3 weeks down , 3 weeks to go!

July 21, 2015

3 weeks down, 3 weeks to go! I'm half-way done my time at the MTC!

That first week was definitely the hardest and things dragged for sure, but since then it has been going a lot quicker and things have been a lot better. My branch is great, Portuguese is starting to come along, I'm starting to get the hang of things.

Okay my week. Like I said before, half our district left for Brazil and I do miss them a lot, but it is easier to focus and get work done with only three. We've made a lot of progress this week, we've had a few lessons with our investigators Manuela and Jose, and one with Claudia and they've all gone pretty well. I'm able to go in and not look at notes and do a pretty good job explaining doctrinal points and how I feel. It's a very satisfying feeling, but I know for sure it's all because of my Heavenly Father, Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Without their guidance, I could do nothing. I became a District Leader which is exciting, it doesn't give me a ton to do in the MTC but I definitely need to set the example. Oh and I forgot to bring my journal to the computer and that has all the stuff that happens in the week, so I may forget some stuff and will have to add more next week. Sorry!

Almost all of the people from our branch going to Africa left yesterday, today, or tomorrow which is sad, but they were great and I know they'll be amazing missionaries. On Sunday at church, a few of us Elders sang Come Thou Fount and it is one of the best experiences I've had here so far. The song brought me to tears and I'm so grateful I have a Savior Jesus Christ who died for my sins that I could be clean again and return to him and my Heavenly Father.

On a less spiritual but still singing note, before everyone left yesterday, we all gathered in a circle and sang Bohemian Rhapsody in a very out of tune and off key manner at the top of our lungs and it was amazingly fun. We did it a little bit in the cafeteria earlier but that was just a warm up. Some people took videos; hopefully we can fit it into an e-mail. You'll all get it if we can.

Well, that's all my brain is remembering for now.

Love you all!  I love it when you write me letters and send me e-mails!
Sincerely, Elder Carroll

 

Here is his communication information at least for the next 3 weeks

Jeffrey.carroll@myldsmail.net
Dearelder.com
Unit 97 Mission code BRA-JP Departure date AUG 11

 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – lyrics

Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
I'll praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy help I come
And I hope by thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above

outside the Provo Temple