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FIRST WEEK AT THE CCM AKA THE MTC (Elder Mergenthaler)

 This week I learned many things about myself that I probably wouldn't have learned if I hadn't decided to serve a mission. For example, I probably wouldn't have discovered that music helps me to be super in tune with the spirit. I found this out when I was struggling with Spanish, haha. I still am struggling, but that's beside the point. Music also helps me calm down after a long day at the CCM.

 One other thing I learned this week while in the CCM was that prayer helps a lot!! We have devotionals every Tuesday. This week's Devotional was a video from Elder Bednar; he talked to the missionaries about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and how miraculously it came about. During this time, he shared a video of the Whitmer family when Joseph Smith asked them if he could continue writing the Book of Mormon. Brother Whitmer tells his son that he could not house joseph smith because the fields were not yet tilled and their farm was not ready. So the younger Whitmer deiced that he was going to get to work. After his first day of work, he didn't even make a dent in the field, so he thought it would be impossible. Instead of giving up on his whole plan, he decided to pray. The next day, the younger Whitmer talks to his dad about his plan to make sure that it all got finished, and then you see them all astonished because the field and all the work had been completed. This little video during the devotional taught me the importance of prayer. Multiple times during this week, I had to get on my knees and pray to my Heavenly Father that, first, being on my mission was the right thing, and second, that if it were the right thing, I would be able to learn the language, haha, because let me tell you, Spanish right now sounds like a lot of jibberish. Still, it's becoming clearer every time I go back to my classes because I can pick out little words that I know, and that helps. This has confirmed that my mission is the right thing, and it confirms that by faith and prayer, I will be able to learn Spanish so that I can teach the people of Argentina.
I am excited to get out into the field because it looks fun. I look every day to see if my mission's Facebook page has any updates; haha, most of the time, it doesn't, but I like to see who my potential companion could be and what my future mission president is like.

Ok, soo here is one picture of me and my zone!
Let me tell you; zone 13b is the best in the MTC. They are all so funny, and they are all super unique, which I like. Also, it's soo cool that we all have different experiences, but we all have one thing in common--we love our mission even tho it's difficult, and we all have testimonies of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

The week's scripture is 1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be tho an example of the believers, in word in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
I think this scripture ties with missionary work because the first thing you do as a missionary before talking to people is to be an example and be a light. That's another major thing that I learned in the MTC this week. Even though I may not speak the language at first, I can be an example because my actions can go farther than my words can. Also, if you get a chance this week, take time to smile at people because even that can help people feel the Savior's love for them.

Well, I have to get back to the CCM, but I love you all and hope the next week of your life will be great!

Sincerely,
Elder Mergenthaler

PS: that photo doesn't capture us that well because the zoom makes us look distorted, but you get the idea. Also if you want you can write to me. I would love to hear from you guys!!

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