This week seemed to go by very quickly, it is amazing how the service of the Lord can do that for you!
Thank you one and all for your amazing letters of support! It is so very good to hear from you all, and it brightens one's day when you can hear of how your dear friends are doing out in the "real world".
So, as I mentioned in the last e-mail, I have transferred to the Intermediate Spanish Area, and have a completely new district. In the district with Elder Skousen and I are: Elder Peñalba, Elder Stapely, Elder Glauser, Elder Hunt, Elder Najarro, Elder Morris, and Elder Armenta. They are all pretty much awesome!
The weekends here are very similar to the other days throughout the week, except for Sunday. Sunday was great because Elder Skousen and I got to go to our new Sunday meeting schedule. Our new branch presidency is great and they all love the Lord and missionary work so much!
Throughout the week, being taught by my teachers Hermano Hansen and Hermano Boaz, I realized that Spanish is really coming. The gift of tongues is so very real, and I can surely testify of that fact, because it's power and ability to cause us to speak in foreign tongues has blessed my life profoundly. I am able to not only understand, but speak this language so much better than a mere 3 weeks ago!
On Sunday we got to hear from one of the District Presidents here at the MTC. His name is President Wilkins, and he has served in many different capacities over the years, but his best experiences he spoke to us about were his experiences as a Mission President. He gave us some very good advice, and even got us to sing "I Hope They Call me on a Mission" during his talk. It was pretty fantastic singing that again after all these years past graduating Primary! And, he showed us a short movie clip of the effect of missionary work since the time that the church began. It listed the number of missionaries and stakes as the years progressed. A very good and inspiring movie to the song The Spirit of God.
Elder Skousen and I have received new investigators upon transferring (as we expected, so we weren't shocked to find out we had to teach. That is what we do, after all!) We have Patricio and Erick. Patricio is a good guy, but he has had his share of problems in life, and we are trying to show him how the Gospel is going to bless him in his life. And Erick, he is a kid our age who is trying to find his way to Christ and get close to his family, because they have never been really close. So, we are showing him just how the gospel will bless him and his entire family. Not only am I feeling the Spirit a lot more during these lessons, but Elder Skousen and I are becoming much better teachers of the gospel in Spanish!
On Tuesday, we had the great privilege to hear from another apostle! Elder Russell M. Nelson came and spoke to us about the Book of Mormon. It was a very powerful and spiritually enriching talk. I had the great privilege to sing in the choir for him, and we sang Consider the Lilies of the Field. What a beautiful song. He gave a very good history of the book (as it has been printed, not as it was written) and referenced how the King James Bible has helped it out so very much. He talked about very specific things, how the Book of Mormon is the tool for the Gathering of Israel, it is a companion to the Bible, and even specific scriptures that mean a lot to him, or that will be extremely helpful to us in the mission field. I was very grateful for his words of council and advice; but he asked a question at the beginning that I have been thinking about for awhile now. He asked a few volunteers to answer, but the question was: "What do you truly know about the Book of Mormon?" I have taken some serious thought about what I would say, and I think I came up with an answer if I could say one thing about the Book of Mormon. I know that the Book of Mormon is a sacred, holy record of God's children in the Ancient Americas and that it testifies, with incredible power and clarity, of the divinity and love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am so very excited for General Conference now, even though we unfortunately won't be taking a choir to sing. Ah well, leaves us with more time to enjoy listening to the sessions and talks!
This church is so true, and the Lord really does love each and every one of us. He hears our prayers, and He loves to hear from us and bless us. And please think: What do you truly know about the Book of Mormon?
All my love,
Elder Tinkham
