August 6th Letters

Dear Smith Family,
Thanks for the letters you sent, but I must say that you are lagging behind Diane in the package area. That's cool that you have a calendar to cross off, but don't forget to leave room for an extension. Please post my emails to the blog.
The MTC has fairly good food, chocolate milk, and unlimited ice cream bars, but they only have caffeine free Coke and Diet Coke. I found out that members can volunteer at the MTC as "investigators" so that missionaries can practice teaching them. I wish I had known that before, since it would have helped prepare me quite a lot. It is really weird to think that everyone around me is a missionary. Basically what we do all day is study the scriptures and Preach My Gospel, get taught about missionary stuff by teachers, and eat. Also, we get to go to the temple on P-Day.
Companion's good. Food's good. It's all good.
Elder Smith
PS. It was weird to go to church in a bulding that has like 6 or 8 chapels in it, and our branch only had about 30 people there. Also, at the MTC you have to write a talk EVERY week.

Dear Smith Family,
I thought of more things to write, but I already sent the other letter so I had to write a new one.
I wanted to share a couple of scriptures that I just barely realized what they mean. First, Genesis 3:15 says that the seed of the woman could bruise the serpent's head. Why was this promise not given to the seed of man or the seed of man and woman, but just to woman? Because Christ was the only one who would have only a mortal mother and no mortal father. Also, 2 Nephi 2:25 says that "Adam fell that men might be". I didn't realize before that the reason he partook of the fruit was so that he could fulfill God's commandment of replenishing the earth, which could not happen if Eve was cast out of the garden and Adam wasn't. Finally, in Alma chaper 17, Ammon is offered the opportunity to marry the daughter of the Lamanite King, thus becoming a prince. You would think that it would be easier to spread the gospel to the Lamanites if he were a prince, but we later see that he had great opportunities as a servant of the King. But how did he know to refuse the King's offer? In verses 2 and 3, we see that he had searched the scriptures diligently, and given himself to much prayer and fasting, so that he had the spirit of prophecy and revelation. The spirit prompted him and gave him what he should say and do. I don't know if you guys already knew all this stuff, but it was cool for me to learn.
Also, Dad, if you haven't already, you should read Jesus The Christ. I is an amazing book replete with knowledge and insights. Read it. Now. (please)

Elder Smith