Seventh Week in the MTC

Last Tuesday, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came and spoke to us in our devotional! It was awesome! I love it when an apostle comes and we get to just feel the wonderful spirit that they have with them! Elder Andersen started his talk out by saying that on Thursday (May 12) when he reported to the Quorum of the 12 and the First Presidency about his speaking at the the MTC, there would be a sigh in the upper room of the temple because they all love to come down and speak to us. Elder Andersen had such a wonderful talk that I am just going to copy my notes from my journal into the email:
The Lord will never, never, never let you down. Mosiah 2:41 if you will learn to trust in your Heavenly Father, and remain faithful, He will bless you both temporally and spiritually. A mission is the best way to learn how to do this. Even the goodness of the Lord does not keep us from trials or from sorrow- even the prophet. Ether 12:6 we receive a stronger witness AFTER our faith has been tried. "As your understanding of the Atonement increases, so will your desire to share the gospel." Why is this? 2 Cornithians 4:18 Don't be surprised if people don't understand what you teach, because they can't see it. they are learned, and built upon line upon line, precept upon precept. Mosiah 3:5, 7-11, 13, 17. The Book of mormon tells over and over again the atonement and importance thereof. The atonement of Jesus Christ comes alive in the scriptures. As we read again, new things will come to our minds with power if we will not reject them. The merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah. What does that mean?
Merits- the power of the resurrection. Meet many people who have had a tragedy in their lives. You will be a great messenger from God. John 11:25-26; So many are unsure about life after death. Luke 24:5-6, 38-39 Resurrected.
Mercy- What is it? Why is it? We can be forgiven from sins- because of the mercy of Christ, we can stand, clean, before our god. mercy of Christ. Teach it. "If a person hasn't suffered, he hasn't repented...He has got to go through a change in his system whereby he suffers and then forgiveness is a possibility." -Spencer W. Kimball. Think of times when you repented, and then youfelt clean again! How wonderful was that?!
Grace- A strengthening or enabling power. A miracle is a grace of Christ. How can I...? the grace of Christ will lift us so we can do it. Ether 12:27- my grace is sufficient for those who humble themselves. Enos 1. We will see the Lord lift us to capacities that we did not know we could reach. and then we think about others only, and truly forget aobut ourseves, and we can be instruments in the Lord's hands. We cannot comprehend the fulness of the atonement in our mortal state. Astonishing for even the Savior. Thy will. Descended below all things, that he may comprehend all things. Suffered the winepress of the wrath of the Almighty god. the merits, mercy and grace will touch every soul on this earth. Let our name tages be plaques of honor.
After the devotional, I had the opportunity to shake his hand! It was a great experience. I said, "Thank you!" and he replied, "Thank you for letting me shake your hand." It is so wonderful that they take so much time for us missionaries.

It was such a wonderful treat to hear from Elder Andersen. He is truly an Apostle of the Lord!