TRC volunteering

The past three weeks I've gone and volunteered in the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in French. It has been such an amazing experience! Not only do I get to practice speaking in French myself, not only do I get a little confidence booster that I really do know more French than I think I do, but I also get to feel the Spirit and I get to have my testimony strengthened of the reality of Jesus Christ, His mission, and the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This past week I was able to be there for two hours (usually I'm only there for one but this week my career strategies class got out early). The first hour I was with more experienced missionaries (they'd been there for eight weeks) and so they taught the lesson in French. They taught me about the Plan of Salvation and the Word of Wisdom. Did you know what the Word of Wisdom translates as in French? La perle de sagesse. The pearl of wisdom. Basically the same thing but the change from "word" to "pearl" really stuck out to me.

The second hour I was with missionaries who had only been there for one week. They did their initial contact and setting up an appointment in the first fifteen minutes (like the more advanced missionaries had done) but they were so nervous! I felt so bad for them. The last pair that was in the room with me, I heard them talk in English once they left the room and they were talking about how badly it had gone. I said a little prayer for them while they were out in the hall preparing for the lesson they would teach me in English. They taught me about the church and Book of Mormon. I know that I've read the scriptures they had me read countless times--Joseph Smith History 1:16-17 and Moroni 10:3-5. But this time both of those scripture accounts really impressed themselves on me. The fact that just at the moment when Joseph was going to surrender to the adversary, the pillar of light descended and he saw the Father and the Son. The fact that the Lord has been merciful unto the children of men from the time of Adam even down until the time that we read the words contained in the Book of Mormon. Those facts really struck a chord within me. They're true.

The Lord truly does love us. God will be there for us, even if it isn't until the last hour, He will come. Sometimes we need to see what we can do and what we will do in a certain situation. Sometimes our faith is tried. And probably many times we just don't see the hand of the Lord guiding our lives.

I'm so grateful I get to go to the TRC and have my testimony strengthened.