As I leave the Missionary Training Center, this is all I have to say: I'm thrilled to go and do!
WITHIN WAY LESS THAN 100HRS, I'LL BE IN FIJI!
Au vinakata mo cakava oqo, me rawa kina mo ciqoma na veivakaoulogatataki ni kosipeli, ka ciqoma kina na levu ni nona lomani iko na Truaga, ka ciqoma kina na isau ni nomu taro. Au lomani keimami!!! Kece keimami cakava me'u, e veivakaoulogatataki au, sara vakalevu! Iko luve ni Kalou! Kila dina vuku na Yalo Tabu. E daumarau, kece na gauna!!!! Kerekere!!The MTC has taught me SUCH indispensably KEY things!
- Humility. I have been begging and pleading for this on a full and pleasing level before Him, every day. And the Lord has so perfectly and fully answered this constant, earnest and sincere pleading of my heart and soul. He is so wise!!!!! My love for Him is expanding without measure, with each minute I'm here serving Him! Truly the way to know Him, is to do His will and work and joy WITH HIM. I absolutely know He put me in the perfect companionship, the exact district I needed, and He gave me just the Branch Presidency I needed, and He's given me all the experiences I needed to be prepared to go forth to His beyond-beloved Children in Fiji. Oh the lengths He goes to to directly address, bring about, and acknowledge the prayers of us, His children~! I KNOW WITH PERFECT KNOWLEDGE that He hears us! I know He hears every word. I know it! And He commands me to boldly and unquestionably testify of it. What more valuable knowledge could one have with complete surety?
- Using Agency To ALWAYS Choose Joy (at every minute throughout the day) You have agency!!!! You are free to choose and act for yourself! If you can always choose joy, then why would you ever choose anything other than it? We are free to choose to look to the Light and focus on it, or the shadows. IT'S SO OBVIOUS! Choose always in every second all the way, to only and fully look to the light! If you do this, the shadows will fall behind you every time!
You are a Child of God with great strength! You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances.
- Look Up & Reach Out, Be Grateful for Everything (especially be grateful for your trials... if you do this, you win! They are no longer trials, and the Lord is able to help you fully and unrestrained once you're trusting Him enough to THANK Him for the trial) -the formula to always being ridiculously happy; regardless of circumstances!
- Rely on the Spirit LITERALLY ALL THE WAY! I have truly learned I am--and can do--nothing without it. I'm not the one who will bring souls unto Christ, His forgiveness, healing and exaltation and eternal life. The Spirit is the one who does that. I am simply the one who brings people the Spirit by truly loving them as Heavenly Father does.
- I've learned that the Hymn (LDS hymnbook p.124, "Be Still My Soul.") is true: "In every change, He faithful will remain. [Therefore,] be still my soul." I can do all things He requires, hopes, highest wishes of me--as I trust His love and rely on His power and enabling and uplifting strength. WHAT AWESOME KNOWLEDGE THIS IS!!!
- I have truly come to know the Atonement on an significantly deeper level. If I had more space to write, I would share with you 20 pages of what I've learned about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Smiling contests :)
Last night, a living Apostle of the living Savior, Jesus Christ who personally leads and directs this church, spoke to us! Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles, spoke to thousands and thousands and thousands of missionaries just like me, in 14 MTC's all around the globe! He spoke here at the Provo MTC, but it was broadcast to ALL the MTC's in the world! I got to sing to Elder Oaks for the Devotional! The entire night, (as usual,) I couldn't stop smiling! I was having smiling contests with people! I felt the Spirit, and I must testify with all my heart and everything that I have, that I know that man is truly God's literal apostle. We are literally led by living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. I know this church is true; and I do not just say that. I know it! I mean it, and I know it for myself, from my Heavenly Father. How? Because I put this gospel to the test by living it and having a sincere heart, faith in Christ and a willingness to act and do and pray and fast and earnestly seek. As I live the gospel, the Holy Ghost has born witness of the truth of this fullness of the eternal, everlasting gospel of Christ... I have received witnesses of truth and impressions upon the soul of the reality of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ, (as President James E. Faust has said:) "So deeply that no earthly power or authority can separate me from that knowledge."