Half Way P Day

Ciao, famiglia!

Gosh, thanks for so much input about life there! I'm just starting to appreciate knowing what's going on back home. But it still feels like life here in the MTC is just life, so I'm sorry if I don't remember you guys in prayers as I should! I really do love you all though!
Ok, can I just take the time to say that this was the BEST CONFERENCE EVER!!!!! I loved hearing all the talks and figuring out how the ideas they said could be applied to my learning the language and teaching (and you're right Dad, there's been a LOT more emphasis on teaching lately). But besides all that, I had possibly the best spiritual experience in the first session of my life! It's possibly a little too personal for an email, though, so I'll get it to you guys in a letter. But for right now, just know that I have NEVER felt God's love for me personally so strong, and had such a bright outlook on the future. We were given permission to write a letter home after Priesthood session, and I really did try, but the experience wasn't quite over, and I couldn't write the right words then, so I'll get that to you asap.
I took some of you're guys' advice and had some questions written down before, and just like you said, Dad, the answers came either all bundled in one talk, spread out over several sessions, or in the songs (by the way Mom, I loved the song with the soloist too. It was just so powerful, especially after Elder Packer had just given the lyrics a lot more meaning). I'm also super impressed that the boys were so vigilant during conference, and some of their questions were REALLY thoughtful, I love it! Most of my questions centered on how to be calm and hopeful through adversity, and how to really love other people (which is stressed a lot here, go figure). Needless to say, they were indeed answered, even some questions that I had but didn't think were important enough to write down, and many in ways I wouldn't have ever expected.
An awesome thing that happened after Conference was that for the Tuesday Devotional, Elder Bednar came to speak!!!! I was even in the choir that sang "Come Follow Me" that day!!! And it was so awesome, 'cause he said that this was the first time he had ever come to the MTC with something really prepared, but he felt that he should help us understand how to get more out of modern day prophets' words. He explained his method for studying the Ensign, which is looking for Doctrine (the thing learned about, answers the "why" of the Gospel)/ Principles (answers "what" we can do), then for an invitation, then for the promised blessings, which he emphasized that since they came from people that hold all the keys of the Priesthood, who what they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, those blessings are assured. But he told us that he doesn't just write down the words that the speakers say, but what the Spirit tells him. I'm already trying to apply this to my Personal Study time, and after just the first 2 sections in the first lesson in Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel, it's AMAZING what I got out of it! I definitely want to keep using that sort of technique.
I just want to say how much help you all have been with my tough situation I've had here with some people from my district, your Dear Elders were great. I want to let you know that it is already improving. I had to apply a few things from Conference, such as learning to enjoy my time right here right now WHILE working (which hit me hard in Pres. Uchtdorf's first session talk), and I also swallowed the pride I was starting to feel and apologized for any offense I might have given to the Elder who I'm sure I irritated as much as, if not more than, he did me. That was just before yesterday's dinner, because I felt a huge prompting from the Spirit when I had an opportunity to do so, and let me just say the changes so far have been so relieving. Less stress, a lot more enjoyable time here, and just a better feeling in the work. I'm not saying there won't be more difficult times, but I know that if I do what the Lord would have me do, it will all work out. But I'm still gonna study in a different classroom, it's just a lot easier when it's only me and my companion. :)
Anyway, Kaden: on the card y'all sent me, you asked if we do anything for Halloween involving candy? The answer is, sadly, no. But we have MORE than enough in our drawer of consecration to last us through December, at least. I wouldn't worry too much. ;) And you have a choir concert this week? THAT'S AWESOME!!! Bocc'a lupo! Good luck! (literally, "mouth of the wolf", a common expression in Italy). You'll do great!
Cameron: if you feel like quitting piano was the best option for you right now, I'm sure you're right. You are a very good boy, and are doing all that God wants you to do, so even if you don't realize it, the Spirit directs you. Elder Bednar gave a Devotional last year (I saw a video) where he said "You be a good little boy, keep all the commandments, and God will inspire you, and you won't know it". At least, that's the main gist of it, and he gave several examples from his own life, which were fantastic. I do hope you will want to return to it, but school is important, and I'm especially proud of you working hard in that. That's really inspiring to me here. Puoi farlo! (You can do it!)
Cole: From the card - where did "Dr. Swag" come from??? Let Kaden know he has to pound that vocabulary out of you before you go out in public again! Hahaha! Congrats on joining 11-year-old scouts! If you use it right, you can crank out like half of the merit badges you need for an Eagle this year! Of course, when I did that, I also had an influential leader (Sis. Guthrie) who helped us a lot, so hopefully you get that!
Dad: Me and my companion for some reason didn't teach an investigator for about a week and a half, so that's been weird. But the investigators we have are our teachers (and very recently one of our district members for a different kind of practice), and the teachers take on the personality of people they taught on their missions. For each companionship, they keep the same identity, so it's like we have an actual investigator. Which is really cool, 'cause after our teaching drought, yesterday we got a "baptism"!! Federico (Fratello Merrell) agreed that when he knows the church is true (and he said he would come to church Sunday to see if it was, since he's already felt good about our teachings), he would agree to be baptized! It may not be totally real, but I like to think of it that way. :D
Mom: Wow! It's so amazing how many people are instantly affected by that change in age! I'm super excited to see the effects that it will bring in the coming months, that huge wave that'll probably come starting December to the MTC. I probably won't directly see the effects until around March, though, when those people will be coming to Rome. And no, I'm not gonna have my time here cut by 1/3, I heard that will start in a few months, which makes sense, 'cause the MTC just doesn't have the amount of teachers needed for that, especially in the Italian area. But that's so awesome!

Ci vediamo!
-Anziano Walker