I went to the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) this afternoon, like I've been doing again every week since I graduated. I've been so blessed because I've been able to be with the group of missionaries that have been there for the past few weeks. They've been here for seven weeks and have only two more weeks here. Since I've been taught by several of them more than once over the past few weeks, I've been able to see the growth and change as they've been learning French, their ability to teach the Gospel, and their ability to teach with a companion.
Today was one of the best experiences I've had as a volunteer there. I was taught first by two elders: Elders Cline and Barker. Elder Barker, I think, knew French before (I think that because his accent and sentence structure and grammar are very advanced), whereas Elder Cline learned all of it in the MTC. They taught me a lesson on how we gain revelation by studying the Book of Mormon. Elder Barker brought up the point that all our questions can be answered as we read the Book of Mormon and listen to the Spirit, but also that many answers are explicitly in the text. For example, the question about why there is suffering and good people are allowed to die or are killed. We had a discussion about how without the bad, there wouldn't be any good. As a result of mortality, we agreed to the consequences of mortality: sickness, aging, accidents, etc. And even in man-made choice-driven situations (like war or murder or other awful things), if a righteous person is killed, then they are sooner in the rest of the Lord. That really struck me and I told them so.
The those elders left and I was expecting a new set of elders to come in and teach me the same message. However, by some chance, Elder Cline forgot that he had just been in my room, and he had a new companion (Elder McCray) when they knocked on my door ten minutes later. Elder Cline was surprised when I opened the door, but he and Elder McCray made it work by saying they were doing splits. :) Because Elder Cline had already taught me, he decided to change the message slightly (which was perfect!). And actually in this situation, Elder Cline was the more advanced of the two elders in terms of the language. Elder McCray was struggling with communicating in French, though he was able to share the most important things.
As they quickly changed their approach to the message, Elder Cline had me read 2 Nephi 32:3 and share what I thought of when I read that scripture. As I read it, a new thought occurred to me that I shared with them: In the talk, The Tongue of Angels, Elder Holland talks about how we can speak with the tongue of angels. I elaborated on that point and said that when we have the Holy Ghost and are following His promptings and speaking what comes to us, we become angels to those with whom we interact. That seemed to really strike Elder Cline. They finished their message early, so I asked them both to share the scripture that has helped them a lot while they have been at the MTC.
Elder McCray shared his scripture first, Alma 26:12:
Yea, I know that I am anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will bnot boast of myself, but I will cboast of my God, for in his dstrength I can do all ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
When Elder McCray elaborated on this scripture, the Spirit came so strongly. He bore his testimony of how he knows that all his strength comes from God.
Elder Cline shared his scripture first, Ether 12:27:
And if men come unto me I will show unto them theiraweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my cgrace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them.
Then Elder Cline shared a simple, yet powerful testimony, of how hard it is to learn and communicate in another language. He shared how he feels so weak, yet he testified that the Lord will and does help him everyday.
As the elders were leaving, Elder Cline turned back and thanked me again for coming. I think he and I needed each other today: I needed to learn from him and he needed learn from me. By "some" chance, he ended up in my room twice, he taught me twice. Thank goodness for the Lord guiding our lives by His tender mercies.
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