Transfer 6-3 (Michael)

Mike's letter-of-the-week.  Enjoy, and have a great week yourselves.  :)  Amy

From: Michael Trauntvein [mailto:michael.trauntvein@myldsmail.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 6:11 PM
To: Amy Trauntvein; Cody Pickett; Camden Argyle; Eli Philpott; Ryan Johnson; nkleshinski@inbox.com; Todd Trauntvein; ryandalesmith@myldsmail.net
Subject: Transfer 6-3

Hi Everybody!

I have to apologize, I couldn't email you all yesterday because our P-day got switched to Tuesday this week so we could attend the temple today as well.  So here is what I have learned this week:

Today, we got the opportunity to attend the temple. It was a really great experience, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. The temple is such a wonderful place, and I always feel so refreshed after going there. The L.A. temple is marvelous, as well. Something that really stuck out to me while I was there is listening to the Spirit. The temple is such a great place, partly because it's one of the few places in the world where you can go and disconnect yourself from all the worries of the world and all the "white noise" of life and just focus in on the Spirit and what He is trying to tell you if you will just listen. I think if we would all just sit back and listen to the Spirit once in a while, especially us as missionaries, we would find that God is so much more involved in our life than we think, that He really does care, and that He wants to talk to us just as He wants us to talk to Him; so that's something I'm going to do better from now on is listen to the Spirit.

I've also learned something very important about our Savior Jesus Christ.  We've all had bad days in this life, but no matter what, I'm sure that He officially had the worst day in history.  For Him, it started out fine, eating dinner with all His friends on a holiday, and then ended with Him suffering in body and in spirit (not for Himself because He was perfectly innocent, but for each of us because we have all sinned), bleeding from every pore, being betrayed by one of His closest friends into the hands of murderers and sinners for the price of a slave, being beaten, spat upon, mocked, and falsely accused under spurious charges, then led to Golgotha and crucified, where he yet suffered and was forsaken by His very own Father in His final moments so the finality of the Atonement could be carried out, after which, He willingly gave up the ghost.  Yet He forgave all of them.  That is the amazing part.  I don't know if I could ever do that: that is what makes the Christ so divine and an example for all.

I know these things are true.  I know them with all my heart.  Christ exists and He loves each and every one of us.  We can become like Him; all it takes is one feeble step after another down the same path that He trod.  I testify in His Holy Name, Amen.

Love,

Elder Michael Trauntvein