The Big One -- Week 5

Hello my friends.

I finally find myself on my final p-day in the MTC. Thank heaven. The experience has been good, learning so much has been awesome, feeling the spirit's been nice, but I need to get moving, and I need to eat real food again; even if it's Fafaru (you put a dead fish in a jar of saltwater, let it sit for a week, and then use the contents of the jar as a sauce for the fish you just grilled).

I've had some good times here. We've had some truly amazing devotionals. We got to hear from Dallin H. Oaks (the man), and his talk was basically a guide to being a great missionary, so that was awesome, we got to hear from Rosemary Wixom of the Primary Presidency (I've always loved hearing from her in conference so it was cool to hear her in person), we got our very own version of Music and the Spoken Word with our MTC choir and THE Lloyd Newell no less ("This is the 185th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"), but my favorite devotional had to be from Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric, for a variety of reasons. Beyond him being a terribly charismatic and handsome devil, and beyond him basically being French Uchtdorf, and beyond his wife having these killer shades on her head when she gave her talk, and beyond him randomly playing the coolest arrangement of Come Come Ye Saints on the piano that I've ever heard (at the end of his talk about being bold, no less), the thing that made it the greatest was this one line from his talk. In there he talked about a hypothetical conversation he had with somebody where they talked about what if they increased tithing so that they could hire a missionary force of older people that were formally trained in the language and could go out and work that way. But the consensus that was reached was "No, no we need our young people. We need our young missionaries." And the reason why? "They're humble enough that they can receive the Spirit." That line floored me, and really gave me something to shoot for. I want to work every day to be an example of that line. And I want him to become one of the new apostles. He's an incredible man.

And I think the way I've grown the most while I've been here is in my testimony of the Savior. I definitely had a testimony of Christ before, but now it's even stronger. As I've been here I've loved learning more of him and studying his ministry (I'd read the sermon on the mount every time I'd be waiting in the temple). My favorite story is Matthew 4 when he fasts for forty days and nights and then totally wrecks Satan's crap. Oh how I long for that kind of strength to combat temptation and to respond to each wile of the devil with doctrine and confidence. He's also the ultimate example of service, and I've really looked up to and admired him in a new way since I've been here. But most of all, I now have an unshakable testimony of the Savior's love. I have felt it and seen it literally every day since I've been here, both for myself and others, and I think it will only increase as I continue on my way.

So all in all, I'd say this has about summed up my MTC experience. Next time I email you guys, I'll be in my mecca. 78/84 degrees for life!

Love, Elder Harrah



Note from Ty's mom:  I sent Elder Harrah a new camera this week, but he didn't get it yet.  (He should have gotten it on Friday.)  In the meantime, here are some pictures of Tahiti to get us ready!
The first one is  Moorea Island Roto Nui Volcanic Mountain and the second is
Tahitian canoes.  :) 



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