Week #9: MTC - September 8, 2016 - September 12, 2016

The zone sisters

It's finally happening!! Today, Monday, September 12, 2016, is finally my last day in the MTC!! It's so easy to forget there is a real world out there, but it's finally time. This morning, I sent my companion off to New York. This week has been crazy and amazing, bonding with the sisters in our district, and the other district that came in with us. After 9 weeks, it's definitely hard to say goodbye to all of these amazing missionaries.

For the last two devotionals, we were blessed to have Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Russell M. Ballard speak to us. They were both inspiring and spoke about missionary work. I had never really thought about the reason missionaries teach repentance as their main purpose. It was all put into perspective at one of the devotionals. Missionaries teach repentance, because it means we are testifying of Christ. In order to repent, a person must use the atonement, which was performed and could  only could be performed through Christ. Repentance changes people, which brings about all other aspects of missionary work such as faith, baptism, and enduring to the end. This all leads to eternal life, and IS the gospel of Jesus Christ. "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ..." (2 Nephi 25:26)

In our class, we have learned and discussed a lot about the 5 main motivations for doing something: 1) Duty, 2) Revenge, 3) Fear, 4) Reward (Blessings), 5) Love. Out of all of them, love is the only one that will never fail. We learn in the church to have charity, which is "the pure love of Christ"(Moroni 7:47). We also learn, however, that "charity never faileth" (Moroni 7: 46). I promise you that if you do anything out of love, you will have what it takes to endure until the end. Also, from class, my testimony has grown immensely about the power of a simple testimony. Every day for the past week, we have had the opportunity to share our testimonies to our districts and to the other districts in our zone (and even some in the other zone). I know that simply saying what you truly believe in your heart and in your mind brings the spirit of God so strongly, and strengthens the faith of the individual saying it.

Here's some of my testimony:

I know this gospel is true. I have a true love for it and for my Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. This gospel has brought tremendous joy to my life. Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, created specifically to our needs and for our happiness. His plan is called the Plan of Salvation and the Great Plan of Happiness. I know that He provided a way for me to find my family in a way only He could do, and He has provided a way for us to live together forever, even after death. I know that this gospel will bring so much happiness to everyone else's life. I know He wants each of His children to return to Him. I have a great love for this gospel and for the brothers and sisters I have in Singapore and Malaysia. I know He will help each of them return to Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.