Week Four from Brooklyn - at the Provo MTC - June 18, 2014

All is well,

 This week after our TRC lessons, Sister Palmer and I saw a man down the hall talking with our district. My face immediately lit up once I realized who is was. SASHA!!!! He is a Russian convert. I don't know if I've even told anyone about Sasha, but I met him when Sister Twede and I went up to the Russian branch in Salt Lake. He left a huge impression on me. So let me draw a visual image for you about him. Holy cow. That man... is thee most hardcore Russian man I've ever met. He is HUUUUGE, just tall and ripped and looks like he could break someone in half. Basically he looks like he'd play the perfect part in a movie for the leader of the Mafia.

He speaks amazing English with a thick, beautiful Russian accent. And when he talks you are always amazed with what profound things he says.  It is just amazing to me that HE is a convert. It just goes to show that God really does know his children, even the hardest looking, scariest looking Russian man is a child of God. It's just amazing to me.

As a missionary you talk to EVERYONE. Do not assume that someone does not want the gospel just because they look scary. Sasha is living evidence of that! After listening to Sasha speak to us
I just realized how much I love Russians, and I know 
God loves Russians. I'm so excited for Russia! 

During our lesson with Nastia this week (who is actually our teacher, sis jackson) Sister Palmer had a prompting in the middle of our lesson to stop and pray. We asked Nastia to say it, and while she prayed in her beautiful Russian she began to cry. It's amazing to know we are teaching with the spirit so strongly that even our teachers, as REAL people, are touched. I don't exactly get along with Sister Jackson but as I have taught her as an investigator I have felt my love grow for her more, it's really actually interesting... I don't get along with her as a teacher, but I get along with her as Nastia. There's something wrong there haha:)

Oh! Something cool... There's a teacher here named Brother Parsons. He is a champion, and he served in Yekaterinburg and said that he heard lots about my brother and went into his same areas and found people he taught in the area book.

Also an Elder in our district got a concussion this week... because someone was tickling him and he ended up throwing his head back into a wall while being tickled.

This week for the devotional Elder Ballard spoke to us. After the devotional we gathered together as a district for our own little district devotional. I was very distracted during Elder Ballard's talk and afterward in our meeting. I have realized that my will has not been aligned with God's will. That is not good as a missionary :) As I realized this it troubled my mind greatly. Everyone else in my district had shared their thoughts/testimonies except for me. I said a small prayer asking for God's help, but I felt that the spirit was absent. I looked at 2 lines from my notes and just decided to talk about that because I was not feeling inspired about anything in the least.

As I stood the speak the most marvelous thing happened... my mouth was filled. I was suddenly given thoughts and words and was able to bear one of the strongest and most honest testimonies that I ever have in my life. I spoke about how missionary work is SO important to Christ because not only are these people OUR brothers and sisters, but they are HIS too. He knows us better than we do, he has felt our pains, he remembers each of us from the pre-mortal life. But there is also another brother we have... who also remembers us from the pre-mortal life, and because he knows us so well he is able to use our weaknesses against us. And although I don't understand everything about the atonement... I know that it works. I have seen people's lives changed because of it. Returned missionaries are the #1 example in my opinion. Some of them go out into the field as punks, and they return as some of the most valiant men I've ever seen. They could not do that on their own. The atonement changed them, and I know it can change us. As I spoke I even got a little bit emotional, and that just doesn't happen to me when I'm bearing my testimony! It just felt so good, it felt so real and sincere coming from myself. I didn't say anything I didn't know or anything I didn't mean. It was all honest. It was all truth. Bearing that testimony gave me the witness that God is proud of me, that he wants me to stop worrying so much... and that he will not abandon me. Even when I don't feel worthy of his help.

As I laid in bed that night I just felt God's love for me, I felt peace, I am feeling the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the fact that I can recognize that is so humbling to me. I love missionary work, I feel like I am in heaven here in the MTC. 

Til next week.

-Sister Wilson

• It shall be given thee in the very moment what thou shalt speak or write:D&C 24:6; ( D&C 84:85; )

• The Holy Ghost will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance:John 14:26;
• The voice of the Lord came into my mind:Enos 1:10;
• Everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good is inspired of God:Moro. 7:13–16;
• I will tell you in your mind and in your heart:D&C 8:2;
• My Spirit shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy:D&C 11:13;
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