First Email: 9.12.12

Hey everyone!!! :) I don't really know where to begin. I hope you all are doing awesome. As I write this letter I have never felt happier hearing from all of you. I absolutely love what I am doing here. I have seriously never learned so much in my whole entire life! It's awesome because I really have to completely change my whole life. MTC= Make the Change. It was hard the first day but I sucked it up and realized that it was time to put "childish things away" as Paul would say.

By the way!! Everyone send letters to DEARELDER.com or my address here which is MTC Mailbox # 187 OK-OKL 0925 2005 N. 900 E. provo utah 84604-1793. Send them to DEARELDER please becauise then I have time to respond!! I only get 30 minutes on email a day and I can only respond to family. Rules are rules ;)

So let me tell you about the first couple of days in the MTC. I got here and I had no clue what I had gotten myself into. I went to bed the first night dreading my mission because 2 years seemed so long. So I did what any desperate person would...I got on my knees and I prayed tha hardest I had ever prayed in my life. I felt good after that but I was still searching for some kind of answer and although it didn't come right when I wanted it, it came the next day when I met with my distric president. Not only does God answer and hear all of our prayers, but he answers them in his own time. I thought it was pretty cool. I was very humbled by something so simple. So Next day came along and let me tell you, i have NEVER been busier. I wake up at 6:30 every morning, eat for 30 minutes and then we teach real investigators and sit in class and learn and study until 9;30 pm when we can go back to our rooms. We get and hour for lunch and an hour for dinner and of course...and hour for soccer!! So I am living with 4 other guys and they are so amazing!!! My companion is Elder Matthews and the other two are Elder White and Elder Traahsdahl. They are my best friends here and we have had so many experiences already!! So Elder Matthews my companion looks exactly like Tom Hardy from warrior...Its kind of scary. Elder White looks like the Bear from the Charmin Toilet Paper commercials and Elder Traahsdahl looks like the giraffe from Madagascar and I look like the hamster...of course. Love them all. I was made district leader over my district the first day out here and I is such a blessing to learn how to serve my District. I have 6 Elders and 4 Sisters. They are so inspirational and I am learning so much from them. I will send my pictures soon. Ummmm, what else, oh yeah!! I have a guy in my district who looks EXACTLYlike the Geico Gecko!!! When I send pictures, you'll have to see if you can spy him :). Other than that, I'm just getting huge and studying my butt off. I feel like there isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. I wish I had all day to study and read my scriptures and tech investigators.

So another story. Investigators come into the MTC everyday and we have to teach them the discussions just like normal missionaries would. On our third day, me and Elder Matthews were teaching a guy named Keon and we taught him about Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of Christ and why it was so important to us as individuals. I have never felt the spirit so strong so I invited him to be baptized and he said yes!! It is the best feeling in the world knowing that someone gets the happiness that you have. It is the best feeling ever!! When we teach by the spirit and tell people to come to Christ, there is no better feeling then seeing their eyes light up. That's when you know that a miracle has taken place and the spirit truly was there.

Also, Dad, I know you and most others reading this will never believe this, but I have learned to love obedience. I love it. It blesses our lives and truly shows our love for Heavenly Father. In 2 Nephi 31:10 it says that if we are not willing to be completely obedient to God's commandments thatn it is impossible to truly love Jesus Christ. Its as simple as that. "If you love me, keep my commmandments". I truly testify of the power of obedience. I fall asleep at 11 every night adn get up at 6:30 and have about a 16 hour day. There is no way I would be awake if I had not gained extra from my Heavenly Father through obedience. He gives us power as we are obedient because when we are obedient then we can have the spirit with us. I don't even remember what a nap is, all i remember is that they sound amazing sometimes. I also testify in the name of Jesus Christ that strict obedience to the laws and commandments and rules will result in real miracles. I see them everyday because of it and I am not even in the field (which btw, I CANNOT WAIT!!!!) yet.

I also want all of you who are deciding to go on a mission or those of you who aren't sure to listen to this. I testify to you today that a calling to be a missionary is a divine and sacred calling of God. Think of it this way. The purpose of a missionary is to bring others to Christ. Heavenly Fathers goal in Moses 1:39 is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man". If you think about it in retrospect, us as missionaries have the same purpose. To help others come to Christ so that the "gates to eternal life" can be opened to them. In 2 Nephi 31 it talks about the Doctrine of Christ which is to have faith on his name so that we can repent and be baptized and receive a remission of our sins through baptissm by fire by the laying on of Hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. After that we must endure to the end. Jesus Christ's purpose is for us to come unto him and be baptized, and faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation and enduring to the end is the only way to eternal life. Then in 2 Nephi 31:21 it says that the Doctrine of Christ is the "only and true doctrine of the Father and or the Son and of the Holy Ghost which is one God, without end." They are all one in purpose to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man and so do I become one with Them as I am set apart as a missionary. Go on a mission. God will truly help you. He pays attention to all of us. He loves us and needs us as missionaries to bring others that happiness and hope that Christ can bring to everyone. Theres so much more to say but I need to go. I am going to the temple today at 2. I can't wait!!! Love you all!! Choose the right, be obedient and pray!!

Send letters so I can respond. I need addresses too.

Love,

Elder Cutler

I am so excited to share this message with the world and I know that my savior lives and that His Atonement is central to the plan of happiness. Those of you who don't, read the Book of Mormon and then pray to know if it's true and you will recieve an answer. Please. Do it. I promise that it is the most powerful book and the most true book on the earth today. I love all of you!! I love serving my Heavenly Father!! Keep me in your prayers and my district!!