August 30, 2013 Email Letter

Ok, I will now answer your Sunday question so I won't have to in my letter. Sundays are truly a day of rest for us as missionaries in the MTC. We basically just have study time all day, whenever we have a spare moment (and we have many). We have priesthood at 9:40, District meeting at 2:00, Sacrament at 3:15, Temple walk at 4:15, and a devotional at 7:00. All the other time is ours to study. We can't go to our residence until 9:30, so we just stay in our classroom and read scriptures, study Korean, watch Mormon messages, and listen to church songs. I love Sundays best of all, because we can just relax. I get my best gospel study done on Sunday.

I have been able to attend the Temple 2 times since we got here.  The temple is always the single best highlight of my week. I am so excited to go again today! :)

We get 50 minutes of scheduled exercise time almost every day (not sundays or P-days, though we can work out if we choose on P-day). But it is not really enough, especially when your companion wants to leave early or wants to do something else like soccer for gym! Urgh! ;) I am fine with it though, because fitness is not the reason we are here. It is much more fun and fulfilling to do God's work. And to learn a new language. :) But, I am super out of shape. I ran about 2 miles a few days ago, and I almost died! Elder Rosenberg runs with me a lot, and Elder Thomas does the auxiliary workouts with me (like abs and pushups). I love them all to death! I also do wall sits when I wait for my companion in the bathroom... hehehe!

Thanks for that spiritual thought! I needed to hear that, as it can pertain directly to missionary work. We aren't teaching in our name, but in Christ's name, so we don't need to worry about our lack of faith. He is used to using imperfect tools. I was an imperfect tool yesterday in our lesson, as I hadn't prepared the right one for our "investigator". But, despite feeling like i had failed the Lord, I learned an important lesson. I hope I can remember this lesson, and not have to learn it again in Korea! We must have our love for Christ and for the investigator as our single most motivating factor. If we are feeling charity, the pure love of Christ, then we are led by the Spirit and will touch their hearts. If we are too focused on what part of the lesson comes next, or which lesson makes logical sense to teach, we aren't acting out of charity, but out of our own pride. I need to do better, but now I realize how I can. I am so grateful for a Father who knows how to best tune me to match His will. He knows what He's doing.

I love you all so much!!! I will try to write a letter today, but I may just have to work on it at night. Thanks for the letters, packages, love, and prayers. Also, thanks for paying for so much of my mission! I am beginning to realize how much it takes to support a missionary! You guys are awesome! I love you! :)

I will email you again in a week! :)

~Elder "D" Wilcox