Leaving MTC Next Week

Email #3
Area: MTC
Companion: Elder Riding Elder Riding

Excerpts from Mom's email:

I'll get the important stuff out of the way first. So I don't see the flight itinerary in my emails but I got a paper about it a few days ago. So I think that means my visa is good. I'll send you a pic of it later if I can but basically we leave on Monday around 8:30 to the airport. I will be flying with seven total the whole way but five of them are in my district so that's good. I am the flight leader apparently haha so I keep being chosen to be a leader already. We first fly to San Fran then to New Zealand, then to Adelaide. It will be cool but a very long flight ahead. I can't wait but I really am going to miss the MTC. I love it here more then I ever thought I would. The hardest thing is going to be saying goodbye to all the people I have grown close to. We had some missionaries leave on Tuesday in my zone and that was the hardest thing. It's insane how close we have gotten to each other and they are gone now. Not as hard as saying goodbye to family but it was pretty close. It was especially hard for me saying goodbye to two of the sisters I have got close to and was not able to hug them. A hand shake wasn't really enough haha but that's okay. Now saying goodbye to those in my district will be especially hard because I spend most of my day with them. I can't wait for Australia but still I will never forget the MTC.

The week overall was pretty crazy and just had way to much going on to tell you about it all. The highlight of me week was on the 19th (was in my journal as 19th but days are blurring together). We heard a talk by Elder Holland and it was about how the worst way Satan can effect us is by binding our tongue. If we don't open our mouths, we can't tell others about this amazing gospel. What did Satan do to Joseph smith when he was praying to god? He bound his tongue but Joseph overcame that through gods help. I know I've had times in my life where my tongue was bound, where I was afraid to stand up for what I believe in, but on my mission, I promise I will not allow this to happen to me. This gospel has become to important to me to give up. I promise to do my very best and to preach his gospel by the spirit (D&C 50). Holland also talked about how some missionaries fall away from the church when they get home. I just can't understand how that is possible. After this much change in a span of a two weeks, I can't imagine the change and growth in two years. Then to just let all of that go; I just don't see how that would be possible. I really recommend watching that talk if you can find it. It's called "Open Your Mouth".

TRC's this week have been so amazing. That is where we have a chance teach real people. On of mine is Jacky and she is so amazing. She is an old lady whose kids joined the church and she want's to take lessons from missionaries to see what the gospel is really about. She said she hadn't had a experience yet before we taught. In our second lesson with her, I testified about eternal families and she just broke down into tears. The spirit had toughed her because she felt that her time is short and she wouldn't be able to see her kids again. The spirit was so strong in the room and it had to be the most powerful thing I have felt so far while teaching. It was powerful enough to make my companion and I to get tears in our eyes.

I have seen some amazing things already and my mission has just started. It feels like I have been here for a long time but in a good way. I honestly know it will get harder but I don't really care if it does. The challenges I have had to overcome have only helped me grow and I pray to god every night thanking him for those challenges.

Love ya momma!
Elder Bryner


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

So I'm doing really well actually. I'm sort of ready for Aussie, but it definitely is going to be hard for me to leave this place. I've grown to close to some of the missionaries here including the sisters. My companion and I had a hard time at first, but then I think last Sunday we had a companion prayer that was just amazing. I can't explain it, but we started crying and hugging it out and all that stuff. Ever since, we have been a much, much better companionship. He is from Heber Utah, he is a total soccer player, overall a very athletic kid. He is actually way cool and we are like brothers now. It will be good to fly with him and 5 others to Australia. So in class, we learned the lessons one by one and practice on our teachers. Then we do it again and again but each time is different. Then we learn the next lesson then the next. I think I have got most of the lessons down to a science in my head so that's good, but my best teaching happens when I actually feel the spirit. That happens on occasion, but mostly during devotionals and TRC's and stuff like that. So we are done teaching Theo and Makelle and I found out that Theo is a real investigator. He told us that one thing in particular struck him the most. His grandma has been in the hospital the last few days and its been really hard for him and his family. In our last lesson with him, we were talking about the power of the priesthood and how it can heal and our experiences with that. Apparently he talked to someone here in the MTC and next thing we know, he is telling us that his grandma got a priesthood blessing. That blew my mind when he told me that yesterday. He only was allowed to because we won't be teaching him anymore (we have two new ones I talk about in moms email). I am amazing at what the gospel can do for others and I have truly realized why I came on a mission. Part of it before was I didn't want to let you all down. Part of it was I needed a change in my life. Now the biggest part of it is my purpose as a missionary. To bring others unto Christ through his atonement. It will change lives and help prepare the world for his second coming. I have come to know God like I know you dad. I know that he lives and I love him so much its crazy.

I never really realized how much a testimony matters in life. God is always in our lives and we just need to pay attention to our blessings and be grateful for the obstacles. I'm not just saying that because I'm a missionary either. I truly do believe that. I know it will be hard, but I want to to work on your testimony right now as well. We can always make it grow and I promise it will help. The priesthood is an amazing blessing that we don't even think to use sometimes.

I love you so much dad!
Elder Bryner

He was given the 'Sister Slayer' tie. They pass it on from one elder to another based on the sisters. It is a really ugly tie.