September 24, 2012

Happy Autumn Elder Williams,

The leaves are beautiful and it is feeling like fall. I love this time of year. I've been busy harvesting, canning, dehydrating, and freezing all the food we have been blessed with.
 

Today we attended the Brigham City Temple dedication. I was really happy to listen to Elder Packer and others talk about the area, the history, and the significance of having a temple in Brigham City. I especially loved the hosanna shout with the white handkerchiefs. We live in exciting and challenging times.

Speaking of challenges, we are seeing the political landscape being scorched and burned. There are so many voices shouting from either side with shrillness. It can be hard to sort the truth from the lies. It reminds me of this scripture from 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9: "We are troubled on every side, but not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." We need to continue to pray, repent, and trust in God. I hope we can remain a free people.

I've been reading the books by Neal A. Maxwell that you gave me. He is so insightful and inspiring. He is also a master word-smith and can use metaphor in such a way that opens up new vistas of thinking. Here is one thought that I especially love: "When we speak of letting go of the world, this does not mean forgoing its sunsets, its beautiful music, nor, best of all its people. The 'world' is a way of life that takes us away from, not toward, God. Away from, not toward happiness. Away from sense to nonsense."

I hope you are doing well. Please send home your SD card---I would love to have some pictures. Buy another SD card and we can just send them back and forth through the mail.

I love you.

Mom

 

Dear Mom,

The leaves are changing here too. It has been nice to see the change in the weather. I don't sweat as much when we bike.

It is really great that you were able to go to the temple dedication. One of the visions that the stake presidency has for Santa Rosa is a temple here. I've had that on my mind a lot. I'm part of the ministry that can make that vision happen. I can imagine coming back in ten years or so to see its dedication. We were able to hear the stake presidency speak yesterday. Every transfer in Santa Rosa we missionaries gather at one of the stake presidencies home. We met at President Henderson's home yesterday. He is a very wonderful man. He is in his thirties, and was never a bishop. He went from a ward mission leader to stake president last year. He is going to do great things. He is very optimistic about the growth of the Church in Santa Rosa, especially these days. At no other time has there been so much publicity. I'm grateful to be serving in an area with good leaders.

I love that scripture you shared. I live in one of the most interesting political climates in the world, I think.

Elder Maxwell is wonderful. I am glad that you enjoy those books. I read a talk by him called "Patience". It is on the BYU speeches website, if you would like to read it.

I am grateful for the chance I have to serve. There was a story that President Newton, a member of the stake presidency, shared with us last night. When he was a boy, about three, he really wanted to help his dad change the oil in the car (reminds me of when we were working on the Summit house). His dad told him to take a wrench and tighten a bolt on the underside. Now, the boy was three, so he couldn't budge it either way. But, he thought he was helping his dad and was so happy.

He shared another story that was similar to that. His uncle talked about how we "paint with God". All of the work that I do isn't really my work, it is Heavenly Father's. I'm like the little boy, who may not even be a help, but is still so happy at the thought that he can help his Father out. Sometimes I'm clumsy and God has to follow up and fix whatever I attempted to paint. Still, He is letting me learn. He is letting me grow.

I didn't do the story justice, but it made me feel some more hope. So, I thought I'd share it.

Everything is going well. I'm constantly learning how to submit to God's will. Obedience is key. Sometimes it is a daunting goal, especially the ones that have to do with my mindset. I have confidence that I can do it, though. 1 Nephi 3:7 brings me a lot of comfort. That promise applies not only to things like getting plates or building ships, but also to changing our natures.

I love you Mom. I'll send my card home. I haven't taken many pictures, but I'll get you what I have.

Love,

Elder Williams

September 17

Happy Autumn Elder Williams,

I hope you have time to tell us about your new compaion: where's he from, how long he's been out, etc. Are you junior companion?

How is your tracting going? Is your teaching pool going well?

I've been listening to some conference talks and one that I especially love is by Elder Christofferson. He gave a thought provking talk about Zion and one thing that stood out to me was this:

"If we would establish Zion in our homes, branches, wards, and stakes, we must rise to this standard. It will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen. Zion will come only as they happen."

It is our reponsibility to create Zion here on Earth; not in some distant future, but right now beginning in our own hearts and homes.

President Kimball also talked about Zion and I love what he says about vision:

"The vision of what we are about and what should come of our labors must be kept uppermost in our minds as we learn and do our duty."

Zion in the scriptures: D&C 58  'Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory.'

It will take a lot of effort and hard work to achieve a Zion society, but it is the ideal society where I would like to live---I'm sick of jarrings and contentions at home, in our nation, and in the world, so I guess I'd better thrust in my sickle and go to work.

I'm grateful you are striving to do your part to help build Zion. I love you and am grateful that you are such an honorable man.

My prayers are with you.

Love,

Mom

 

Hi Mom,

Yup I'm the junior companion. My trainer, Elder Cartwright is known as my "dad" in the mission field, and Elder Volksen, my follow up trainer, is called a "mom". It's pretty funny. He has been out a little over a year. He is from the St. George area, a little community called Dammeron Valley. It was hard on me to see Elder Cartwright go, but I trust the Lord. I'll learn valuable things from and with Elder Volksen.

We don't tract too often. We mostly teach people that we run into in the street. The Lord places people in our path as we go from place to place. It is pretty sweet.

Our teaching pool is rather interesting. It changes from week to week. We are constantly sifting, trying to find the elect. It is a lot of work, but it is rewarding. The most frustrating thing is when people don't show up to church. There are a few things that helps us see who is repentant, and that is one of them.

I've got a new address. We upgraded apartments because we were clean.
3717 Sonoma Ave. Apt. #2 Santa Rosa, CA 95405.

I love the things you learned about Zion. It makes me feel excited to build and work. We are actors.

This week I learned about prayer. I am so grateful that God allows me, a finite and frail being, to pray to Him in His infinity. The love He has for His children is becoming more and more evident to me as time goes on.

I love you Mom. Give everyone my love.

Elder Williams

September 11

Hi Elder Williams,

I always type "Hi Talon", and then have to change it. :) I miss you, but I'm glad that you are on a mission. I miss talking to you about the books we are reading, things we are listening to and learning, and laughing at funny YouTube videos. Just know that I love you and am glad that you are my friend. I'm proud of you for serving a mission. You are a noble person and my son, and I am grateful for your example.

Anyways, everyone was cranky today and didn't want to go to church---including me. I would have rather stayed home and cleaned the house or go for a ride up the mountain to look at the changing leaves. But of course--we went. It's the right thing to do, so we did it. However, while I was singing the sacrament hymn, I was so humbled. The words that hit me were:

That sacred holy offring, by man least understood,
To have our sins remitted And take his flesh and blood,
That we may ever witness The suff'ring of thy Son
And always have his Spirit To make our hearts as one

When Jesus the Anointed, Descended from above
And gave himself a ransom To win our souls with love---

How infinite that wisdom, The plan of holiness
That made salvation perfect And veiled the Lord in flesh,
To walk upon his footstool And be like man, almost,
In his exalted station, And die, or all was lost.

I felt so ungrateful for not wanting to take the opportunity to go to church. But I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to repent. That is what it is all about--repenting and trying to become like Jesus Christ. I realized that each Sunday is a gift and I need to be obedient and humble. Sometimes it's really hard to submit your will to the Lord, but when you do, you are always blessed one hundred fold.

I hope you are doing well. I love you.

Mom


Dear Mom,
I'm glad that I get to type "Dear Mom". I miss you too, but I'm glad I get to write you. I always learn a lot.

I'm glad that you and the family did the thing you all didn't want to do and go to church. It is so wonderful that you were rewarded by going. Hymns are powerful. I have come to feel the power of their words more since I have been out here. They lift me up.

The leaves don't change in Santa Rosa, so it is a bit disorienting. Time flies so fast, but things around me don't change much. Faces do,but not places.

Repentance has become a joy for me. I learned a lot about grace this last week. There is a talk by Brad Wilcox called "His Grace is Sufficient". It helped me understand Christ's role in my life more. He has always been there for me. He will always be there for me. Some people I have encountered think that they are already saved by grace, but I know the wonderful thing about grace is that I can be changed by it. It takes time, but I am full of hope.

Elder Cartwright has been transfered. It was really hard for me to see him go, but I'm going to learn a lot while I am with my new companion, Elder Volksen. I'll tell you  more about him later.

Tell everyone that I love them.

I love you Mom.
Elder Williams

Dear Elder,

How are you? I miss you. How is you mission going? Even if I could go to the NBA, I would go on a mission first. I know it's important.

I'm getting a Kevin Durant jersey. He plays for the OKC Thunder. I've been working and doing lot's of jobs for it. I've been helping dad with the new room. I've washed walls, fridge, oven, dishwasher, and picked up trash, mowed the lawns, done dishes, cleaned bathrooms, and other stuff.

School is fun. We are learning about exponents. They are easy. I got 100% on my spelling test. I'm reading the Kane Chronicles and am almost finished with them. I only have like 5 more pages.

I love you and I miss you.

Love,
BRANDT


Dear Brandt,

I'm doing very well. How are you? I miss you too. Time is going by really fast for me, so it will be weird to come back home and see you all tall! I'm glad that you will go on your mission first. It is very, very important.

I'm glad that you are working for stuff that you want. If you learn how to work at your age, life will be much better fore you. Keep up the good work.
I'm glad that school is fun! You are doing so well. 100% is so awesome. I'm proud of you. Keep reading.
Javier got baptized! I'll send some pictures home soon.

I love and miss you.
Love,
Elder Williams

September 3, 2012

Dear Elder Williams,

We've had a busy week. The drywall is up and textured and we've been painting. It's going to look so nice and it will be good to have a family gathering space.

I'll tell you something that I learned this week. It's the word contemplate. Contemplate means "to look at with continued attention, to meditate on". But if you dig and find the root words, it means something much more profound. It comes from the root 'contemplari', which means "to mark out a temple"
con = with   templum = temple

So if to contemplate means to mark out a temple, I can see how important it is to ponder upon eternal principles. It made me think about what I think about. Probably 90% of what goes on in my brain is just useless chatter. If I could incrementally change that, then over time I would be making progress towards ideals. I think, therefore I am. Right? So what I think about makes me 'me' which makes me want to think better thoughts.

We are creatures of habit, and it is very difficult to find new pathways through our neuronal forest. But we must keep whacking away at the overgrowth and find the truth to our reality. The reality being that there is a God who loves us and wants us to find truth so that we may have joy.

Are you finding truth? Are you experiencing joy?

I pray for you.

With love,
Mom

Dear Mom,
I'm excited to see the pictures! I'm glad that it is getting so close.

Contemplate. That is such a wonderful word. Etymology can teach us valuable things. I love what we learned about the word King at the forum.

I read a verse the other day that reminded me about the temple. D&C 43: 34 uses the phrase "solemnities of eternity". I need to change my thoughts too. It is a bit easier for me since I have been out here.
Focusing on the scriptures and teaching helps me a lot.
My neuronal forest has been trimmed. I'm forgetting a lot of things. That may sound bad, but to me it is good. I've been able to focus on things that matter more.

I am finding truth. I am experiencing joy. I've been feeling a sense of urgency for my fellow man. The time is near for the Lord to come and reign. The time is near for everyone who has ever lived. This life is short.

I felt joy when Javier was baptized this last Wednesday. Yup, he got baptized. Elder Cartwright baptized him, and I was able to confirm him. It was a great opportunity to exercise my priesthood. It was wonderful to see him be baptized because he was the first person I invited to be baptized. In fact, the first night I was in Santa Rosa, I invited him. Seeing his progression over the last few months has added strength to my testimony.

I love you Mom. You are wonderful.

Love,
Elder Williams