Christmas in the MTC

Hello Family!
So, this week was Christmas and I didn't end up sending that letter that I told you about last week until today, SORRY! We're not allowed to write letters except on p-day so when I don't finish it on that Monday I have to wait until the next week to complete it, but we were allowed to write letters on Christmas. Speaking of which (even though half of this is all in the letter that I’m mailing to you) this Tuesday for the devotional Elder Neil L. Anderson came and spoke to us, and then on Christmas Elder L. Tom Perry spoke in the morning. We then had a talent show (the first one ever for the MTC on Christmas) and it was much better than I had been expecting. Then that night we had a devotional by Greg Olsen (I think he's one of mom's fav artists seeing as a bunch of his painting are all over the house) and he showed us some of his paintings and talked about them and it was amazing! First off he’s a painter, which got me listening. Then he was talking about Christ and it was just so good that it would have been hard not to listen.

So, I did open the presents that you sent me and they're wonderful. Funny thing though, we're not allowed to chew gum, here or in the field. But I think I can chew it in my room where no one can see me. The skirt does fit, but I haven't tried twirling around in it, but I love that it has pockets. I really enjoy the photo album, its rocking so far, and the Noah's ark is amazing! Did the achievement day kids help you? (I can never remember what those kids are actually called anymore, dang, a sign of how old I am!) The little nut cracker keeps me safe at night. Other than that, it was pretty much just like any other day, except we didn't have any classes.

Today starts the countdown to three weeks left until I leave for El Salvador! I'm so excited. I'm supposed to get my flight plans around Jan. 7, so the P-day after that I will let you know when I’m leaving, what my flight plans are like, and when you can expect to get a call from me!!

Spanish is coming along alright. My districts fav phrase to say is "es verdad" meaning "its truth" and our fav word is "sacapuntas" meaning pencil sharpener, but it’s just fun to say. As of this Saturday we get to start teaching the second lesson in Spanish, yea! Oh, Spanish is hard but is coming. I can't wait to be in El Sal and just learn the language.

My camera is working alright. It hates the cold, but as long as I’m inside it will turn on. Yippy. I think it'll last the whole mission mostly because I have awesome rechargeable batteries.

Ok. Time is running out. I love you all so much, I will write you again next week!!! love love love you and miss you tons!
Love,
Brea

P.S No crazy plans for New Years, I enjoy my sleep seeing as we're busy all day and are not allowed naps.

P.S. What did I get people for Christmas? I heard that there were presents from me under the tree.

Half way to El Salvador

email written and received December 21, 2009


This last Friday my district celebrated our one month anniversary and our half way mark all in one day. That was also the day that our teachers told us to say goodbye to English and that from now on they're only going to speak to us in Spanish. It was also the day that we taught the first lesson for the first time in Spanish.

In only a few short weeks we get our flight plans!!! This week has been pretty mild, nothing crazy and no more fire alarms at midnight. Yesterday Brother Stephen B Allen came to speak to us at the fireside, and he's a really good speaker. We're hoping that we get super cool people this week seeing as it is the holidays. Speaking of holidays, Hanukkah was wonderful! I love love loved it and thought it was so funny. At the beginning of each class we have a spiritual thought so I would give that day's Hanukkah message as the spiritual thought. I think every really liked the plan of salvation cut outs, and I think they will help us a lot as we teach the second lesson, its a really hard one to teach, mostly because there is just so much information in it.

Photo by Keith Johnson/Deseret News
Elder Richard G. Hinckley, right, and Stephen B. Allen, rear right, of the Church's Missionary Department are part of a formal presentation by Mack Wilberg, left, Sheri Dew and Mac Christensen of the Tabernacle Choir's latest release.

This last Saturday my district played a game called Native. Its where there are a bunch of cards and they each say a different name, but one says Juan/Maria and whoever gets that card is the native for the day and can only speak Spanish. But everyone is trying to trick everyone else into thinking that they are the native so we all try to speak as much Spanish a possible. So its a really fun "let’s try and speak and learn Spanish" kind of game.

For the next two weeks the Provo Temple is closed for the holiday, but our branch had the opportunity this morning to go and help clean it! It was amazing. Not the most exciting stuff, we scrubbed locker room lockers with toothbrushes and q-tips for the whole time, but it was just great to be in the temple.

Family, I love you so much, and I want you all to have a super happy merry Christmas. I'm writing you a letter today so look for that in the mail sometime soon. Mel, remember that you have my present to mom, and sorry everyone else, but I didn't buy you anything. Sorry. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! and miss you too.

Love,
Brea

P.S. from Dad- As one of the Hanukkah gifts, the missionaries received Christmas cards to write their testimonies in and send to their parents. I hope we get one from Hermana Breanna.

Candle 8- The Temple Ordinances

Light of the Restoration
“And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house (the Kirtland Temple) armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them” (D&C 109:22).
“Yea, and my presence shall be [in my house], for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God” (D&C 97:16).
From New Mission President Seminar, Church News, June 26, 1999
President Monson then spoke about the message of the missionaries. Investigators, he said, are particularly inclined to listen to Heavenly Father's plan for their salvation. Among these are people who have recently moved or who have lost a loved one or had a new birth in the family.
"Everybody asks the question posed by Job: 'If a man die, shall he live again?' " he said, noting that as missionaries discuss the eternal nature of the family, "You're on sacred ground in the soul of that person."
Elder J. Ballard Washburn, “The Temple Is a Family Affair,” Ensign, May 1995, 11
We go to the temple to make covenants, but we go home to keep the covenants that we have made. The home is the testing ground. The home is the place where we learn to be more Christlike. The home is the place where we learn to overcome selfishness and give ourselves in service to others.
I hope you will not think it simplistic to suggest that it is the “little things” like family prayer and family home evening that are important. Little things like a father helping his children say their nightly prayers and telling them a bedtime story instead of watching TV. Little things like making time in the family schedule for reading the scriptures. Little things like a husband being big enough to say, “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I should not have said that. I’m going to do better.” Or a mother saying to a child, “I’m sorry I became angry. Please forgive me.” Yes, it is the little things that we do each day and each week that make the difference.
By keeping the temple covenants, all of God’s children may be exalted. I say again that we go to the temple to make the covenants, but we go home to keep those covenants.
Personal Dedication and Missionary Application
After reading the following, examine yourself and see if you are making an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord? What could you do or stop doing that would be a sacrifice?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Liahona, May 2004
In ancient times when people wanted to worship the Lord and seek His blessings, they often brought a gift. For example, when they went to the temple, they brought a sacrifice to place on the altar. After His Atonement and Resurrection, the Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. The gift or sacrifice He will accept now is “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” As you seek the blessing of conversion, you can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit.

Candle 7- The Atonement

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 51
Before the world was organized, our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ made it possible for us to overcome the effects of the Fall. All of the prophets since the world began have testified of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer.

We will all suffer physical death, but Jesus Christ overcame the obstacle of physical death for us. When He died on the cross, His spirit became separated from His body. On the third day, His spirit and His body were reunited eternally, never to be separated again. He appeared to many people, showing them that He had an immortal body of flesh and bone. The reuniting of body and spirit is called resurrection and is a gift promised to each of us. Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected regardless of whether we have done good or evil in this life. We will have pain, or death. The resurrection makes it possible to return to God’s presence to be judged but does not guarantee that we will be able to live in His presence. To receive that blessing, we must also be cleansed from sin.

God sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to overcome the obstacle of sin in addition to the obstacle of physical death. We are not responsible for the Fall of Adam and Eve, but we are responsible for our own sins. God cannot look on sin with any degree of allowance, and sin prevents us from living in His presence. Only through the Savior’s grace and mercy can we become clean from sin so that we can live with God again. This is possible through exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

To fulfill the plan of salvation, Christ paid the penalty for our sins. He alone was able to do that. He was called and prepared in pre-earth life. He was the literal Son of God in the flesh. He was sinless and completely obedient to His Father. Though tempted, He never gave in to temptation. When the Father asked His Beloved Son to pay the price of the world’s sins, Jesus was prepared and willing. The Atonement included His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and His suffering and death on the cross, and it ended with His Resurrection. Though He suffered beyond comprehension—so much so that He bled from every pore and asked whether it were possible that this burden be lifted from Him—He submitted to the Father’s will in a supreme expression of love for His Father and for us. This triumph of Jesus Christ over spiritual death by His suffering and over physical death by His Resurrection is called the Atonement.

Christ promises to forgive our sins on the condition that we accept Him by exercising faith in Him, repenting, receiving baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and striving faithfully to keep His commandments to the end of our lives. Through continuing repentance, we may obtain forgiveness and be cleansed of our sins by the power of the Holy Ghost. We are relieved of the burden of guilt and shame, and through Jesus Christ we become worthy to return to the presence of God.

As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

In paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus did not, however, eliminate our personal responsibility. We must show that we accept Him and that we will follow His commandments. Only through the gift of the Atonement can we return to live with God.

From the LDS CES publication “Basic Doctrines”
To atone is to suffer the penalty for sin, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of making a perfect atonement for all mankind. His Atonement included His suffering for the sins of mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, the shedding of His blood, His suffering and death on the cross, and His Resurrection from the tomb (see Isaiah 53:3–5; D&C 19:16–19). The Savior was able to carry out the Atonement because He kept Himself free from sin and had power over death. From His mortal mother, He inherited the ability to die. From His immortal Father, He inherited the power to take up His life again.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ everyone will be resurrected and overcome physical death. Through the Atonement those who repent, obey the commandments, receive the saving ordinances, and keep their covenants, will overcome spiritual death and receive the gift of eternal life.

As part of His Atonement, Jesus took upon Himself the pains, sicknesses, and infirmities of all people (see Alma 7:11–12). He understands our suffering because He has experienced it.

Elder Neal A Maxwell,: Liahona. April 2002
“Those of us who have partaken of the Atonement are under obligation to bear faithful testimony of our Lord and Savior. For he has said, ‘I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in the solemnity and spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you’ (D&C 84:61)” (“The Atonement and Missionary Work”[seminar for new mission presidents, 21 June 1994],2).

“Thus all of us are to “remain steadfast…in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto [us]” (D&C 84:61). The forgiveness we need is correlated with our steadfastness in the work of the Lord.”

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
After reading the following quote by Elder Holland ask yourself how you can prepare yourself for the difficulties of missionary work?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign March 2001.
Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.
For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul.

Candle 6- The Fall

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 49
Adam and Eve were the first of God’s children to come to the earth. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, with bodies of flesh and bones. While Adam and Eve were in the garden, they were still in God’s presence and could have lived forever. They lived in innocence, and God provided for their needs. In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve their agency. He commanded them not to eat the forbidden fruit, or the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Obeying this commandment meant that they could remain in the garden, but they could not progress by experiencing opposition in mortality. They could not know joy because they could not experience sorrow and pain. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, and they chose to do so. This was part of God’s plan. Because of this choice, they were cast from the garden and out of God’s physical presence. This event is called the Fall. Separation from God’s presence is spiritual death. Adam and Eve became mortal—subject to physical death, or separation of the body and spirit. They could now experience disease and all types of suffering. They had moral agency or the ability to choose between good and evil. This made it possible for them to learn and progress. It also made it possible for them to make wrong choices and to sin. In addition, they could now have children, so the rest of God’s spirit children could come to earth, obtain physical bodies, and be tested. Only in this way could God’s children progress and become like Him.

From the LDS CES publication “Basic Doctrines”
Adam and Eve’s transgression and the resultant changes, including spiritual and physical death, are called the Fall.

In the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam and Eve not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; the consequence of doing so would be spiritual and physical death. Spiritual death is separation from God. Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the mortal body.

Because Adam and Eve transgressed and partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were cast out from the presence of the Lord—they experienced spiritual death. They also became mortal—subject to physical death.

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality in which we are tested by the difficulties of life and the temptations of the adversary (see Mosiah 3:19).

The Fall is an integral part of Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. It has a twofold direction— downward yet forward. In addition to introducing physical and spiritual death, it gave us the opportunity to be born on the earth and to learn and progress.

As a result of the Fall, Adam and Eve and their posterity could experience joy and sorrow, know good and evil, and have children (see 2 Nephi 2:22–25).

From Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher’s Manual
The physical creation of the heavens, the earth, and all things thereon was another essential step in helping us become like our Father in Heaven (see Moses 1:33–39; Abraham 3:24–26). When God created the earth it was “very good” (Moses 2:31) and a place of beauty and abundance (see Genesis 1–2; Moses 2; 3:7–25; Abraham 4–5; see also D&C 59:16–20; Old Testament: Genesis–2 Samuel, pp. 27–36).

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
What one thing could you begin doing to be more obedient? What one thing could you stop doing to be more obedient?

Elder Henry B. Eyring, Ensign July 2001.
There is a connection between nurturing people in light and truth and the way we teach obedience. Wise mission presidents learn that early. In a mission, obedience is essential for the safety of the missionaries, if for no other reason. There are rules for staying with a companion. There are rules about where a missionary can go. There are rules about driving cars. There are rules about when a missionary should be out of the place he or she lives and when to be back at night and when to go to bed.

The great opportunity in teaching obedience to missionaries is to help them see the connection between the Savior, the companionship of the Spirit, and love. It is to teach them that obedience to the commands of the Father and His Son out of love for them brings the Spirit. The companionship of the Spirit will bring light and truth, the foundation of successful missionary work and of a happy life. It can be taught in simple matters. Missionaries can put on their seat belts because they remember the safety video from the last zone conference. Or they can do it because they love the mission president and he told them to do it. It is a completely different experience to do it because they think of the Savior’s love and that He cares so much for their service and that He loves them so much that He wants them to be safe. The truth is that He needs us. He loves us. When missionaries feel that love of the Savior as they buckle up, they are more than safe in the car. They will be safe against the power of evil in the ministry, and they will be safe against more dangers than traffic accidents. They will have learned obedience to the Lord. They will encounter other rules and there will be other presidents, but the loving Savior will not change, and He will always be there.

Candle 5- The Creation

Light of the Restoration
Some of the most important knowledge restored is the Plan of Salvation. The next three candles discuss the light that has been restored concerning who we are, why we are here, and where we are going. We use the three pillars of eternity model to describe the plan of salvation.

From “Preach My Gospel” p, 49
Under the direction of the Father, Jesus Christ created the earth as a place for us to live and gain experience. In order to progress and become like God, each of us had to obtain a body and be tested during a time of probation on the earth. While on the earth we are out of God’s physical presence. We do not remember our pre-earth life. We must walk by faith rather than by sight.

From the LDS CES publication “Basic Doctrines”
Heavenly Father is the Supreme Creator. Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth under the direction of the Father. The earth was not created from nothing; it was organized from existing matter. Jesus Christ has created worlds without number.

The creation of an earth was essential to God’s plan. It provided a place where we could gain a physical body, be tested and tried, and develop divine attributes.

We are to use the earth’s resources with wisdom, judgment, and thanksgiving.
Adam was the first man created on earth. God created Adam and Eve in His own image (see Genesis 1:26–27). All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God.

From “Doctrines of the Gospel” Institute Manual
“The whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt the intelligences that are placed upon it, that they may live, endure, and increase forever and ever” (Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, 57).

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
Read the following quote from Elder Holland. Do you recognize that by serving as a missionary, you have become intimately involved in the work of saving souls? Can you bear testimony through spirit so that your contacts can feel its influence?

Jeffrey R. Holland, from a talk given at the Provo (Utah) Missionary Training Center on 20 June 2000 as quoted in the March 2001 Ensign.
“There are several reasons for bearing testimony. One is that when you declare the truth, it will bring an echo, a memory, even if it is an unconscious memory to the investigator, that they have heard this truth before—and of course they have. A missionary’s testimony invokes a great legacy of testimony dating back to the councils in heaven before this world was. There, in an earlier place, these same people heard this same plan outlined and heard there the role that Jesus Christ would play in their salvation.”

Candle 4- Restoration of Christ’s Church

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 37
With this priesthood authority, Joseph Smith was directed to organize the Church of Jesus Christ again on the earth. Through him, Jesus Christ called twelve Apostles. The time in which we live is referred to by Bible prophets as the last days, the latter days, or the dispensation of the fulness of times. It is the period of time just before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It is the final dispensation. This is why the Church is named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A living prophet directs the Church today. This prophet, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the authorized successor to Joseph Smith. He and the present Apostles trace their authority to Jesus Christ in an unbroken chain of ordinations through Joseph Smith.

Personal Dedication and Missionary Application
Read the following quote from President Monson. What can you do to be more receptive to the spirit so that you can receive the Lord’s guidance?

From New Mission President Seminar, Church News, June 26, 1999
President Monson emphasized that the mission calls to both mission presidents and missionaries are inspired. "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. And when you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help,"

President Monson said.
"Ours is the responsibility, not only to direct their feet, but also to effectively climb with them, rung by rung, the ladder to eternal life," he continued. "Help them to be successful, help them to meet people, help them to teach the gospel, help them to convert and to baptize, and to fellowship, and you will see miracles before your very eyes."

Candle 3- Restoration of the Priesthood

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 37
After the appearance of the Father and the Son, other heavenly messengers, or angels, were sent to Joseph Smith and his associate Oliver Cowdery. John the Baptist appeared and conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood, which includes the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism. Peter, James, and John (three of Christ’s original Apostles) appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, restoring the same authority given to Christ’s Apostles anciently.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Conference Address, April 2005
Nearly 70 years ago President David O. McKay, then serving as a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, asked this question to a congregation gathered for general conference: "If at this moment each one [of you] were asked to state in one sentence . . . the most distinguishing feature of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what would be your answer?"

"My answer," he replied, "would be … divine authority by direct revelation."

That divine authority is, of course, the holy priesthood.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has added his testimony when he said: "[The priesthood] is a delegation of divine authority, different from all other powers and authorities on the face of the earth. … It is the only power on the earth that reaches beyond the veil of death. … Without it there could be a church in name only, [a church] lacking authority to administer in the things of God."

Just four weeks ago President James E. Faust said to BYU students in their devotional: "[The priesthood] activates and governs all activities of the Church. Without priesthood keys and authority, there would be no church."

I begin tonight with these three brief citations (to which scores of others could be added) to stress emphatically just one point: that the priesthood of God, with its keys, its ordinances, its divine origin and ability to bind in heaven what is bound on earth, is as indispensable to the true Church of God as it is unique to it and that without it there would be no Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Cornerstones of Our Faith," Ensign, Nov. 1984, 52–53
"[The] full restoration [of the priesthood] involved the coming of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, whose head was taken to satisfy the whims of a wicked woman, and of Peter, James, and John, they who faithfully walked with the Master before his death and proclaimed his resurrection and divinity following his death. It involved Moses, Elias, and Elijah, each bringing priesthood keys to complete the work of restoring all of the acts and ordinances of previous dispensations in this the great, final dispensation of the fulness of times.

"The priesthood is here. It has been conferred upon us. We act in that authority. We speak as sons of God in the name of Jesus Christ and as holders of this divinely given endowment. We know, for we have seen, the power of this priesthood. We have seen the sick healed, the lame made to walk, and the coming of light and knowledge and understanding to those who have been in darkness.

"Paul wrote concerning the priesthood: 'No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.' (Heb. 5:4.) We have not acquired it through purchase or bargain. The Lord has given it to men who are considered worthy to receive it, regardless of station in life, the color of their skin, or the nation in which they live. It is the power and the authority to govern in the affairs of the kingdom of God. It is given only by ordination by the laying on of hands by those in authority to do so. The qualification for eligibility is obedience to the commandments of God. "There is no power on the earth like it. Its authority extends beyond life, through the veil of death, to the eternities ahead. It is everlasting in its consequences."

Personal Dedication and Missionary Application
Consider where you get your strength to serve as a missionary. Where should it come from? Do you need to change the source? Do you recognize that a missionary must possess both authority and humility? Christ is our example in all things. How would he act if he were a missionary today?

Candle 2- The Book of Mormon

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 38
Knowing that doubt, disbelief, and misinformation would remain after centuries of darkness, our loving Heavenly Father brought forth an ancient volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible, which contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. This volume of holy scripture provides convincing evidence that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. This record is the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Joseph Smith was directed by a heavenly messenger named Moroni to a hill where gold plates had lain hidden for centuries. These gold plates contained the writings of prophets giving an account of God’s dealings with some of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. Joseph Smith translated the contents of these plates by the power of God. The prophets in the Book of Mormon knew about the mission of the Savior and taught His gospel. After His Resurrection, Christ appeared to these people. He taught them His gospel and established His Church. The Book of Mormon proves that “God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old” (D&C 20:11). In order to know that the Book of Mormon is true, a person must read, ponder, and pray about it. The honest seeker of truth will soon come to feel that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Reading, pondering, and praying about the Book of Mormon are critical for an enduring conversion. Those who begin reading the Book of Mormon for the first time take important steps toward coming to know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that the true Church has been restored to the earth.

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
After reading the quotes below, examine the strength of your testimony of the Book of Mormon. Do you read it regularly? Do you ponder and think deeply about it? What can you do to better use it as you teach?

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Church News, July 4, 2009
It is vital that missionaries know that their president is committed to and has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, said Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve

"They must know this first to be effective missionaries, but second, and even more important, they must know it as a fortification for life," he said June 27 at the 2009 New Mission Presidents Seminar. "It must be so deep in their souls that they can withstand the vicissitudes of life. In a world that is in commotion, they need the protection and armor that comes from a testimony of the Book of Mormon."

Elder Cook anchored his instruction on the vital role the Book of Mormon plays in missionary work. He quoted from Preach My Gospel, saying, "The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. It is also proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith."

Mission presidents should teach their missionaries to use the scriptures when they speak. "Some are quoting from Preach My Gospel when they could and should use the scriptures," he said. "No one loves Preach My Gospel more than I do, but it is not a substitute for the scriptures. They should particularly quote scriptures relating to the Savior. The Book of Mormon is truly a second witness of Jesus Christ."

President Ezra Taft Benson, Mission Presidents Seminar, Provo, Utah, 25 June 1986
The Book of Mormon is the great standard we are to use in our missionary work. It shows that Joseph Smith was a prophet. It contains the words of Christ, and its great mission is to bring men to Christ. All other things are secondary. The golden question of the Book of Mormon is 'Do you want to learn more of Christ?' The Book of Mormon is the great finder of the golden contact. It does not contain things which are 'pleasing unto the world,' and so the worldly are not interested in it. It is a great sieve. (See 1 Nephi 6:5)

Candle 1- The First Vision

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 36-37
When the circumstances were right, Heavenly Father once again reached out to His children in love. He called a young man named Joseph Smith as a prophet. Through him the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. Joseph Smith lived in the United States, which was perhaps the only country to enjoy religious freedom at the time. It was at a time of great religious excitement in the eastern United States. His family members were deeply religious and constantly sought for truth. But many ministers claimed to have the true gospel. Joseph desired “to know which of all the sects was right,” (Joseph Smith—History 1:18). The Bible taught there was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Joseph attended different churches, but he remained confused about which church he should join. He later wrote: “So great were the confusions and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was … to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. … In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” (Joseph Smith—History 1:8, 10).

As Joseph sought truth among the different faiths, he turned to the Bible for guidance. He read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). Because of this passage, Joseph decided to ask God what he should do. In the spring of 1820 he went to a nearby grove of trees and knelt in prayer. He described his experience: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17).

In this vision God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith. The Savior told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for they “were all wrong” and “all their creeds were an abomination.” He stated, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19). Even though many good people believed in Christ and tried to understand and teach His gospel, they did not have the fulness of truth or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances. They had inherited a state of apostasy as each generation was influenced by what the previous one passed on, including changes in the doctrines and in ordinances such as baptism. As God had done with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and other prophets, He called Joseph Smith to be a prophet through whom the fulness of the gospel was restored to the earth.

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
Read the following quote and consider your testimony. What should you be doing to strengthen it? What do you need to do to better maintain it? How can you best share it?

Elder David A. Bednar, April 2008 Conference, “Ask in Faith”
If you and I would truly pray and ask in faith, as did Joseph Smith—if we would pray with the expectation to act and not just to express—then the work of proclaiming the gospel would move forward in a remarkable way. Such a prayer of faith might include some of the following elements:

• Thanking Heavenly Father for the doctrines and ordinances of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, which bring hope and happiness into our lives.




• Asking for courage and boldness to open our mouths and share the gospel with our family and friends.




• Entreating Heavenly Father to help us identify individuals and families who will be receptive to our invitation to be taught by the missionaries in our homes.




• Pledging to do our part this day and this week and petitioning for help to overcome anxiety, fear, and hesitation.




• Seeking for the gift of discernment—for eyes to see and ears to hear missionary opportunities as they occur.

• Praying fervently for the strength to act as we know we should.

A Gentile's Background to Hanukkah

As part of Operation Hanukkah, the following tells about the history and traditions of this wonderful Jewish holiday. This will allow our Mormon and Gentile (in the Jewish sense) friends to make sense out of the holiday. This information is taken from wikipaedia. The most important thing to remember for our purpose is that the Children if Israel in the Holy Land at that time wanted to live righteously. That included rededicating the temple.

History of Hanukkah
In 175 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. As was the normal practice of the Hellenic religion when sacrificing to the Greek gods, pigs were sacrificed on the altar to Zeus.

Antiochus's actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). By 166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated. The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle.

In the New Testament there is a single reference to Hanukkah in the John 10:22: "And it was at Jerusalem, the feast of the Dedication (Hanukkah), and it was winter."

Except in times of danger, the lights were to be placed outside one's door or in the window closest to the street. Rashi, in a note to Shabbat 21b, says their purpose is to publicize the miracle.

Hanukkah rituals
Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday. Some are family-based and others are communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath. People go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close for the whole week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.

The primary ritual, according to Jewish law and custom, is to light a single light each night for eight nights. As a universally practiced "beautification" of the mitzvah, the number of lights lit is increased by one each night. An extra light called a shamash, meaning guard or servant is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The reason for the Hanukkah lights is not for the "lighting of the house within", but rather for the "illumination of the house without," so that passers-by should see it and be reminded of the holiday's miracle. Accordingly lamps are set up at a prominent window or near the door leading to the street.

The blessings
Typically three blessings (Brachot singular Brachah) are recited during this eight-day festival. On the first night of Hanukkah, Jews recite all three blessings; on all subsequent nights, they recite only the first two. The blessings are said before or after the candles are lit depending on tradition. On the first night of Hanukkah one light (candle, lamp, or electric) is lit on the right side of the Menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first candle and so on, proceeding from right to left over the eight nights. On each night, the leftmost candle is lit first, and lighting proceeds from left to right.

Two blessings are recited as the Hanukkah candles are lit. On the first night, the shehecheyanu blessing is said as well (see below).

Blessing for lighting the candles
ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר (של) חנוכה.‏
Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner (shel) hanuka.
Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light[s]."

Blessing for the miracles of Hanukkah
ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה.‏
Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑asa nisim la‑avoteinu ba‑yamim ha‑heim ba‑z'man ha‑ze.
Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time..."

Sheheḥeyanu ("Who has kept us alive")
This blessing is said whenever something pleasant that has not happened for a while is encountered. This includes all holidays except Shabbat. It is said on the first night of Hanukkah, but not for the other nights of that holiday. The blessing is also recited upon such occasions as affixing a mezuzah (particularly on a new home), buying new dress clothes, or eating a rare fruit.
ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, שהחינו וקימנו והגענו לזמן הזה.‏
Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑hehiyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu la‑z'man ha‑ze.
Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season."

Hanerot Halalu
During or after the lights are kindled the hymn Hanerot Halalu is recited. There are several differing versions; the version presented here is recited in many Ashkenazic communities:

We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations.

Maoz Tzur
Each night after the lighting of the candles, while remaining within sight of the candles, Ashkenazim (and, in recent decades, some Sephardim and Mizrahim in Western countries) usually sing the hymn Ma'oz Tzur written in Medieval Germany. The song contains six stanzas. The first and last deal with general themes of divine salvation, and the middle four deal with events of persecution in Jewish history, and praises God for survival despite these tragedies (the exodus from Egypt, the Babylonian captivity, the miracle of the holiday of Purim, and the Hasmonean victory).

Rock of Ages let our song
Praise thy saving power;
Thou amidst the raging foes;
Wast our sheltering tower

Furious they assailed us,
But Thine arm availed us,
And Thy word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.


Children of the martyr race
Whether free or fettered
Wake the echoes of the songs
Where ye may be scattered

Yours the message cheering
That the time is nearing
Which will see all men free
And tyrants disappearing


Kindling new the holy lamps,
Priests approved in suffering.
Purified the nation's shrine,
Brought to God their offering.

And His courts surrounding,
Hear in joy abounding,
Happy throngs, singing songs,
With a mighty sounding

Other customs
After lighting the candles and Ma'oz Tzur, singing various other Hanukkah songs is customary in many Jewish homes. Various Hasidic and Sefardic traditions have additional prayers that are recited both before and after lighting the Hanukkah lights. This includes the recitation of many Psalms, most notably Psalms 30, 67, and 91 (many Hasidim recite Psalm 91 seven times after lighting the lamps, as was taught by the Baal Shem Tov), as well as other prayers and hymns, each congregation according to its own custom. In North America it is common to exchange presents or give children presents at this time.

Operation Hanukkah is Coming!

Breanna loves Jewish things. She wears a Star of David necklace. She loves challah bread. We celebrate Passover (in a tribe of Joseph sort of way).

We wanted her to be able to celebrate Hanukkah in the MTC, but wondered how we could do that. Candles probably wouldn't be allowed. What would she do with a menorah after the holiday was done and it was time to fly down to El Salvador?

Think, think, think. AH! A paper menorah with paper candles! We searched on-line and found a beautiful menorah at http://www.papertoys.com/menorah.htm
We will send her the menorah so that it will get to her before December 11th. For those of you cousins outside of the tribe of Judah, Hanuakkah begins at sundown on that date.

But she is a missionary and it should have a spiritual theme. Well, Hanuakkah is a celebration of the dedication of the temple. Or to be technical a rededication of the temple. So, we thought it could have a theme of rededication of ourselves to the Lord.

Each candle will have a different theme related to the restoration of the gospel.
The shamash (the candle in the center that is used to light the other candles) is labeled “Light of the Restoration” to emphasize the overall theme. The shamash will be used to "light" a new candle each day until all eight are lit. The candles are:
1. The First Vision
2. The Book of Mormon
3. Restoration of the Priesthood
4. Restoration of Christ’s Church
5. The Creation
6. The Fall
7. The Atonement
8. The Temple Ordinances
To accompany each candle, there will be a spiritual thought showing how the subject is related to the restoration of the gospel. Each day of Hanukkah we will be posting here the devotional related to the new candle being lit. So, come back on December 11th and join us for our latter-day celebration of Hanukkah.

Here's the letter we sent her announcing the program,

Operation Hanukkah
Because we know you like Jewish things, we thought you might like to celebrate Hanukkah. This holiday commemorates an ancient miracle that occurred during the dedication of the temple at Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabees. The word Hanukkah means “dedication” and is often referred to as the festival of lights. There is information about the history and traditions of Hanukkah included with this, but it only serves as background to help you understand the holiday.
Likening to yourself
We have modified the traditional Jewish celebration to a theme to uplift and renew missionaries. Because Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the temple lights at the time of the rededication of the Jewish temple, we have chosen themes of light and dedication. You have dedicated yourself to serve the Lord though missionary work. We can at this season rededicate ourselves to the service of the Lord by remembering the light the Lord has restored in these latter days and committing to share that light with others.
Your menorah
We’ve designed your menorah to commemorate the miracle of the restoration of the gospel in modern times. As we “light” the candles of this menorah, we celebrate the light of the restoration illuminating the world. The candles represent knowledge restored and events of the restoration.
Each day of Hanukkah open the labeled envelope. Put the candle on the menorah and read the enclosed information. The materials are specially designed for missionaries and are taken from the Preach My Gospel, scriptures, Conference addresses and other messages of the brethren, and Seminary and Institute materials. We’ve taken particular care to choose reading materials that are “kosher” for missionary consumption. Enjoy!
Madre and Padre Wells

For the Love of Snow

My darlingest family,
As my letter may have informed you, I am feeling all better now, but I was quite kind as to share my sickness with my companions. On Tuesday Hermana Stout was in bed all day sick and then today Hermana Karl is in bed with the same sickness that I had last week. Mama J (of the bishopric's wife) stopped by last night and gave us some clementines and they were so super yummy. Pretty much all of our Elders think that we are sissies because they had pretty much the same sickness but didn't stay in bed, but I think they never had the fever part of being sick. I'm pretty sure that after home, the best place to be sick is the MTC because everyone is willing and wants to help you get better.

It seems like this week has flown by! The days go by so SLOWLY but the weeks are so quick. I feel like I've been in here for so long, but its only been three weeks, gosh. Time is crazy in here. Maybe the days seem so long since the mail gets delivered twice a day, haha, for reals.

So yesterday we wake up and are getting ready to go out for Mission Conference (that's what they do for fast Sundays, they don't serve breakfast or lunch and it is mission conference) and there is snow on the ground. The first snow of the year, for me at least. It is still snowing, but we've only gotten about an inch or two.

My district went to the RC (Resource Center) for the first time the other day and its pretty much amazing. We answer phones and call people to see if they got the free Mormon stuff that they ordered. Almost all of the calls that I've made have been to answering machines, so not much talking. Then we also went to the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) and that is brutal! We have a 15 min Spanish only speaking part and then we teach them a lesson. It doesn't help that I was feeling spacey and sleepy (lasting side effects of being sick). On Saturday we taught about the plan of salvation for the first time. That lesson is really hard! there is so much information that you have to fit into such a short amount of time. Oh, that reminds me, if for Christmas you wanted to send me a copy of that sure sweet plan of salvation that you have, mom, then that would be coool. I could color it and they have a place where we can get things laminated.
Oh, and I think you should just send me my digital camera, but with some fresh new, rechargeable batteries, so that hopefully it will have enough battery juice to take some pics.

I love you all soo much, and I love getting letters from you. I'll try to steal some pictures from my companions and district members cameras and print them off and send them to you. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOU, Love Brea

Questions for Hermana Breanna
Would you like to do some Christmas cards? (One for Great-grandma perhaps?) I would love to send a Christmas Card to Great-grandma, if you could let me know what her address is then that would be amazing!

What did you learn in Preach My Gospel this week? We've been learning a lot about how to recognize the feeling and promptings of the spirit. It was something that I had studied in my personal time and it was the topic for the large group meeting that we have every Thursday and it was the topic for our district meeting this Sunday (kinda like Sunday School) So, that has been taught a lot!

Oh the MTC!

So if you were counting the days until I got sick then you can stop counting. The Elders in my district got sick and passed it onto me. I went to the health clinic this morning and they pretty much said its no biggy, I just need to take some stuff to cure the symptoms. They flu tested me and I don't have the flu. So that was all I did this morning and stayed in my room all day yesterday and slept. But other than that this week has been pretty great.

For our Tuesday devotional Elder Dallin H. Oaks came and spoke to us about being good missionaries. Then on Thanksgiving Elder Holland came and gave an amazing talk, answered some questions that people had had. We had some turkey and potatoes and deliciousness for lunch and then a sack dinner, so that the cooks could have some time off for their families. The funniest thing though was at the evening fireside they had it so missionaries could go up to a microphone and say things that they were grateful for. Oh goodness, some people should not have been allowed to talk. Hna. Stout and I played "what I’m thankful for" bingo, so that kept us awake and attentive. She won.

They keep us really busy in here. Pretty much all we do all day long is sit in class and eat, and for an hour every day we exercise. Shucks, I forgot to bring the letter that had the questions on it. We came to the computers right after going to the health clinic. Hm, but I'm not really sure what else to say.

The MTC is hard work, you have to be very self motivated to learn the language, but it’s also so fantastic. I've been looking for Elder Knudsen for the past few days and can't find him. He might have a different breakfast/lunch/dinner time than me. And it might be that there are about 2400 missionaries at the MTC right now, half of them learning Spanish. I can't remember how many branches there are here (yes, we are in branches, not wards. But I think our branches are a big as wards).

I really don't know what else to say, nothing super exciting goes on, just classes. The best days are Sunday and Monday. Sunday because we have church and get to walk around the Temple, and Monday because we actually get to go to the Temple, and get to do our laundry.

SO, how is the homestead? Is mama better yet, or does she still have a cough? How's my Andra-Nicky-Cola doing? Recovered from that Super Saturday yet? How are the seminary students? Let me know what y'all are up to. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!! So very very much. And I missed you all lots this week, but Elder Holland was saying that he hopes that we are homesick this holiday, because we're where we are supposed to be, on our missions.
Love,
Breanna

The questions the Hermana Breanna refers to at the end are some that I had sent in an earlier email. They were meant to help her send informative letters. Often when we write letters or such, we don't write of things that may be common place to us, but which may be of interest to those who care about us. At least, that's the case when I write letters. Here are the questions we had sent her:

1. How are you? How was your week?
2. How was your Thanksgiving Day? Did you get turkey?
3. What are the top five people/ things/ or events that you are thankful for this week?
4. Please tell us about your teachers.
5. Do you know yet when you’ll be leaving the Provo MTC?

She answered most of the questions in the course of her email. We had heard a rumor that she would be leaving December 7th and were hoping for confirmation.

Dear readers, do you have any questions you would like Hermana Breanna to answer for you? Enter them as comments or send them in an email and I will email them to her. I think that emailing them may be better because she will have ready access to them as she writes her weekly email. Whereas, a hardcopy letter can be left in the room, etc.

First letter!

We received our first letter (email) from Hermana Breanna on her P-day, Monday, November 23. P-day stands for "Preparation day". A day for missionaries to take care of personal chores such as shopping and laundry.

Hola mi padres (my parents)

I am at the MTC and it is amazing! These last few days have been super busy and hard and it’s been so difficult to stay awake but they've been glorious! There were 12 people in my district but then one of the Hna.s and one of the Elders moved up to intermediate Spanish so that left us with 7 Elders and 3 Hermanas, so I was originally in a regular companionship but now am in a trio. My first companion is Hna. Stout and she is from Idaho and is super amazing and really, really funny. We decided that we're going to make an MTC musical and it will be spectacular. My other companion is Hna. Karl and she is also from Idaho. She's really quiet but is cool and smart.

The Elders in my district are funny and really weird but whatcha gunna do? they make our classes more fun and life crazier. One of them knows Stephanie Rhodes which is really crazy. Oh, and I found out that Hna. Stout's great-great-great-grandfather was a body guard for Joseph Smith so we decided that our great-great-great-grandfathers were friends.

Our Sacrament meeting is super amazing. Everyone has to write a 5 minute talk in Spanish and then the Branch Pres will pick two people to give their talks. We pray, sing and say the sacrament prayers in Spanish. We've already learned how to pray and how to bear our testimony en Espanol.

So, when I got my card that tells the estimated departure it said Dec. 7, and everyone keeps telling the Hna.s that we're leaving in three weeks, so I don't know when we're leaving. So we're planning on hopping over to the travel office some time to see if they know when we're leaving.

I love you all soooo much, and can't wait to hear from you!
Love, Hna. Wells

I used Babelfish on-line translation service to translate our response to Breanna's letter into Spanish. Then I sent both the Spanish and English versions via Dear Elder. hee-hee. She'll love it!

Incidentally, the day of Brea's first letter was her great-grandmother's birthday. She turned 97! She worked in the garden for exercise in the morning. Those pesky crows are after her pecans. She went to lunch with my cousin and her husband. Then in the afternoon, she worked in the yard again. She had a great day. We're planning her 100th birthday celebration. Brea will be home in time for that.

Quick ways to write to Hermana Breanna

There a couple of internet based ways to write to missionaries and save a little cash as well. One way is dearelder.com. First choose the mission. Since Hermana Wells is in the MTC, choose "Provo MTC" from the drop down. Once she is in El Salvador, choose "El Salvador San Salvador East" from the drop down.

Then fill in your return address. Next, choose "Hermana" from the title drop down. The MTC box is 334. The mission code is ELS-SANE and the estimated MTC departure date is 0119. Enter your email address. Then write to your heart's content. One neat aspect of this is that the letter isn't held up by the Postal Service as it transits the country. Hermana Breanna will be reading your letter the same day or next day. As we say in the business PDQ. Another neat aspect is that you'll receive an email copy of your letter. This allows you to keep a copy for yourself or your missionary's scrapbook. A third neat aspect is that they claim that their service is also available in El Salvador. Just choose "El Salvador San Salvador East" from the drop down. I guess we'll see once she's finally in country.

I sent Hermana Wells this quote via dearelder.com. Seems appropriate for a missionary. I found it at Quoty.org.

Obedience opens the door to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the spiritual gifts and abilities activated by the power of the Holy Ghost enable us to avoid deception—and to see, to feel, to know, to understand, and to remember things as they really are. You and I have been endowed with a greater capacity for obedience precisely for these reasons.

Author: David A. Bednar, Source: CES Fireside for Young Adults • May 3, 2009 • Brigham Young University–Idaho

The other free letter service is from called2serve.com. This service only delivers letters Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But it does allow you to attach Word or PDF documents. I sent Brea a picture as a PDF. It's the picture in the first posting. We'll see how it turned out.

Be advised that one cannot send both an attached file and a written message at the same time. I know, I tried, and failed. They require that you click a link in a confirmation email before the letter is released to be sent to the missionary.

Happy writing! Remember that missionaries love receiving letters.

Hermana Breanna is in the MTC!!

Hermana Breanna arrived at the MTC yesterday (November 18). Her sisters, Melanie and Jessica, and her former roommate, Stephanie, dropped her off. The rules are that missionaries are just to be dropped off at curbside. Although other groups were getting out of their cars and hugging the missionaries before they entered the MTC, Breanna asked them to stay in the car and not get out as per the rules. She told them, "Drive away, drive away!"

We received an email dated 11/18 11:34 pm. It reads:

Dear family of Breanna Lea Wells,

We are pleased to inform you that your missionary has been safely checked in at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. We thank you for supporting your missionary and know that your family will be blessed as a result.

Your missionary's mailing address while at the MTC is:
Breanna Lea Wells
MTC Mailbox # 334
ELS-SANE 0119
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please note the following items:

1. Your missionary's service began today. Please do not arrange or request visits with your missionary, including meetings at the temple or in proximity to the MTC.

2. All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services. Hand delivered items will NOT be accepted. Do not send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours. Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.

3. Communicate with your missionary weekly through letters sent to the above address or through the email account that the missionary will set up within the first two weeks. This account is to be used by immediate family only. Telephone calls for missionaries cannot be accepted. Your missionary will correspond with you on his/her first preparation day.

4. Families and friends should not plan to visit missionaries departing to their field of labor at the airport or MTC.

Should you need to communicate with the MTC call 801-422-XXXX (I redacted the last part of the number). Do not reply to this email.

Sincerely,

Provo MTC Presidency

She's in the MTC!! We're so excited for her!!

Set apart November 13, 2009

Is it my imagination or are missionaries getting younger every year?
1992- Sister Missionaries with (l to r) Jessica, Melanie, and Breanna. Notice that Breanna has on a missionary name tag.

Breanna Lea Wells was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints November 13, 2009 to serve in the El Salvador San Salvador East mission. President/Bishop DeVries set her apart. Let me explain his unique title. He was called as stake president in stake conference a couple of weeks ago, but a new bishop has not yet been called. So, he is concurrently serving as both bishop and stake president. President DeVries previously served as the president of the Oakland California mission.

Before President DeVries set her apart, he gave her counsel. She was counselled to be an obedient missionary. Those missionaries who are obedient are more open to the guidance of the spirit. He told her to go the extra mile. He gave an example of how a missionary might walk home at a normal pace and be in the apartment on time, but if the missionary walked quickly, she might be able to make three more contacts. He said that the last contact would be golden.

I (Padre Wells) was honored to be allowed to stand in when she was set apart. The Stake President counselled her to love her companion. Also to love and serve the people.

Madre Wells, Melanie, and Andra were at the setting apart too. We also invited Dan DeVries to the setting apart. Dan will be sending in his mission papers soon and we wanted him to feel the spirit during Sister Wells' setting apart. He will be a great missionary.

Breanna will be a wonderful missionary. She has the spirit of the Lord with her and will love the El Salvadorians. She will be a MISSIONARY. The kind that brings the spirit with her. The kind that teaches with the spirit. The kind of missionary that changes hearts and lives. If the Sons of Mosiah had a sister, she would have been like Breanna.