MTC #7 24/7 Spiritual

 Mom:
Ok, I will try to get a go phone in the airport, I'm not sure if they have them in Salt Lake, so if not I will call you both there, and in Houston at around 10-12. I will call you earlier in Salt Lake at around 6 in the morning. That way we can coordinate better. 

 Thank you so much for the letter mom, it was really nice to read. haha i do not judge you at all for the letters, haha don't stress it. 

 Well this is the last email i will have in the United States, I'm really excited, and really nervous!! I'm scared I won't have the drive, but I know Heavenly Father will help me out with this! 

Well, I could hear the BYU Utah game, and I got a pretty good sense that Utah was winning most of the time because I could hear the Utah song playing a lot of the time! That was pretty awesome!! 

Something I'm studying: right now: I am using pmg to develop Christlike attributes, and I'm studyin hope. It was really interesting to me that hope and faith were in different catagories. What I've been learning is that hope really is a strong firm belief in the blessings of Heavenly Father. Hope is knowing that God will keep His word, especially when you don't have a sure knowledge. Hope is always the most powerful when it's hard to have. If you push on when it's hard, you come out at least 3 times stronger! haha...that's a joke! 

Something spiritual; this one's hard because 24/7 is spiritual hear, so it's hard to have specific times. I think this week was in the temple, and I couldn't really tell what Heavenly Father was telling me. It was really frustrating...I think this is an important spiritual lesson, because we often know what we need to do, but we feel like we always need spiritual confirmation. Sometimes we need to just take a leap and go and do! I know what I need to do; I need to serve Heavenly Father well and give it my all. 

 Thank you mom for preparing me for this. 
-I love you ma 
-Elder Clayton Rodney England

MTC #6 Last Week in MTC

Dear Dad/Family,

So another week in the MTC. I guess the very last one!!! It feels so insane! The time here just moves so differently!!! It feels like just last week I got here. All the days are the same so they just blend together!!!

 Ok this week...? Kind of a weird week, doing everything here for the last time. I'm gonna miss my district really bad! It's so fun, in class during our 5 minute breaks, we play 7 on the line in the classroom with a little mini basketball hoop! Haha it's become a pastime here in district 62c! Our teachers, Hermano (brother) Launsbury, and Toledo get really into it too. It gets really competitive sometimes, but its good, it helps us keep our sanity!!

 In this place it's sometimes easy to forget that there is an outside world..Thats why I'm so excited to get out and help people!!! It actually gives me something to do, something to actually push for!! Umm ok I'm really trying to think of things that happened this week...everything feels like the same day. Last night, we had our Tuesday night devotional by one of the Seventy. I don't remember his name, but he was really good! His whole talk was just perfect for a missionary just about to leave the MTC. He really stressed that it's our decision as LatterDay Saints, to be happy, make our lives better, and to love the Lord. It was really cool. He also said alot about including your family in the work! I know my e-mails haven't been exactly impressive for the last little while. I'm gonna start stepping up my game. So this week, I'm gong to be studying Alma Chapters 7-25. Will you read them and share with me your thoughts and impressions? So I can get the most of them?? It'll be just like family scripture reading!!!

Ok,I got my flight plans on friday!!! Yes I am leaving the 30!! My flight from here to Dallas is at 6:25. Do you want me to call you then or during my layover in Dallas for two hours? I can e-mail again on Saturday, so I will be able to see your answers. I am going to buy a pre-paid card, I think, I'm not sure though. Your thoughts??

Ok courtney gordon and Jax! Thats so awesome you are in Mexico! How is it?! Are you doing well? How's the baby? Jax bones...snail! I do that to a lot of people here...it's still apart of me. Gordon, how's your insides? Are you still super healthy? or no? I am praying for you guys! Keep me posted!

Chase and Amanda. I think I have your address now, so I am going to send you guys a letter today, I think with some stuff for the boys, but I'm not sure! I miss them.

 Oh yeah, Chase, Gordon, Rhett, Connor, Dad, any insights from your mission you feel like you want to share with me? This mission thing is tough. I know I can do it, but it really is so hard!! How do you know if you're really ready?

Connor, how are you man? I was talking to another Elder in my district andIi was telling him about you. haha sometimes you just crack me up!! There are a lot of missionaries here going to Brazil, so I'm reminded of you daily. Cody, I heard mom and dad went to dinner with you and Marina. How is that? Do you really like her alot? That's dope if you do! If not...still chill. haha Chelsey and Rhett. I hope the move is going well!! Does the place look nice?! Rhett, thank you SO much for the ipod!! it is so choice! The pictures are perfect!!! I was really missing you guys!!! The music is so cool! there is a lot of exploring i will have to do, but I am so grateful!!!

Cassidy, how are you? I miss you, you're my best friend! Hows Italy? a lot of really nice cars? That's what I would hope for.

Cole, hey brosky!!!! I miss you man!!! you have taught me so much about how to be a good friend!! Thank you! I love you all, and I'm really glad to know you are all being blessed!! I'll keep praying for you all!

 This mission is a family affair! I'm so grateful for the work. I'm so grateful for our Lord Jesus Christ. I am trying to grow to know Him better. I know this is the Lord's work. I know that we all have the choice to either hinder or help this work. There was something my teacher hermano toledo told us; whenever you feel like you shouldn't do something related to the gospel, that means you need to do it, and you need to do it harder!! That is so true! This week I have really come to understand how much of a real war this is...The adversary hates us and we need to be soldiers. We need to fight for zion.  It's really empowering to know how much of a difference every single person can make in the world. I love you guys! I'm going to probably write some letters to you today. but I will be writing you on Saturday! have a good week!!!

nos vemos! les amo!!
-Elder Clayton Rodney England