Elder Brandon Wallace: My last Monday in America

This is a lot later than normal, because yesterday my companion broke his retainer so we got to leave the MTC and go to the orthodontist. It was the BOMB because we got to be missionaries out in public, got to hear waiting room music, and they gave us free Slushies!

In case you can't tell from the title, I'm so stoked to be finally leaving the country after 9 long weeks. 2 months in the MTC is a long time, but I'm so grateful for the spirit I felt here and the preparation I had.

So for TRC on Monday we Skyped Tsai Jie Mei again. She was our first Skype TRC. It was awesome, because she totally remembered us and we were able to have an awesome lesson. We taught her about how to receive revelation through reading The Book of Mormon and she shared with us an experience about her friend that committed suicide and how she found peace through reading The Book of Mormon. It was such a sweet experience. We were all crying, the Holy Ghost was definitely there.

Our Speaker Tuesday night was Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, who is the General Primary President. She was an awesome speaker! One thing she said that stood out to me was: "While we are on the Lord's errand, we are ENTITLED to his help." That just gives me so much motivation, and I hope it does to other missionaries too. I've just seen the Lord's hand in my life so much since starting my mission, even just while being in the Missionary Training Center, and I know I'll see so much more once I get to Vancouver. I'm sure all the other missionaries out there understand what I mean.

Also, for all my friends going to Third World Countries on their missions, My companion killed a MASSIVE mosquito eater in our room with his belt so At least I get a taste of your experience! XD

Wednesday I hosted again for the last time. It was nice to see that I finally leave the MTC before all these new missionaries! We finally got some new missionaries in our zone which makes me a Grandpa finally! And because we are the oldest, we taught some new missionaries in another zone about daily planning. It was cool to see how only 2 months ago I understood nothing that was being said to me just like they do, and now I can speak so much. I'm NOWHERE near fluent, but I know a lot more than I did before I got here.

We got our new name tags on Thursday which made me so happy. They look so sweet! There's a picture down below. Our "investigator" we were teaching had a sick grandpa who he loved more than life, and while we were teaching him, he got a call that he had died. It was really sad, but I was able to explain that I had the exact same scenario happen to me so I understand, and we were able to teach the Plan of Salvation to him. I know it's not real, but it was a really sweet experience, and our teacher is a good actor.

Friday we had our In-field Orientation, it was so nice to finally get to say "I'm leaving the MTC." It was pretty cool, just really long. A lot of the stuff they taught I had been doing for the past 2 months, not 2 weeks like other English missionaries are doing.

Bad news though. All of the Taiwan Missionaries who were supposed to leave tomorrow didn't get their visa so they are staying at the MTC for a 10th week. They think they will come this week, so they haven't been re-assigned yet, so I'm praying they will come in this week. Just makes me so happy I'm going to Canada.

Saturday Ge Laoshi (Our teacher) told us the story behind Han Ge Hui (The investigator he was playing who's grandpa died). Spoiler alert, Han Ge Hui is actually a girl! He just plays her as a guy. It was really cool to see how he met her and her conversion to Christ's gospel.

Sunday was really special. Friday night they told me they forgot to let me know I was teaching Priesthood meeting on Sunday so I had only about 1 1/2 hours of prep time for that lesson. It was on faith, so it was fitting that I needed faith that it would go well. And it did, it was a nice lesson.

So sunday night was the best. Our devotional was by Lloyd Newell. He's the guy who does Music and The Spoken Word and is the narrator for General Conference. The guy who says: "This is the 185th annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" When he did that voice it was so funny!

So he ended up doing a "MTC and the Spoken Word" It was so cool. We sang: How Firm a Foundation, Redeemer of Israel, Let Us All Press On, Praise to the Man (that one was actually a video of the REAL MTC [Mormon Tabernacle Choir] Singing it) and We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet. It was a great devotional. I came into the MTC at the right time, devotional wise.

As a District we all went back to the Classroom and said goodbye and had a little testimony meeting. Then the people who left this morning asked all of us Elders for blessings and the spirit was probably the most powerful I have ever felt it. I definitely felt God's love and power yesterday.

That's about it for now. The next letter will be from Canada. Once I get there I'll send my new address so y'all can send me stuff ;) Love you all, and I'm so excited to get to the field!!!

With all the love I can put in a handshake,

王長老