Meeting Elder Holland

October 1, 2018

So this week was one of the craziest weeks of my life. Very busy at times but that's all good. I was very very blessed this week. Had a lot of opportunities to serve and to feel the spirit. So thankful for that. We had a very good devotional on Tuesday about how the Lord has a plan for each of us. We were all put here at this time in the places we are for a reason. We might not always see that reason but as we learn to trust the Lord you will be able to do things that you never thought possible. At the MTC I have seen my testimony strengthened so much. So grateful for that. When you put the Lord first it is crazy how much He blesses you. Really don’t deserve it. 

We also got to host new missionaries again this week. That was pretty fun as well. It was very strange thinking back to when I got here. Time goes so fast. It’s strange that my time here is coming to an end. 

The Chinese is still coming slowly ha-ha. A lot to learn but that’s ok. I’m doing my best. Class is a little more open now so we really just learn the things that we feel will be most helpful which is nice. My teachers are so great and so patient. Had another story time in Chinese this week so that gave me a good laugh this week. Teaching is going well. We still do Skype ones with people from Taiwan so that is always awesome. We also have been teaching a few people who just moved here from Taiwan so that’s fun too. They are all so sweet and so kind. The spirit that people can bring with them is amazing. Very thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with them! 

Also on exciting news this week was Christmas! So we finally got our flight plans. I am supposed to be leaving next Monday. I will fly to New York and then over to Scotland, so that is crazy exciting. We made Christmas pretty fun, sang lots of songs and ate a lot of food. That day was also sister Permann's birthday, a sister in my district. So that made it even more exciting. We all got little gifts and made class a good time. Again so thankful for my district. They really are amazing. Can always feel the spirit with them. 

Adding on to the craziness of the week, I got to meet and sit and talk with Elder Holland!! His granddaughter is in my district so he came by this week for a little surprise. It was so amazing! A few little fun things, his scriptures as so incredible and his hands are super soft ha-ha. He is also little. Anyway the spirit that he brought was unlike anything else. Was able to ask whatever questions to him so that was very cool. It really inspired me and brought me up so much! Every time he talked you could tell the things he said were true and he believed them with his whole soul. He gave such a strong witness of the savior Jesus Christ, of a loving Heavenly Father and of this the restored true Church. He ended with a blessing that I will never forget. He said, " If you keep the Book of Mormon close to you I promise that you will never ever ever face any difficulty in this life that you cannot handle!" I know this to be true.

I just feel so much love, I cant describe it. This Church is so true. This work is so true. The Savior lives and loves each and everyone of us. Its so hard to describe. I just want everyone I know and everyone I don't know to be able to feel the things that I feel and realize how amazing this gospel is. This week I have felt that everyone needs to hear the gospel and the second they have it and are converted they need to share it. Now I know that real life still has to go on but we as members of this church are just so blessed. The mission has helped me see that so much. This is the best thing ever. And I mean ever. Nothing like it and no way to describe it. Again I know everyone can't come out and serve right now but everyone can still be a missionary. In the way that they live their life everyday. That is something that I wish I did more before the mission. Just live more the way that His plan says. It just brings so many blessings. Everything, absolutely everything we do in this gospel ends up bringing blessings and everyone deserves to hear that and live it!

 Again so blessed to have this experience. It goes into what I learned a lot this week. That when we put the Lord first and give Him everything we have, He will help us to accomplish anything in this life. Also the invite for this week is to watch General Conference this weekend. Was informed it will be a great one! I promise that any and all will be able to learn something that can help in their lives as they go into it with an open heart and a willingness to be taught by the spirit. 

On Saturday this week we played our last zone verses zone soccer game! It was very fun and we had quite the plan. Gonna miss all of these elders a lot. Thankful for the examples that they are to me. 

Ok to end we went to Character of Christ again for our movie on Sunday night. It is so so amazing. It’s a talk by Elder Bednar, pretty sure they reserve it for the missionaries. Been praying and fasting a lot this week. Let me just say that they work! I needed a little extra help and for me this week the help I needed came in the form of this talk. I was reminded that this mission is not about me at all. This mission is about others. We become truly converted to the Lord when we can turn away from the natural man and turn outward instead. This is something that of course is a process, but it is one that really works. The strength that the Lord can give is unlike any other. Through His grace and atonement we are able to turn out with love, service, and compassion towards others. " If you go looking for yourself you will never find it. If you lose yourself trying to find others you will find it but you wont be looking for it." This is what the Savior did. I am so thankful for that. He is the way and the perfect example for all of us. Turn to Him at all times and in all things and I know He will help. 

This work is so true and I’m so thankful to be a part of it. I love you all and hope you have a great week!:)

Elder McRoberts 

 It was Christmas this week. And we got a Christmas tree to open up flight plans haha

 My awesome district with Brother Taylor(best teacher ever)

 Our game plan for soccer. Haha we take it very seriously because we have to beat the other Chinese zone. Really funny because we actually followed the positions and nicknames when we played and it worked!

This is us with David Mann! He is the best. He is in charge of service for the MTC and we made him our friend. He is goals