Here are some pictures. There's our Christmas tree, opening presents on Christmas, a picture with me and Elder Palmer who I went to Snow with (he plays trumpet), a picture of my district before Hermana Prince left, a picture of me and her, and some others. (Future missionaries: Apparently you can make lots of money at the MTC if you have someone buy lots of SD card-readers in bulk for cheap, send them to you, and then you sell them for $4 or $5 dollars. There is a lot of demand here! :) That's what an Elder in my district has been doing the last week or so and that's why I'm finally sending pictures. I got one!)
This has been quite the MTC experience for my district. Hermana Prince left to Guatemala on Monday. On Sunday there was a departure devotional and guess who showed up for a few minutes? President Uchtdorf, who was doing the CES devotional down the road! The First Presidency rarely comes to the MTC and he showed up at President Brown's door unannounced. How crazy would that be? But the best part is that before she and her companion, Hermana Kennard, went into the devotional, Hermana Kennard helped a lady with a German accent with the paper towels. It was President Uchtdorf's wife! So we've had Elder Holland, Elder Nelson, and President Uchtdorf here while we've been here.
But it gets better.
Last night, for our Tuesday Night Devotional guess who came? There was President David F. Evans, Bishop Cousseau (spelling?) and many others from the missionary executive council including Elder Holland again!!! I don't think I've ever seen so many general authorities together besides at conference. Elder Holland spoke to us. He talked to us about how there has never been a more exciting time to be a missionary. "I don't know what you did in the premortal life to work your way up in the cue to be able to serve in 2013, but congratulations!" Elder Holland feels so strongly about missionary work and he has gone around the world testifying that no one could ever be more affected by a mission than he was. He also always talks about his theory that every prophet and missionary from ancient days who knew that their dispensation would eventually end in apostasy were able to keep going because God showed them our day and they knew that finally it would work. Finally we would win. Finally the gospel would never again be taken from the earth and the Savior would come in glory to inherit his kingdom on this earth. We will not fail! This gospel is going to roll forth to fill the earth and it is just starting to pick up steam. So the future of the church rests on our shoulders. Who in this world would entrust the future of their organization to 18,19, 0r 20 year-olds? Yet God has done just that in His infinite wisdom. And we, the youth of the church, need to be better than Elder Holland was, better even than Nephi, Alma, Helaman, and Ammon. We need to be mature, spiritual, strong, and bold. We must be converted! Elder Holland cannot live with an inactive returned missionary. If anyone was supposed to get it, if anyone during a mission was supposed to be converted, it's the missionary! You don't want to return from a mission "to real life" go inactive, "get a tattoo, braid your hair or whatever" and then meet Elder Holland in a dark Alley. :) This is the Lord's work, and we are to do it His way, and if we do, our missions will change us. "This IS real life!! capital R, capital L. You don't take a break from life for two years to serve a mission and then return to 'real life!!'" So, if you've returned from a mission and you aren't studying your scriptures, praying, and fasting like you did on a mission you need to take a look at where your at and figure out who's work you are supposed to be about. As a missionary, I need to teach with power and authority, but so does every parent, Sunday school teacher, and church leader. And we can't teach with power and authority if we don't have the Spirit, and we can't have the Spirit if we're not being obedient. If we strive to be obedient and invite the Spirit into our lives and become more converted each day, we will be succeeding. It is a simple formula.
And then Elder Holland offered a dedicatory prayer for three completely renovated buildings on this campus. And it was unlike any prayer I've ever heard. It's almost unrepeatable, much like the prayers the Savior offered among the Nephites. But I do want to mention that in his prayer he asked Heavenly Father to protect the doors and windows of the MTC with angels, so that, in light of recent events, no weapon or bomb would ever enter here, no act of violence or vandalism would ever be commited, EVER! I started crying at that point. There ARE angels here and they aren't mortal. Very real, very Heavenly beings watch over the MTC and every missionary throughout the world. We are not alone. We are not unprotected. Yet, as Elder Holland prayed, cement and steel, and even angels will do us little good if we are not faithful and converted. And he asked Heavenly Father to help us be as stalwart as the buildings here. The Spirit was incredibly strong. I have never seen so clearly in my life. I have never felt so affected by a prayer. Elder Holland is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and he has very real power and authority. This is God's church on the earth. The Second Coming has already begun. When it will end, we dont' know, but we CAN now that it is happening. The gospel is going forth. God leads this church. We will not fail!
I am so thankful for all of your support, your testimonies, and your help. I am so humbled to have been called to be a missionary, a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Youth of the church, Rusty, Sam, Finlay, NOW is the time to prepare! Now is the time to start being converted. Study the scriptures every day, with purpose. Pray sincerely and mightily. Read the words of the living prophets. Watch Mormon messages. Go to Seminary. Go to Young Men's. Go to church. Be good, say good, do good. This is the Lord's work and it is what life is all about!
I love you all so much and may we all still be brothers and sisters in the Lord when we are again re-united!
-Elder Ryan Lofthouse-
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