i work at the mtc.
thats short for the missionary training center.
oh if only i could begin to articulate the energy, emotions, and atmosphere of that place. i don't think the descriptive words that would do it justice have even been invented yet.
i have had experiences there that have moved me.
this is one i had with sister p, from wisconsin, the other day:
its the last day of the mtc for three missionaries. next destination salt lake city central mission. the other four missionaries in their district have already skipped off the day before to federal way washington.
from what i perceived, these three missionaries were all in very different places. their experiences at the mtc had each been very individual, struggling through their own concerns, and developing their own god given talents. so at the beginning of class i asked them to reflect on the progress they have made, the people they had become, what was next for them, and what kind of goals they had. i proceeded to take them individually out into the hallway to privately followup with each of them.
this particular sister had a question about something that was mentioned earlier in class. she wanted to know more about what was the enabling power of the atonement and what it could do for her.
little did she know had i just had one of the most powerful experiences of my life regarding this exact matter just days before. i shared with her how i decided to come on a mission, despite the fact i was uneasy about putting on hold my academics due to my lack to admittance into the program of my choice. god said go on a mission anyways. so i did. upon returning home i couldn't apply to my program yet. i had to take a class and prepare for the application process nine months away. i did all i could. i attended classes, spent countless late hours in the library when the majority of students had retired to other more enjoyable activities, i prepared for my interview and case study, and even spoke with a few additional professors. all in all when the points added up i realized that i was going to fall short. my performance wasn't going to be enough, i had far too many credits due to my mission delaying my application. no matter what i did i just didn't have what it was going to take. my guidance counselor even encouraged that i consider another program or major, "chances are you are going to need a plan b."
this is where christ and his enabling power came in.
nothing short of a miracle admitted me into that program. no matter how you do the math i just didn't qualify. it doesn't make sense. but the lord made up for what i couldn't. he literally said give me all you can dear and i will take care of the rest. ask and you shall receive.
i continued and shared with her a second story, the day i learned and recognized what was grace. once on my mission i sat in the car weeping due to exhaustion and stress, protesting with my companion i could not physically pick myself up and knock on another door. we just had thirty more minutes until the end of the night, and i wanted to just call it a day, to head home and be done. but my sweet patient companion taught me a lesson of what the word grace meant, and pleaded for me to tap into the power of god, to ask for just a little more strength. the second door we knocked on following that sincere prayer was one of the memorable of my mission. a young man prayed and felt the love of god and we ended up literally skipping to our car and home again at the correct time.
not only does the sacrifice of our savior save us from physical death, heals our broken hearts, and cleanses us from sin, he fills in the gap when we come up short.
oh the spirit was thick. it feels heavenly to bask in his love. and this precious sister who had been struggling these last two weeks simply and emotionally responded, "why, why did you tell me this weeks ago?" we learned together that the atonement is for personal use no matter our circumstances. "ask and ye shall receive."
oh these are the moment that make me abandon any thought that the mtc is too just much.
