Elder Mason Rankin: September 2014

My first days have been amazing, instead of trying to write everything in different order I am just going to share little things from each day!

9/24/14
My first day here has been rough. I cried so hard as I left my family, but the sorrow left as soon as I walked in the MTC building. I met my companion in my first class. His name is Elder Boehme, and of course the tallest elder in the zone gets paired with the shortest. He is a 5'6" farm boy from Geneva, ID next to Bear Lake. I love him so much and we have grown so close! My district is awesome, we all get along so well. Our first night we met our Zone leaders, Elder Isaac and Elder Brennan. Great guys with amazing testimonies. At dinner I found my love for BYU creamery chocolate milk!!! All you can drink. I miss my family and friends a lot, but I know I can do this!

9/25/14
Today was our hardest day. We had 6 hours of straight class but my teachers are awesome and you feel the spirit so much as they teach. Their names are Bro. Roberts and Sis. Smith. The whole day I was praying to feel the spirit. By the way, I find myself praying so much everyday. Over 30 times at least. Back to feeling the spirit. I felt the spirit most of the day, everywhere you go you practically feel it in this place. But I wanted to feel something big, a sense of knowing I am supposed to be out hear. It came this night. We met with our Branch Presidency and talked about ourselves, where we are serving and why we wanted to serve a mission and a short testimony. Everyone in my zone had such great testimonies and I felt the spirit so much but then it hit me like a wall when it was my turn. Almost as soon as I stood up, I felt it so strong. I was saying stuff I never thought I could.I was balling in front of people I had just barely met and it felt so right. My testimony keeps growing by the second!!! I also shared a scripture, Alma 36:36-37, after when they asked us each to share a scripture with the Branch Presidencies wives as they interviewed us and decided who was going to be the district leaders and zone leaders. I didn't think I would be made anything, but then they came out and said my companion and I were the Zone leaders!!! What a blessing, I can't wait to serve and help the new missionaries next week. Today was an answer to my prayers,

9/26/14
This morning we woke up to do service. Elder Boehme and I had to sweep and mop. Of course, I had to ride around the mtc halls like I was writing a horse. Brother Briscoe (1st assistant in branch presidency) shared that "if you're not laughing everyday, you're not doing it right here." It's true eveyone was laughing at me. I am learning so much here. Everyday we have class for 6 hours at least. Then other stuff to learn on top of that! We got to teach our first investigator for the first time, her name is Sunny. She is a black 68 year old woman from Louisiana that is interested in the church. I lesson went amazing. We felt the spirit so much and she even accepted a Book of Mormon and said she would read it!! Today we got gym time and I played basketball and held my own. I have learned to love my zone the past couple of days! They are awesome and I met my best friend for life. Elder Logan Smith, we have so much fun together and we are both goofy together! I also got cinnamon rolls in the mail today from the Tingey Family through Dear Elder. Family and friends, look it up. I can receive emails the same day they are sent through it in the mail we receive each day. Its my third day and I have finally learned to lose myself in the work. I am having a blast!!

9/27/14
Taught our second lesson with Sunny! We got her to pray with us and I felt the spirit just as strong the other night. I was turning to scriptures I never knew I could remember and I even recited the first vision from memory. The power in reciting that and not reading it, is unreal!!! Elder Boehme have learned to love our investigators and everyone we come in contact with. All you need is love :) Bro Roberts taught so well today about the simple truth. Don't need to be complex just teach simply. We got more gym time and we played volleyball. I did so good. Everyone was getting mad on the other team. Our district dominated!!! Elder Boehme is great at setting it up for me! An elder in our district was feeling really home sick and asked for a blessing. As his comp started the blessing the spirit hit us all so hard that we began to shake. I know this church is true and I know the power of the priesthood is real. I am so thankful to be a worthy holder of the priesthood!!

9/28/14
Today was fast sunday. I thought I was going to starve but I honestly wasn't hungry. I was spiritually fed all day. Today I had like 4 meetings as a zone leader and in one of them I learned something new. President Towsey said "Tomorrow is always going to be harder then today." Why is that? It is because I am learning so much and the only way to get better is if I push myself harder and harder. I saw Elder Jordan Hurd and Elder Henry Thompson, it felt so good to see them! They gave me great big hugs, they are both going to France and leave tomorrow. We got to have a temple walk and took pictures. The spirit of the temple was there because it wasn't busy. Just our zone there taking it all in. During sacrament meeting, I bore my testimony and was guided again by the spirit. I just knew I needed to get up and had no clue what to say. Such a testimony builder to know that Heavenly Father loves me and I am one of his children. And that I can have to Holy Ghost with me to give me revelation and guide me in what to say. We were also officially announced zone leaders and the old ones bore their testimonies. It's crazy to think they were only here a week and a half. They are confident, have such strong testimonies and are ready to serve a mission. After such a wonderful fast sunday it ended with a talk by President Bednar called Character of Christ that they only show in the MTC. I started to cry as I listened to his words. There is no doubt this church is true, God lives and I know I need to become more like christ. Stop thinking about myself, think about others.

9/29/14
Went to the temple this morning. I sat in that celestial room and felt the spirit so strong. I sat there for at least 30 min and enjoyed it so much that it brought me to tears. I saw a couple going through to get their endowments out for marriage. So glad I can go to the temple, and I want to be married in a temple someday.

What a great couple of days, thank you for all the support and love!!!
I took some pics so I'll try to upload them!! I miss you guys so much and love you!!! :)