Hola Familia!!!!
I sure miss you guys a lot!!! Yeah!!! The talks were great in general conference. I have never felt the spirit so strongly, I have never been so hungry, I have never been so impatient to get out into the mission field, I have never grown to love a group of men so quickly, and I have NEVER EVER EVER been soooo tired. The MTC is honestly the most spiritually, physically and mentally draining place on earth!!! BUT IT’S AWESOME!!!! So weird huh?!?!?
So this past Sunday, I felt the spirit like no other. There was of course general conference and that is already spiritually enlightening, but then we had a devotional by vai sekahema. This guy was a pro football player and served in South Dakota. His testimony was so enlightening and he reduced our stress immensely because of how funny he was. It was after that talk that my companion (elder Tillman) and I, listened to a talk by David Bednar. That talk... Was a slap in the face.... But yet it was so amazing at the same time!!! So weird lol, but anyway, he told us very boldly saying “This mission is not about you. It’s not about your success. It is not about what you want. Get over yourself and turn outward." Elder Tillman and I just looked at each other in awe after that was said. He also told us that we need not only have a testimony, but we need to be truly converted to the gospel, and have continual conversion because if we don’t, we will surely fall." So powerful...
Soon after (forgot to mention that my companion and I are now zone leaders) we had a devotional as a zone. And this is when all the men get together and we have a deep spiritual moment. So what do we do when we have been cooped up in classes all day?! We hug each other... (Hope you understand that joke), but seriously we do hug each other. One night we were wrestling, the other night we were doing arm wrestles. But not this night. It was my turn to share a spiritual thought. And of course being my father’s son, I shared a story. Man did I bawl like a baby!! I had shared The Bridge, The birdcage and I’ll find you my friend. There were very few dry eyes last night. I cannot believe how much I love them. This zone means so much to me and I cannot bear the fact that all of them besides me and my roommates will be leaving tomorrow morning. Such a sad thought. But I know that all of them are going to do awesome and that they will serve diligently. I have come so much closer to my savior and I feel that I am truly becoming converted to the gospel. I have learned to love more than ever. I love you guys and I can’t wait to see you in two years!!!
Love you!!!
Elder McCown
