Random Musings

I've started to notice a trend in Lawrence's letters. Unless you've read every letter that he's gotten from every member of the family, parts of the letter aren't going to make sense. So again, if you have any questions about anything mentioned here, let me know!

3-4-08

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the letters and Dear Elders and packages. Sorry if it's taken me a while to respond to them. I'm sitting and writing while I'm waiting for my laundry to finish. The MTC really does have the longest days but the shortest weeks. Time really is flying right now. It's not fair that they let Dad go jogging in 20°F weather and the field is still closed just because of a little snow :). The track in the gym is still alright though, even if the 28th lap looks suspiciously like the 27th lap (it's ten laps to a mile so they go by often). It really is true that the more responsibility we have the less time we waste. I have never worked more effectively than at the MTC. It really is amazing how much we manage to get done in a day. I love the new color-printing calculator already. I'm quite sad I don't get to play with it but I'll just have to focus more on the work. I like Dad's calculations too, though I'm sorry the Camry's still out of commission. Hopefully we'll save a bunch of miles on the Camry though. Tell the Nissan to behave, I might need it in 2 years. I'd say let Jennifer do practice driving in the van because she moves full time to the Nissan if you want her to drive that car. She'll be able to see over traffic more and get a feel for the road. The Nissan's too easy to drive, plus people are more afraid of and notice more the van. Go van! :) Oh, and nice Porsche font Dad.

Good luck with the book work, Jennifer, it's a beast, but then again, afterwards you can get your permit!!! It's going to be so weird when Jennifer starts driving. I feel old already let alone I'll have a [younger] sister who can drive. We'll see if Jennifer's personality comes out when she starts driving. That's so awesome that Jennifer's doing missionary work. Just remember, all the logic in the world is mere dust to a powerful testimony. The church is true and the Book of Mormon is God's word for us in this day. Moroni wasn't kidding when he said those who prayerfully study it will gain a testimony of it through the Holy Ghost. The true and faithful converts are often the ones who actually read the whole Book of Mormon. I know Lisa just sent me a talk on pride, but I'm proud of you, Jennifer. Hopefully this round of pictures will make it through but make sure to tell me if you get all 24 or if you want me to send them to a different e-mail address. I'd hate to kill off Jennifer's e-mail. My Spanish is coming alone. Did you understand my testimony in Spanish? I haven't taught any lessons in Spanish yet but we have been doing missionary things like contacting and finding people among volunteers at the Teaching Resource Center (TRC) in Spanish. This Friday will be our first time teaching lesson 2 so hopefully that'll go well. The chocolate milk is still amazing too but in the sack lunch area I found cookies-and-cream milk which is awesome too. It really tastes like liquid cookies-and-cream. Tell Rob congratulations on his first baptism. That reminds me I should probably send an e-mail to the Priests Quorum but I don't now Bishop Jones's address. Wow 712 days seems like a lot now, but by the next time I realize what's going on, I'll be on a plane headed home. That's crazy. I can't even believe how fast Robert's mission is going by let alone my own. I really can't let any time go by, which is probably why they emphasize planning so much in the MTC. It works wonders. Planning is when you find all the time that almost slipped by. Planning is procrastination's greatest foe.

Well, our TRC experiences have been pretty nice so far. Even though the people we're teaching aren't really investigators (that we know of) everybody walks away from the lesson with a really strong Spirit even if we weren't perfect. Even in the TEC when we're teaching teachers or watching a teacher teach a lesson, we can feel the Spirit really strong. It's so nice to be out of the usual hub-bub of the world and actually take time to dive into the gospel. Anyone who has as much as a vital sign is drawing so much closer to Christ. Our work really is focussed on Him. I'm so blessed to be a part of his work. I got to go to the temple today finally. The past two times when the zone went to the temple I was stuck doing visa work. We spent a little more time there than usual and I had the opportunity to read scriptures while I was there. Temple work and Missionary work, how awesome is that? Also Awesome (with a capital A), supposedly for Easter someone big's coming to give the devotional talk. The rumor is it'll be someone from the First Presidency. Well things are awesome as usual at the MTC but I'm sitting waiting for the Devotional today to start and I should probably be getting ready for the Prelude Hymns we sing. I Love You!!!

Love,
Elder Williams

So, um right after I finished my letter we went to the devotional scheduled for today. Guess who was speaking? Elder Jeffrey R. Holland!!! I don't have a whole lot of time to write right now but I'm definitely sending you a copy of my notes. It was an amazing devotional. Afterwards, we had District Devotional Review and everyone was choked up.

Oh and if the day wasn't crazy enough, at that very meeting I was made District leader! Ok so, granted, the other companionship in the district is the zone leaders and we're about to lose another elder, then be down to only 4 elders, and the other elder's the senior companion... The MTC is just plain amazing. If it was anymore amazing we'd have angelic messengers giving Devotionals. They're really angels at the MTC, we just can't always see them. Don't believe for a second we don't have angels watching over all of us.