 |
| A day at the MTC |
This week you get the first letter written and a huge thank you for the package. It was very thoughtful. This week has been my best one yet. I have had the opportunity to grow. The mission isn't hard, the only hard part of the mission is trying your hardest. Me and my companion are thinking on very close to the same page basis. We have synced our bathroom breaks (I actually know when he needs to pee before he does sometimes.)
My ADD here is really nice and rarely bad. I come to spiritual truths quicker because of it. I feel that sometimes my ADD might have confused me from what the Spirit was saying vs. weird random feelings I got from my ADD. Sometimes at night, me and God will have very clear conversations about the things that He would have me do. I am blessed every day here. I can feel and see things that would have slipped my eyes before. I decided I want to be an ordinance worker when I get back.
I love you mom. I'm sorry for all the grief I have caused you. I won't don any more of that. I love you so much.
Your son,
Elder Pinegar
Notes to Bekah
The best food in the MTC is the tons of free soda!!!! I also can get as many desserts as I want at every meal. The best foods are chicken cordon bleu and graham canyon ice cream--plus I have loads of candy in my room. My weight is unknown???
I'm no longer district leader. Thank heavens! I was released last week. We serve 3 week terms then the new one is called. I kinda felt like Dad in family scripture studies.
Notes Nick took during some meetings he shared with Jared. These are some of the things he's been learning about in the MTC. They are rather long--but great examples of the teaching he is experiencing.
11/11/12
Dear Dad,
This letter is regarding enduring to the end.
Elder Wirthlin said that life is like a marathon, you need a good start and to run at a good pace. We need to set goals to do this. I spoke on this before I left. We need to depend on "others" to get where we have planned. We must rely on God. Do not take the easy path. This path will lead to pride and eventual failure, for when you rely not on God, ye must fail. God will trim you back if you grow the wrong way.
In D&C 68:6 our Father in Heaven wants us to do our best. 1Nephi 3 last verse, 4:1 & 1:20 all are on deliverance of God's people. As we endure to the end, we become the people of God.
You are not at the finish line and the easy way, may look like a blessing from God. This is not so! Just as faith without works is dead, so is life without struggle, for without struggle is life without proper growth. Christ said, "I come not to save the righteous, but to save the sinner." The way that we must walk is a straight and narrow path. Straight is a word with 2 meanings as in straight and strait, the path we walk is both one direction and of strict obedience to all commandments.
If we look to Elder Hales who has served the Lord for more years than most are old (LOL), he has suffered all things from cancer to many sadnesses in life. Sometimes we may ask as Joseph Smith did, "Oh God, where are thou?"
We must endure. We are to stand fast in times like these, where life is filled with disappointment (Mitt Romney). We will wait upon His time as Jesus taught us, we must pray. In 3Nephi--the prayer Jesus taught the Nephites...we must become submissive, even as a child does submit to his father.
Look to Granny, your mom. An almost perfect example of this. She lives just down your stairs. She truly loves Christ and is enduring to the end. I hope you can set goals. What goal will help you endure to the end? Where can you strengthen your faith in Christ to help you endure to the end? Are you taking any almost straight paths that you be straighter? Where can you submit to Christ's plan for you more?
Your son,
Elder Pinegar
11/11/12-Sunday Fireside
Dear Dad,
This letter is focused on not letting important things distract us from the MOST important thing.
My purpose is to invite others to come to Christ by receiving the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
Sometimes we are so caught up with what we are teaching, that we forget that we are trying to invite others to come to Christ. When we teach, it is not important that we teach that coffee is against the Word of Wisdom, but that you will come closer to Christ by obeying His commandments. You can study and study and not come unto Christ. By studying and not coming unto Christ, you just build pride which pulls us from Christ. When we study, our purpose must be focused on coming to Christ. When we are teaching, we must understand who is gathering the sheep. Who is that? It's Christ and God and the Spirit who gathers (3Nephi 15:17). We are his tools, not Him our tool.
How many times do we say, "When we are teaching, let us teach with the Spirit" How ridiculous is that? Are we the tool or the Holy Ghost the tool? We are!!! Let us be able to invite the Spirit that brings all unto Christ. Is this not our job? Is this not the main thing? To help others come unto Christ? Bingo! That's it. Let's not play doctor with the gospel. The gospel is to help us come to know Christ, not to bandage our wounds. Christ will heal our souls and lift our burdens. This is part of why coming unto him is so important. Our Deacons don't need to study, they need to come to Christ. Then they will hunger for study. When we come to Christ, we will want to receive the restored gospel.
If you bring others to Christ, you are feeding his sheep. Please feed his sheep. Focus on him and his love. That is the main thing. Keep it that way.
Elder Pinegar
11/13/12 -Bradley D. Foster of the Quorum of the Seventy
Sister Foster--I know that I can do hard things. I also know I need the Lord to do them well. When we were all in Heaven, we all knew that earth life was going to be hard. We still shouted for joy as we decided to do hard things. We were grateful for our trials. Let us stay that way.
Elder Foster--When we were in heaven, we had exceeding faith. Others did not have such great faith. This is a gift and a privilege as stated in Alma 13:3-4.
What would you pray for, if tonight was the last prayer you would offer in this mortal life? (day of me as a missionary) What would change? Then second, and more important, why? Do you know God's plans? Do you know when you will die? How much longer can we hold to our sins? How many people have we not forgiven? Do you want any of these spots on your garments?
As we grow in our faith, more is required of us. This is one of the blessings of great faith. Missionary work is just that, an opportunity for us to live the law of consecration. We must exercise our faith every day, to turn our will over to the Lord. This not only applies to me as a missionary, but you as a father. As representatives of our Lord and Savior, I promise as he would, that you will have a family that will remain faithful as you exercise your faith. I feel that D&C 82:10 is in order. I'm sorry if I come off bold. The Lord is not one to be mocked. I do not mock him, I serve him.
Oh Dad, be as John Tanner and your children will never beg for bread again. (Watch the John Tanner video, it's good.)
Your loving son,
Elder Pinegar
11/13/12 - In class with Hermano Ballard
I'm now watching President Uchtdorf where he speaks of Moses and how we are nothing in strength (conversion) compared to God, but our worth is great in the sight of God. Satan tries to take our strength (our conversion) and make it our worth. This is one of his tricks. He tries to steal away our status with sin and depression. This is his trick. Do not be downtrodden. When you feel down, turn to God, not to worldly comfort.
Pride is another way that Satan tricks us. He takes our worth to God and tries to tell us that this is our strength. That we are strong and need not worry about the problems of others. He will help us pull up in pride. Your riches are a curse, a trial, how can you not have pride with such riches. I say give it away and come follow Christ. Give to those who need. Let your riches be a blessing, not a stumbling stone.
*Man is nothing-Yet we are everything to God
* Satan tries to switch this
*Nothing can go permanently wrong
* You are not invisible to Him
*God sees us in the terms we can become
*This life is but a short time
*Don't let your blessings become a stumbling block for you
*Look for and to God
*Love and serve God
*Could I always be serving God
*Heavenly Father will never forget those who keep Him close to their hearts
*Loving, caring, listening
What do you want to do differently now that you have relearned these things?
1. I want to humble myself. I let my pride trip me far too much
2. I want to be more grateful for His constant care and love
I pray that we can be worthy of blessings that He has in store for us. May we know that which is given to us and give thanks. This is my humble prayer.
Your Son,
Elder Pinegar