MTC Week 8: The time of my life

Soon, I will be leaving the MTC to embark on another amazing adventure, the mission field. Honestly, I don’t know what to think. I have never been so excited to leave MTC, but also never felt so unprepared. It is incredible how much I have learned and even more so how much I need to learn. Searching the scriptures daily has been so uplifting. There is so much I don’t know about the gospel and even the church that I ignorantly looked over before. The new missionary book “Preach My Gospel” is just as inspired as the scriptures. Pres. Packer said that it was written on the other side of the veil and compiled here. I believe that. I wished I would have appreciated it and studied it more before. It is great for more than just missionary work.

In spite of the looming situation and the uneasiness of my heart, the spirit continually comforts me and encourages me. I don’t know how I lived without the spirit so much before because all those that are baptized are given the gift of the spirit so long as they seek it. I have found it to be one of the greatest blessings that we all need to endure.

Another reason that I am somewhat saddened is that I will be leaving behind great friends that I have made. This is not going to hold me back because I will make even better friends and be working at a greater cause. One such friend that I have made is Elder Ferrarini who is going to Quezon City so I may never see him. He is 22 or so and used to be a Catholic priest, but left the ministry and got baptized. He may not be going to the Philippines because they found a heart condition since being here, but I have learned to respect him as well as many other missionaries.

I am not sure if I can ever work as hard as I need to. There is so much I need to do and become and I have so little time. My only hope and faith comes from the Lord because only through him can I ever be good enough. Only after relying completely on Him and giving myself completely to Him can I become who I need to be. He has blessed me so much, and I have not thanked Him enough. My prayer is that I may do His will and learn to love it so. This is my pray for all of you as well. We worship the living God and He wants to bless us. We must let him.

Elder Justin Benson

Next week, from the Philippines…