Last Letter From the MTC

Hi family and friends!

This is my last email from the MTC! Wow, I'm leaving tomorrow morning and going to Denver. My whole district except me left this morning to Houston, so I've been put in a three-some and I'm enjoying p-day.

I feel like this week has been my best at the MTC, with all kinds of things happening every day such as Elder Holland coming and speaking to us last tuesday. My whole district has really become close and it was sad to say goodbye to them today. We had a member of our district go home this last week, and I'm not sure if I can talk about it much more than that, but it was a really interesting experience and our district really rallied together after that. We all had to self-evaluate why we're out here, and it's been a very good thing for all of us. In our last class period, we discussed our purpose as missionaries and spent about 3 hours talking about it and sharing insights. It was very spiritual and I'm SO excited to get to the field and start working! One of the things we talked about was that there's absolutely no reason to be apoligetic about interupting people's lives to share the gospel with them, because no matter how important the things they're doing are, the gospel is more important in their life and will bring them so much more fulfillment and  joy anyway. Also, we should be excited to serve and work, because we've literally given up everything for 2 years to be able to give people the same happiness and peace that we've individually experienced through the Atonement of Christ. It is literally the greatest thing on earth, and it's touched my life so much and given me  so much happiness that I want  to give that to other people. That's why I'm out here, and that's the only reason I would be out here. If I didn't feel the forgiveness and peace and joy that everyone talks about, I would never have the motivation to work so hard, obey so many rules, and put my life on hold to preach the gospel. The church is true, Christ is real, God is real, and the Atonement works. If you have any concern, are going through any kind of hard time, are struggling with doubts, sins, or stress, the Atonement covers those too. Read Alma 7:11-13, and you'll see that Christ didn't have to suffer for our pains and afflictions as well as our sins, but He did because he wanted to truly understand us and know how to succor His people. If you have any kind of doubt about this church or the reality of God, try it. Pray and ask for the Atonement to be applied in your life for whatever pain, affliction, temptation, sin, or trial you're dealing with right now. I promise that God will hear you and answer your prayer. This church is so true, and it's the greatest thing on earth!

I love you all, thank you so much for everything!

Elder Damon Janis