Elders in the Hood: Week 2

Hola! Week two is over! The days are long but the weeks are fast. Basically my days consist of a 3 hour study period in the morning, one for personal study, one for companionship study, and another for language study. Then after lunch and exercise hour we have a 3 hour period for language/ spiritual lessons given by my teacher Hermano Wolfe. And then after dinner we have another period just like the previous, but with my other teacher Hermano Norton. I have a good 15 pounds of Spanish books we are studying from that were given to me immediately when I got here. The language is hard but it's coming. I can bare my testimony, pray, and say the first vision in Spanish now!

The only days that have different schedules are Sunday, Tuesday, and of course, Wednesday (My Preparaion Day or Pday). Sunday and Tuesday we have devotionals and so far we have had several members of the quorum of the 70 come to speak to us and Vai Sikahema who is a retired NFL player for the Packers! He also was the first Tongan to ever be in the NFL. The devotionals have helped a lot. Being here at the MTC I have been so conflicted with what I need to be worrying about or what my priorities need to be. Whether I should focus on edifying myself or completely focus on others. But through the devotionals I know now that even though my mission is about serving others, it's also about me, and putting myself higher on the ladder so I can lift others up.

Singing in Conference was amazing! I loved the spirit there as we sang, and I Ioved being so close to the speakers! After conference we had many people from the 70 come up and speak to us, annnd Elder Russel M. Nelson came and spoke to us too! Of course I couldn't understand a word any of them said because the organ behind us was still playing, but it was still cool! And I know you probably didn't see me if you were looking for me, and that's because I prayed that the camera wouldn't put me on hahahaha. I prayed before we sang that I would be able to sing with the spirit and that I wouldn't worry about whether I got on camera or not and that it wouldn't distract me from singing with the spirit. But if you'd like to go back and see my little body in a zoomed out frame, I was singing with the 1st Tenors allllllll the way to the left, literally next to the wood railing on the fifth row up! And if you'd like a closer look at me I know that there is one time during a song that you could see my hair haha.

To finish I'd probably say my favorite part at the MTC so far is the relationship I am creating with my Heavenly Father. I have asked many questions and with in minutes I received answers. When you are seeking answers for things that concern the serving of others or edifying yourself to be able to better serve others, Heavenly Father won't hold back. And I will testify that if you want answers, ask questions to your Heavenly Father through prayer and seek answers in the scriptures. All of the answers I have received from Him in my two weeks here have been in the scriptures. Of course sometimes we need patience, we work in Heavenly Father's time. Ponder your questions oft and seek answers in the scriptures. Amen!

Love,

Elder Alger

Fall Actually Exists in Utah!!!!!