Family and Friends,
Last email from the US of A!
First spiritual experience time. Ok so people talk
about the Gift of Tongues all the time and the Spirit of Discernment, I
had experienced it by way of learning the language faster than usual but
I hadn't suddenly understood everything an investigator was saying then
magically had been able to communicate perfectly back to them, which is
what I thought the Gift of Tongues was. This week I was able to
experience the true gift of tongues as it was intended. We were meeting
with an investigator here at the MTC and the Mongolian words were flying
left and right. She was speaking really fast and I wasn't understanding.
I hadn't talked in a while and I knew she would ask me a question. I
prayed for guidance and help. When I concluded my silent prayer the
investigator, sure enough, looked right at me. She wanted to join the
church but she was being beaten by her husband and she was afraid. I
understood that much. She was looking expectantly at me, so I opened my
English scripture praying what I needed would be right there, it was.
Isaiah 41:10. I had her read the scripture in Mongolian out loud and,
though I struggled, I spoke to her in Mongolian about the scripture and
told her she has no need to fear as long as she has faith. The moral of
this story and what I took away from this experience is that the Gift of
Tongues may not manifest itself as a powerful sudden fluency, instead
it could come as a few simple sentences you struggle through, and a
scripture that manifests itself at the opportune moment.
Ok now how about a
funny story? Mom you especially are going to love this and feel free to
give me grief about it! Ok so I had just gotten done with a string of
meeting on Sunday and I was headed to breakfast. They don't let you take
things into the cafeteria so I dropped my stuff off outside the
cafeteria, next to the wall. I ate breakfast, all was normal, until I
went to pick up my stuff. I thought I would be kinda silly and pick them
up kinda dorkily. Well as I bent down to pick up my stuff I hear a
TREMENDOUS rip. I pause from sheer horror as I realize that came from my
backside. Then quicker than a speeding cheetah I shot up, grabbed my
companion by the arm and positioned him behind me.
"Get behind me and DON'T move" I told him.
"NO! Why?" Elder Standley said.
Apparently
his, and my other companion Elder Hayter's, first thought when I told
Elder Standly to get behind me was that I had horribly pooped myself. I
finally got Elder Standley to escort me to the bathroom, and on the way
Elder Hayter asked me:
"Did you poop yourself?"
And I not thinking or really caring, said "No, worse!"
And
his lovely, heartwarming response to that was a long shake of his head
and the following words "I am embarrassed to know you".
We
finally got to the bathroom and I examined the damage.... Remember when
I ripped my pants on that date, yeah I would have rather had that rip
than this one. It was HUGE! All the way from top to bottom! Anyways so
my companions had to walk me to my Branch Presidency meeting where I had
to explain to everyone that I would be late on account that I had
ripped my pants and I had to change. All total probably the most
embarrassing experience of my life!
Ok done with that, here's something random. Mr.
Mendinhall who teaches music at MMHS also plays the piano at the MTC,
and I've seen him like 5 times here.
Alright here
is a cool Missionary Statistic: There are currently as of this month:
67,000 missionaries serving, and with the age change and the new wave of
missionaries there are 31,000 new applications. So by the end of the
summer there will be approximately 98,000 missionaries serving
missions!!! That's super exciting!! And my friend Elder Shorts has, with
many other missionaries, moved into the new Rain tree appts with the MTC
expansion!
Sorry I know my mind is on a random spree but here's
something else kinda cool! I can say hello and goodbye in 12+
languages!! I know some Kiribis, Mandarin, some crazy little island
language I cant remember the name of, Tongan, Samoan, and more!!! Its
awesome!!!
--
Ok so this is my final email
in the USA, let me just quickly bear my testimony and feelings right
now. I feel really тавэн , or peaceful.The Lord blesses His missionaries
in many many ways. While I'm nervous, its not to fly or to be in a
different country or any of that, I'm nervous that I wont be able to
teach the gospel as effectively as I want to. I feel prepared and I feel
like a have a basic enough understanding to be able to survive in
Mongolia. I love the Lord and I have already grown so incredibly close
to Him. I know God exists because I have grown to know Him. I know this
church to be true and I have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon.
If any of you have doubts pertaining to the Gospel, then lean on my
testimony because I KNOW THIS CHURCH TO BE TRUE. I have no doubt in my
mind, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I love you all and am very grateful for the support,
- Ахлагч Клемент
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