I'm getting pretty settled in at the MTC now. In just three weeks, I already feel totally different. The Spirit here is awesome. I would never have thought I would be able to speak as much Korean as I can (though the real trouble is understanding anything they say back). 

President Nelson (president of the Twelve as of half a month ago) spoke in the devotional on Tuesday. Watching him come in was an awesome moment. He talked about having the word of God written in our hearts so that we could be epistles of the Lord. That really struck me, because it seems that the difference between just being a member and being truly converted is having the gospel in our heart, not just our mind. When it is in our heart, turning from it or sinning appear abhorrent to us (as Alma says somewhere in chapters 10-15). We serve Him and are completely obedient not out of need or because we are compelled, but because we love Him so much that we want Him to be able to work through us. That is why the sons of Mosiah were such great missionaries. They studied, prayed, and sought the Spirit with all their hearts. Thus, they had the word of God written in their hearts. Then, they were completely obedient to the Lord. They had to go through some hard things, like imprisonment, but they were totally faithful. This allowed the Lord to work through them and bring so many Lamanites to the truth. Alone, they would have surely failed. But they had the gospel in their hearts and were able to manifest Christ's love through their own actions. They were totally obedient, allowing the Lord to do what needed to be done to bring the Lamanites to the truth. My goal is to be a missionary like they were. 

Sister Nelson talked about how this church is not a Utah-based church. It is, in fact, a heaven-based church, the same one that Christ established two thousand years ago. We, as missionaries, are how the Lord expands this great gospel to those across the world. Sister Nelson talked about how we sometimes overlook how significant it really is to "know" something. We know many amazing things that have never before been known, because it is the fullness of times. The impact of this expands well beyond this church being a "Utah-based" church. The Lord is spreading His gospel because He want all of His children to return to Him and to be happy. No matter where or who you are, this gospel has a message of immense meaning. This church is a "heaven-based church.

These messages really inspired me to do better with my own work and goals. I hope everyone is doing well. I love getting your messages and emails and hearing about what's going on back home. Thanks to everyone who was a great example to me while preparing to serve a mission!