Elder AJones: Week Number Two

One great thing about Home MTC is to get a Friday night visit from
missionaries I know and love: Elder Matthews and Elder Lucero

Wow.

It has been such a good week of the MTC.

This week started off great. On Tuesday, I got my reassignment and I couldn't be happier. I got reassigned to COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA!!! I'm so excited to be able to serve and teach the people of South Carolina. I know the Lord needs me there and I'm so very willing to go. An Elder and an Hermana from my district are also going to South Carolina and they're both awesome!

Meet my District

This week flew by. It's crazy how fast time flies by in the MTC. Just constantly busy with classes or studies or trying to learn Spanish. But it is honestly so much fun. My district is just getting better every day. We just have a good time in our classes and it's so much fun getting to get to know them better every single day.

This week my companion, Elder Rees, and I taught our first lessons. They were in English so that was a relief. We taught a woman named Aubrie. We gave two lessons, one on Thursday and one on Friday. Might I say teaching is so much harder than you think it is. It's completely different than giving a lesson in Priesthood and teaching someone who doesn't know literally anything about the gospel. 

The first lesson we taught was on the Family: A Proclamation to the World. It went terrible. We didn't share any scriptures or anything. And we only brought up Jesus Christ-like once!! So ya it wasn't good like at all. But then on Friday we decided to teach her about the Restoration of the Gospel and Joseph Smith. We followed a lesson plan from Preach My Gospel and I just have to say WOW. The lesson went great! The Spirit was so strong and it was amazing to testify of Jesus Christ and of Joseph Smith.

Here's a quick quote from President Thomas S. Monson, "There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth [of the Restored Gospel]."

This week has been amazing. I've learned so much and I have felt happier than ever. I can testify to the words of President Monson. I'm so happy to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so happy to be able to serve the Lord every day. It is an amazing feeling.

Hope you all have a great week! 

Elder AJones: First Week of Home MTC

Me with my companion Elder Rees

Hola everyone!!

I've only been in the MTC for 3 days but it truly has been an amazing experience!! The days are full and I am constantly busy doing things, whether I'm in class or trying to memorize words and phrases or studying Spanish or the scriptures.

My typical day this week looked like this: 

6:00 - Wake up, exercise, shower, eat breakfast

7:00-8:00 - Personal Study

8:00-9:00 - MTC workshop 

9:00-12:00 - Class

12:00-2:00 - Lunch Break

2:00-5:00 - Class

5:00-6:00 - Companionship Study

6:00-8:00 - Dinner Break

8:00-9:00 - Language Study

10:30 - Bedtime

It has been absolutely crazy, my days haven't been this full in a very long time and it's nice to be busy. By the end of the day, I'm completely exhausted but I feel accomplished. 

My companion is Elder Rees from Orem, Utah. He is honestly such an awesome person. I know everyone says their companions are awesome but I'm telling you this guy is so cool. In our first class of the MTC, we were put in breakout rooms with our comps to get to know them a little bit. And it was a little awkward. I'm kinda awkward when I don't know people, I kinda just let them lead the discussion. And I'm telling you it's more awkward trying to get to know a person over zoom than in person. Well, when we talked a little bit and I first thought that it was gonna be a long 6 weeks. Then we had companionship study the next day. It was honestly so awesome. The Spirit came and we were able to learn so much from each other and the Spirit helped us become friends so fast. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and he is the companion I need for the MTC, especially since he's pretty much a master at Spanish. He had Spanish immersion since like 2nd grade and he took the AP Spanish test and passed it as a sophomore. Man, he's just the coolest guy. My district is pretty cool as well. It's awesome how fast we have already grown as a district in getting to know one another.

Learning Spanish is hard. High school Spanish has helped a little bit but it is still so hard learning all the new gospel words and phrases. But the gift of tongues is real!! I was able to memorize the missionary purpose in English and Spanish in about a day.. the English one took me like 5 minutes!! The Spirit really does allow us to learn and grow.

I want all of you to know that the mission is SO AWESOME!! It has already been so hard and exhausting but spiritually rewarding. I love getting up in the morning and the first thing I do is put on my tag. It is so cool that I have this opportunity to serve the Lord. If anyone is thinking about serving a mission... DO IT!! You won't regret it!! 

I know this gospel is true. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today and he gives us revelation from God for our day!! I know the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, are written for us, to help us through these days. I know Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration, that he translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God. I invite you all to read the talk "God's Compelling Witness: The Book of Mormon" by Tad R. Callister. This talk really helped solidify my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I know this church, La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, is the only true church on the earth today. 

I'm so happy to serve the Lord, it has already been so awesome and it's only the third day.

Preparation Day with your sibs