MTC Week 3

Hello Everyone!

I'm a little over halfway through the MTC now, and so much has happened this week! The full immersion classes are so much fun! Hearing the gospel in Portuguese and being able to understand it is so moving and spiritually fulfilling for me. Some things are hard, but the coolest thing is learning words that don't have a full English translation. There are words I can use that express my feelings and testimony so much better in Portuguese! For example, a really awesome word is confiar, which kind of means to trust/believe/have confidence in, but it's so much more than English can explain. So now I can really say: Eu tenho confiar em Cristo e Sua propósito e plano pelo mim. I can now better state and express the trust I have in Christ, trust that fills my heart and the deepest parts of my soul.

Language hasn't been the only thing happening here, though. We've had more temple visits and incredible devotionals! Last Tuesday's devotional was given by Elder Godoy of the Seventy, and it was amazing. The joy he had while talking about the gospel and sharing his story was so uplifting. My favorite part, though, was hearing him say the First Vision in Portuguese, knowing what it meant, and feeling the spirit while listening to another language. The spirit here is so clearly felt in every devotional, class, and testimony. I am so happy to be here, to concentrate my time and talents on the gathering of Israel, and to get ever closer to my Father in Heaven.

A lot of focus recently has been on the power of the Book of Mormon and the stories within it. We had a devotional on it, and our Sunday classes were on that topic too. I know that the Book of Mormon has a very real power in our lives. I know that the words can speak to us, to our very souls. The stories aren't just stories; they are the histories of a people, the testimonies they had, and the journeys they faced. If we choose to turn to the Book of Mormon, we can learn so much from the revelations contained within and the character exemplified by prophets of old. I know God rejoices when we desire to do good and make good choices, and I promise that a desire to read the Book of Mormon is cause for angels to sing. I'm so thankful for the Book of Mormon in my life and the experiences I get to have here at the MTC.

I hope everyone stays safe and is able to read from the best book that testifies of our Redeemer, Savior, and King, and that the revelations contained in it will inspire your own revelations and grow your relationship with our Heavenly and Eternal Loving Father.

Love you guys so much! I hope you stay safe, happy, and keep the true joy of Christ in your lives.

All the best,
Elder Thatcher Bishop

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