Monday, May 27, 2013 - Week 7 (Salt Lake City West Mission)

On June 23, the World Wide Leadership Broadcast, the Brethren are calling it a "Historic Event" which they never use. Chances are there will be significant changes to the way missionaries and Wards and Stakes interact.

The Salt Lake City West Mission is very different. Some missionaries are authorized to use a missionary Facebook account and do online proselyting and networking in the area. A few have iPads and iPhones. They hope to roll out more in both. The planners we have are different. See photo below. This mission does many things different under the close watch of the Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and others. They want to try different things. One of the things they do differently is put great emphasis on reactivation, just as much as other proselyting. They saying that the leaders are using are "A Reactivation is just as important as a Baptism" or variations.

There is a shift coming in the missionary program, and we are on the front edge of it. The numbers in our stakes in the mission are great because of the emphasis on reactivations. There is greater cohesion between the stake and the missionaries and they want it even better, stronger and more streamlined.

Friday, May 17, 2013 - Week 6 (MTC)

I've been temporarily reassigned to Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. I'm leaving by train on Tuesday at 8:00am. Everyone seems to be getting these reassignments as we are waiting for our Visas.

I've been off of my foot and it's healing well. I think I can start running again next week. I don't think I'll need to use all that you sent me. It really wasn't that bad.

Sis. Ayala said that I am doing very well with Spanish. Sometimes she jokingly says that I'm the best, but takes it back so no one will be offended. There are 9 in our district, and some instructors have been taking us out in random pairs to do more individual coaching. I was left to the end. Some questioned if I even needed it.

Russell M. Nelson spoke in the devotional on Tuesday. The person over managing all the MTCs was there and Elder Nelson said near the beginning, "We have 17 MTCs now?" "15" "Well, get going." There will be 405 missions by July 1, 2013. He said to make page 240 of the topical guide and all 57 subtitles our personal, private core curriculum. (See listing below for Page 240 of the topical guide)

Jesus Christ

See also Bread of Life ; Cornerstone ; God, Creator ; Godhead ; God the Father, Jehovah ; Jesus Christ, Advocate ;Jesus Christ, Antemortal Existence of ; Jesus Christ, Appearances, Antemortal ; Jesus Christ, Appearances, Postmortal ; Jesus Christ, Ascension of ; Jesus Christ, Atonement through ; Jesus Christ, Authority of ; Jesus Christ, Baptism of ; Jesus Christ, Betrayal of ; Jesus Christ, Birth of ; Jesus Christ, Condescension of ; Jesus Christ, Creator ;Jesus Christ, Crucifixion of ; Jesus Christ, Davidic Descent of ; Jesus Christ, Death of ; Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship ;Jesus Christ, Exemplar ; Jesus Christ, Family of ; Jesus Christ, Firstborn ; Jesus Christ, Foreordained ; Jesus Christ, Glory of ; Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd ; Jesus Christ, Head of the Church ; Jesus Christ, Jehovah ; Jesus Christ, Judge ; Jesus Christ, King ; Jesus Christ, Lamb of God ; Jesus Christ, Light of the World ; Jesus Christ, Lord ; Jesus Christ, Mediator ; Jesus Christ, Messenger of the Covenant ; Jesus Christ, Messiah ; Jesus Christ, Millennial Reign ;Jesus Christ, Mission of ; Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son ; Jesus Christ, Power of ; Jesus Christ, Prophecies about ;Jesus Christ, Redeemer ; Jesus Christ, Relationships with the Father ; Jesus Christ, Resurrection ; Jesus Christ, Rock ;Jesus Christ, Savior ; Jesus Christ, Second Comforter ; Jesus Christ, Second Coming ; Jesus Christ, Son of Man ; Jesus Christ, Spirit of ; Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of ; Jesus Christ, Teaching Mode of ; Jesus Christ, Temptation of ;Jesus Christ, Trials of ; Jesus Christ, Types of, in Anticipation ; Jesus Christ, Types of, in Memory ; BD Jesus

May 11, 2013 - Foot Update (MTC)

I went to the health clinic and I have Plantar Fasciitis. He gave me a prescription for Naproxen. Just as I was getting better at volleyball and was planning on going running everyday in the morning with others in the district, he said no running, volleyball, sprinting, or anything else that will put more force than usual on the foot.

Friday, May 10, 2013 - Week 5 (MTC)

What's the difference between a cat an a semicolon? One has claws at the end of its paws and the other has pause at the end of its clause.

I got sick Monday night. I slept through most of Tuesday and Wednesday, and now I'm over it. I would have just pushed through, but Bro. Parke brought up that the MTC prefers sick people to stay in the Residence to keep people from getting sick since there are so many people and great potential to spread. Sleeping when you're sick actually works :P.

I hosted on Wednesday. I said when I dropped them off in their class "If you have any further concerns: D&C 6:36" [Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.] and wrote it on their yellow envelope. Our neuralizers were issued yesterday. We'll be trained on how to use them to prevent failed lessons next week.

Something is wrong with my foot. I'm going into the health clinic today.

During a devotional, the speaker was asking a group of people one by one what they gave up to go on a mission. One said "I left my girl." to which he responded "On behalf of all the returned missionaries, we thank you for your donation."

I'm training everyone in the Zone to lead music, select hymns, etc. by district in workshops and it's a lot of work.

Thank Grandma for the cookies. Everything they've sent I've been sharing with the zone because I simply can't eat it all. "Sorrow shared is half sorrow. Joy shared is twice joy." -Swedish proverb.

"Demeaning others demeans us." -Sis. Hacking

"Reverence is needed for revelation. Reverence towards God means reverence to prophets, scripture, and revelation. Reverence requires action through scripture study, and making righteous decisions. Irreverence is the will of the adversary. Irreverence shows that we don't see a difference between the Holy and the profane. Inspiration comes more easily in quiet, reverent environments." -Pres. Hacking

"The Lord has called you to succeed, not to fail. He inspired your call. He will not abandon you." -Elder Scott

"Stay close to our Rescuer." -Pres. Nally

-E. Damitz

Friday, May 3, 2013 - Week 4 (MTC)

Some thoughts: Richard G. Scott when he spoke said that responses for our prayers come in three ways. 1) An affirmative feeling or response, 2) A negative stupor, or bad feelings, or 3) no response at all. He said the last one is the hardest, but it it a good thing. It means the Lord trusts you enough to let you make the decision on your own. He will not let you go too far without properly and clearly warning you. President Tyler said that as members of the church, especially those who were baptized young forget that we live in the 72 degree warmth of the Spirit. It is not an event where we "feel the Spirit" but rather we always do, just in different ways. We do, however recognize when it is not there. We must continually recognize that he is with us, and always act so as to continually rely on Him through everything we face. We are prompted more than we realize, and when we do realize when we are prompted, we are more sensitive to promptings.

Go to the LDS Bible Videos and watch the "Bread of Life". (Click on link below) It should be the newest one. One of the contenders against Christ I am certain is Bro. Huntington. Bro. Stewart's "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer" showed up as the musical number for this last Devotional.

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/i-am-the-bread-of-life?lang=eng

-E. Damitz

Friday, April 26, 2013 - Week 3 (MTC)

Things are busy. The Lassig Grandparents sent brownies. I gave a brownie to everyone in the Zone. Hermano Parke says he's very impressed with me. He said that I'm very fluent and have a significant vocabulary for only being here for 2 weeks. He also said that I have a great accent and that I don't sound like a gringo. Hermana Ayala (Alejandra) is now teaching us as well. They look to me for corrections on some occasion, especially when it comes to placement of accents.

-E. Damitz

Friday, April 19, 2013 - Week 2 (MTC)

The Spanish is coming. The work is great. We went to the temple this morning. The Provo temple is just across the street. The church is true. Make it simple and choose faithfulness.

"Be Still My Soul" Last Verse

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

-E. Damitz

Saturday, April 14, 2013 - Week 1 (MTC)

The MTC is reasonably well kept and well organized. I am rooming with 5 other elders despite the room only being designed for 4. Nonetheless, the situation is not unmanageable. Three of the elders in our branch were supposed to go to the Colombia MTC, but due to visa issues, they are here. Two of them had there paperwork go though yesterday, and will be leaving Monday. It is remarkable to see how well things work here, not just from a logistic standpoint, but in its specific purpose as well. Here it is most evident how one is refined for Church service. Only in few places like these can you clearly see how jagged rocks are tumbled chaotically about and somehow are tuned into into carefully designed cogs and mechanisms for the work. There is a spirit of comfort here, and many other things that are not found elsewhere. Despite not having been in the MTC 3 days we were expected to, as a companionship, teach an investigator in Spanish. Elder Carlson and I took our failures quite hard, though afterwards the observer (who only observed our teaching amongst 4 others) said that we had done very well and he seemed genuine. Destroyed, we walked outside to study and soon after we sat down, the bells on BYU played the first few lines of "Come, come, ye saints" and was of great comfort. We will be teaching her again today.

"All is well, all is well."

-Elder Damitz