Week Eight

Hallo Guten Tag!!! Ich habe eine gute Zeit heir in der MTC gehabt! Es ist wunderbar und mein letzte Woche. Ich bin sehr glucklich dass Ich nach Deutschland gehen koennen.

This is my last week and its finally being going just swell. I always think of funny or awesome things during the week that happen that I should write in my email, but I always seem to forget. Ach Nein. But it's been good. I'm still not sick of the food here. I actually love it! My testimony has grown quite a bit over the last few weeks, and it's amazing how much the Lord's hand is in my life every single day! I love the great things that have happened. I've relied more on my Savior Jesus Christ, and His Atonement because I've needed it so much! It's a great power that is truly miraculous. I've learned so much about Charity, Obedience, and Patience. I've become more like Jesus Christ I can see, but clearly I have a long ways to go. I have some pretty awesome pictures on my camera that I'll be sending home soon before I head out. If you see one that looks like Bigfoot, just know that it's Elder Bame. (He's a funny Elder in our district).

This week has been nice and chill, but I'm really focusing on diligently studying as much as I can with the little time we have left! Last night I learned something cool while I was playing basketball. I was just shooting, and when I missed, I would run to the ball and just put it back up in the hoop as quick as I could. I was thinking about how it related to the Gospel and it does. As missionaries, or in anything, we can be sitting there and shooting the hoops. Then we miss, sometimes we miss more than other times. We have the opportunity to just let it go off, or we could be that person that runs up to the ball as quick as possible and put it back up. When we're in a game sometimes our effort isn't good enough because other people are in our way and they get the ball before we have the ability to. That's why we have Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is that person that is like Michael Jordan, who can not only dunk from the free throw line, but He can dunk from full court! I was thinking and all we have to do is put the ball up there and do our best and, when Jesus sees that we're trying, He'll turn it into an ally-oop and slam it in the hoop. Of course, that is only in spiritual basketball that that happens, physical basketball you have to make it on your own. Or I guess really what it is, is according to the will of God. If He wants it to go in, He'll make it happen. He's the ultimate play maker. [Editor's Note: Hmm... don't try to carry this analogy too far. At least we can see that Elder Matthew is progressing through the Twelve Stages of Missionary Development. ;-)]

I love my MTC district, and the wonderful missionaries in it. They are awesome people! We have such a wide variety from Opera singer to Army guy. It's amazing how the Lord works, and how He works is perfect! My testimony has been firmed here in the MTC. It's been the toughest 8 weeks I've ever had in my life just because the way things turned out, but it's also been the greatest 8 weeks I've ever had. The tough times are the great times! I love you all. I hope everyone is reading the scriptures and praying often with Heavenly Father. He hears and answers our prayers, and He's our Father, He knows how to best take care of us. I know that the scriptures and prayer have given me much peace, comfort, joy, and through it I've felt the love of God. I've felt the power of the Saviors Atonement! I know it's not some imaginary thing! It's real, It's the real thing!

I have 3 hours in the Dallas airport and I'm sad that I won't be able to go proselyting at the airport, but I'm still going to talk to people. I'm going to share my testimony, and I'm going to give away some pamphlets, pass along cards, and some Book of Mormons. The reason I'm here is clear! I'm going to share the gospel because I know that my Redeemer Lives. Jesus is the Christ, the great Jehovah! I know Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father, and that the Book of Mormon is true, and that so many people are missing out on the joy I feel. They need the good message. We all need it, and we should strive to share that joy we have! I love you all have a fabulous week. I know I will. I'll be on the streets preaching in 5 days! I'm so excited and happy to do it!

Viele Liebe,

Elder Liddle