Inviting Others to Come unto Christ (9-1-15)

Hey everyone, This week has been really sad honestly. So last week four elders in our district received their visa's and left only this morning at 8:30. Elder Cooke and Elder Picardo (they were companions) and then Elder Butterfield (who was Elder Buckners companion) and Elder Sant, my companion. So I now realize already how hard it is to leave your companion, he was super awesome, and we got along so well! I'll still be seeing him in the mission though, and not making any decisions already, but if I do decide to end up going to BYU we might room together! So inbetween all the changes, Elder Flake and Elder Crabtree are staying and they were already companions and me and Elder Buckner are now companions. Oh, and btw, I'm also just going to stay as District Leader. Normally, in the MTC they only have you serve for 3 week, but this last sunday I didn't get released so I'm staying for the full 6 weeks, and our district absorbed another district, so I am taking in 2 more elders, and actually I'll be over 2 sisters now, so that will be different. It's really not like I do much though anyway, sometimes I think my only job is to get the mail...Haha, but I also do give teaching assignments and meet in Branch council and stuff. I am loving serving in this way, and I'm actually kind of excited I'm not getting released! Someone told me that you receive a lot of help from the Lord as district leader, and after they were released they said everything was so much harder, so yay for blessings.

I have certainly been blessed here at the MTC, no where else is the spirit of the Lord so present, and can you receive so much help in learning the language and growing your testimony. I love everything I've learned since I've been here, and I like that just every now and then our teachers take a break from speaking Portuguese and will share with us a story from their missions or the scriptures! Brother Belchior did this awesome demonstration on the importance of reading the scriptures. He had us all take some time to write or family a letter, then when we were done he ripped them up...Needless to say, I was genuinely not happy. But I got over it after we all talked about how we felt and then explained that shows how the prophets feel when we take for granted the scriptures and don't read them like we should. Anyway, just thought it was excellent, and I plan on using that some day in a lesson. You're also welcome to use that anyone... Oh, and we got another new afternoon teacher to replace Brother Alves, his name is Brother Clements, and he is super awesome! Love him, and with only 4 of us left, I think that we will be able to really focus for the next 3 weeks and study extra hard and learn so much. We might even start an english fast in the next few days or so. Thank you all for the continued support and the Dear Elders! I love the packages and the food and all I can say is keep them coming. I am also happy to report that I have not gained any weight while here at that MTC, I am still a solid 190 currently, and they finally opened the gym back up so basketball has been on the agenda every other day, then inbetween me and Elder Sant would go lift. Not sure what me and Elder Buckner will do but we will see. Congrats to dad, I totally called the Bishopric! I know that he will do an amazing job, he has always been an excellent example to everyone around him. I have learned more and more each day actually how much he has taught me. I am so grateful to you dad for instilling me with a desire to be better, in all aspects of life, even when maybe I didn't quite want to listen. I have tried to follow his example and have found ways to use the lessons he taught me everyday at the MTC here. The final thing I want to close with is to share our purpose here at the MTC, which is, to Invite others to come unto Christ. So we actually teach members on Friday nights, and even though we aren't teaching them the same lessons as investigators, we always are told to do the same thing, and that is to invite them to come to Christ. Invitations are the most important part of our job as missionaries, because no matter how much we teach, investigators will only be converted through their own personal connection with the Lord. So, this week, I just want to invite everyone to look for opportunities to make their prayers more of a conversation with the lord. “The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 469). I have never prayed like I do here, and part of that is because i try and take the time to listen, more than just talk and go to bed, I would just invite everyone to meditate more and give the spirit time to tell you that he is there. Thanks love you all! Elder Wyatt