Birthday Surprise Letter and Missionary Tag from Elder Roylance on November 10, 2018



November 5th, 2018

Dear Mom,

First off, I want to thank you for everything that you’ve sent me and my roommates.  I want you to know that I love you and miss you.

There is so much that I want to tell you all so story time:  I love it here at the MTC, and my roommates and district are fantastic!  I have learned that though we have all received separate calls, we are supposed to be together here.  I know I have been strengthened simply by being close to each other.  The language of Fijian is HARD, and nothing like Japanese or English, but I can witness that with the help of the Lord, we can do anything.

This last Sunday, we had a devotional with Brother Young, who served as a Mission President in Ecuador.  When he was serving as a Missionary, he had a companion who wasn’t doing well.  They decided to go tracting and Elder Young would knock on the door and when it was answered he would do the talking.  Elder Saunders (his companion) would just stand there.  After a while of this, Elder Young at one door said, “Elder Saunders, this is YOUR door.” Elder Young would knock, the door would be answered, and Elder Saunders would just stand there.  Elder Young would then carry on a conversation.  After repeating this process several times, Elder Young gave up.  But he received a prompting from the Spirit saying, “Take him tracting.”  So they went out again and this time Elder Saunders knocked on the door, and replied, “Hi, I’m Elder Young, and this is my companion Elder Saunders.  Wait a minute…I’m Elder Saunders!”  From that point on Elder Saunders then came out of his shell and began the Lord’s work.

Another thing is that I don’t think I have ever felt the Spirit so strongly before coming here.  I can’t remember the last time I felt so close to my Savior. 

I want you to know that the power of prayer is very real, and very powerful.  I know that without it, I would not be able to learn of the Gospel and the Fijian language as well as I have been able to this last week.

There is so much I want to tell you, but I can’t find the words to express.  I know that as I remain faithful and obedient, you and I will receive both trials and blessings.  Blessings that we will not have room enough to receive.  As Sue P. says, “God will never set us up to fail.”  With the Lord, we can do anything!  Can you please tell Brother Tervort Thank You for me?  As I never did towards the end.



(He finished the letter with his Testimony in Fijian…Which Brother Tervort translated for us!)






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