the opportunity to act as an investigator for another missionary as he practices teaching. We have to choose a role of someone we know of and use them as an example of our investigator. I chose the role of one of my ancestors that was converted to the church, Fred Kemmethmueller. It's been such an amazing experience because when I am being taught, I feel the power of the Spirit as I act like he would have and when I do, the Spirit testifies to me of the truthfulness of the Gospel and the power that comes when we truly convert our lives to Jesus Christ, as we have a true change of heart.

Speaking of changes of heart, this week I have been studying the topic of charity and how when we show charity, we experience a change of heart in ourselves and, in turn, we can change the hearts of others. I've studied how service changes our hearts to love the people, and when we love the people and the culture, we become true example and disciples of the Lord.

I've read Mosiah 2:9-19,21 and Alma 5, as I read Mosiah I changed all the words of service to love, and then when I read in Alma, I asked myself if I could feel that mighty change of heart.

My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to [love] you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your [love], even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—

And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might [love] you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your [love], I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the [love] of your fellow beings ye are only in the [love] of your God.

Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to [love] you, then ought not ye to labor to [love] one another?

And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your [love], and yet has been in the [love] of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

I say unto you that if ye should [love] him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should [love] him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

I know that as we all go out and love the people that we can have a mighty change in our hearts, like that of Alma the Younger, Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Himni, King Lamoni, and King Lamoni's Father. We can all have our hearts converted to the Gospel as we go and love other children of God.

I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Can we feel that love in our hearts? Do we truly have a change of heart to become like Christ?? I love the Mexican people, they are truly children of God and God has called me to serve them. As many of them have the opportunity to work here in the MTC, we have the ability to talk with them and really get to know and love them as a people. I love my teachers. they are both from Mexico and they truly are teachers called of God and called to teach me so I can learn how to teach the people in my mission.

I love this opportunity to serve and I am so excited to finally get our there and share this Gospel to the people in Reynosa!

I love you all!! I pray for you all every night to constantly have the Spirit in your lives. Never be ashamed to preach the Gospel to people you come in contact with. This fire of the Gospel I will never let die. I love this Gospel with my entire soul and I hope you all will study, pray and exercise faith to do the same.

-- Elder Corom Jones

"Back home you turned to your family, friends and leaders for help. Now in the mission, when you need help, you bend your knees and plead with the Father." -Presidente Avila