Week 4--Seek This Jesus

Ether 12:41 "And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever."

Each week at the MTC we have a Tuesday night devotional. It's been a great experience and I really look forward to them each week. Elder Costa of the seventy spoke and he invited us to ponder the question, "Who is He to you? Who is Jesus Christ to you?" I've been pondering that this week. It's important to understand 1. who He is and 2. Who is is to you. It's been a humbling experience.

I love Jesus Christ. I invite you all to "seek" him, as the Book of Mormon teaches.

This week has gone by really fast! I'm loving the MTC more and more each day. On Sunday the branch president called me to be a Zone Leader. I love this new opportunity to serve even more. We sent off the last district on Wednesday, and it was fun to see them leave. I'll miss them, but I'm glad that my companions and I can strive to improve our zone's culture. We made it our goal to be exactly obedient, no matter what. I love it. The blessings have come already. The teachers have told us that we've already passed the previous district in regards to the language. In 3 weeks compared to 6. That was humbling to see the blessings of obedience and diligence. It's inspiring me to work even harder.

Yesterday we taught an investigator about Joseph Smith's first vision. I memorized it in Tagalog. It was so, so special to say it and bear testimony of it. There's a special spirit that is present when we bear testimony of Christ's restored gospel.

The first vision sounds really cool in Tagalog. I say it as often as I can. In the shower, waiting in line, etc.. (My companions can attest to that) Ako ay nakakita ng isang haligi ng liwanag na tamag-tama sa tapat ng akin ulo, higit pa sa liwanag ng araw. (I saw a pillar of light..) It's crazy that I'm starting to be able to read a little bit. The gift of tongues is real. It's easy to be excited about the language when you can see progress. It's easy to be grateful when you can see progress. The key, I'm learning, is seeing the progress!! When I get discouraged or overwhelmed, I just remember that I know more than I did yesterday. Each day is an improvement.

Like I mentioned earlier, there's a MTC devotional on Tuesdays as well as Sundays. The MTC choir performs on Tuesdays. I've never really been a choir person, but I've done MTC choir since I got here and I love it. One of the rules about being on a mission is that we can't listen to music. "Worldly music" we call it. It's hard, especially since that was one of my go-to stress relievers. Now, we sing hymns. I appreciate music a lot more now. Singing helps lift my spirits a whole lot.

The MTC choir director is my hero. He's seriously the coolest person I've ever met. (Present company *you* excluded of course). But really, he's pretty rad. He shares spiritual insights each time we practice, and one of them stuck out to me. Last Tuesday he shared that "If you miss this joy in your service, you miss everything". I loved that. Especially when I had pneumonia, it was hard to find the joy in each day. But, I'm learning that the joy is Jesus Christ. I invite you all to find the joy in your life, seek this Jesus, seek His light. I know that Jesus Christ is real. He is mindful of each of you. His love is real.

3 Nephi 14:7; 13:33. "14. Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you... 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

Elder Tuiaki is a better pillow than the ones at the MTC (totoo)

Mga kasama. Elder Tuiaki and Elder Funk are great companions. I love them.

Elder Tuiaki is really funny. Elder Funk is funny as well. I'm getting along just fine. Life is good with great friends.

I can see my dorm building from Sacrament meeting! It's great to be so close to a place where I made a lot of great memories. To all my BYU friends - miss you all! Go Cougs!

Have a WONDERFUL week you beautiful children of God!

*also--if you want to write Ansel, please don't reply to this post, use his email: ansel.childers@myldsmail.net