Tuesday evening Devotional

 Written Tuesday, Jan 15

Tonight we went to the Tuesday Evening Devotional.  We were tempted not to go, even though we had heard that Brother Holland was to speak.  We get up at 6:00am to get to class on time, and don’t get to do much besides sit and study the whole day.  While we were staying ‘on campus’, we could go back to the room to stretch out and rest after meals and such.  Not so now that we have been moved to the Marriott. It is about 3 miles from the MTC so we have to take the shuttle back and forth.  To reduce their costs, the shuttle is only available 7-7:30am. and 6-7pm This makes for very long days.  We were ‘good’ though and stayed for the devotional.  Well, it was worth it.   I know you are so surprised.

First a little back story.  Some of you know we were scheduled to fly out yesterday.  Of course that didn’t happen.  In addition, yesterday was Rod’s birthday.  We are both sentimental, and had thought what a cool birthday surprise it would have been to get our visas that day.  I felt more disappointed than I had expected.  You see, because of my anxiety regarding my coming assignment, I haven’t really minded waiting to take it on, especially when we are busy learning new and interesting things.  Still, I have felt how anxious the mission President and his wife are to have us there, and Rod has been very anxious to get out and get to work, so his birthday seemed the perfect day for the visas to come.  As one daughter would say, the Lord has something better in mind.  (That is what His ‘no’ means.)

This devotional was one of the’ better things’.

Before Bro Holland spoke, a choir of missionaries sang a song called ‘Precious Savior’.  It was a song I hadn’t heard before; the music was copied (maybe original?). It was just beautiful!  Music has been a sure route to our tear ducts already.  Sunday, a zone headed to Polynesia somewhere sang a song in Samoan (I think)as a special number in Sacrament meeting.  It was in their hymn books, but one unique to them, and that got us both crying.  There is such spirit in music.  The other part of this I should let Rod tell about.  I will just say that during his first MTC experience they dedicated this MTC complex and he was in the choir that performed.  He has described the power he felt then, and this music, though more gentle, brought that to mind.  Bro Holland started out talking of the unprecedented surge in the number of missionaries, that we are part of historic days.  In previous dispensations, the great missionaries knew that they would ‘fail’ in that apostasy would follow sooner or later.  Bro Holland felt that what kept them going was the knowledge that our day would come.   We will not fail.  We will prepare a people ready to receive the Savior. Apparently, he is often asked when the 2^nd coming will be.  He said that it has already started. Wow! I can’t recount the whole talk of course but he was so impassioned he was shaking as he told us he just couldn’t bear that returned missionaries went inactive.  He made us laugh when he said he wanted to revoke free agency and then asked if the podium was grounded, but he just couldn’t stand that any missionary would teach and bear testimony of gospel principles that are the root of all that he most cherishes in his whole life and then just drop out.  Preach My Gospel ‘s purpose is to produce converted missionaries and then turn them loose, with the Spirit, to convert the world.  He pointed out that obedience is the only way to teach with ‘great power and authority’.  He  explained that the church has almost 200 years of experience in missionary work so missionaries needn’t think they know better.  Helaman 5:17-19 and Mosiah 27:11-18 demonstrate teaching with great power and authority.  He tenderly mentioned missionary questions he received, so often wondering how to know if they were successful.  He said that if a missionary was converted himself, was obedient, and seeking the Spirit, then he was succeeding, regardless of everything else.

Then Bro Holland told us that 3 MTC buildings which have been newly renovated, would be rededicated in this meeting.  The buildings are named after early missionaries, Mathew Cowley, Dan Jones and Anson Pratt.  He told us a little about these men.  Amazing.  Then he pronounced the dedicatory prayer.  It was so specific; materials were blessed in detail, and their purposes, and the missionaries that would be taught there.  It will be a place of safety for this work.   No weapon or malice will be allowed to harm the missionaries.  There is wonderful power in an apostolic blessing.  The icing on the evening was Rod recognizing the symmetry.  He witnessed a dedication during both MTC experiences.  

Okay, Lord.  We will stay where you want us to stay.