December 11, 2009

Dad I need my mailing address for the feild I want to write one of the 3 week missionaries that I met here and ask him what I need to work on so I can hit the ground running. He is a 3 weeker but he is going to Reunion Madagascar and he wont get his visa stuff until December 20th and then he goes from Washington D.C. to Reunion.

Bonjour comment cava? I am doing amazing. I hope all is well back home. I was talking to Soeur Roubicek and Frere Vincent and I found out that their friend served his mission in New Caledonia which is where my two Sisters are serving. I also found out he lived in Washington D.C. South but he spent alot of time in the North and he has been to the Ward im going to serve in and its an English speaking ward and the missionaries translate every Sunday for the French speakers who are all from Africa which is tres cool. He also told me that there are only 3 areas and 6 missionaries. It was really cool to hear him talk about it. French is really coming along great I'm picking it up pretty well my teachers tell me that I am improving really fast because I try to speak it so much during and outside of class.

So in the MTC we have this thing called the Referral Center a.k.a. R.C. and we go there every Thursday from 9:00am-10:30am On Mormon.org there is a thing where you can ask a Missionary LIVE! and I was doing that yesterday and I had the most brillant 'chats' as we call them. My first chat was with a Lady her name is Iria and she is a little embarrassed about being Religious and she asked me if I have ever felt that way I said yea lots of times but then I remember that it doesnt matter what others think because I know what I believe is True and nothing can change that. As we were talking she opened up little by little and as I was typing I could feel the Spirit flowing through me and helping me testify to her of the truthfulness of our message. I invited her to meet with the missionaries she declined however she said she didnt want anyone to force religion on her I explain our purpose as missionaries is not to force you to be 'Mormon' We want to INVITE(keyword)you to come and listen to our message and we INVITE you to hear more about the gospel and Jesus Christ and God. She still declined but I asked her if we could talk again next week and she was excited to hear that. I feel as if I knew her in the pre-mortal life and now im getting the chance to teach her.

My last chat wasnt the best chat here at the MTC the worst possible chats you can get are 1. Why is your church racist and wont let 'blacks' hold the Priesthood? 2. Where is Kolob? 3. Why do you practice polygamy? 4. I think im gay. 5. Why cant you drink... coffee, tea, alcohol, caffeine, etc. 6. If I smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes can I still be a member? and so on and so forth. We missionaries HATE those question or when members get on just to talk to missionaries and ask us about where we are going etc... mainly girls which is really annoying.

Well on Thursday my last chat was from a Man saying he thinks he is Gay. I don't know how you think you are something either you are or your not anyways remembering the most important Christlike Attribute PATIENCE! I asked well are you religious? He said he was a member of our church I though to myself great I can just give him the old Go talk to your bishop speil. I told him that he said I don't feel comfortable talking to him about it. I said okay well how can I help you then? He asked me what I though he should do. Apparently he wasnt listening when I said 'I think you should go talk to your Bishop' So I replied well have you prayed to God for help? he said he had but he feels like God has abandoned him. He thinks God hates him and thats why he gave him these feelings. I told him we all go through different trials in our lives. He said well if I dont act upon these feelings then I will be denying God because he gave me these feelings. I said so your saying If someone has a bad temper and wants to kill someone then they should act upon those feelings? If someone has thoughts of suicide them they should act upon those feelings? I explained to him we all have feelings both positive and uplifting and negative and demeaning but if we always acted upon those feelings then we would constantly be sinning. He thought about it... For like 5 min. then he responded well how do I get God to Love me again and help me. I told him we are all God's Children He loves us CONSTANTLY and even when we do bad things like our earthly parents he is disappointed but will always love us no matter what. He said I cant feel that love so I asked him again have you Prayed to him? he said yes. I asked Sincerly? With a change of heart and a willingness to do whatever he asks of you? He said he hadnt I commited him to pray to god to ask sincerily and if his answer is go talk to your Bishop then dont be scared dont question God he knows all He is omnipotent and if you do what He asks He will bless you and help you through this trial. Then I set up an appointment with him next Thursday to talk with him and tell me about his experience. I feel as if Im already in the field. I have been unsure of the French language and teaching in it but after that experience I now know that no matter what language I speak the Spirit speaks it fluidly already and all I have to do is be obedient and be worthy and he will be by my side helping those I teach to understand the message I have to share with them.
Elder Van Dyke