Email January 9, 2021

Email January 9, 2021 - Elder Brigham Craig Burton

The Empty Sea!

 こんにちは　！！

Holy moly. The online MTC has already been such an amazing experience.
And I'm only three days in. Wow. I don't know if I've ever felt so
purposeful in my life! Dedicating all of your time to the Lord is a
wonderful feeling and it's crazy how your life before can just melt
away when you fully focus on what's important. Nothing is more
important than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I want each of you to know
that.

While I am in the MTC, I get to be in a trio! Elder Jones and Elder
Helms are both so awesome! Elder Jones already knows lots of Japanese
and is super helpful and kind. Elder Helms and I are basically
starting from the beginning and are both working on getting it
together. He knows how to study hard and I'm learning a lot from him.
I think my head is about to explode with にほんご。 The language is very
difficult but it's coming along and I am excited to see where I can go
with it!  I have also very much enjoyed having dedicated time to study
the scriptures. Not having to fight off sleep as I read before bed is
definitely something I didn't know I needed haha and should've changed
way sooner. I would invite everyone, if you don't do it already, to
set a specific amount of time aside, no matter how long, and follow
it. It will bless your life. In these three days I feel like I've
already grown so much. Don't take the scriptures or your prayers for
granted. They are POWERFUL. I have felt that multiple times already in
the MTC.

A quick thought I wanted to share that was told in a workshop on my first day.
When President Hinckley went on his mission he was feeling awful and
wanted to go home. He emailed his dad and said something to the effect
of, I feel like I'm wasting my time and your money. I think I should
just come home. And I love what his dad simply replied, "Forget
yourself, and go to work." Not only do I hope that I can apply this
principle to my mission and my life, but I hope you can apply it to
yours. It's not about you. It never is. Whatever you are doing. Forget
yourself and go to work. For your family, maybe your future family,
for the Lord, go to WORK. I promise you, you will feel more purposeful
than you ever have. You may be freaking tired at the end of the day
like I am but I know you will feel a greater sense of happiness and
joy because you are giving your life to a greater cause than yourself.

I hope all of you are staying healthy and safe! You all mean so much to me!　：）

Love,
Burton ちようるう