Next to the Last Week in the MTC

Mi Familia,

The weeks are flying by!  I can't believe that next week is my last here at the MTC! WOW!  I'm so excited to get to Mexico and start teaching the people there. I am so blessed to be here at this time and in this place.  It was real nice being out in the world and seeing the world.  I was really pretty surprised to see that the elections are still going on (because I already voted by absentee), that people wear clothes with name tags and that some people us less than celestial, gospel-like words.  It was nice to be there (in Dallas) and to remember my purpose as a missionary.

Believe it or not, going to Dallas wasn't the only great experience I has this week.  On Sunday we has Brother and Sister Roach come speak to us.  They did something in a devotional that I have never seen before.  They spoke as a tag team!  One of them would start a topic and as they changed to a different subject, the other would step in.  It was so different!  I liked it a lot and i learned a lot, but this is what i found was most important:  "There are no small rules"  and "We need to decide once to be obedient."  I feel like someone will always mention obedience to us missionaries at some point i our devotionals but that just means it's way important, not only for us but for everyone, every where.
Another experience this week that was extraordinary was a lesson we were taught on Monday.  It was about teaching people for understanding.  Before this point, I thought that Elder Souza and I were pretty great teachers.  Now I know that I have a ton to learn.  Hermano Lloyd was teaching us and the most important thing he kept telling us was to "Ask inspired questions." What does that mean?  It means that we put ourselves in the shoes of our investigator and consider what they know.  We try to understand what they need most in their life then we "turn to Heaven" searching for the divine help they need.

We got to practice this way of teaching. Doing so was the most powerful spiritual experience I've had here.  I've never relied so heavily on promptings of the spirit, and doing so blessed me tremendously. 

I was reading some scriptures in the temple today and I came across Alma 31.  It talks about the Zoramites and their vain, repetitive prayers but the parts I like best were from verse 30 to the end of the chapter.  Sometimes what he says in those scriptures is exactly how I feel. 

Seeing as this is my last week here, and I really don't know how good Mexico's postal service is, this may or may not be the last time you hear from me (in my handwriting)  for a while. I just want you to know how much I love you all,  You are my favorite people in the world and I'm grateful for every moment I've had to spend with you, the good and the less good.  I pray for you all the time and can feel your prayers for me.

Les amo,
Elder Ben Williams