Faith like a seed

Dear Family,

I am already on my 6th week! It is amazing how short of a time I feel like I have been here.  I was running with my companion to play volleyball at the sand pit and I saw all of the Haywoods and Alex! They don't look like at all what they used too look like! I visited with them for a couple of minutes and I am really excited to have someone I know here!  One of my roommates got sent a box full of Martinelli's and Salsa so were having a fiesta today! I am so happy to be at the MTC - every day I learn something new and I am honestly really excited to study every day.  I have been reading in Alma and especially in chapters 32-34. I have almost every verse marked up with notes. The devotional this week was one of my favorites so far.  It was given by Elder and Sister Carlson on Tuesday.  Elder Carlson was a general and in the Pentagon on September 11th when it was hit. Both of them talked about the incredible sacrifice that the armed forces make in order to keep us safe! One of there big messages was DON'T FORGET SEP. 11th! Elder Carlson also talked a lot about obedience and the connection it has to becoming truly converted and gaining a testimony. Obedience doesn't inform God of our goodness, it transforms us! Something else he said that was really important is how to become a successful missionary. 

There are 3 things: 

1. Develop Christlike Attributes 

2. Study the Missionary Program / PMG (Preach my Gospel) and the Scriptures 

3.  Reliance on the Holy Ghost.

 He also talked about how a missionary should only measure his success by how many times he/she - while teaching someone - feels the Holy Ghost helping them teach.  That way the missionary knows that the investigator knows what they are saying is true. The number of times that happens is what measures success.

Elder Pack and I taught what I feel like was our best lesson yesterday. We are teaching a guy named Angel who is a taxi driver who works all day and all night to feed his family... and he wants to be a barber. Anyway, we have had a tough time getting him to church and also to follow through on commitments. So this lesson we taught an object lesson so that he hopefully understand the importance of Faith in Christ. We gave him a seed/ acorn I found and talked about how our faith is like a seed in that it needs to be fed and put in the right places in order for it to grow - which he understood perfectly.  Then we went into a lot more depth in the scriptures about how he can develop his faith by going to church, reading scripture, and strengthening his relationship with God through prayer. At the end of the lesson he committed to be baptized! Every day we are supposed to center all of our study on our investigators and I read about Alma and Amulek teaching the Zoramites and how Alma related that story to them. Right after reading that story, I knew that it was what Angel needed to learn about.

I got the package you guys sent! Thank you for the cards, nuts, granola bars, and coat.  I put the drivers license in a safe place! Thank you for the stars, too. one of my roommates took a bunch of Astronomy so we have like 10 constellations! I will take a picture and send it next email! Also congratulations to Todd and Rosie! I can't wait to meet Kyle!

From,

Elder Neifert