Somos Hijos de Nuestro Padre Celestial

Hola Todos!

Hope everyone had a great week! I enjoyed another nice week here at the MTC with a lot of studying and learning. It was fun to see Elder Scott Sonne arrive yesterday and I look forward to seeing many other friends come in next week. I have to admit, it is tough to be here and see a lot of the advanced speakers come and then leave to their missions. With every learning or spiritual experience I have here, I want to share this wonderful message that much more. I am getting very excited for Mexico! This week we had another Elder join our district because he is staying here an extra 2 weeks while he is doin therapy for a knee injury, Elder Maddox. He has moved in with my companions and I but they didn't break up our trio. The president thought it would be a mistake to break us up so I took that as a compliment. We continue to become better friends everyday. All 3 of us are very different but we are starting to understand each other better and learn what we can do to give service to one another. I continue to work hard on the spanish and it makes more sense everyday. I continue to love reading El Libro de Mormon and singing the Himnos en español. Elder Sawyer and I joined the MTC choir this past week and on Tuesday we sang "Jesus Once of Humble Birth". Neither of us are great singers but we are participating because we felt the spirit so strong and it was a huge testimony builder for me of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have thought about my Savior often this past week and how I can have a better relationship with Him. Our devotional this week was given by President Wixom, the Primary President of the Church. She talked about the name that we wear on our chests everyday, not Elder so-and-so, but Jesus Christ. What an honor we have to bear that holy name. We represent Jesus Christ and we are expected to act as such. I am so grateful for this unique opportunity in my life to wear that name everyday, to strive to be more like Jesus Christ and help others come unto Him by helping them to recieve His restored Gospel. I testify that He is our Savior and that He indeed has felt all the pains, sufferings, depression, everything that we have ever gone through. What a wonderful knowledge we have of an Older Brother that can relate to us and comfort us in all things. He is my best friend, mi mejor amigo. He has comforted and helped me numerous times in my life and especially now when I occassionally need a lift of spirits. I cannot wait to witness how this knowledge will change the lives of many in Mexico; I look forward to seeing that miracle occur. This week I am especialy grateful for fathers. My own father has been my "go-to" example for my whole life and I love him so much. I am grateful to all those men out there that have been father figures at different points in my life- bishops, teachers, friends, etc. I am especially grateful for a Father in Heaven, for the knowledge I have that we are all sons and daughters of a loving Father who knows and loves us each personally. Somos hijos de nuestro Padre Celestial (we are children of our Heavenly Father), what a great knowledge of comfort. If we never forget who we are, we will never fall. We will always have the courage and faith to press on in righteousness. I love my Father in Heaven and I know He has prepared a plan for us to come to this earth to gain experience and knowledge, so we could become more like Him and experience the same eternal joy that He feels. I hope everyone has a great Father's Day! Much love and I miss you all!

-Elder Stutz