Week 5 in MTC.... Doing great as Zone Leaders

Hey all!!

I'm still doing sooo good! This week has been one of the best weeks yet! Elder Wilcox and I haven't had barely any time to even stop moving and rest for a little while, we've been go go going!! We had a million and a half problems to work through with the zone this last week, so we spent most of the week planning and meeting with leaders and our district leaders to try to figure things out! There were a few sticky situations that I thought had no chance of working out well, but I did a lot of praying, and some fasting, and miraculously, everything turned out! I saw the hand of the Lord softening the hearts of the members of the zone, and helping us all become better together... it's been so cool!! 

Elder Wilcox and I have been gone so much doing all of our zone leader duties that our teachers even came up and asked us where we've been because they feel like they haven't seen us in forever!! We just had to apologize and tell them we have had lots of zone leader duties to perform this last week! However, it was so cool to see how everything turned out. I have been promised in a blessing that as I work my hardest to watch over and protect the members of my zone, and do my zone leader duties to the best of my abilities, that the Lord would help me with the language, and I have surely seen that this week! Elder Wilcox and I didn't have any time between Saturday night and Mondays lessons to prepare ANYTHING for our investigators. We didn't stop mowing until Monday morning. So, we prayed, had faith, and went into our investigator lessons. The Spirit definitely guided us to know what to say, and it was amazing to see how everything went as good as it could go! Also, in class when I'm trying to learn all of the in's and out's of Polish, I have seen miracles. Polish is an inflected language, meaning that every word is essentially conjugated to mean different things based on its ending. There are like 6 or 7 different cases, and each ending makes the word mean a different thing... and it's a bit stressful. As I was learning one of the most important cases, during that time where Elder Wilcox and I didn't have time to breathe, I found myself learning things 100 times faster and easier than I ever have been before, whether at the MTC or in high school. Things just "stuck", and everything worked out! I know that was a blessing from the Lord and I am so grateful to see his hand in my life!

I have made a goal to look for, and record at least one miracle I see in my life every day while I'm here in the MTC. It has been amazing to see that as I am obedient to the rules and guidelines I have been given, that I will often see MANY miracles around me every day! It is strengthening my testimony tremendously.

We are teaching a "progressing investigator" here at the MTC named Jacek. He is Catholic, and wants to find God more in his life, but is having trouble being baptised through our teaching because of his strong relationship with his Catholic mother. In one of our lessons that we didn't have much time to prepare for, Elder Wilcox and I went in and taught him about baptism. The Spirit in that room was stronger than I have ever felt it in an investigators lesson(other than during Danielle's real lesson I was able to be a part of), and the Polish just came. I found myself promising Jacek in Polish that if he took the first step and was baptised, that everything would work out, and that his mother would see his example and come to Christ.... and I've never met his mother! It was super cool, and I am so grateful for my experiences!

My English spelling is going out the window at this point... I can't spell almost anything anymore, and I can almost feel the awkward as I realize that I haven't talked normally to, or even hugged a girl in over a month... Be prepared for awkward missionary Justin in two years... it'll be great...:)

This week has been one of my favorite weeks because we got to welcome our new elders and sisters this week! We taught them a bunch of things, took them on a tour, and bore them our testimonies in our mission languages. I've known them for exactly one day, but I already feel so much love for them! I don't know what it is, but every elder called into this zone has something to do with drama or theatre or choir I feel like.... it's really good for me to learn to live with people that I don't exactly share common interests with...! Elder Wilcox and I spent our quiet time last night making sure they were good and okay before we went back to our residence.(they were put in a different building), and they're doing great! They're all great guys! All of the Elders moved from our old residence to the new elders' residence(as per President) so that we can be close to them and help them feel welcome! We're all moved in now, basketball hoop in our room and everything!

It's been so cool to get to run into Tanner Erickson and Cole McEuen a bunch at the MTC! I sure miss those guys a bunch! 

I'm still playing a lot of soccer here at the MTC! I love it because it's the biggest stress reliever I have here! haha

I'm feeling so good, I'm doing good things, and I'm studying hard! I'm praying for you guys! 

Love,
Elder Quackenbush

Justin was sad to see Elder Stakebake, his soccer buddy head out.
Elder Stakebake (left) and  Elder Quackenbush (right)

Part of the Zone at the Temple.
(Sorry, I can't get the picture flipped:()