And my angels round about you to bear you up D&C 84:88

This week was just crazy. We're the big kids now that the previous zone left. I've been out here for 3 weeks! I honestly have no recollection of what life outside of the MTC was like. We walked to the temple today and I stood in bewilderment wondering to myself "What are all these horseless chariots?" I saw something called a "cellular phone" the other day and everyone gathered around to see what looked to be a man sending a wireless telegraph to his mother. I feel like when I get home everyone will just be teleporting everywhere and listening to alien space music. Also, for all you sisters out there: Don't even think about hugging me when I get home because you know a firm handshake will suffice. 

The beginning of this week was pretty hard. On Sunday night, after praying one of the most sincere prayers I've ever prayed, I lay in bed filled with self doubt. I just felt like there was no way forward and that I would never be able to learn the language or become fluent in the gospel. I had prayed that somehow I would be able to get through this. As I lay there, I felt the Spirit very strongly testify to me that Jesus Christ knew what I was going through. I felt the enabling power of the atonement as I heard the Spirit whisper to me "Stop doubting yourself, you know you can do it. You have faith in Christ don't you? Then why are you worried when you know he will help you through this?" After that, I distinctly felt as if there were angels in the room. I felt as if my Grandpa Gull and Furniss were there. No, I knew they were there. I realized I have had guardian angels around me this whole time, helping me through my struggles, always there with an outstretched hand to get me to where I need to be. I will never be able to express in words how grateful I am for the atonement of my Savior. Without him, I wouldn't be able to make it on my own out here. I am so thankful for Him.

Well I hope you all have a good week! I am so excited and happy for my sister to get married tomorrow! I wish I could be there but I know this is where I'm supposed to be. I found out Elder Keith Barnard lives one floor above me, so we have had some good times! Elder Polatis flew out to St. Louis yesterday morning and he came to say goodbye the night before. He is such a crazy awesome missionary. It's so weird to think that I've been out for almost a month. My Tagalog is still pretty bad but its getting there! You guys stay safe!

Mahal kita

Love Elder Furniss

And He that Sent Me is With Me

August 11, 2016

Elder Rogers and Elder Furniss

Learning about Faith (Tagalog)

And he that sent me is with me: The Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please him (John 8:29)

I LOVE the MTC! My district is so awesome and I think I've learned more about the gospel in two weeks than I have in my entire life. 

Elder Holland's son came last week and gave a devotional about the life of Joseph Smith. What an incredible man he was. I am also in the MTC choir here and we had the privilege of singing "Praise to the man." It was so awesome and the spirit was so strong! A couple of days ago on Tuesday, we had a devotional and everyone said that instead of having a speaker come we were just going to watch a broadcast. To everyone's amazement, Elder Neil L. Anderson of the quorum of the twelve walked in. It was broadcast to every MTC in the world and I got to see him in person. And every missionary in training in the world got to see me sing in the choir so yeah, I'm kind of a big deal haha. One of my favorite quotes from Elder Anderson's talk was "Keep the flame in your heart throughout your whole mission, and you will see miracles." He gave a great devotional. Elder Holland is coming on the 16th and I am so pumped! I had the chance to go to the temple this morning and WOW! I love going to the temple. It was such a great way to start off my day. I'm thankful for the spiritual recharge I get for the rest of the week.

Tagalog is a pretty hard language for me and I really don't know why. But I know that the Lord gave me this trial to show me that as long as I have faith in him I can do all things. I always kind of complained that if I only could have gone Spanish speaking, I could be so much more effective, and be such a good teacher. But that isn't 100% true. Everyone on this earth has one language in common that we all can understand. That language is the spirit. I am not the one that is going to convert the people in the Philippines the Spirit is. I could speak the most beautiful perfect Tagalog, but if I don't have the spirit, nothing can happen for the investigator.

The gift of tongues is so real though! Kaloob ng mga wika! I had the opportunity to be our teacher's companion and teach an investigator in front of the class. Although I was really nervous, I felt fine as I put my faith in the Lord and remembered that I had the Spirit to help guide me. It was incredible! Even though I sounded like a four year-old cave man speaking Tagalog, we could all feel the Spirit! Words came to my remembrance that I had only glanced at a couple days earlier. Scriptures came to my remembrance. It was so amazing.

I know that this church is true. And that through this gospel, we can be truly happy. We can feel the love of our Savior through his incredible atonement and we can be forgiven and feel clean through repentance! I know that if we trust in Jesus Christ and have faith in him that we can do amazing things. I have seen miracles in just the two short weeks that I've been here. I love this gospel and can't wait to teach and love the people of the Philippines.

Straight mahal fam!