Week 2: God is Mindful of Us

Hej alle! I can't believe I'm already back on this computer typing about my week! The first week felt like a year and the second week felt like 0.01 seconds. It's unbelievable how time works here at the MTC. I've seen other missionaries say that days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days so many times, and now I'm experiencing it myself! This place is incredibly special and I always feel at peace. I had so many tender mercies and answers to prayers this week that I can't even write all of them in one email but I'm going to talk about some of my favorites (with of course some business and funny stories). Also, I finally figured out how to include Danish letters so be prepared to maybe be bombarded with Danish words and phrases. Undskyld mig (that means excuse me btw)! 

Our district now has 4 people in leadership positions, officially. Ældste Cook, Ældste Jaursch, and Ældste Modersitzki have been promoted to zone leaders. Apparently that's a position in which an entire companionship, or in this case an epic trio, works together. It makes sense though cause they've got a LOT to do! We like to think of our relationship as the US national government and state governments. We follow the laws of our country (zone), but states (districts) can make different laws as long as they don't go against the constitution (white handbook). Last week, we kept joking about Ældste Jaursch becoming our zone leader and, lo and behold, it came to pass! We have some Polish Elders in our zone so we're making sure that he doesn't think of taking control of their district. But on a more serious note, these Elders have done an exceptional job with leading our zone!! Sometimes they tell me that they don't know why they've been assigned to lead the zone but the Lord knows what He's doing! This is a new, wonderful opportunity for them to learn and grow!! They may not see the benefits of this assignment now, but it'll bless them and prepare them for future positions on the mission.

Speaking of new opportunities, my favorite companion so far in the mission, Ældste Jensen, had the chance to give me a blessing! It was his first blessing ever so that was pretty cool. And, I got the blessing because I was starting to get allergic reactions - canker sores in my mouth and down my throat, endless amounts of snot and mucus, and nearly losing my voice - from eating a dessert with tree nuts. I was also starting to get a little sick at the same time so I was honestly feeling pretty miserable. After the blessing, I felt comforted and knew that I would be okay. I still have some symptoms, but they're not even close to the first few days. I've been able to do everything I need to as a missionary and that's a huge blessing in and of itself. Also, later that night the Ældster came into my room and checked up on me while I was praying for some more comfort. I testify that God is always watching out for us and is always mindful of us! He knows us perfectly and knowa exactly what we need and when we need it. I love Him so much!!! AHHHHHH!!! His tender mercies astound me every single time I experience them because they are perfectly placed. There's no way that an imperfect, unknowledgeable God could do something like that!

Another really cool experience we had this week was TRC, which stands for Teaching Resource Center. This section of the MTC brings in members and non-members who speak the languages being taught at the MTC. We had the privilege to teach two 20-minutes lessons completely in Danish yesterday. Let me tell you, I don't think I've ever felt the Spirit more in my life! I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost so strongly that it beat out my previous overpowering experience in a little Guatemalan listening to my dad bear his testimony in Qeqchi. Actually, that reminds me that someone brought up a story about missionaries sent to learn Qeqchi in Guatemala when they were assigned Spanish speaking so that really made me pay attention. Anyway, back to the TRC experience. Ældste Jensen and I taught one sister from Copenhagen, two sisters from Utah, and one brother from Utah. The sister from Copenhagen was recently baptized into the church and came all this way just to do this for us! Isn't that amazing?! Her Danish was interesting because she spoke with a glottal stop, which basically sounds like you're doing a spazzy Michael Jackson breath in the middle of words to speak non-stop. But anyways, we decided to focus on the Holy Ghost, baptism, and the sacrament. It was very powerful and left me in awe. I couldn't believe that after only two weeks, the Spirit could help us understand and teach in Danish.

Last but not least, Elder David A. Bednar came to the MTC on Tuesday. That's no big deal, only THE David A. Bednar who gave one of the most inspirational messages here called the Character of Christ. He had two personal stories about how the Holy Ghost guides us, even when we don't know it. He told of a time when he was calling a new mission president and companion. He only had three weeks to get it done. He saw a picture of a certain couple and said to his secretary that he had to see them. Sure enough, the very couple was driving to Salt Lake at that moment to go to the temple and his secretary called them to see if they would be willing to cancel their temple visit to meet with Elder Bednar. Thirty minutes after he said he needed to see them, the couple was right at his desk. They were eventually assigned as mission president and companion. He also spoke his daily routine to run to a certain lighthouse with his family and on the way back walk and talk. One day he ran and noticed his family wasn't there. He decided to walk back and his entire family passed by him, yet he continued walking. He didn't know why he was doing what he was doing but he just kept going. Eventually, a storm came and he found his granddaughters frightened by a lightning bolt that hit a nearby pole. They had prayed for someone to come help and he had been the answer to that prayer. 

These stories opened my eyes. They helped me realize that I won't always know that the Spirit is guiding me. I won't always be conscious of the Holy Ghost because I'm human. I need to stop overthinking about what I'm doing and trust that I'm being lead by Heavenly Father. As long as I'm doing my job by inviting others to Christ and helping them along their path to full conversion, I'm doing missionary work right. If I'm being and doing good, then God will always help me! This period of my life is a time to look outside myself and stay out of the way of the Holy Ghost, who is the real teacher. I'm only an instrument in Heavenly Father's hands, I'm not Heavenly Father. It's not up to me to touch the hearts of others, that is the job of the Spirit! Another story that I heard this week was about President Gordon B. Hinckley as he served in England. After three months of no success, he wrote a letter to his father complaining that he was wasting his time and his father's money. Soon, he received a letter from his dad telling him to forget himself and go work. He decided to follow his father's advice and promised to give his all during the mission. The fact that this has already been brought up almost every day reminds me that my mission is not about me but about others. I'm on the Lord's time and I promise to give all my greatest effort into His glorious work.

Well, that's all for this week folks! Sorry for the extremely long email but I felt like I should write it all down. Just a reminder for everyone, my P-day in the MTC is on Thursday but I can still read emails and messages on Google hangouts throughout the week! I'll only be responding on Thursdays though so if it takes a few days that's why. I'm so grateful for all the emails and support I'm getting from my family and friends! It really means the world to me! Don't forget, you are all wonderful sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father and He's always mindful of all of His children! Love you all so much!

Med meget kærlighed,

Ældste Moore

Going to the temple (from right to left: Elder Mod, Jaursch, Cook, Jensen, and I)