Unexpected Circumstances at Elder Andersen MTC Devotional Gives Missionaries Unique Experience

After the microphone went out during a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Tuesday, Aug. 19, many missionaries said they received a special witness from the Holy Ghost and a strengthening of their testimonies.

The devotional with Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was interrupted by technical difficulties when the microphone and sound system unexpectedly shut off.

This came as Elder Andersen was speaking on increasing faith, and just after he said that faith will be tested. Just moments before, he had said: “When you are doing important things, things get in your way.”

With the sound system down, Elder Andersen directed the MTC choir to sing its opening song again, “We’ll Bring the World His Truth.” After the first verse from the choir, he stood and directed everyone to stand and join in the singing.

Said Sister Rebekah Bennett, preparing to serve in the Japan Nagoya Mission: “After we sang again as the choir, it became clear to me why it happened. In my opinion, it was because God needed us to listen.”

Despite 2,000 missionaries filling the gym, every single missionary was focused on Elder Andersen’s words as the Apostle continued without the help of technology.

And their hearts were opened to accept his message.

“He spoke of Jesus Christ,” said Sister Bennett. “And through his testimony, my testimony also grew.”

Sister Bennett said she had never felt the Spirit of God so strongly in her entire life. And she wasn’t alone.

Other missionaries who sat in the back of the gym were miraculously able to hear Elder Andersen’s testimony.

Elder Nathan Gee, preparing to serve in the Fiji Suva Mission, said, “even though he had no mic, the Spirit carried his message into my heart.”

Elder William Carlson, called to the Korea Seoul South Mission, said even though he was far away from Elder Andersen, he could feel God’s love through him.

“I just felt like every single person in this room, God was telling them that He loves and cares about them enough to let them experience hearing [Elder Andersen] speak in person,” he said. “And I could tell that was God speaking through him.”

Sister Rachel Richards, called to the Bulgaria/Greece Mission, said the experience taught her that when things get hard or when things get in the way of her missionary efforts, she can keep going, keep smiling and keep bearing a witness that Jesus Christ lives.

“I am grateful to have been in the room that day and to have felt the Spirit testify that we can do any hard thing, even the impossible, if we rely on God,” she said.

Christ Will Fill in the Gaps

Elder Andersen’s wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, bore a testimony at the beginning of the devotional. She said Elder Andersen has a sacred calling as an Apostle of the Lord.

“One of the great blessings that Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, have given to us is the blessing of having Their disciples here on the earth to teach us and guide us and direct us,” she said.

Elder Andersen used videos with two of his grandchildren, Claire Hadlock, who recently returned from the Japan Tokyo North Mission, and Jason Ebert, who returned from the Italy Milan Mission.

In one video, Claire Hadlock shared how her time in the MTC helped increase her faith in Jesus Christ. She said time spent reading the scriptures especially helped her feel the Spirit and come to know Jesus Christ better.

“You don’t have to know everything,” she said. “If all you know is that Jesus Christ is your Savior and that you love Him enough to start your mission and be out there, He will help fill in the rest of the gaps as you choose Him every single day.”

Store Up a Reservoir of Spiritual Experiences

Elder Andersen told the missionaries it is important to remember the spiritual experiences they have — and to store them up in a reservoir — so they can pull from that reservoir during difficult times.

He also said “a mission is full of miracles if you allow it to be,” pointing to God’s promise in 2 Nephi 27:23 that He is a God of miracles.

In one of the videos, Jason Ebert shared how he saw miracles in his own mission, through setting goals with the Lord and then acting in faith to accomplish those goals. “He sets you up to see miracles,” he said.

Elder Andersen encouraged the missionaries to let the scriptures go deep into their hearts and that the Book of Mormon will build their faith very naturally.

“The Book of Mormon is at the very heart of increasing your faith in Jesus Christ and His sacred Atonement. Do not neglect it,” he said.