Friend Letter: Back at BYU-Idaho

Sister Bruno,

I was way excited to get your postcard. Oh how the tables have turned. It's kind of different now that I'm here in Rexburg and you are at the MTC. I hope you're making the best of it. I am really having a good time here at school. I never would of thought I could have so much fun. My classes are going pretty well. I probably won't end up with a 4.0 that I wanted, but I'm still learning a bunch. I haven't decided what my major is going to be. I'm thinking either business or communication. This semester I'm taking an intro to communication and next semester I will probably take an intro to business. Between the two I'll pretty much have my major and minor picked out by the end of the next semester. It's too bad Alan is getting married in April so he's moving out but Jared will still be here. My roommate James is way cool too, he's from California and served his mission in Lubbock. He may end up staying, but I'll switch rooms and take Alan's old bed. They say that bed has been handed down for a few generations to guys that ended up getting engaged. The guy who slept in it before Alan got engaged, and now Alan is engaged. The way things are going between Desiree and me, I just may keep that tradition alive. yeah, we have been getting along really well. I even talked to her parents and they seemed to like me. I did end up talking to her about the possibility that she could serve a mission when she turns 21 this fall, but that doesn't seem likely. She is great and has a strong testimony of the gospel. How is your Chinese coming? I bet you're further along than all those other sisters. But don't get discouraged if it's not as good as you want. I would get easily discouraged, but that's just a lack of faith. So, fight the good fight, and finish your course. Thanks again for the postcard.

Sincerely,

Paul

MTC Scripture Study: Hope

Elizabeth VanDenBerghe believers know even with strong reliance on the Lord, not all is sunny and darkness often looms, but as a suffering Job "Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward (Job 5:7) But in those troubles, religion lightens the load--offering hope, renewing strength, uniting families and encouraging followers to help one another.

Matthew 11:28, 30

Faster recoveries, health, less suicide. Faith promotes coping, happiness factor. Ezra Taft Benson Larry King Live: "Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, for those kind of things. The God in whom I believe does not foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy, love, peace and reassurance.

MTC Scripture Study: Why Doesn't God Just Forgive If Loving

Alma 42:25 God has to be 100% dependable, expect 100% justice

2 Nephi 2:24 strive for perfection, need to strive for perfection. Comes down to mercy and justice.

Alma 42:19-21 needs to be law, every law has blessings and punishments.

Jacob 5:41 vineyard Lord wept.

Alma 42:23 mercy comes because of atonement.

2 Nephi 2:7 sacrifice for law Jesus Christ. We broke the law, so spiritual death had no influence. Jesus Christ broke no law redeemed for that.

Alma 42:14-15 mankind fallen

Whey seem like God gives contradictory command to Adam and Eve

• don't take fruit, multiple and replenish the earth
• naked--exposed to justice
• Jesus gives coats of skins covers them. Animals sacrificed to cover them. Savior sacrificed to cover them.

This is God's plan. Jesus Christ ordained from beginning. Fall just as important as anything.

Think of things symbolically "aprons" etc.

What a square means? Raise arm to square.

MTC Scripture Study: Blessings and Warnings

Omni 1:20 if receive gift of tongues know from God. Believe in and come unto God.

Believe in Article of Faith #7.

D&C 46:28,30 promise he that asks

Moroni 10:16-19 gifts never done always as long as world shall stand. PMG effort on your part.

Mormon 9:7-8 if you deny the revelations and gift of God, denying the gospel.

Mormon 7:24 signs follow believers.

Moroni 10:8 deny not gifts.

D&C 46:8 seek best gifts, remember why given.

D&C 88:33 no profit if not received.

D&C 109:36

MTC Scripture Study: Sacrament and Doing More

2 Nephi 20:8 Should shall never hunger nor thirst if you understand importance of the sacrament.

Don't sleep

What can I do when I have more to do than I can do?

2 Nephi 25:23 by grace we are saved after all we do.

2 Nephi 10:24-25 Reconcile to will of God, cheer up heart, remember free to act for self.

Jacob 4:7 Can know by grace have power to do all things.

Mosiah 4:27 All things done in order. Don't run faster than have strength.

Personal Application

What do I do when there is more to do than I can do?

When I was in college, that was actually something I struggled with a lot. I loaded myself with 21 credits for 3 semesters, but I didn't feel like I should drop any of my classes. It was in my third semester of college that I started to realize the difficulty of such a credit load. My work was understaffed at the time and a 20 hour job was turning into 30 or 35. I started to notice that I was doing things half-heartedly. I was 1st Counselor in the RS, and although I attended necessary meetings, I missed ward gatherings such as enrichment.

MTC Scripture Study: Don't Understand Wife

2 Nephi 32:9 If you can't understand because ye ask not.

Mosiah 12:27 haven't applied hearts to understanding.

Alma 26:35 God has all understanding.

3 Nephi 11:6-8 don't understand until listened closely, maybe not listening close enough.

MTC Devotional: Your Calling Is Help Others Succeed

Kenneth Johnson of the First Quorum of the Seventy

MTC Provo

24 March 2009

Sisters, Always have a song in your heart because days are not always happy, but can testify with a song.

2 Nephi 3:11

Invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon.

Brothers, You need to know who you are and what you could become. A stumbling block or a stepping stone, which will you be?

Give yourself to the Lord in service.

The Lord will renew our bodies if we magnify our callings.

My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ.

Leap out of bed with excitement.

Your calling is to help others succeed.

You cannot be burned out in the Spirit of the Lord. You can only be fired up. If you get burned out you have lost the Spirit.

Companion study should help convert each other.

You have to know who you want to send a message to.

Never extend a commitment without the Spirit being present.

If they don't keep a commitment without keeping covenants. Keeping covenants gives you power.

D&C 18:34:34-36

Understanding planning is essential.

Missionary Emails: Poop Jokes

Monday, March 23, 2009 3:25 PM

This week was pretty standard. I have two weeks left here from tomorrow so not that long. Yeah nobody ever got back to me on my glasses and I leave soon, so I started looking into it back when I broke them...it was a long and complicated process for me since I don't have easy access to a phone or anything, but yeah, I sent in my glasses and I hope they get back here in time. If Walmart needs you to pay for the shipping back to me, then make sure you do that fast, and if it's not going to get here by April 7, send them to Taiwan? I just hope they will get them Monday or Tuesday and send them right back.

Um this week L. Tom Perry came and spoke to us. He spoke about the importance of companionship unity. They've been hitting us pretty hard with that lately, so there have probably been a lot of issues with it. You are supposed to be with your companions pretty much ALL the time, unless you are in the bathroom, or in meetings with authorities, such as teachers, mission presidents, district leaders, etc. Some girl had been kicking her dorm mates and companions out of the room so she could "pray in private" and she was told to stop doing that and that once she closed her eyes she was alone with heavenly father, but she needed to stay with her companion.

We also had a talk by Stephen B. Allen about expectations and how if you disagree with someone you probably lack understanding and have unmatched expectations.

So my funny thing of the week is that this week in district planning, one of our goals had to be to not make so many poop jokes. A lot of boys in our district are extremely comfortable, with even my companion and I since we had to do stool samples at the beginning of the stay here, since then they have seen we are pretty chill about whatever and don't necessarily freak out. And my companion is obsessed with mentioning how funny it is how obsessed our boys are with bodily related functions, and how often they joke and do those things. Well the new district leader (we have 3 during our stay here) is a straight-liner, and so this week he was like, "Elders, we need to stop with the poop jokes and references" It pretty much hasn't changed much, but our teacher had to tell us when we mentioned that at district planning to grow up. I think it's relatively amusing and don't mind them needing to talk less about it, it's pretty disgusting to me when they fart all the time, you guys know how I was about that at home, I'd tell people to leave the room and go to the bathroom. Haha. So yeah...spending essentially all day minus sleeping hours with the same 8 elders is pretty interesting.

I cut my hair today. I got bangs. I figure they will grow out fast and I dont plan on cutting my hair once I get there, so I just went with it and have bangs for the time being. I also took most of my clothes to the alteration shop so they could make my shirts and jackets short sleeved. They've only finished one so far, but it turned out really cute, and I figure it's cheaper to alter my clothes here than to buy a whole new wardrobe in Taiwan or something. I didn't realize how many jackets I had with long sleeves. Now I have 3 with long sleeves and I'll have 4 with short sleeves. I also took the long sleeved button down shirts there to get them shortened. They finished one and it's super cute, I'm happy with the results. I love the alteration shop.

I only have 5 minutes left so you guys can reply on DearElder, that's really exciting about Gen being pregnant. I kind of figured she was since she knew her ovulation cycle and we seem to be pretty fertile if you say consider mom...hahaha. Yeah, sad I won't even know the child, but oh well. My departure date is April 7 so if you are sending anything to me, send it soon. Please tell me if Taiwan has a renting thing at the temple, i'd like to give my clothes to gigi (unless she has some now) because I am going to TRY my hardest to not spend 90 dollars at the airport like I did on the way here, but that might be unavoidable. We'll see. That is 5 lbs. Amanda Nelson said she'd take some stuff I didn't want, so I'll give her some stuff and have her bring it to gigi, some books etc..She works in my building so i see her once a week or so..

MTC Fireside: Effective Prayer

Stephen B. Allen and Mary Allen

MTC Provo

22 March 2009

Mary

Prays for husband when speaking like we should pray for our companion.

Stephen

Expectation is a belief or mental picture about something.

When you throw off expectations you may feel uneasy.

When what we believe and do are same we have peace and harmony.

When feeling distress, you will probably find something in expectations off harmony.

When you have discord with someone, it is because you lack understanding and have unmatched expectations.

Lord gives you companions, but when you pray, don't be separated from companion. When you close your eyes you are alone.

Lord expects us to give EVERYTHING we have heart, might, mind and strength. He expects us to be EXHAUSTED at the end of the night.

Write in a journal.

What do I expect of the Savior? What does he expect of me?

Need obedience to get the Spirit. Without the Spirit you won't accomplish anything.

Eliminate no, won't, can't from your vocabulary concerning God.

The weakest companion skill is probably listening. Listening complicated because we must learn to listen with heart and ears.

• Focus on listening to the Holy Ghost.
• Focus on listening to investigators

Mission is not to think it is all up to you.

You didn't perform the atonement. Listen to the investigator and the Spirit or get lost.

Alma 22 missionary dialogue

Practice finding out what people think.

We are led by prophet, we felt the witness.

Go into the world with smile on your face.

Don't be nervous about preaching the message. The message will come.

Think and pray about focusing on investigators and what you could do that God wants you to do.

God wants you to succeed more than anyone.

We war against unseen things.

MTC Relief Society: Faith

Katherine Christofferson (wife of Elder D. Todd Christofferson)

MTC Provo

22 March 2009

Faith is twice in PMG.

Hebrews 11

Faith and action always linked together.

2 Kings 4:1-7

Faithful--oil would have stopped at however many she prepared.

Lord gives us as much as we are prepared to receive.

With God all things are possible, not about us, it is about God.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Lord is willing to give us all if we rely on Him.

God will not desert us.

God will make us what we allow him to.

1 Nephi 2:16 Lord softened heart

Nephi didn't just run around and put trust in his father, the prophet.

Lord blesses us always.

Come to the edge, pushed us and we flew.

Lean not on your own understanding, lean on the Lord.

Friend Letter: Miracles Await You If You Ask In Faith

March 22, 2009

Greetings Sister Bruno,

It sounds like you are learning a lot and making strides in the language. I finally started having Gigi forward your weekly emails. I have received the last 2 or three. It doesn't sound like you enjoy the MTC very much. I LOVED the MTC. I had many sweet experiences there. It got a little wearisome there but looking back on those memories as I walk by the MTC on occasion only brings back the best of feelings. Enjoy that wonderful place while you can. It is probably the closest community to Zion in the entire world. At anytime there are thousands of missionaries there ALL engaged in furthering the same cause. You have all things in common, meaning that each man and woman receives according to their just wants and needs. You are all striving to live the gospel principles. You all even live within the same acre. It's a pretty sweet place.

Many miracles await you if you ask in faith. I know that you will have many precious moments you will remember forever. I know you are keeping a journal. Keep that up! I kept a journal. I only wish I had written in it more often.

So, funny story...I SAW YOU AT THE TEMPLE!

I went to the temple before classes like two weeks ago. It was on a Monday. I had been doing sealings and had to leave to get back for breakfast and class. As I was exiting, I passed by the clothing rental and beheld two sister missionaries. One of them looked very much like YOU. It was just around 8:30. I paused not knowing whether to say hi or not. I just stared at you and was confident it really was you. It was fun to see Sister Bruno. Obviously, you know that I didn't say hi. My initial reaction was just to leave you be. Looking back I wish I would have said hello. I knew you had preparation days on Monday but it never crossed my mind when I made plans to go on Monday morning. I guess, I also didn't realize that missionaries that had their preparation day on Monday would have to go while it was open 7am-10am I'm glad you are doing well. You looked like a stellar missionary.

My classes are going very well. I have about a month left of classes and then I'll be in Houston for the summer to work. I'm trying to find a job. I'm guessing it isn't going to be easy because of our recent economy.

Thanks for the pictures. I was bragging to Felicia. It sounds like I might have gotten you in trouble with her for not sending pictures to her. Hehe Please don't hold that against me. I like pictures.

Please stay safe and let me know how you are doing. I look forward to future communications with you.

Your buddy,

Matt