Here is Lonnie's first email from the MTC. Enjoy!
¡Buenos días a todos!
I was totally going to write in Spanish, but we don't have too much time and there's a lot that I want to say...
So. The first week is almost over. Oh boy! What a week it has been! My district is THEE best. I love my companion, Hermana Montoya. She's headed to Costa Rica, San Jose so I'm grateful that the Lord has given me this opportunity to serve with her for these 12 days. She's 21 and she's going to do amazing things down there. We mesh really well, however, we have problems with our door approach. I think people let us in down here because they pity us. That and because they don't know how to get rid of these Méxican and Gringa missionaries that are standing on their front porch. hehe We usually just introduce ourselves, say something really simple, and then look awkwardly at each other. And THEN we start laughing. Terrible, right? Yeah. We're going to work on it. But if any of you have any suggestions on how to improve ourselves, we would LOVE to hear them!
The rest of my district is wonderful. There are two other elders, Élder Candelario and Élder Dearden. I love both of them. And then there are two other sisters, Hermana Martinez and Hermana Luque. All four of us sisters live in the same apartment here on West campus. We all love each other dearly and can't even believe that we've only known each other for six days. The other hermanas call me the mother hen and I call them "mis pollitos." Look up the translation or ask Bonnie. She'll probably get it. :) But the point is, is that we've already made lifelong friends here. Everyone in the district is going to different missions, but the four other missionaries are going to México. I know I keep saying this, but we really do have the best district.
On Sunday, we had a devotional at the main campus (like they do every Sunday) and then they showed a couple of movies/MTC devotionals. We watched one entitled "The Character of Christ" by David A. Bednar. Holy. Horses. He is AMAZING!!! He talked about the type of man Christ was. How He responded to things, and how we need to step it up! He told us over and over and over that it's not about US, it's about our investigators. Let me see if I can find my notes....
He gave this devotional address at the MTC on Christmas Day in 2011. So not too long ago, but let me tell you! There's a reason why they play it every week! Here's a few things he said:
He was speaking to several recent converts about why they joined the Church and why they listened to the missionaries. This was one of their responses, "It was the most bizarre feeling/experience--young people who could not speak the language were speaking about gold bibles and angels.... We invited them back to teach, not because of what they said, but what we could feel." (Lonnie's comment: THIS is how we touch the lives of the investigators. We can't do anything on our own. If we did it our way, we would never make sense and they'd probably throw us into an insane asylum.... The Spirit is the one who breaks through that language and culture barrier.)
Elder Bednar then quoted Neal A. Maxwell, "There would have been no atoning sacrifice without the character of Christ."
He defined "character." Moral qualities strongly developed, strikingly displayed, and consistently lived. (SUPER deep, right?)
He compared the natural man to the cookie monster. We often want what we want and we want it NOW. It's selfish! We can think about ourselves because it's not about ourselves!
WE turn inward while the Savior always turns out. He never thinks about Himself. It's always about others. He then asked us, "Who cares what you want? The natural man in you does...." He was SO blunt, and I loved it! I wish he could tell the whole Church what he told us.
Ay! I don't have a lot of time. So one more thought.
"A testimony will NEVER be enough. Never enough for you, never be enough for them (the investigators). Never be enough to make them have a testimony. If you are CONVERTED to the Lord, you will never fall away."
Listen to Elder Bednar! We each need to live our own missions and convert ourselves! We should always be our greatest convert. We need to convert ourselves before we convert others.
I have been learning A LOT. Too much to write about. I pray that each of you will continue to learn each day--learn more about the Savior, learn more about the gospel, learn more about others. Keep moving forward and depend completely on the Lord! I am so blessed to be here in the MTC. I know I am blessed with an amazing family (EVERYONE is family!) back home. Thanks to everyone for your love, support, and prayers! I love you all!
Love always,
Hermana McCulloch
