So another week has gone by, and I am writing home again. A lot of things have happened this week, I don't know if I can share them all, I have only limited time to write e-mails. I appreciate all the letters and packages I have recieved from everyone, it nice to get mail on occasion. In your letter you asked what scripture to put on my plaque, I would choose 3 Nephi 18:20, that is a scripture I have always liked a lot. This week we learned more about how to teach. We actually eased up a little bit on the Tagalog and focused on teaching this week. While learning about how to teach investigators, I really came to appreciate the Mission Preparation classes I had taken from Bro. Templeman, Bro. Bott, and Sister Wight. Although I am still not completely comfortable teaching in Tagalog, I find that because I am comfortable and familiar with the doctrine, and how to teach in English it becomes less stressful for me than some of the other missionaries. I am so glad that we practiced teaching so much in Mission Preparation. I am also glad I memorized the First Vision, because now I have to memorize it in Tagalog, and it is easier for me because I am the only one in my district who knows it in English.
This week for the first time we taght at the TRC. I think TRC stands for Teaching Resource Center. At the TRC we teach real people who speak Tagalog. In the missionary purpose it states we are to invite others to come unto Christ, in the TRC we are supposed to invite others to come unto Christ. The TRC volunteers are mostly LDS returned missionaries, but when we teach them we can still help them to come unto Christ. When my companion and I were preparing a lesson to give, I felt prompted to give a lesson regarding prayer. We prepared some statements about prayer in Tagalog and looked up some scriptures. We ended up teaching a man who was born in Bagiuo and grew up speaking Tagalog, he went on his mission to Idaho. He was a really nice guy. We ran out of time while talking to him about prayer, and didn't say everything we had wanted to say, but the Spirit was present and we said some things that helped him. Afterwards he said that he was reminded about how important prayer is, and how he can pray at any time for help. I was so glad that we were able to bring others to Christ. The teaching I do is all in Tagalog, which means it is very broken and hard to understand. But even when teaching in broken sloppy Tagalog we can bring the spirit and bring others to Christ. I've come to see that the language is by no means most important. Learning the language will certainly help me to bring others to Christ, but the most important skill is following and teaching with the Spirit. I am glad I have learned to recognize the Holy Ghost in my life, it would be difficult now if I didn't know what the Spirit felt like. I wouldn't be able to follow those promptings, or bring the Spirit in my teaching. I know that what I'm doing is what the Lord wants me to do. I know that because he has told me through the Holy Spirit. I am out of time now, I think I type to slow because there is much more I would like to include. I love the Gospel, I love all of you at home.
Sincerely,
Elder Nathaniel Merrill
No comments:
Post a Comment