Dear Family and Friends,
This
week at the MTC has been incredible. Let me just say that it is
impossible to be at the MTC and not go through the "refiner's fire."
Even if the work load, being away from family, and lack of personal time
doesn't get you down, God somehow miraculously finds away to show you
every single weakness you have ever had in your life, and at the same
time shows you that He loves you anyway. While being here, my
perception of my purpose really changed. It's something more sacred
than I imagined. It's to live up to my temple covenants and really take
Christ's name upon me so that I can be His mouthpiece. It's not about
baptisms, it's about being there, helping them come unto Christ every
step of the way because you yourself are converted to the Lord , and His
gospel is what converts and can truly change us.
We spend so much time as a district every day that loving them
like family was inevitable. All of us are needing to lean on our Savior
as we become more converted to the Lord. We cannot teach what we don't
know, and well all are leaning on each other. Our motto, we decided,
and put outside our classroom door is Alma 26:27. Look it up. :)
Being at the MTC where the Spirit is so abundant is amazing,
because I'm learning so much that normally I would just forget. I'm
recording it all in my journal, but I think I'll share the most
important thing I've learned recently.
We watched a devotional that was recorded in 2009 during Christmas
when Elder Bednar came and spoke to the missionaries. Unfortunately,
all MTC devotionals are in no way open to the public so you can't just
go look it up on youtube. =/ It was so inspiring. He talked about
Matthew 4 and how the primary temptation for Jesus wasn't necessarily
all that Satan offered Him, but it was to take the things Satan was
offering to him to prove who He was, that he actually was the Son of
God, or to defend himself. Elder Bednar taught how the primary
character trait of the Savior is that He always turns outward, never
inward. Jesus sought to care for others always: in the garden, when he
was betrayed, on the cross.... every one of his moments was never to do
anything except sacrifice for those around him.
I think Bednar's talk touched me so much because I had decided a
long time ago what true love was. I had analyzed it so much that I knew
in my heart that true love was Sacrifice. I felt guilty knowing I had
lived so long knowing that and yet still reverted to my selfish ways.
It's of course a process of trying every day to be less selfish, but I
know that through God all things are possible. Apparently, Elder Bednar
came out with a book recently that talks about it. I don't remember
what it is called though.
I'm so grateful I am here and able to serve. There are so many
miracles that have happened in regards to priesthood blessings, monetary
things, changed hearts, to write them all down would take the whole
day. I am so excited to serve the people of Peru. My Spanish is still
ridiculously poor, but I've already seen how God gives you the words to
say when you know you can't speak the language on your own. The gift of
tongues is real.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Love,
Hermana Bendixen
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