Letters from the MTC - 10-29-2014

Hello guys!

This first week is finally over! It was really long. All the missionaries here would say, "Make it to Sunday and you will be fine." That was very true. On my second day of being here, my companion and I taught a lesson to an 'investigator' in German. It was terrifying! I have learned so much since I got here. I have no doubt in my mind that God really is there and that he will answer our prayers if we pray with real intent, having faith in Christ (Moroni 10: 3-5). I have prayed more in one day here than I have in about 2-3 weeks back at home.  It is so important to have the spirit with you! With it, you can do anything!

I love Sunday's so much. This last Sunday, we had the best sacrament meeting ever!!!! It was the last meeting for the MTC German veterans, and the first meeting for the German Greenies. Oh my goodness, it the was best. The departing missionaries sung the song "We are as the Army of Helaman". I felt the spirit so strong! You know the feeling you get when you listen to your favorite song/band and you get goosebumps and you arm hairs stand up? It was like that and more! They sung so loud and bold! I don't normally admit this to people, but I was on the brink of tears!

I have awesome roommates! I live with Elder Banks (my companion), Elder Fultz, and Elder Wilde. Fultz and Wilde are the Zone Leaders for three weeks and I am the District Leader for about the same length. It is a little hard to bond with my companion. He is very sarcastic and doesn't really know when to back off. He 'complains' about how I take forever to do something (I think he is just a tad impatient) and he starts to shake his head when I don't know a word on our flashcards. Be patient dude! Anyway, I'll figure out how to get along better with him. He is really cool when we aren't focused on missionary stuff and with our schedule. When all four of us are in our rooms for the night, I get along with him great! The other Elders are really cool too! I wouldn't change my district for anything! We laugh and have fun every day.

For example, we are sitting at lunch and Elder Banks uses the salt shaker for his food. He sets the salt down on his tray so that he can use it again. Elder Fultz looks over at him because he needs the salt and says, " Hey Elder Banks? Are you going to finish your salt?" It might not sound as funny through email, but at that moment, it was hilarious. One thing that I should mention is this: things become a lot funnier when you are sitting around studying all day.

Guys, I know that this is where I am supposed to be. This is what I must do! I have already experienced terrible days as well as awesome days! People back home would always say, "This will be one of the hardest and most rewarding things you will ever do." I would always say to myself, "Yea it will be hard, but I can do it." I never knew how hard it was actually going to be until I started to drown here. I have hit rock bottom and the Lord is building me back up from scratch. I have learned that I must rely on the Lord and not think that I can do it myself. I have a bad tendency to not ask for help and to think that I don't need it. I also tend to think that I can do anything I want on my own. This is not true! The Lord had slapped me in the face to show me this! I can't wait to go to the temple today and to feel the spirit!

Die Kirche ist Wahr! Ich weis dass Gott leben! Ich weis dass das Buch Mormon wahr ist! (I know that the Church is true! I know that God lives! I know that the Book of Mormon is true!) I love you all and I plan on keeping in touch! I will figure out how to send photos home via email eventually. Thanks for the emails and mail! I don't just throw away the letters and delete the emails, I save them because they mean something to me! It really lifts my spirits and it helps me to feel connected to outside life.

D&C 10:5

Elder Grow

P.S. If people wish to send mail to me I have a mailing address:

Elder Kayl Gavin Grow
DEC02 GER-FRA
2007 N 900 E Unit 17
Provo UT 84602