Friday, November 15, 2013

The Gospel is Simple

Alright, I am FREAKING OUT!! But actually I'm feelin pretty calm but I'm still FREAKING OUT! Basically I'm a hot mess full of different emotions (I'm a girl, what do you expect?)

I've got ONE week!! Actually I've got less than a week!!! I'm getting set a part Monday night then I'll be flying out to Provo (Yeah visa didn't come ): ) Tuesday Morning and then into the MTC Wednesday Afternoon. 

I am Soo EXCITED! I am excited to bring others to Christ. I'm excited to experience a new culture. I'm excited to finally be around people my age and to feel productive and to not feel like the lazy bum I've been for the past three months. I'm excited to finally serve my mission. Fun Fact: I've had to wait almost 5 months since the time I've got my call to enter the MTC, well okay 4 months and 24 days to be exact..thats 137 days of waiting, not like I was counting or anything (;  But I would be lying to you if I told you that there weren't some things that I was nervous about. Those being,
  1. I am Not a fan of cold showers. I know that may sound stupid but really lets be honest I hate them. And they make me sad, and steaming hot showers are one of the few things I look forward to everyday.
  2. I am extremely afraid of gaining weight. And I Do NOT want to gain weight!! But Beans and Rice...ugh not the healthiest diet. (If I come back looking like a fat spotted freak will you still be my friend? Okay great I'm glad we have that settled!)
  3. The only Portuguese I know is "Ola, Somos missionários da Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos Dias (Hello, we are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) And I don't even know if that is right. But if it is I'm super good at saying it. :)
You know if I'm blasted with cold showers for the next 18 months I'll survive, and I'll learn how to take really really fast showers. And If I gain 50lbs then I guess the gym will become my best friend when I get back.. But learning Portuguese, I am extremely terrified. I mean come on I can hardly speak English how am I expected to Learn a language that I've never even heard?

Which brings me to my topic today.. The Gospel is simple. Let me introduce you to someone special.


This is my buddy Robert. He's Deaf. He was baptized about 5 months ago and since I've been home I've interpreted Sacrament meeting and weekly lessons with the Sister Missionaries. After each meeting he always thanks me for teaching him. But the truth is,  He teaches me.

Robert has taught me so many different lessons. But probably the most important one is that the gospel is simple.

Sometime we feel like we need to go into deep doctrine and use big eloquent words to teach the gospel, but with my experience, that is just not the case. I don't know any "big"words in sign language. I would say that my signing is good, but its not great. My vocabulary is very limited. But I have interpreted through every Sacrament meeting and every lesson with out a problem. WHY? Because the Gospel is simple, and the spirit is strong.

I'm reminded time and time again that the Spirit is the teacher not me. It doesn't matter what I say If the spirit isn't there then the lesson is ineffective.

This gives me hope for Brazil. I don't know any Portuguese. But I know that if the spirit is there I can teach the gospel in less than 50 words.

Its going to be good. Everything will be okay :)

♥ Mallory

4 comments:

  1. I'm proud of you Mallory! Not everyone is willing or able to jump in and try interpreting! Your courage is amazing and it will help you as you switch to this new language of Portuguese. It's so true, the gospel is simple. The Lord set up the straight and narrow path to be straight and narrow and easy to find. He even gave us an iron rod to make sure it's simple. The spirit is awesome and as long as you are meek you will become the window that the spirit can shine through and teach others with!

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    1. Thanks Sister Graham! Your comment means a lot to me :)

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  2. =) We cannot wait to send you letters!!!! Love you! Enjoy the next few days with your fam!!!

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    1. I'm excited to get letter from you. Especially from Enok!! =)

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