Missionary Training Center
Wednesday, November 2, 1988:
Well, here it is my Missionary Journal.
I’ve been here since about 1:30 p.m.
It’s pretty cool, lots of neat people and stuff.
My roomies are pretty cool.
Only one I’m a little worried about.
He might have trouble dealing with rules.
I saw Kent Jamison today [an acquaintance in San Jose, California, in 1985].
He looked a lot different.
Also Marie Bramble from High School.
She thought she remembered me, but wasn’t quite sure.
It’s been real great and I haven’t quite gotten into things, but I’m sure I will tomorrow.
Thursday, November 3, 1988:
What a day!
I couldn’t believe how great this day has been.
The spirit here is so incredible.
I’m learning so much.
My companion is so cool.
I love him and it seems that I’m just gettin charity so much and everything.
The classes are long, but I learn so much and people here are so happy and they have so much fun.
It’s great!
We will be learning the first discussion tomorrow and then teaching it to missionaries pretending to be investigators Saturday.
I’m so excited to start doing it.
I just feel like there’s so much to do and so little time to do it.
I’ve got to start really reading my scriptures and enjoying doing it.
Elder Bowels was really sick today, so we came and gave him a [Priesthood] blessing.
Elder Olsen gave the blessing and I did the [anointing with] oil.
He’ll be OK for tomorrow.
This day has been great.
I’m so glad that tomorrow I’ll still be here because I can have another day even better than this one.
Friday, November 4, 1988:
Today really started out well.
We all felt the spirit and everything.
This morning a General Authority talked to us.
He spoke mostly on how to get the Spirit: study, pray to have it, sacrifice.
There are several ways to sacrifice: work harder, fast.
Remember [to exercise] the Faith [the size] of a mustard seed.
Next we heard from Elder Taylor from the First Quorum of Seventy.
What a great speaker he is.
I really enjoyed his talk and really felt the spirit. —
There are two main ways to be a great missionary: work and be spiritual.
Be the hardest working Elder in your mission and also the most spiritual, but make your companion the best missionary in the mission.
I learned the most important lesson today that I think I have so far, and maybe even for later, that is, “Without the Spirit you can teach nothing.”
You have to have the Spirit with you always during a discussion.
We found D&C 11:21 — “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of man”
Then one that says what is most important, Matt 10:20 — “For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, which speaketh in you.”
I’m so sorry that a slightly bad experience had to teach me this great lesson.
I pray to the Father that he will bless me — Jesus name, Amen.
Saturday, November 5, 1988:
Today was a beautiful day.
Saturdays are Missionary Days, where we go to different classrooms and tract, and teach the discussions.
We couldn’t find anyone, so when we met up with two other Elders who couldn’t find anyone either, we taught each other; and it was very spiritual.
My companion, Elder Olson, and I are starting to really understand the first discussion and be able to deliver it well.
Tomorrow is Fast Sunday, so we decided to fast together as a room.
I think as we fast with this purpose, we will really be blessed.
Elder O’Ferell from Dublin, Ireland, is the funniest Elder I’ve ever met.
Well, Sunday promises to be a great day at meetings: Sacrament, Firesides, Mission Conference, etc.
You know, just by reading the scriptures here each day we learn so much.
Also as we share them with each other, we really get so much out of them.
Sunday, November 6, 1988:
Today was the most overpowering day that I have experienced yet.
It was a basic Sunday — started out a little rough though — trying to wake up.
But the day went by smoothly.
I was called to be the Acting D.L., which is the District Leader for the newcoming Elders (next Wed. thru Sun.).
I get them oriented with the M[issionary] T[raining] C[enter], help them feel the Spirit, and such.
In the dinner line I met Elder Barlow, who was in James’ English Class, when he was a sophomore.
At 8:00 we went to Gospel Studies Class.
The most powerful Spirit attended us at that class.
Elder Carpenter taught us that Books of Mormon are different.—531 pp. Starts with Nephi—But
“This Book of Mormon is mine and I love this one.”
Then he went on to tell us about some [of] his mission experiences.
He must have had every missionary in there feeling the Spirit and crying — me especially included.
He tells us “You’re not going to your mission because they need Elders there.
You’re going because the Lord God wants you there to teach certain people.
You have certain talents that you can take to convert the people in your mission.”
I was so very touched by what he said and now I can say I love that man for his insight into the Book of Mormon and his love for us as missionaries.
I later shook his hand and he knew James a year and three months ago when he was here.
Monday, November 7, 1988:
The faith that Joseph Smith showed when he went to pray in that grove of trees is amazing to me.
I am so grateful that he was able to open up the gospel for me and so many other people.
I love Joseph Smith so much it’s so very hard to express it.
The Church has brought so much into my life I can’t help but feel anything but joy and want so much to share it with people around me.
I thank my Father in Heaven for using Joseph Smith to restore the gospel — all the pain and persecution he went through for me.
Today was a very eye-opening day.
I need to grow up and mature a lot before I get out of here.
Sister Bramble leaves on Wednesday.
I’m thinking about writing to her on her mission.
We’ll see though, if I have enough courage — boy, I have a low self-esteem.
Believe it or not, but I really felt the Spirit today.
Tuesday, November 8, 1988:
Today was a good day.
Elder Kendrick L. Linal talked to us today — also his wife.
He taught us a few things: courage, obedience, attitude, consecration, intensity.
Make good memories.
Also, three main things at the end of your mission to be able to say:
1) I finished that which you sent me to do,
2) I fought a good fight,
3) I can answer to God with a clear conscience.
Finally he said, “Don’t be afaid to cry.”
After this devotional I said goodbye to Sister Bramble.
I would like to write her in Ventura, California, but I probably don’t have the guts.
She leaves tomorrow.
I’m really trying to keep my mind on missionary work.
The First Discussion is coming really well.
I think that we have it down really well.
I’m really looking forward to getting in to the “Field and Harvest” (D&C 4).
Wednesday, November 9, 1988:
Well, today I met and introduced the new district to the MTC.
It went really well.
Someone I went to high school with, Richard Elder.
Also I saw Elder Kevin Johnson today while giving a tour.
It was really neat to help these new Elders and Sisters to get acquainted with the MTC and show them how much fun they can have.
I had a really good time.
Elder Bowels is having a really hard time learning the discussions, so we are going to all pray for him.
More at 10.
Thursday, November 10, 1988:
Well, I said more at 10 and here I am.
Today was P[reparation] Day.
We went to the Temple this morning and then went about the rest of our business: did laundry, wrote home, stuff like that.
Then at 5:45 p.m. we had a Branch DL’s meeting and that was neat.
And after Branch Mtg we taught the First Discussion to the new branches.
We did really well, we converted an atheist and a Baptist minister to what we were saying, but ran out of time to baptize them.
But all in all we did rather well.
I think with a little more work we will really get it down.
I was thinking about maybe being a MTC teacher.
That might be really fun.
I’ll worry about that in two years.
Well, another red-letter day for Elder Despain.
I really feel great about serving the Lord here, especially about being an ADL.
That is a lot of fun.
Friday, November 11, 1988:
Well, today was a great day.
We had a group meeting that was a lot of fun.
Elder Heiss is great.
He gives us the best feeling of the Spirit.
In the large group meeting we wrote our thoughts,
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Sitting here in this large group meeting my mind is reflecting on what has been taught about the scriptures and about how we can liken them to us.
Isn’t it wonderful that God loved us so much that he gave us prophets to write scripture and that the Savior was so good and perfect that he taught us so many new and marvelous things.
He enlightened the world in old and also now.
He helps us to understand the scriptures and be able to live them.
For that I am so very grateful.
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Saturday, November 12, 1988:
Well, Missionary Day was today and actually it went pretty well.
We taught the Second Discussion and were really led by the Spirit.
Everything went real well, we really felt the Spirit and had lots of fun with it.
Sunday, November 13, 1988:
Today I can’t even express the love which I feel for God, Jesus and everyone.
Elder William Carpenter is the greatest speaker I’ve ever heard.
Look back at last Sunday and you’ll see again how great he is.
God sent the Spirit in to our Gospel Studies Class tonight like I’ve never felt it before.
I love that man, the spirit which he has.
I thank the Lord for blessing me to attend his last class in the MTC, and for my district and companion to share it with.
He told us about his conversion and some of his experiences on his mission.
I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is here on this earth.
I love God and Jesus and my mind is especially grateful for the Holy Ghost who bears witness to us of God’s works.
I thank Elder Carpenter for strengthening me for this Mission I’m about to serve.
Elder Carpenter and his companion wrote a song — actually the last two verses to “Love One Another” [2 & 3]:
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As I have loved you, love one another,
This new commandment, “Love one another,”
By this shall men know, ye are my disciples,
If ye have love one to another.
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We are the servants called by the Prophet.
Come to the vineyard to prune and nourish.
By this shall men know ye are His disciples,
If ye have love as He has loved you.
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As I have loved you, love your lost brother,
Preach to the wondering, love one another.
We know the time’s short, till the Lord’s coming,
Please help us reach all of his children.
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As I have loved you, love one another,
This new commandment, “Love one another.”
By this shall men know ye are my disciples,
If ye have love one to another.
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Monday, November 14, 1988:
Well, one week to go.
I just hope that I don’t waste any of that time.
Earlier today I got really tired and frustrated.
We were trying to learn how to discuss conscience and I just couldn’t do it.
I tried, but got so frustrated.
After Dinner I started feeling better and at evening class we taught the Second Discussion.
It went real well.
A thought came into my mind to ask them to be baptized and so I did and they weren’t ready.
So I’m not sure if that was the Spirit or what but everything went well.
“Feast upon the words and endure to the end” (2 Ne 31:20).
Thursday, November 17, 1988:
Well, the last two days I missed.
They were both great.
I always love to be here at the MTC.
Today was P-Day.
We went to the temple and that was great.….
I just can’t wait until Monday when I get to go into the Mission Field.
Today we taught the Third Discussion and the Spirit was there so strongly that I just felt so good.
I’m going to give a Book of Mormon to Anson Booker at the airport as I talk to him.
I hope he will read it and take it to heart.
What I wrote is a little letter to him.
Well, time for bed.
Pretty shallow, huh?
Have fun always.
Jacob 6:12 — O be wise; what can I say more?
Friday, November 18, 1988:
It’s actually the 19th, but I’ll write about yesterday.
It was a great day.
Classes were great.
We had a large group meeting on baptizing and fellowshiping and working with Stake Mission leaders.
It was really neat.
The trainer told a great story about a little boy:
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There was a little crippled boy who had a little newpaper stand in the train station — just a box with newspapers, magazines, candy, etc.
There were two men running to catch a train to be with their families on this Christmas.
The first one runs around the corner and knocks the stand and the boy down, scattering everything.
The man stumbles and recovering promptly turns around, curses the boy, and runs on to catch his train.
The second man comes around the corner, sidesteping the stuff that scattered all over.
Then he stops, turns around, picks up the boy, and helps him clean up all his things.
The little boy looks up at the man and says, “Mister, are you Jesus Christ?”
The man stops and looks around at the other people in the station that are waiting for the reply.
“No, son. I’m not Jesus. I’m just someone trying to follow what he taught us.”
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If only I could be like that to have a little child say, “Mister, are you Jesus Christ?”
Sunday, November 20, 1988:
Well, today is half over and I get to leave tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.
I can’t wait.
I’d like to say a few words about one of my room mates.
His name is Elder Willie Thompson.
He’s 22 years old and came on his mission just because he wanted to be as happy as some missionaries that he saw at a mission fireside.
He said to himself, “I want to be as happy as those missionaries are, so he came on a mission.
When he came here he had a testimony, but it wasn’t very strong.
In fact, it was almost not there.
But three weeks went by (18 days) and his testimony has grown so much.
He shared that with us today and at Sacrament Meeting he talked again and to see the love that this Elder has for me and everyone else is incredible.
I love Elder Thompson so much, mostly because of the love and courage which he shows.
He is making the greatest missionary.
His attitude is so great it’s incredible.
I can’t express really what I’ve been feeling these last few hours.
The love I’ve felt from my district — it’s been great — MTC Monrovia — I love my district.
Yesterday was great.
We taught a few people and felt the Spirit.
I really don’t know the discussions very well.
But yesterday they really just came out and I felt as though I was talking by the Holy Ghost.
It was great.
It’s now later and I am so grateful for the many blessings which the Lord has given me.
