How can a place of holiness feel so much like hell?

February 23, 2012

Well whats up with life around the world. Or basically outside of the MTC?

             This week was actually way good. Its been pretty short because it quickly coming to a close and also its been pretty exciting. To start I guess I'll tell every one that I'm getting a temporary assignment to Lansing Michigan. So I have 8 short sleeve shirts, no jacket and its 15 below up there. The travel office told me today that my mission president will most likely have stuff for me up there though. So not to worry. I leave on wednesday at 730 from SLC then arrive in detroit and fly out again to lansing. so I'll get there around 3 in the afternoon. I also don't know if the I'll be speaking spanish. It's all up to the Mission pres. It's an english mission but hopefully I'll be speaking Spanish. It's funny Monson Welch just went there Money. and now I"m going to show up and he will be so confused. Kinda siked about it.

     Friday I was in a lesson with my comp teaching this guy named Daniel. Who we haven't made any progress on really. But he is the hardest investigatot here. So I never really expected to whip through the lessons. But in our lesson before friday we challenge him to read the book of mormon, and take the challenge. yada yada yah and when we came back and he didn't do it. My comp blew a gasgaut. He started to raise his voice, then next thing I know there is this very heated debate where my companion is telling Daniel he is an idiot for not seeing the truth in the book and Daniels saying, there is no truth. I calmed it all back down and ended up having a really good lesson. But my comp didn't say another word in the lesson, or for the day haha. good times.

      For you momma, there is this sister in my district who always hears things wrong. So the other day this girl is saying that she is going to some mission in oregon or something like that. Well the sister thought she said disneyland. And started freaking out. Saying ohh your the luckiest person alive, you get to go to the disney land mission. While every one was just trying to figure out what this sister was talking about. It happens alot with her though... but its always good for a laugh.

     I have loved my time here at the MTC and got to be a host missionary this week. and take in new missionaries. Well actually take in one and the rest of the time I decided to direct traffic. But it was fun watching all the new missionaries coming in, and some families come in. I felt bad alot of the time cuz there is alot of tears on that curb. Oh also haha, we had a testimony meeting after the our devo on tuesday. and so I said my part and point, usually in my testimonies here I like to challange my class to do something and stuff. Anyways I ussually take up a good little bit of time. So a new sister came in the room that had just arrived the night before, and the 6 of us in the room were asked to say what weve learned here, and the Assistant DL asked me to keep mine under 5 minutes. So I came up with a couple good lines that would stick with everyone in the room. Then I turned to the sister, asked where she was going and stuff like that. Then began again with my testimony, speaking to her. Saying, this time here at the MTC is precious, but I never thought Holiness could feel so much like Hell :) hahaha. Her face looked absolutley shocked as did most people in the room. And I then went on to say that I really did love my time here. but that one line was precious. It went over perfect. I really have loved my time here though. It's been great in so many ways for me.

     Now to end with something kinda spiritual. This is a quote taken out of President Boyd K. Packers Patriarchal blessing. "Face toward the sunlight of truth so that the shadow of error, disbelief, doubt, and discouragment shall be cast behind you"

                      Peace, Love, and Go with God.

Elder Rushton

This week was soooo crazy!!

February 16, 2012

Hey everybody,

   Hows life outside the MTC, Oh my gosh, this week was so crazy, so .... No every week here is the same, nothing really changes, but I'm still loving it. I'm starting to find the answers to alot of fun gospel questions, and everybody comes to me when they have questions, so thats always fun, I really enjoy figuring it all out. This week I started reading lectures on faith. That book is amazing, if you don't own it buy it. its 7 lectures joseph smith had for the school of Prophets that was originally in the DandC but the church took it out of the cannonized version in 1921. But it really is an amazing book. Its crazy to think that really everything operates on a basis of faith. Just as my father said when he felt he was drowning and felt as though he was parilized. In a sense, believing he was paralized made him paralized, realizing though that his muscles work again he was able to move them. If you had no belief at all that you could move you fingers could you? its easy to have faith in what can be seen, but it is much harder for us to have faith, or knowledge of that which is not seen, If we had the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Some good guy said that, I wanna say Jesus. :) Hmmm another good quote. TS Eliot. Where did the wisdom get lost in knowledge, where did the knowledge get lost in information. Don't let yourself get caught up with everything around you so much that you loose the wisdom and knowledge that is present in this world.

     Anyways, Sorry I just have alot of spiritual thoughts Really I could write all day spiritual thoughts. but really no other ones, I'm trying to think of some for you guys though. Oh this friday, I got a kid to come work out with me :) he played football for dixie state. We did upper body, and by the time we were done he was really feeling it. But then over the next three days he complained constantly about his chest hurting haha, He was so sore that he couldn't even put on deoderant for 3 days. Finally he went to the nurse cuz he was so sore, just the one at the gym and she made this big Ice bra for him haha. I guess when you act like a girl..... :) Anyways It sounds like everybody on the outside world is doing good. Whats up with the Phillipeanes? on the church news site, it says some big eathquakes have been happening but that the missionaries and temple is fine. any other news? This week is snowed, which kinda made me sad :( but at the same time it was way nice to get it. We didn't get much here, actually it rained for a good 4 hours before it started snowing but I miss skiing, and Finn :) Oh and maybe some friends and family and idk other stuff but basically skiing and Finn. No just kidding I love all of you.

      So momma, do you think that after the mission, youd let me go to South America for 2 months to go back pack around. Start praying now so that when I get home, youll get an answer and I don't have to wait a couple years first :) I'm glad I'm learing spanish and it really is getting relatively good. It's funny cuz around class just sitting I don't speak aton of it. but when I teach lessons people are always like wow, you actually speak way good. haha, well there nothing to say in class i guess. Um really I'm just trying to pull stuff out of no where. So I love you all tons, Oh yeah I got reassigned today, so next thursday I will know where I'm headed to, which won't be Tijuana until I get my visa, I'm hoping for NY. That seems like the place I'm supposed to be. I hear that up north is getting dumped on...? oh and I have a wall covered with a ton of pictures so everybody is always telling me about how good of skiers they are :) oh how I wish we were just on a mountain. I just smile and tell them how cool that is, and that I'm deccent. Hopefully I see them all in 2 years, or maybe 3 when I learn how to again :). Well again peace love and go with God.

It has actually been nice for a change just being here.

February 9^th, 2012

Man, I need to remember things in the week. Everything is the exact same every week so its hard to keep track of something to write to you guys. Well this week has been pretty good. It has actually been nice for a change just being here. Ive got 2 and a half more weeks here, and I just barely decided to accept this place haha. Coulter came in on wednesday :) and I didn't think Id ever see him. Being a English missionary they try to keep the languages together for everything. Fortunatly he got lost and ended up coming into my building, haha he was so confused. But hey as far as I'm conserned it was the lord telling him to come see me.

    I've started working out way hard. I'm sick of not having good workouts here, and I'm cutting way back on my food. Hopefully it all helps stay healthy. I'm not really worried about gaining weight here, but you just feel better being healthy. I drink so much water now, and so I'm basically peeing every 30 mins in class. Tengo que hacer pipi. The only phrase I've learned in spanish. I do pretty well in spanish actually, as far as gospel principles go. But when I just speak about everyday stuff its pretty hard. Theres a fun elder her from El Salvador and I can't understand a word he says, so I'm way excited to get out in the field and see whats happening :) This week he bore his testimony about me haha, he got up and said something along the lines of. there is this elder who has always been way nice to me, giving me his food and hugs and stuff. And at first I was really freaked out, but now I understand that its cuz he loves me. haha. apparently in El Salvador there isnt alot of hugging or anything. I don't think he likes it when I prance around naked either haha but, hey man, I've gotta shower. I think I already told you this story but this kid told me my body was a temple while I was taking a shower one day, and that when I walked from the room to my shower (I don't like getting my towel dirty) I should where my towel :) well obviously to this I replied that my body is a candle stick and that I'm not going to hide it under a bushel but put it on top of a hill for all to see... Thats alright right...... right..... Hmmmm. I know I have fun but I do love the work.

Its hard cuz in my class the spirit is there but most people in my class don't have that much of a testimony I don't think. Fortunatly this week I saw some major improvements with this. but alot of the time it feels like me and the sisters are the only ones who want to be out here for the lords work and because we love our savior not because of other reasons. I know I could proly work on humility my testimony of the church is no where near where I want it to be. But I know that there is no place I'd rather be then hear, and that with out learning how to teach hear at the MTC I would not be able to be as sussecful of a missionary. hopefuly I can convert and heal the people of TJ. and Where every I get transfered. Because I doubt I get my Visa, Mexico shut down its visa ofice for 2 months so it is way behind. and all mexican elders are getting sent elsewhere for the start of there missions. Kindof excited but we will see. I wont know till the 18 I think. Other then all this everyting is going well. Last night I got up to pee and the elder next to the door sat and and said was up. then he procedeed to look for what he said was a white cord that ran under his bed. He was asleep of course. but it was fun to mess with him.

Aunt Deb and Uncle John. I will get another letter to you guys soon. but for now I love you and your presents are much appreciated. I do have alot of food. but I don't eat it, its all junk except the nuts. So your food Is going to be amazing. Thank you.

 Oh and it was kinda funny today at the temple I saw a cousin to the Kuykendalls. I might have already put that in this letter. but I'm trying to think of more to say and I've got nothing.

Peace and love everybody. Go with God.

Oh and Elder Steele is the Manliest Tron of Mantrons. Basically thats all there is to that, but he wanted you all to know this. And also if there is any single women in the world that read this. they should mail him mails of mailyness.

Again I love you all

I'm doin all right!! Feelin pretty good myself!

February 2, 2012

Hey everybody,

      Another week at the MTC and I guess I'm still doin allright. Im feeling pretty good, except the fact that I have had a sore throught since day one here. Kinda weird I think its cuz I'm singing, alot. Thanks so much everybody that supports me out here. It really does mean alot. It's supprising the people that have written me that I would have never guessed would but, it makes me further apreciate my work here. Knowing that there are many eyes at home watching all the mistakes I make :)

       I get to see Coffe alot here, I work out with him everyday, and a mexican from canada that is jacked. So that I always nice, and I get to see some other friends alittle bit but not very often. Ive seen Rich twice here, and both times it cuz we had to go way out of our ways to find each other. But its worth it, gotta love him. I'm way excited for this wednesday though, Coulter is coming in.

    The temple went well today, I did sealings with a couple elders and got an omlet smothered in gravy mmmm mmm good. It was funny in the sealings I kept having these questions and at first we had an old temple president who could answer them all. then another guy switched and to my questions he was just like, I don't know. I just except it. haha I love all of you at home, and while you have to accept the truth of the temple and all of the gospel. The gospel asks you to ask questions, to find out things that interest you. Just because you are worthy and on the right track doesn't mean you can stop your studies or solie (no idea how to spell that word) just accept what is being said to you. Sorry random thought.

     This week was fun though, we started a new program they just barley brought into the spanish missionaries training. We just call it the pilot program. Basically it is a progressive investigator that is a way good actor. So its pretty hard. the sisters in my district made theres cry, because they said the Catholic church didn't have all the truth, she thought her life was a waste. Our investigators name is Daniel, basically there has been 2 sisters that have left the lessons crying because of him and 8 elders that have straight up just left the lessons. So he is hard. While every one got in there rooms we had a 15 min door aproach and we never made it to talking about the gospel, more or less not alowed to. But I think for this we need to be freinds first, then be missionaries.

      Other then that, we got our other investigator and his wife to get married, and all this other fake stuff has happened here :) uhhh last night I biked till I almost puked so I'm starting to get my work outs alittle better here. It's pretty fun. My good friend Noriega here left this week, its been interesting he got surgery on his elbow and finger on thursday and I've had to babysit him alot. I'm sad he left but I'm glad he is finally out in the field, he needs someone to beat some sense into him. Its cool though, Ive got alot of good friends here now. and He gave me 30 pounds of food, basically I have a ton of food and I distribute it out to other people once I get it all :) bam pimp of the MTC..... food wise

       On tuesday we have devotionals and this week was the 50th anaversiary or this place and a new dedicatory prayer. so our sheets on sunday said that there was supposed to be a couple hundred guests comming and somewhere the rumor got started the P money was coming, I mean President Monson was coming. So things got alittle crazy, it was like waiting in a ski line for some fresh tracks but with some couple hundred kids. So I took the safe way in, joined choir this week. Which so many people had my idea that half the gym was full or choir kids. It was kinda crazy. needless to say. only Nielson and Holand. and Holand didn't really even talk to us. but still it was great.

      Well I love you all, I'm doing great here, I think I tore my pants today but I'll wear them the rest of the way out haha, Um basically thats it and all. I could use some face lotion, and I lost my soap but I only have 3 more weeks here so I don't think I need more, Ill just steal some from around. ohh I want my patriarachle blessing, por favor

Peace love and go with God.

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