Well week four here at the beautiful provo MTC west campus,
I've officially been here a month! I cant believe I only have 17 more of
these:( it feels like the time has flown! I miss everyone alot, but
when you learn as much as I do in one day the
days are literally hazey. I want to thank everyone who wrote me letters,
emails, pictures, dear elders, cards and sent packages this week.
Thanks for not forgetting me yet;) but really, it means so much to me
and I am truly honored and blessed to have you all
in my life and thinking about me. I love you!!
Wow, I cant even describe how extremely lucky I am to be here at
the MTC a this time, it is truly exciting! All of the new mission
presidents have been on campus this week for their training with the
first presidency and the quorum of the 12! It has been
so great. I am also blessed to be here at this specific time because I
am convinced that I have the best zone, district, teachers, devotionals,
branch presidency and ESPECIALLY companions of all time! I just love
all of them!! I feel like such a spiritual infant
compared to all them and I learn from their examples, comments, and
personal experiences everyday. I'm not even kidding when I say I have
the Best of the Best!! Also, I get to be here on the 4th of July, and
I'm pretty sure we get to watch the fireworks from
stadium of fire that night, it's like a personal goodbye America party
for us! Anyways, I've had so, so many spiritual experiences I'd like to
share so let me get right ino it.
This sunday we had probably the most inspiring, and hilarious, devo
yet! Sister Janice Kapp Perry (an incredible music writer for the
church) came to speak to us about music and how we can bring the spirit
with something as simple as a primary song. Her
and her husband had the whole MTC roaring with laughter as together they
shared with us the story of how they met through music, their family
song and the spiritual experiences they and their family have all shared
through writing and creating music together.
At the end we sang the classic duet of "As Sisters in Zion" and
"Helamans Army" as missionaries but we used Sister Perrys new sister
missionary words that we sing every week in relief society. I cant
remember the whole song but this is a part of the last verse
and it's my favorite part..."We go forth enlisted with Helamans army, in
numbers much greater then ever before. We go to the nations (awkward...
i forgot this line), declaring truth is restored!". Then we sang the
We are as the armies of helaman part again
all together, I have never felt the spirit so strong as I did be a part
of that incredible missionary choir.
As if that wasnt enough spiritual uplifting for one day the
following tuesday we had another awesome devo. You'll remember I told
ya'll the quorum of the 12 and 1st presidency was on campus so we knew
it would be someone real special. We were right! We
got to hear from Elder D. Todd Christofferson!! Thats our 3rd apostle in
a row. AND... there were 5 other apostles sitting on the stand also!
Including David A. Bednar, M. Russell Ballard (who we heard from last
week :)), Dallin H. Oaks, Neil L. Anderson, and
Russell M. Nelson. I felt like I was in Heaven, But literally. Thats
probably as close as I've ever been in my life! Elder Christofferson
shared a wonderful message about the worth of souls based on the
scripture mastery in D and C 18: 10. It was so powerful
and I could basically feel waves of the spirit rolling off him. Some of
my favorite quotes from his talk were: from C.s. Lewis: "There are no
ordinary people", you have never talked to a mere mortal in your life.
We spend our days in the presence of people
who all have the potential to become Gods and Goddesses'. Another good
one was, " Satan tries to convince us that the value of our souls are
irreparably damaged and destroyed by sin, this is the greatest lie of
all". and last, " The one who demands such high
expectations of us will always be the one there to help us attain them".
I was so impressed with his talk because he made it a point that he
wasnt only talking to us about our future investigators he was sharing
that with us. Our souls are precious and of worth,
my soul. Christ loves my battered, care worn, and imperfect soul and it
is by his goodness, grace and atonement that I can become whole,
spotless and perfect before him. And this, this marvelous message of
hope and forgiveness, is what I get to share with the
beautiful people of my beloved Costa Rica! Could a girl get any more
blessed?? you think I would say no. But thats not even the end of it. My
Father in Heaven chose to bless me even more this week in private ways.
It might be hard to believe from the way I talk about how wonderful
the MTC is, but sometimes thee's hard days, sometimes there's struggles
and sometimes you feel a little discouraged. But whenever I have felt
this way the Lord has done something, for
me personally, to perk my spirit right back up! For example, the other
day I was in the gym and I was really tired and sore from the previous
day but I knew I needed to work out to feel good the rest of the week.
So I got up on my favorite elliptical and started
slowly to begin a workout. At one point I looked up and on the exercise
bike in front of me someone had left their flash cards on it facing in
my direction. The card on top said one simple phrase, in Spanish none
the less.. "Valle la Pena". Which means in English,
"It will all be worth it." From then on I could do my whole workout
focusing on those words and knowing that everything I was doing: in the
Gym, at the MTC, on my mission, will all be worth it! A second
experience I had was when I was kind of frustrated and
walking back to class. I'd had a lot to deal with and was really
exhausted and frustrated because I cant speak spanish haha. Well this
Elder was walking behind me and reading a letter out loud and this is
what I heard "Now remember, you are on the Lords Errand.
It's not about you, it's about him. But, because you are on his Errand
you are Entitled to his help". I realized hey, I'm not here alone. I am
entitled to His help!! I also remembered sister Perry reminding us of a
line from one of her songs " Pray, he is there.
Speak, he is listening. You ARE his child. His love, now surrounds you".
So I said a pathetic little prayer and I was able to enjoy the rest of
my day and learn many important things! This is how I know the Lord
loves and cares for me. He knows my needs before
I do and places something in my path to help me overcome every trial I
face.
I'd like to just thank everyone really quick for the role you've
had in my life up until this point. Each person who is reading this has
helped me and given me experience to be who I am. Everyday when we're
teaching our investigators I share a story or
a principle or a quote or a memory that I have learned from you!! Thank
you for helping me and assisting me in achieving the Lords Work and
Glory: To Bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Life of man. Because
this is truly what It's all about. There is
no greater work to be doing.
Also, I feel an urgent need to thank everyone who is continually
blessing the lives of my dear, dear family while I'm here, having the
time of my life! Thank you for taking care of them. Thank you for your
friendships, your service projects your thoughtful
prayers. The Kugath family is so ridiculously blessed by their ward,
neighbors, friends, relatives and basically everyone who meets them. I
especially am aware and grateful to you. The Lord sees your service and
love to my family and he will help me to pay
you back for it. Every time my mom sends me a letter she relates to me
another miracle that has happened in their lives that has been
administered by Heavenly Father through you!! From the bottom of my
Heart, Thank You and may God bless you for blessing us.
Elder Christofferson left us with this promise, " Your faith in God
can only be matched by his faith in you".... But I think you guys come
pretty close;) Thank you for having faith in me! I wont let you down!!
You're always in my prayers!
All My Love,
Hermana Kugath
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