Elder Tyler Trent's Mission : MTC Week 3

Hola Everyone!

Not much happened this week just a lot of classroom time and teaching our investigators. Every week I am making the goal of working on one or two things I can improve on that week. I come with questions and figure out how to improve on that goal to devotionals, study times, etc. At the beginning of the week I wanted to know how I can be more intune with the spirit and his promptings for my studying, the language, and teaching investigators. On Tuesday, Emeritus General Authority L. Lionel Kendrick talked almost exactly about that! what he said really helped me. He talked about how we need to have a more sincere and actual conversation with our Heavenly Father and how the Spirit can guide us in our lives, study, teachings, etc. One quote I liked that he said, "Its not the durations of our prayers, but the depths of our desires." My second question was how can my companion and I better teach people and apply doctrine to their needs. It has been very difficult because it is pretty hard to understand them in spanish so we have just been teaching the lessons and asking/answering a few questions. It has not been going well when we have done that. Our first lesson with our investigator Chari we taught her about the restoration. It was no bueno. The only thing we got out of it was that she believes in God only a little and doesn't have or want a relationship with him if he even exists. We were definitely humbled by that experience. When we were preparing for our next lesson with her, we really wanted to help her and apply the gospel to her needs. Since we learned that she didn't have good relationship with her earthly father but wished she had, we decided to teach her about how her Heavenly Father can help her with her struggles and problems like an earthly father. We taught her how her Father in Heaven loves her and wants to talk to her through prayer, reading scriptures,and the Holy Ghost. Just like she wanted with her earthly father. This really helped her and she agreed to have us teach her how to pray. The spirit was so strong more than I've felt in our lessons so far. She was tearing up and I know she felt the love of her Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. We committed her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. I learned the importance of properly preparing and teaching with the spirit and really caring about our investigators. I know the gift of tongues is real and if we put in the work the Lord will help and bless us.

This week has been really great. It has been filled with some ups and downs as usually like not being focused or not wanting to teach. But I have been improving each day and my testimony is growing a lot. I know this gospel is the only true church and if we come unto Christ and become perfected in Him through his grace and atonement we can do any righteous thing with the Lord's help.(Moroni 10:32)

Scripture of the Week: 2 Nephi 31

Funny Moments of the Week:

I've realized a lot of things in the MTC are a lot more funny than they normally would have been at home haha but one thing that was funny to me was from the Sunday Devotional. The wife of an Emeritus General Authority had the thickest southern accent. She kept on saying the same phrase over and over again and after everything she said pretty much. In her accent,"Git up awn tyyme!!! It'll make aall the diffrence en yer day an on yer mission!!!" We all thought it was pretty funny and kept on saying it in the day and when we woke up in the mornings. It is seared into my brain and I laugh when I remember that in the mornings when I wake up. I definitely wont be sleeping in any time soon haha!

Also, on friday night we pulled a little prank on one of the elders in our room and in our district. Elder Skaggs can make this face thats way creepy with a creepy voice and laugh. One Elder, Elder Lowe has said that he doesn't ever get scared. So when he, Elder Lowe, went to the bathroom during the night, Elder Skaggs hid in the corner of Elder Lowes bed in the dark with a hood on. You couldn't see him at all, but we knew Elder Lowe carries a flashlight with him to the bathroom. He comes back and crawls into his bed without realizing he is there. Elder Lowe feels something warm on his foot so he shines his flashlight in that direction and sees Elder Skaggs with his creepy face and cackle. He loses it, freaks out, and jumps out of his bed! Haha It was the funniest thing ever! We were all laughing so hard. I attached a picture of Elder Skaggs face. Imagine seeing that in your bed with him wearing a hood in the dark! haha!

Elder Lowe thought it was pretty funny after too. Our district gets along really well, have fun together, but also work hard when we need to. We still have our challenges, problems, language, and companionship struggles but I'm grateful for the fun and spiritual experiences I've had with them and for the friends I have made.

Love you all and thanks for your support!

Me and my companion Elder Wilcox packed the same tie! haha! we wore them on sunday. Probably wont do it again cuz we got a lot of teasing for it haha!

Until next week!,

Elder Trent

Hola Familia!

I decided to write out my mass email on paper so I have more time to email back and forth it you want but first I need to type out the mass email and send it.

-Thanks Grandma, Teegan, Tori, Dad, and Mom for writing letters and emails to me! I love them! It feels like forever since Ive seen you guys. I mark my scriptures with a family photo so I get to see you everyday :)

-I love the watch! It is da beeesst! and also thanks for the micro fiber towel and other packages I love them! You can send the other towel you have from Deseret book if its not too big and packable. Also the microfiber blanket would be nice to if its packable. Thanks!

-About when I get to call you at the airport: I've heard of elders who have a day use phone or something like that that they brought to text/call back and forth. Im not exactly sure how it works and where to find it or what its called. Just try to look around. I think I remember that Josh Parr had one. You could ask their family maybe.

-Send more pictures of you guys and what your doing and of Spice in an email or letter please!

-It would be nice to have a very small stuff sleeping bag for argentina as it can get cold at night. Other elders have them going to my mission. If not its ok.

-I need like 2-3 more pairs of Drilux to and bottom size small garments and some short whit exercise socks.

My foot is fine and don't notice it uness Im barefoot. My teeth are doing good too just a lot more sensitive than they used to be, but they dont hurt to eat anymore. I hope I dont have a cavity :/

-I will try to send a handwritten letter sometime during the week when I have time at night to write it.

-I have used my mp3 player yet because we're not supposed to in the MTC. I'll have to wait to use it in the field. I haven't been wishing I could anyways so its all good.

-Oh! I get to play the piano for our Branch during Sacrament Meeting on Sunday! I will play three songs in the spanish hymnbook. Ive never played them but they are not too hard. I'll tell you about it next week or in my letter! I also get to do a special musical number next sunday too probably my fairwell song. Wish me luck!

-The only other letters I have gotten besides Grandma and family is the Higginson kids! They all wrote me letters it was cute and funny! Tell them thanks for me! I will try to send a thank you letter back to them this week is well, but if I forget tell them thank you!

-I think my log in info for the family name I reserved is trenttylerj, password:coolman21 (ive had it since I was like 12 dont laugh haha)

-Oh I love the hair gel stuff and it looks like it will last a long time! Probably just send one maybe 2 more will last me. Thanks!

-Thanks for doing the U of U scholarship stuff and depositing airsoft money and debit card money!

-Time in the MTC is so weird. It has gone way fast and also super slow. Like sometimes I'll look back and be like wow! 2 and a half week already or just the opposite. When thing the MTC has not helped me with is my memory! I cant remeber anything thats happens in the week or that day anymore so much happens haha!

-There is definitly a lot of work, but we do still find ways to have fun and joke around! Im staying positive, but I do have my hard times where I dont want to teach or study but Im improving a lot everyday in a lot of differeent aspects!

-The MTC is good and I learn a lot, but I cant wait to go to Argentina!

I have to change my laundry now. I will type the mass email up soon and then we can chat back and forth for about 10-15 minutes I let you know when. Love You all!