First email from MTC

there is so much that I would like to tell you about the mtc, it is so fun, yet so hard, there is so much that I have realized that I need to learn, like how to be patient with the language, learning spanish or any other language is tough, it takes a lot of commitment to keep up with it. I´ll tell you a little bit about my district next, my companion´´s name is Elder Baker, he went to Weber High School and is from liberty, utah. He and I have a lot in common, we both were in student government, both ran cross country, both were in choir, and both were really involved. I know that the Lord is over all, that everything happens for a reason, it is amazing to me how missionary work is organized, me and Elder Baker teach so good together, at least in english.... haha, anyways, we are both going to be going to the same mission, so who knows maybe we will be companions later on down the road, that would be pretty cool. In my room, there are 6 elders and only 4 closets, it´s pretty crazy, but it seems to work out okay, I am on the top bunk. In my district there are 10 elders, they are: me, Elder Baker, Elder Hogan-from West Jordan going to the colombia cali mission, Elder Chase from Orange county california going to the colombia cali mission, Elder Juarez from rosenburg texas going to the mexico merida yucatan area mission, Elder jaussi from Riverton Utah going to the mexico merida yucatan area mission, Elder elmer from Dallas area going to the Bogota South colombia mission, Elder White from colorodo springs going to the pere chiclya mission or something like that, Elder Doxey from Buena vista virginia going to the Edmonton canada spanish speaking mission, and Elder Oscarson from Chicago area going to the Tempe Arizona spanish speaking mission. As a district we have so much in common, we all get along pretty good, and everythingn seems to work out pretty good between us. The MTC is amazing, it is so cool for me to be a missionary, the missionaries have always been people who I have looked up to, they have always been my heroes, now to be here with over 2000 missionaries from all over the world, going to areas all over the world is just such a humbling and awesome experience for me, I am trying to enjoy every second I can to learn and grow as much as I can from this experience. Me and Elder Baker already have taught 3 lessons to one investigator(who actually turned out later to be our teacher we had yesterday, it was kind of funny) iot is so different, even though they are not real investigators(they're just people pretending and acting as investigators) you still are able to feel the real spirit behind the lessons. I knew exactly what i needed to say to Cesar(our first investigator) in english, I felt the spirit tell me those words, but I didn't completely know what to say in spanish. Here at the MTC they always tell us that we just need to learn to be in touch with the language of the spirit, the actual mission language will come as you put in hard work and learn from your mistakes. The gift of tongues is real, I know it is, but you just have to work hard to get it, the spirit will bring back all to your remembrance so that you can say the words that our savior Jesus Christ would say if he himself was there teaching the investigator, which he is, but not physically. The spirit is the one who needs to do the teaching, one thing that I have learned is to teach people, not lessons. This is pretty easy for me to do in english, but in spanish it is still kind of tough, I do know that if I work as hard as I can to learn the language, alwalys learning from my mistakes, that the language will come in time, and I will be able to personalize lessons based on the investigators needs as I will be able to get to know them. HOnestly though, the most important thing as a missionary is to have the spirit, the spirit knows all languages and the spirit can carry the heart or meaning of your message to the listener and they will be able to feel the sincerity in your words. Even though right now spanish is tough, I have learned how to understand a lot ofspanish, how to conjugate verbs, and how to pray in spanish. Even though I don't know how to say everything I want to say while I am praying in spanish, I have come to know that our heavenly father hears our hearts, he knows the words that I am struggling to say in spanish to pray to him, even though I struggle to say the words I want to while I pray, as a missionary I feel so much more power while I pray. I know how important prayer is, no matter how good someone is with spanish or how much they may know the lessons or memorized scripture, the spirit is what brings the message to the hearts of the listeners. This first week at the MTC has been different, I remember not being able to sleep the first night because there was too much on my mind, I was nervous, overhwhelmed, excited, kind of scared I'll admit, and I didn't know exactly what to expect. Now, I feel a lot more comfortable and I know that missionaries, are truly representatives of Jesus Christ himself. Our purpose is: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. (Ps, that sounds so much cooler in spanish haha) I know that I have been called to Mexico City because there are certain people there that only I will be able to connect with to help them receive the gospel, to tell them about our heavenly father's love and plan for them, in a way that they will understand and be ready to receive it, I know that it will be hard, and even though I like to think that missionary work will be easy, I know it will be hard, but that is just a part of life. There are so many scriptures and confrerence talks that have helped me and can help anyone get through trials, one thing to remember and have it strongly planted in your mind is that the Lord is in charge. Everything, no matter what it is, happens for a reason, even if we don't understand why we have trials, our heavenly father does and they are for us to grow. Even in the one week I have been here, I have already grown so much spiritually, trials don't seem like a huge problem to me anymore. I truly want to bring happiness to other's lives by helping them receive the gospel so that they can have the blessings that I have. The food is awesome, most missionaries get sick of it, but not me, it;'s like a buffet every meal! I have already gained like 3 pounds.... but I've been working out everyday except on Sunday when there is devotionals and stuff like that, lots of study time to get acquainted with the gospel. I just love missionary work so much and am so glad to finally be a missionary and bring the world his truth, missionary work is busy though, I dont get much time to relax, only on p-days which is a nice break to help clear my head from all the frustration that comes from spanish haha, I hope that all things are going well at home and that you guys remember to write, you should use this link to write: www.dearelder.com it is so much easier to get letters that way, and it is free same day delivery, the address should be on the blog to loook for it. I love the MTC so much, I miss you guys so much, but I know that I have a resonsibility to fullfill my duty as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, I don't have much time to email, I wish I could tell you more, I'll tell you more facts and stuff about the MTC at a later date, I love you guys and my time for email is almost up so I'm just trying to put random thoughts on here haha, anyways the mtc is so cool, I know i've said it like 50 times, but it's so true, I feel like i have been here for like 3 months already, time goes by fast, yet slow, it is so weird it is something that can only be understood while you are here, the days seem long and short at the same time which is good because it makes it easier to forget the world and go to work by serving the Lord. I just love beeing a missionary, don't forget to write me, I love letters and will do my best to reply6 to every one as soon as I can with as much information as I can. remember www.dearelder.com and enjoy the rest of your day, My companions and district members all say hi

Elder Limb, peacing out for another week, please write