An apostle visits the Brazilian MTC

We were blessed to have Elder Bednar come to the mission on Monday the 19th. We had a dinner before the meeting during which he asked President Woodward what was the biggest challenge we were facing at the MTC. President Woodward indicated that homesickness and discouragement seemed to be at the top of the list.

Then Elder Bednar gave the most wonderful talk. Following are a few of my notes

• First I want to comfort the afflicted
  
  "I have come to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. You can do this. You will have the Lords help to do this. I am a witness that the Lord knows you and that he has directed me here to talk specifically to you. You can do what you have been called to do."
  
  Alma 26: 27 (Ammon’s home coming report)
  Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success.don’t just sit.
  
  GO to work. ACT. Get going.
  
  Bear with patience thine afflictions: pray with all your heart for help.
  
  I will give you success
  
  (Joseph Smith said faith = action and power ) Too often you think: give me the power then I will act. But Joseph said you must act first then the power comes. The Lord can and will bless you with strength beyond your own. Not because you need it but because of the lives that you can bless.
  
  You must learn to be an instrument through which the Holy Ghost can work. This isn’t about you and me. You are called to serve and bless the lives of other. Remember you have to Act first. Only when you have done your best and can do no more then the power comes.
  The power does not come to make it easy but to bless us in our afflictions. The children of Israel where told that they would cross the river Jordon on dry land, but the waters did not part until they got their feet wet.
  
  Don’t focus on yourself. Act to bless and serve others then the power will come.
  
• Now to afflict the comfortable:
  
  Pride and priest craft come when we teach for recognition and attention from other and from ourselves.
  
  Alma 26: 22Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.
  
  You must repent of your pride-fullness and realize success is a gift from God. You don’t convert people to the gospel, I don’t convert people to the Gospel. The Holy Ghost is who converts the one and the thousands. Our responsibility is to become a worthy transparent vessel and get out of the way and let the Lord operate through us, and become the instruments through which the Holy Ghost can work.
  
  After the meeting he shook every missionaries had and then met again with the MTC Presidency, the doctor and his wife and us for dessert. During this time he talked to me personally about senior couples' missing their grandchildren. He said I give you an Apostolic blessing: "You will bless the lives of your children and grandchildren more by serving missions than by being there to see them be baptised or graduate from high school. Seeing you serve will be of greater influence than anything you could be doing with them.