Hola amigos y familia!!! WOW!! This week has been so incredible and incredibly long haha! But I have loved every second of it. Last Wednesday I started the at home MTC experience and I mean it when I say it, it has completely changed my life. It's so crazy how in such a short amount of time my attitude towards EVERYTHING has changed tremendously. Not gonna lie, I was a little bitter and upset about doing the at home MTC initially, but it is seriously so much fun!
My district is so money and we have the best teachers! Hermana Mejia and Hermano Gallegos.My district is straight "GOAT"ed and I love every single one of them! We have learned so much together as a district and our español is definitely improving. After just one week at the MTC I've been able to say my prayers in Spanish, bear my testimony, and memorize some scriptures! I guess you can say it's coming along well! It has definitely been hard adjusting to the new missionary life and saying goodbye to the people I love most, but I know that I am on the Lord's errand now to bring his brothers and sisters unto him.
Thanks to Elder Day and the advice he gave me about the first week on the mission, I was able to be pretty prepared for what lies ahead. But the initial feeling I had after getting set apart as a full time missionary and as the Lord's servant was "what on earth did I just get myself into", haha!! I assume just about every missionary feels like that immediately after getting set apart, or maybe I just need to repent ahha!
As I am adjusting to this new life of mine, I know that it will only get better from here and I will be blessed even more for my efforts.
My favorite scripture as of this week is in Alma 26. This chapter is SO POWERFUL and I love it so much. Ammon has got to be the dopest missionary ever. This chapter Ammon is glorifying in the Lord and verse 12 reads, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever". This scripture is so powerful. Sometimes we tend to boast in ourselves and be prideful in everything we do but lets us not forget who gave us everything we have.
Especially true of me in high school, I was a very prideful person and I would boast in myself a lot. And I am ashamed to say that there were times where I forgot who blessed me with everything I had. I know now who it was. We are all weak, and it is only through Christ that we can be strengthened. So we must all praise Him and boast in our God and show him our gratitude and love for Him.
We had a missionary devotional last night and President Steven J. Lund, the young men general president, and he said "I'm not good enough, and I'm not smart enough, or learned enough, or strong enough, or personable enough, or brave enough, or gifted enough, or spiritual enough to do this job (referring to being the Young Men General President). And all evidence to the contrary, neither are you. The second thing we have in common is we will do this job, you and I, we the personification of the weak and simple things of the world will proceed to do a marvelous work that will change the course of lives for generations".
This really spoke to me. I walked into the MTC feeling not good enough and not prepared enough and not knowing what the outcome of feeling this will be. But I know now, that I will do this job. I WILL do this job. Nobody is truly prepared for the callings of the Lord but let us not give up. He calls upon his imperfect brothers and sisters to teach the perfect truth and light of the everlasting gospel.
I know this church is true. My testimony has strengthened so much this past week and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to forget myself and immerse myself in the work of the Lord. The Gospel changes lives and I want everyone to feel the same happiness I feel when I know my Savior is standing right beside me, helping me through all my trials and tribulations. I know that Joseph Smith restored the true and everlasting gospel and that he translated the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon is so powerful and I can feel the Spirit every time I read it. I have been reading through Jesus the Christ and even though it's not technically scripture I have a testimony of the power it has and all the symbolism it contains. The message it contains is so powerful and it talks about Christ's ministry and purpose. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that he lives!
The power of prayer is real. It has comforted me so much throughout this week. I love this gospel and though my testimony may be simple, I know it will continue to grow throughout my life.
I love you all and I hope everyone has had an amazing week! I'd love to hear from you guys either on email or on google hangouts!
My email is
jaxson.scown@missionary.org! Thank you so much for the influence each one of you guys had on my life! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!
Thank you for all the love and support! we have many more weeks ahead of us!
Love you all,
Elder Scown
Ryker straight up fell asleep in the middle of me getting set apart and we thought he was dead because who on earth falls asleep like that ahahah
Elder Jones gave a bomb talk in church! So proud of my guy he's gonna kill it in New Hampshire and Brazil
Said goodbye to my boy Dalton for two years! Good luck in Utah my guy!
Comments
Post a Comment