MTC Week 2!

Here is Elder Urry's update from September 4th:

Hey family!

Week two went by way faster than the first! I am currently doing laundry at
5:20 because it gets so crowded later in the day. I love the MTC! It is
very hard and challenging but worthwhile. My testimony and knowledge of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ has grown so much! I feel like I was a newborn baby
when I compare what I know now to what I knew two weeks ago. It is kind of
weird and surreal. My testimony has changed from knowing the church is true
and Jesus is my Savior to I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints allows people to access the full Atonement of Jesus
Christ through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the message I am going
to share with the people in Tucson, AZ.

I love running into missionaries that I know because it is so cool to see that my friends are
helping to assist the Lord in harvesting the harvest and gathering the fruit. I run
into Elder Chapman about every other day and we always chat for a little
bit. I have an experience that was really eye opening, humbling and
emphasized the fact that I need to not be afraid to act on promptings from
the Spirit. This last week my district was teaching a "progressing
investigator" at the TRC named Lawanna. We had taught her one time previous
and the lesson went very well. The spirit was in the room and testified of
what we were teaching. We were pumped up to teach her a couple days later.
We prepared to teach either the Plan of Salvation or the Restoration of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ depending on her answers to our questions. For the
most part we had decided to teach the Plan of Salvation. As questions were
asked there seemed to be a frequently repeated question, "What happened to
your friend?" or "Tell us about your friend?" Her friend had just recently
passed away. I noticed that she was uncomfortable with these questions and
knew that I needed to change the subject. I didn't. The questions kept
getting repeated because elders wanted to get certain answer and did not
want to stop from teaching her the Plan of Salvation. She felt so
uncomfortable that she got up and left the room. It got really quiet and no
one spoke a word. She later came in and some elders and I apologized for
our behavior.

The entire district was down in the dumps. I seemed to be the only one who was not
depressed. I tried to raise their spirits. I read my mission call to them
to remind them why they are out here and the blessing that will come to
them. We took a divinely guided walk to where we could see the temple and
remember our goal. Experience the full Atonement of Jesus Christ which can
only be done because of the temple. Yesterday, my teacher Brother Pinnock
went over the parable of the Good Samaritan and what it really meant. As we
read and discussed, my mind was/is/and probably will always be blown about
its true meaning. It is amazing the things that you learn when you have the
Spirit and it testifies of the truthfulness of what is being taught. I am
given so much study time that it is crazy. Hours and hours a day. 8 hours
on Sunday. However, I have found that it is quite insufficient to what I
want to study. I find trouble finding time to effectively study Preach My
Gospel, The Book of Mormon, and The New Testament. However, I have seen
that as I study these three books, I am blessed more abundantly with the
Spirit.

9/12 people in my district are sick. It seems to be a mix of the
flu and strep throat. I am not sick and I hope that it stays that way. I
have an airborne tablet with every meal and wash my hands as often as
possible. I pray constantly that the Lord will bless me with health and
strength that I wont get sick so I can attend all my classes and learn
about His gospel. I have faith that as I do my part in trying not to get
sick, that the Lord will make sure that I do not get sick. I leave next
Monday 9/10 at 6:00AM to fly to Tucson, AZ. So after next weekend, if you
write me at the MTC, I wont get your letter haha. I will make sure to keep
you all updated on my new address. My testimony is strong. I know why I am
dedicating two years of my life to serve the one that I love, Jesus Christ.
I would not change anything for it in the world. I am going to serve the
Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I love you all and thanks
for the letters!
Love,

 Elder Urry
LiveStrong