End of MTC-September 30, 2020

Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 7:38 PM to me Hey all! This is my last week in the MTC (missionary training center) online! Classes finish on Friday, and then next Monday, the 12th, I will fly out to Bakersfield to begin my service. So I'll have about a week of time in between, most of which will likely be spent getting prepared to go, having final appointments and getting all the remaining items I need. Then it gets real! With the end of the MTC coming right up, I have a lot of mixed emotions right now. I am really excited to head into the field and get to work, however the last few weeks I have spent at home have made me realize how much I am truly going to miss my family. The easy part is almost over, and I know I'll have a great experience in the field but I'm also a little nervous for the big changes coming up. This week I have been doing a lot of reading about finding hope when heading into unknown challenges, and have found a lot about how important it is to have confidence in ourselves and know that the Lord will bless us and desire for us to be happy. I was reading a talk on the church website, from a 2017 Ensign, in which Elder Hugo Montoya of the 70 wrote: "Rather than dwelling on negative questions, we should ask for strength, as did Joseph Smith: “Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever” (D&C 121:6). We must also trust that the Lord will deliver us (see 1 Corinthians 10:13)." I really felt like this was an inspiration to guide my week as I have endured a variety of emotions and prepared to head into the field. Though I don't know exactly what my time in Bakersfield will look like, I know that if I hold onto the gospel and seek to devote myself to the service of the Lord, I will see his hand in my life. I also got the chance this week to talk with my mission president in Bakersfield. It was an awesome experience to get to know him and his wife, and made me feel like even though I'm leaving my family I'll have something new to look forward to being a part of. They seem super supportive and loving of their missionaries, and I'm super excited to get out and serve them. Thanks to everyone who has reached out! I love to hear from you all! Elder Easton mcclain.easton@missionary.org