11/10/15

11/10/15

Kaylee and Roger-
I leave tomorrow morning for SC! I was really glad you emailed me
because I had forgotten your email... Your kids are the cutest! I miss
you all so much. Tell them I love them and I love you too! I can't
wait to get out in the field, but I hope I don't gain a bunch of
weight... Haha!
11-3-15-
Richard J. Maynes from the Seventy came and spoke to us. The topic was
over missionary work and the history of it. He talked about Joseph
Smith was once an investigator as well. The first companionship of the
church was Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Bro. Maynes used the
analogy that we need to overfill our "pool" of investigators. Some
missionaries just fill their pool and only babysit that pool and the
people in it. Another thing he said was that you should have a
companionship that is "on fire." This can only occur when we are
worthy of the spirit and sensitive to the promptings. Lastly, he told
us that our faith should outweigh our fear. That is applicable to
everything! After the devotional, we all went to our classroom and
shared our favorite parts from the devotional with a couple from our
branch presidency. It was so moving. Pres. Ricks said; "Dig your roots
so deep that Satan himself can't dig you out."
So I must admit... I was exposed to some tie-trading, and I came out
very successful! My trades included two ties for only one of mine.

11-4-15-
I heard a moving story during this Elder's testimony. There were these
two friends in the Premortal life. One was really happy because he
gets to go down to Earth and be born into a church with a loving
family. His other friend was sad, so he asked him why. The friend
explained that the family he is going to be born into, aren't members.
So the first friend promised him that he was going to find him on
Earth and teach him the gospel. My friend is somewhere in SC.
We had to teach three "investigators" and they went well except one.
The guy talked the whole time and didn't even let us get a lesson in.
We were pretty discouraged after that. We taught another lesson later
and it was amazing! We got him to commit to baptism and set a date! We
also got him to say the closing prayer and placed a BoM! The spirit
was so strong. Our companionship was "on fire" at the time. I have
been able to grow such a strong bond with Elder Jones and Elder Wille.
We joke around with eachother, but we can also be really spiritual
when it matters. I love them!

11-5-15-
We had an EIGHT HOUR SESSION of class for our "In-Field Orientation."
Our only breaks were for lunch and dinner... It was pretty rough, but
I learned so much! I am honestly, just so ready to go out in the
field. I have been extremely trunky these past couple of days. But it
is worth giving up two years from my family, for other families to be
together for eternity.

11-6-15-
Bro. McGinn (one of my teachers) is a little skinny guy who is only 22
years old! He was in the MTC when Dane was. He is very smart and kind.
Sis. Draney is such a sweetheart. She always says; "I love you and I
like you Elders and Sisters!" Not only have they helped my testimony
grow, but they have been great friends to all of us. Our branch Pres.
Bertasso told us that we need to trust in the Lord and be an
instrument in his hands. This will stick with my throughout my whole
mission.
Moses 7:62

11-7-15-
It was our last day in class with Bro. McGinn and it was pretty sad.
I'm gonna miss him and his lessons. We related a lot. I keep thinking
about how much mom would love to sit in on our classes. I have been
setting goals for myself while I'm in the field. I like D&C 4:5-7
because it talks about all the characteristics a missionary should
have. Elder Jones said that we are always thinking about Heavenly
Father's companionship with us, but what is our companionship with
him? We have to have a lose companionship with Heavenly Father because
we are good enough without him. Have a companionship that is beyond
just friendship. I have started packing for SC. I am excited, but also
very nervous. I am praying for a good first companion to help train
me!

11-8-15-
This Sunday was such an amazing day! We had a devotional preparing us
to leave for the field. I felt bad for some people in there because
they were here at the MTC for six to nine weeks. There was an Elder
that is going to Canada and he had to learn Mandarin AND French. He
was only here for six weeks!
We had another devotional later tonight with all of the missionaries.
A guy named Richard Heaton spoke. He brought his son with down
syndrome and they had matching ties. Haha! He ran around with the
microphone and handed it to random people. Bro. Heaton trains mission
presidents, in charge of the food for the MTC, and a couple other
duties. He served his mission in Japan! He taught us ways to handle
stress and help out your companions. Before that meeting at lunch, we
met an older guy who works at the MTC and he got us seats reserved in
the very front row in the middle! They were the best seats in the
whole place.
Sis. Draney wrote us all personally, really sweet notes! It boosted my
self esteem a lot.

11-9-15-
Today we got to go to the temple and I focused on learning something
new while I was. There and it was so spiritual. I am getting ready to
go and do some laundry now, so I have to go now.
I love you! 💙
     -Elder Mitchell

11/5/15

Brother Mitchell, 

It turns out that one of Reed’s MTC teachers is Summer Draney, the daughter of Frank Draney, who used to be on the High Council here in Topeka before they moved to Wyoming. Here are some nice things she had to say about him (forwarded by Brother Draney to me).

DAD…..He is an elder in the district that I am teaching! He's everything a great missionary should be. Smart, hard working, humble, kind, and good. Him and his companion are a joy to have in the class. And elder Mitchell and I have rock chalk jayhawk moment every now and again! :)

I thought that you would appreciate that comment.

Pres. Averett

11/2/15

 Mom and Dad-
I hope everything is going well for you guys. I bet you're both pretty
lonely at home... I got my garments, so thank you for sending those!
Do you think that you could send my white tie as well? I forgot it...
I was looking forward to hear from you guys. I miss you both like
crazy. I love guys so much.
The first couple days at the MTC were very hectic. On the bright side,
I'm starting to love all of it! I rode on the shuttle with two other
Elders. One of them was named Elder Scot. I can't remember his last
name... Just picture Elder Calhoun from the Best Two Years. (The small
guy with glasses) and that's him! He was a funny kid though. One
grudge that he still holds onto is that he's going to miss the new
Star Wars movie when it comes out... Haha!
   When I arrived at the MTC, a host (a missionary) came up to the
shuttle and helped us all with our luggage. Within five minutes of
being there, the spirit hit me so hard that I just wanted to break
down and cry because of how happy it made me feel. At that moment, I
knew I was in the right place at the right time of my life. I met my
MTC teachers and they are so awesome. I love them! The brother's name
is Bro. McGinn and the sister is Sis. Draney. Crazy thing, is that she
grew up in LAWRENCE. I guess she knows the Ryttings very well.
    After we met them, we were assigned to companions. My companion
is such a great guy. His name is Elder Adam Jones. He's from a small
town in Wyoming and he grew up on a ranch. Him and I really hit it
off. We share so many interests and get along great. We share the same
good work ethic. (Which is vital in missionary work.) His testimony is
so strong and has already helped strengthen mine. He says the same
about me. Haha
    On the second day, we already had to teach a lesson with my
companion. Our teacher acted like an investigator and role-played. It
went very well! Our teachers are teaching us ways to guide or invite
our investigators to commit and be baptized in the first lesson. There
is a lot of construction by the MTC, so I asked someone what it was
for and they're adding on! The walls are going to be all glass except
where the crossbeams are. The rooms are going to be two times the
size. The MTC will be able to hold about 4,500 missionaries!
    One of the main topics that we have been taught and later learned
for myself, was that we first need to teach with love. We got to meet
our branch presidency and I have been assigned as the "Online
Coordinator."
    My testimony has grown so much already and I constantly, feel the
spirit. Elder Jones shared with me that in his mission blessing to get
set apart, the stake pres. said that he may recognize faces from the
Premortal life. I thought that was so interesting because I was just
telling him before that I feel like I have seen some of these people
before! Which can't be possible of me seeing them on Earth because one
is from Hawaii! Dad told me before I left that the food is awesome
here and I'm starting to think they changed meal plans. There is a lot
of food because it's a Buffett, but the food is average at best... So
I was slightly disappointed.
   We taught another lesson on Halloween and it went so well that we
almost committed the "investigator" to be baptized within the first
lesson! He accepted to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. The
spirit was so strong in that room. I think it's because our goal was
to focus and loving him. And the spirit helped us find the right words
to say to him. "Teaching through the spirit means teaching with
understanding." Jeffrey R. Holland.
   My three roommates are all going to Columbia, SC as well. Elder
Jones (Otto, WY), Elder Wille (Baggs, WY), and Elder Cloward (Mesa,
AZ). We all like to quote movies like "Hot Rod," "Anchorman," and
"Dumb and Dumber" in our free time because we miss movies...
   Yesterday was one of the most spiritual days I have ever had. This
morning, all of the MTC members gathered in the gym for a Mission
Conference. The president spoke, along with his counselors and their
wives. The topic was all about family, which was like they were trying
to make us even more homesick than we already are. Then, there was a
couple that spoke and shared how they were able to convert their
neighbor's family. The family was there too, and they shared their
conversion story. I didn't know I could feel the spirit so strong in
that big of a gym. And everyone felt it. The dad of the family shared
his story and part of it was that he had a dream a few weeks before he
was baptized. He had a vivid dream like he has never had before and it
was of his deceased mom and older sister. He told the missionaries
that they looked "perfect." They were able to explain why that word he
used was so fitting. Then, the mom told her story and she knew the
church was true when a hummingbird flew right by her window and
floated there looking in on her for about two minutes. The crazy thing
is that she always had taught her kids that hummingbirds are spiritual
and "magical" animals. It really goes to show how Heavenly Father
knows each and every one of us personally. I have never felt so
spiritual for that long of a time continuously. It wore me out!
   I have met one other person from Kansas and that's it. And it is
Addison Townsley from Derby! His mom is still working at the Humane
Society and she's the one who helped us find Opie!
        - Elder Mitchell

Left to right (Elder Jones, Elder Wille, and Elder Cloward.)

Our view from residence hall