MTC Letter 017/30/2013

This week has been a full week that is for sure, I can't believe I only have two weeks left, but at the same time it feels like I have been here for a long time. Its kind of a weird feeling. The biggest thing that has happened for me was that I have been called as District Leader, this isn't as big a deal cause I am not in the field, but it still can be very stressful. The biggest stress that comes from it is that I have to be the example, and follow exact obedience. Obedience is not hard, exact obedience can be a little difficult though. I have been told that "Obedience bring blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles". I want to bring miracles so I will do my very best to be exactly obedient. I do have a very good companion Elder S., who has the same desire as me and we work well together in keeping each other in check. I am very happy we got paired up as companions.

 

A big theme for this week, and basically my MTC stay is Charity, the Pure Love of Christ. I have been doing a lot of studying on it and I have been trying to work on having that love, and being able to show it to my investigators, and my fellow Elders, sometimes it is easier then others. Some scriptures on it are 1 Corinthians 13, or Moroni chapter 7. One of my favorite words for it comes in D&C 121: 41 and 42 My favorite word in there is love unfeigned, An example of that is when Christ is suffering for the worlds sins, and paying the ultimate price, a pain we cannot even come close to understanding and he comes to the apostles and says: stay awake for just an hour. The second time: Can't you just stay awake for just an hour. And the third time: Sleep well. That is so powerful, and you know he meant sleep well sincerely, he is Christ. That is the pure love of Christ, and something I definitely need to work on. That is the extent of my week. I wish everyone at home Buenos Suerte, and I love you all.

Love Elder Mason Paul Reid.

MTC Letter 07/23/2013

So I don't have a lot of time to write today but I have had a very full week, with some really humbling experiences, and some very strengthening experiences as well, I learn more and more each day of the same lesson: Rely on the lord, not yourself. That's a lesson I have had a hard time learning, I just want to do everything my way, and with my strength, but to put it simply: I cant. Its impossible.

A funny quote I thought you guys might like that one of the elders in my district shared says: Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is knowing not to put tomato in your fruit salad.

I just really liked that. Oh and I also got a hair cut, my hair is very short. I well send some photos for you guys. :)

The MTC is great. But everyday I just want to get out in the field more and more, I have to keep telling myself that there are lessons here I need to learn, that is so true. I know it is...but I still want to get out into the field. My spanish is coming a long very well, inside the Gospel, I can teach lessons without notes, and help, but outside of gospel stuff my lingo is terrible, that is my goal for this week is to learn the day to day spanish.

My scripture I would like to share is 2 Nephi 25:23, I recommend it, its just a nice little reminder about Gods grace. 

MTC Letter 07/16/2013

So I heard a quote: the first couple days at the MTC are like drinking out of a fire hose, you get a little water but mostly it just hurts your face. Well, I am here as getting through my second week and I cant believe how wonderful it has been. I have had so many wonderful experiences. I just want to start out by thanking everyone for the letters, and the packages. I love them, its so nice to hear from home.

So one of my favorite things about the MTC so far is the progressing investigator, its really just a teacher but it feels real, and the spirit is really there. I can't believe how amazing it is when they commit to baptism or follow up on commitments. I just want to get out there and experience the real thing. The joy of the gospel is just so fullfilling. My teacher was talking to us during class and he said something along the lines of dont be afraid to preach the gospel, The gospel is good news. When you have good news you want to tell everyone, its just good news. Well the gospel is the best news you could ever bring to anyone, so be proud, be bold, and share this wonderful news. I remember during one of the lessons me and my companion were teaching, the lesson was going well, and the spirit was guiding us in another direction then my written out lesson, I didnt know if my spanish could handle it, and I went with my lesson. It was still good, but not as good as it could have been. It reminded me of the apostle Paul, he was walking on water, and he looked back at the boat, and his faith wavered and he started to sink. That was me. I looked back at my lesson and my faith wavered. I have since learned from that experience, and took comfort in the fact that if the lord wants me to speak about something else, he is going to give me the words to do so.

I would just like to end with a scripture: Dueteronomy 31:6-8, this scripture is a lo of help, because I know that if I am following the commandments, and have christ with me, I cant fail, because it is literally impossible for Christ to fail.

Elder Reid



What would you guys do back then? Would you believe? Would you have faith to leave everything behind? Just a deep thought of the day.

 A random photo 

From my walk from Tuesday devotional at the Marriott Center.

We can't be always be serious. 

First Letter From the MTC 07/09/2013

Hey, Life is great here at the MTC Tuesday is my P-Day. I finally got all the letters and packages today. My unit number is 836 not 834, other then that my address is correct. It was nice to know my family did love me.

Life at the MTC...well.....its crazy. I mean you are so full of stuff to do that you litterally are going non-stop until you go to bed. At the same time...you are designated study time for hours at a time, that you can goof off and not do, but then your behind and your not progressing. We are studying and learning for more then seven hours a day in just ESPANOL!! 

My schedule is as follows.

6:30 wake

7:30 GYM

8:45 Breakfast

9:15-10:50 Personal Study.

10:50-1:50: Language

1;50 Breakfast

2:25-4:15 Language

4:15-6 Tall (online Language work) or additional study time

6:00 Dinner

6:00-7:15 Devotional or district stuff.

Then till 9:30 we always have some sort of District, Zone, or campus get together for edifying.

The schedule can change up a little bit here and there but its just about the same always things can just get swapped.

Our second day in the MTC we were already teaching full blown lessons in spanish to an "investigator" they are really just are future teacher but it sure does feel real. Our fist lesson was terrible we relied soley on our spanish capabilities and we did awful. AWFUL our second and third lesson were a lot better. We learned to really listen to the investigator...yes he does only speak spanish. The lessons have gotten a lot better. You can really feel the spirit in there and know it is there when you are teaching the right way.

All of our spanish classes are in Spanish. The only time our teacher speaks english is....never he will write some meanings on the board in english but for the most part it is all in spanish. I love it!! The language is coming quickly..but not quick enough...quick enough would be fluent right now ha ha. I love it here but I am running out of time.

Love,

Elder Reid.

P.S yes my shirt is ripped in one of those photos because me and one of the Elders in my district had a wrestling match...it was awesome. He is tongan and from australia.

Our classes and cafeteria are in raintree. We sleep in WYVIEW but we live in our classes. The cafeteria is just like a deck made into a cafeteria next to the pool. ha ha our classes are held in the dorm rooms.

Our class is in a room not classrooms we just made classrooms out of dorm rooms

Our classrooms are in Raintree west of Wyview just across the street. Our cafeteria is just like the old pool deck house that they put a roof on. Our food...well we get enough to eat but it is always the same thing. Ha ha for lunch I guarantee I will have a salad (its really delicious the first 3 times..) or maybe a sandwich...for dinner....roast, potatoes, gravy and a roll. Its good food...but repetitive. So sorry to everyone at home but I will not be getting fat at the MTC. Our classes are just with our district and we are just in one of the rooms in a dorm here they put up a white board though...we even get a FAN!! Yeah a whole fan. ha ha.  My companion is a really cool kid. He is from California, it is weird to have someone attached to you all the time but I am getting over the whole I don't want to constantly have someone with me. He sang in BYU men's Choir, a really smart kid full of good ideas and knows the gospel.

A note from JaNae. Elder Reid wrote one big e-mail then wrote little tidbits with the other 5 e-mails he sent with pictures, The only problems is, the little tidbits didn't match with the pictures. For example the firework tidbit was with the sleeping pictures. I don't know how that all happened. But, this is my attempt to make sense of it all :) 

Annnnd he's off!!!

Wednesday morning we had breakfast at our dad's house. 

After breakfast we went over to our Mom's house and played some games. 

        

Then we went back to my dad's to get in the truck to drop Mason off at the MTC. 

  

  

  

After we dropped him off we all went to ice cream to celebrate :)

   

  

If you would like to write Elder Reid at the MTC here is his address. 

Elder Mason Paul Reid
Aug 11 Arg-Ros
2023 N 900 E Unit 836
Provo, UT 84602


I will also be posting all his letters to this blog.