Week 3: Learning fast

It is weird the think that I am reaching my halfway point for the MTC. This week we will teach our first lesson in Tagalog. Many of the other missionaries are worried about it, but I don’t think it will be much of a problem. It is amazing, to think that I have learned more Tagalog in three weeks than I learned Japanese in two semesters. The gift of tongues is real, but it does not come like most people would think that it comes. It requires a lot of hard work, prayer, and practice. It is coming thought and I can see that I am picking this up faster than I would normally.

I am using Microsoft Word so I can actually press return now. They lock down the computers so much that I can’t even copy and paste or open any applications like Word, but I got an email in Word and so I can open it now and use it.

My companion (“kasama ko” sa Tagalog) is a great guy from Washington. He says he from Washington because he was there a couple of years before going to BYU for school. So he is also kind of from Utah. And so I am because most people forget I am from Saipan or they don’t think about it, which is understandable. It is nice to be international because besides email I may be able to go visit the Salt Lake Temple. They almost did not let me because I have been there before and I am a palangi, but I am on the waiting list now.

Just last fast Sunday, I was not feeling to unified with my district as I wanted to so that is what I fasted for. And the Lord answered my prayers. He did not change a single person though, besides me. I realized that I needed to rely on Him more, I needed to learn not worry about other people, and mainly I just needed to be positive and bold. Since that time I have felt more accepted by the other Elder and much more confident in doing the Lords work. Don’t misunderstand the other missionaries in my district; they are honestly the best district I could have gotten. We are learning the language faster than the other districts. We are more unified. Ever one of the elders is awesome in their own right. I just can’t speak enough good about them.

I must go now, but thank you again for you support and love,
Elder Justin Benson