December 28, 2012
Hola hola mi familia!
So Christmas was super awesome here at the MTC. I wrote more about it in my letter, but it really was great. One of the best things I liked best about Christmas here was the ability I had to focus on the Savior so much more. Not that all the normal Christmas things are bad, I think they're great, but when you don't have them, really all you can do is focus on the meaning of Christmas. And that's the Savior. It was a pretty incredible experience to focus on the Savior and His life all day. It really strengthened my testimony of Him and His life. He lives. I know it. I don't have too much more time to email, but I just want you to all know that missionary work is the work of the Lord. I've realized this week how much of an opportunity it is to serve a mission. At first I always thought of it as a responsibility, a way to pay back the Lord for all He's done for me. And in a sense, it is that. But even more it is an incredible blessing for me. I get to do what the Savior did when He was there. That's pretty incredible. I am so blessed. It's still hard for me to believe at times that the Lord is trusting me with such a great responsibility and such a great privilege. Well I've got to go, but I love you all! Thank you for all your love and support.
Love,
Elder Flint
So Christmas was super awesome here at the MTC. I wrote more about it in my letter, but it really was great. One of the best things I liked best about Christmas here was the ability I had to focus on the Savior so much more. Not that all the normal Christmas things are bad, I think they're great, but when you don't have them, really all you can do is focus on the meaning of Christmas. And that's the Savior. It was a pretty incredible experience to focus on the Savior and His life all day. It really strengthened my testimony of Him and His life. He lives. I know it. I don't have too much more time to email, but I just want you to all know that missionary work is the work of the Lord. I've realized this week how much of an opportunity it is to serve a mission. At first I always thought of it as a responsibility, a way to pay back the Lord for all He's done for me. And in a sense, it is that. But even more it is an incredible blessing for me. I get to do what the Savior did when He was there. That's pretty incredible. I am so blessed. It's still hard for me to believe at times that the Lord is trusting me with such a great responsibility and such a great privilege. Well I've got to go, but I love you all! Thank you for all your love and support.
Love,
Elder Flint
December 25, 2012
Hello mi familia!
So I get to write you a quick email today seeing that it is Christmas and the MTC Presidency loves us. Today and yesterday have been absolutely amazing. From talks from Russell M. Nelson to testimony meetings and reading the Christmas story with our zone the Spirit has been so amazingly powerful. I honestly cannot describe the love and comfort and joy and wonder and amazement and glory and gratitude that this Christmas season has brought me. I cannot express in words the wonderous testifications of the Holy Spirit in my heart and in my mind that have come to me in the last few days, but I will try to express just a portion of it. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my brother, and my strongest friend. I testify of Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. He is my mediator, my healer, my comforter when I am faint. He has healed my wounded soul through His amazing sacrafice for me. I cannot describe in words how grateful I am for His atonement. Without it, I would be as salt that has lost it's savor, worth nothing more than to be trodden on under foot of men and beast. But through His sacrafice I has a purpose. I have a reason to continue, to progress. I have a goal to look to; to become like Him, in thought, desire, and action. I am nowhere near close, but I feel I am moving in the right direction. And now I have the amazing opportunity to represent Him for two years of my life. I've have realized, just recently, that this mission, (His mission, not mine; though I am the one serving it) is, more than anything, a blessing. Think about it, I have the chance to do what Christ did. Not fully of course but in a part. And we all have that chance. Every single one of us can serve a mission. Maybe we can't all serve full time with a name tag, but we can all do what Christ would do if He were here. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Confused at the grace that so fully he profits me. I tremble to know that or me He was crucified. That for me a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died. Oh it is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me. I know this is His gospel. I know that He lives. And I will spread that word to all I can. I love you all. Have a very Merry Christmas. I want to bare my testimony once more, this time in Espanol. Yo se que este Evangelio es el Evangelio de Jesucristo y que, por medio de Jose Smith, esta Iglesia fue restuarado. Estoy agradecido por un profeta en la tierra y los revelaciones incredibles por medio de El, y el Espiritu Santo. Estoy agradecido por el sacraficio de Jesucristo por nosotros. Yo se que su expiacion es por todos. Por mi, y por todos de ustedes. Yo se que por medio de arrepentimiento y nuestro usando de la expiacion de Jesucristo, podemos sanando. Por sue heridas, las heridas de Jesucristo por nosotros, podemos sanando y limpiando. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.
Love you all and Feliz Navidad!
Elder Charlie Flint
December 21, 2012
Guess what, mom was right!!!! I'm going to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a little while until I get my visa. It's going to be a party. I know absolutely nothing about Albuquerque or New Mexico in general so it will be a little adventure. I've heard nothing but good about that mission. Well I guess I did hear from Hna. Liu that her friend went there and he got held up or mugged by gangsters or something, but I think that would be kinda cool. I'm hoping to have a teaching experience or some kind of little run-in with some cholitos (or little gangstas, as my teacher Hno. Tidwell calls them). But I won't be stupid or anything, I promise :) I'm just really excited to get out there. I talked to the travel center and they are confidant that I will get to Spain fairly soon, or at least some day. And they're still calling people to Spain, and the General Authorities are pretty smart. If nothing was moving, they wouldn't do that. So technically I'll get to call you 3 or 4 times this year instead of 2 :) So even though I don't get to call you this Christmas, we get more phone time. Woohoo!
So I just wanted to share a quick Christmas message. I'm sure I'll miss you all more the closer it gets, but when I think about the true meaning of Christmas, what we are really celebrating, I can't feel lonely. Because our Savior is the reason and He is always with us. As we go through this time, let us remember His sacrifice for us and His condescension. He lived for us, died for us, suffered for us, and saved us. With His stripes, we are healed. Let us remember Him during this season and every day to come. I love you all so much. Sorry the email's a little short this week, I'm adding some pictures :) Just know that I know or Savior lives. He lives and through Him we can live too. I love you all so much. A letter is coming with my mini talk in it. Have a fantastic Christmas!
With all my love, Elder Charlie Flint
So I just wanted to share a quick Christmas message. I'm sure I'll miss you all more the closer it gets, but when I think about the true meaning of Christmas, what we are really celebrating, I can't feel lonely. Because our Savior is the reason and He is always with us. As we go through this time, let us remember His sacrifice for us and His condescension. He lived for us, died for us, suffered for us, and saved us. With His stripes, we are healed. Let us remember Him during this season and every day to come. I love you all so much. Sorry the email's a little short this week, I'm adding some pictures :) Just know that I know or Savior lives. He lives and through Him we can live too. I love you all so much. A letter is coming with my mini talk in it. Have a fantastic Christmas!
With all my love, Elder Charlie Flint
December 15, 2012
So first off you're probable wondering why I didn't send you an email yesterday. That is because my P-day this week is today. Yesterday I had this thing called in-field orientation all day. Basically it's training for all those going into the field soon. And since the rest of my district minus me and Hna. Liu are leaving this next week, and next week is la semana de Navidad, we were told to go this week. Well just a report on my visa. I know absolutely nothing and neither does the travel center :/ Basically I'm completely in the dark. But I'm pretty sure I'm not leaving until the 26th at least, but I'm super excited for Christmas here. We know for sure an apostle is coming. Super pumped!
So this morning I want to talk a little bit about attitude. As a zone leader we've had lots of problems this last little while with disobedience and companionships that aren't getting along and all that good stuff, at what I've found has been at the center of every problem is attitude. If you come into the MTC or if you go into anything expecting it to be awful, you'll be right. The MTC especially. It is what you make it. Thomas S Monson said in the First Presidency Address, "Living the Abundant Life", something like this, "You can't stop the wind, but you can always adjust the sails." Our lives are full of wind. Every day we are tossed too and fro in the storm of life. We can't stop that. It happens to everyone eventually. But we must adjust the sails to get where we need to be. If we can do this we will be successful. In Psychology there is a phenomenon that I think helps explain this. It's very simple. It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy. Basically what it is, is this; if you have the idea that something will turn out a certain way, the probability of it ending up that way, is much higher. We heard something in in-field orientation yesterday that helps explain this further. "Lowering your expectations decreases your effectiveness." I can testify of this. We you think you're going to do worse, or you think that you can't do as much, you can't. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. That's why we need to aim a little higher. We need to shoot for the stars instead of settling for the street light. When we do so, and we have faith that we can accomplish whatever it is, we can. With the Lord nothing is impossible. In in-field I heard a definition for miracles that I'd never thought of or heard of before. It was this. A miracle is the correct application of true principles of pure eternal doctrines. We often think of miracles in a very scriptural sense, such as Daniel shutting the mouths of lions, or Moses parting the Red Sea, or the brother of Jared and the stones, but how much more grand are those things than the miracles we see every day. People shunning an addiction that has taken hold over them. People rising up out of the most extreme cases of adversity. This life is filled with miracles, we just need to change our attitude and see them for what they are. When we can do this we can more fully feel the Savior's love for us. This is most important during this holiday season. I love celebrating our Savior's birth, and I will miss you all something fierce during this season, but I will be watching hard for all the miracles of Christmas around me. This season I ask you all to pray hard asking for someone to help. I remember leaving boxes of gifts on the doorsteps of those less fortunate during the Christmas seasons of my childhood and those are things I will never forget. Do something like that this Christmas. Help someone in need, lift the hands of those who's hang down. When you do this, when you turn out, this Christmas will bring miracles into your lives and the lives of others. I love you all so much. Don't worry about me missing you too much this Christmas, I'll be just fine :) Have a wonderful holiday season, and celebrate the birth of our Savior; or, in other words, the submission of a God to take the weakest form, that of an infant, so that we could all be saved. Merry Christmas!
So this morning I want to talk a little bit about attitude. As a zone leader we've had lots of problems this last little while with disobedience and companionships that aren't getting along and all that good stuff, at what I've found has been at the center of every problem is attitude. If you come into the MTC or if you go into anything expecting it to be awful, you'll be right. The MTC especially. It is what you make it. Thomas S Monson said in the First Presidency Address, "Living the Abundant Life", something like this, "You can't stop the wind, but you can always adjust the sails." Our lives are full of wind. Every day we are tossed too and fro in the storm of life. We can't stop that. It happens to everyone eventually. But we must adjust the sails to get where we need to be. If we can do this we will be successful. In Psychology there is a phenomenon that I think helps explain this. It's very simple. It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy. Basically what it is, is this; if you have the idea that something will turn out a certain way, the probability of it ending up that way, is much higher. We heard something in in-field orientation yesterday that helps explain this further. "Lowering your expectations decreases your effectiveness." I can testify of this. We you think you're going to do worse, or you think that you can't do as much, you can't. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. That's why we need to aim a little higher. We need to shoot for the stars instead of settling for the street light. When we do so, and we have faith that we can accomplish whatever it is, we can. With the Lord nothing is impossible. In in-field I heard a definition for miracles that I'd never thought of or heard of before. It was this. A miracle is the correct application of true principles of pure eternal doctrines. We often think of miracles in a very scriptural sense, such as Daniel shutting the mouths of lions, or Moses parting the Red Sea, or the brother of Jared and the stones, but how much more grand are those things than the miracles we see every day. People shunning an addiction that has taken hold over them. People rising up out of the most extreme cases of adversity. This life is filled with miracles, we just need to change our attitude and see them for what they are. When we can do this we can more fully feel the Savior's love for us. This is most important during this holiday season. I love celebrating our Savior's birth, and I will miss you all something fierce during this season, but I will be watching hard for all the miracles of Christmas around me. This season I ask you all to pray hard asking for someone to help. I remember leaving boxes of gifts on the doorsteps of those less fortunate during the Christmas seasons of my childhood and those are things I will never forget. Do something like that this Christmas. Help someone in need, lift the hands of those who's hang down. When you do this, when you turn out, this Christmas will bring miracles into your lives and the lives of others. I love you all so much. Don't worry about me missing you too much this Christmas, I'll be just fine :) Have a wonderful holiday season, and celebrate the birth of our Savior; or, in other words, the submission of a God to take the weakest form, that of an infant, so that we could all be saved. Merry Christmas!
Our Christmas tree and presents! Woohoo!
Okay, I had to add this one. Doesn't it look like E. Rutledge is holding a card board cut-out of E. Fielding. Super hilarious.
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