October 29

Hey Son,

Well how is your new home so far and tell us about your companion. We hope you are adjusting to your new place. It must be nice to have a car. Just watch out for those crazy California drivers.
 

We started watching a show on BYUTV last night called The District. It is basically a reality show where they follow missionaries in San Diego around as they do their work. It reminds me of experiences and feelings I had on my mission, except they get more baptisms, and it clues the rest of the family in on what you are doing. I really think the girls want to go on missions, especially with the age change. I read in the Deseret New that missionary applications have increase 471% since the announcement in General Conference and over half of them are females. They are going to reduce MTC time by 1/3 somehow in order to keep up with the demand. They are also looking at opening more missions because members thougout the world are asking for more help.
 

You are part of an amazing work. The Lord's missionary program is powerful and vital to the inhabitants of this earth. I am so proud that you seemed to have jumped in with both feet and have been working hard.
 

Not much has changed here. Raina had a choir concert at the school last week. The general choir had close to 90 students. They acctually sounded good. Mr. Cavan is doing a good job and the band gets better and better each year.
 

Your sisters finished their first quarter and did well grade wise. They are busy with play practice and they perform later in November. Mom works hard like always, she's been running. Brandt has his first b-ball practice in Richfield today. He was picked first round in the South Sevier league which means he's considered the best player on his team. Not bad for a 5th grader I think.

I hope you have a great week. Let me know if you need anything.

Love, Dad

 

Hey Pops,

My new home is interesting. It is a four man pad. We sleep in the living room and study in the bedrooms. It's different, but I've adjusted. It is kind of nice to have a car, but now I have to watch
what I eat more closely. I'll have to make sure the holidays don't get me.

The District is sweet. They used those to train us in the MTC. I'm glad that it brought back memories for you. I wish I would have asked you more about your mission before I left.

This is one of the most exciting times I can imagine for me to be on a mission. President Alba is telling us to get ready to train and bike. We have about 165 missionaries in our mission, and on average all stateside missions will get 100 more. The work is moving faster and faster.

I'm glad that the kids did well in school and their other activities. They are a good crew.

I've spent a bit of money the last few weeks, and I hope that I haven't run too low. If you'd monitor that for me that would be great.

Thank you for helping me. This is the greatest work on earth.

Love,

Elder Williams

Salutations

Salutations Elder Williams,
 

How is your new area in San Rafael? Who is your companion and where is he from? I hope you find golden investigators in the Golden Gate Bridge area who are searching for truth.
 

I finished the Book of Mormon again, so I'm starting on the Doctrine and Covenants. Here are a couple of my favorite scriptures:

D&C 6:34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
 

Dad and I went to the temple on Saturday. There are a lot of prayers being said regarding missionaries and missionary work. I just want you to know that you are prayed over in this home also. You are fulfilling prophecy by spreading the gospel and preaching the truth. For this, I am grateful.
 

I'm so glad you love your mission. I'm sure it's hard and difficult days must seem discouraging, but I'm so happy that you have fully turned your heart over to the Lord and have submitted to be His servant.

 

 

I love you and am grateful for your example to me and to all of us here at home.

With love,

Mom
 

 

Dear Mom,

I love San Rafael. It is very different than anything I have known before, so I'm learning a lot. My companion is Elder Bliss from Provo. He is a good guy, very different than me, but we are getting along. We do have a few golden investigators. I have high hopes.

I love those scriptures. One of my new favorites is D&C 109:73. I am part of that prophesy. You are too. It is being fulfilled today. I feel so grateful to be a missionary at this time. I know that God has had a hand in my life, and continues to every day. Sister Alba, President Alba's wife, gave a talk in our sacrament meeting yesterday. She shared that scripture and some other insights that she had as she and President Alba met with 29 other mission presidents and people from Salt Lake last week. The work is moving forwards so fast. I feel like they will continue to move faster and faster. I'm so excited for more missionaries to join me out in the field.

I read a talk that lit up my soul yesterday. Here's the link:

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=2060&view=1

I hope that you enjoy it.

I love you Mom. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.


Love,

Elder Williams

Buenos Dias Elder

Buenos Dias Elder Williams,

 

I Googled San Rafael. It looks like a nice area. I hope you have a great companion and great experiences there. You will have to let me know your address asap. I didn't send a package last week, so that's good. Hopefully your last package arrived.

I got to teach the Mia Maids today. It was a good experience and I'm glad that Raina is in the class. I love the scripture that says the Lord looks on the heart. I'm glad He can understand our intentions, desires, and our hearts. I found this quote which I thought was helpful, because we live in a world that measures and defines a person by external factors.

Elder Boyd K. Packer: “We get conditioned to the idea that only one team or one person can win. This is not true of spiritual things. There is plenty of room in the Celestial Kingdom for everyone. We are not in competition for some few spaces. The only one we are in competition with is our former self.”

Meekness, humilty, and sincerity are not popular virtues in today's world. People who are meek are marginalized. Those who are humble are overlooked and sincerity is not taken seriously. But the meek will inherit the earth and I hope you will find those who's hearts are prepared to accept the gospel of Christ.
 

I'm grateful for grace and mercy. I'm grateful for forgiveness. If we think of the two words that make up the word---- for giving--- it means a lot. Forgiveness is "for giving" me peace. It is a gift which me must open our heart to.

I love you.

 

Dear Elder,

I got a phone call from Sister Wiseman this morning. I was so surprised and pleased. She was very complimentary about your work as a missionary, your devotion to the gospel, and your love of the Lord. This made me so happy to hear her words of praise regarding my son. You are a good person with so much to give to the world. I'm grateful you are serving the Lord and are an instrument in His hands.

I love you and am proud of my missionary.

Love,

Mom

 

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that you got to speak to Sister Wiseman. She is a wonderful lady. I really love the members of the Bennett Valley Ward. It was hard to leave them, but I'm excited to work in San Raphael. One thing that has been becoming more and more clear is how God so perfectly tailors my life in order for me to learn the things He wants me to learn.

I love the quotes you send me. Thank you for sharing them.

My mind and heart are so full. It is hard to express what my mission means to me, but I want you to know how grateful I am for the experiences that I have every day. The more that I have submitted my
will to the Lord's, I have grown and been happier.

Thank you for all of your love and all of your support.

My Address:
220 D Street Apt #9
San Rafael, CA 94901

I'm planning on sending my chip home soon. Thank you for the padded envelope.

I love you.

Elder Williams

Oct 21

Dear Elder TT,

I heard that you are being transferred to San Rafael. I hope you like it.
 

I had basketball tryouts. It was awesome. I've been listening to Eragon. I like it.
 

I went to a BYU football game against Oregon State. BYU lost, but it was fun anyways. It was close until the 4th quarter. BYU just choked at the end. We went to Subway afterwards. It was good except I asked for pickles and he gave me jalapeno's.

I miss you.

Love, BRANDT
 

 

Dear BB,

I like San Raphael so far. It has a lot of old houses and really nice cars. It is kind of weird, though. I'm used to being on a bike now! Now I'm riding around in a car. That's kind of nice, because it is going to start raining a lot more.

I'm glad that you are going to start basketball soon. You'll do great this year. Hopefully I have some more skills from playing with other missionaries. Eragon is one of my favorites stories.

It is sweet that you got to go to a BYU game! There are a few missionaries that went there before their missions. Maybe you can go and be like Jimmer.

I have been eating a lot of jalapenos. One of the people at church took us to a mexican food place and we ate them.

I miss you too. Keep up the good work with the Book of Mormon reading.

Love,

Elder Williams

Shalom Oct 15

Shalom Elder Williams,

 

This week I was able to attend "Time Out for Women" which is sponsored by Deseret Book. It was a conference that featured lots of great speakers and music. I really enjoyed Sheri Dew and Michael Wilcox's talks among others. A lot of the talks seemed to have an overarching theme of forgiveness. Forgiveness of one's own mistakes and forgiveness of others is a gift that we give as well as receive.

It was great to get your letter. I hope you received the packages I've sent. I sent one last Friday, so it might not have arrived yet.

 

How is the work going? Do you have any investigators?
 

I hope everything is going well for you. We love you and pray for you everyday.

With love,

Mom

 

 

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that you had the opportunity to listen to those speakers. Forgiveness is so vital. I'm grateful that we can forgive and move on. I have felt like I have had to do that a lot since I have been on my mission. I've realized a small part more of how much better life is when we use the Atonement.

I'm glad that you got my letter. The last package that I received was the one with pears in it. They were wonderful.


The work has been slower recently, but we are hopefully going to have a baptism this week. Sili is his name. He is a very large Samoan man, 23 and very fit. He is about 6 foot 7 inches. I'll let you know how that goes.

Thank you for your prayers. I give everyone my love.

Love,

Elder Williams

October 8, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad,

I had a bit of time after I emailed, so I thought I'd send a letter.

First, I want to express my sincere gratitude to you both for teaching me the gospel. I have felt so much peace and hope because you two raised me in a Christ centered home. Because of your examples I am now out serving the Lord. My mission means so much to me. The changes I have seen in myself and others have been so dear to me.

The Atonement has helped me break so many chains that Satan bound me with. I have Hope for Heaven. <My favorite scripture is Ether 12:4.

Let Brandt, Raina, and Aubree know that I am so proud of them for reading the Book of Mormon everyday. There is nothing better to prepare all of them for their missions. I know that they are where they are at this time because they will do great works.

I love you both so much. I know that the Church is Christ's and that the Atonement is the supreme act of love from God. I know all of His children can be with Him if they but choose to go back home. I know all of the people around us are magnificent brothers and sisters. We are all so precious.

All my love,
Elder T.H. Williams

Back: Elder Volksen, Williams, Brother Wiseman, Brother Beal, Brother Senniff

Front: Sister Beal, Sister Pollnow, Sister Reed, Sister Wiseman

Brother and Sister Wiseman are the Ward Mission Leaders

The group is some of the Ward Missionaries

Hail - October 8

Hail to you from Monroe,
 

I would like to share a thought with you that I've had on my mind:
 

"Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be." Hamlet Act 4 Scene 5

The Lord knows us and our potential, but we are limited and look through a glass darkly. Hopefully we can catch a glimpse of what he sees in us to keep us pressing forward.

 

 

Conference was inspiring, uplifting, and enlightening. "Stop the boys on the bike," and "Ask the Missionaries," were some of the spoken words which touched my soul. I thought of you and cried. Not, because I'm sad, but because I"m so proud of the work you are doing.

 

 

Aubree and Raina are excited because they can now serve missions when they are 19. I'm grateful the Lord has given His revelation on missionary work.
 

How did you spend Conference? I'm sure it was wonderful to hear the words of prophets and apostles. They are the guards on the watchtower warning and encouraging us to repent and come unto Christ.
 

I love you. I'm grateful for your example and your service. I'm grateful that you are a worthy priesthood holder and magnifying your calling as a missionary.
 

With love,

Mom

 

 

Mom,

I'm grateful that you seek good "from the best books".Thank you for the thought, Mom. I love you.

 

 

 

Hey Dad, Mom, Aubree, Raina, and Brandt,

Thank you for the emails. I don't have too much time, so I'll send one to ya'll.

Conference was good for me. I loved the messages. I felt spiritually charged as I sat in the sessions. We watched the ones on Saturday at member's homes, the Wilson's, and Tanner's. They are great. On Sunday we took Javier to the morning session at the stake center and ate lunch there. Kind of potluck. Javier had to leave, so we watched the rest of it with the other missionaries. I'm so grateful for modern revelation. There is no other way that Christ's church could be guided. I'm looking forward to the Ensign next month.

I'm really grateful for the announcement about the age change. Missions will be flooded with wonderful people.

Love you,

Elder Williams
 

 

Dear Elder TT,

I miss you. I have been watching General Conference. I like it. President Monson's talk was my favorite. I liked the story of the boy who needed help and his friends helped him.

Basketball season starts in 24 days. I'm counting down.

I'm playing in Richfield and Jr.Jazz in Monroe. I'll be playing a lot of basketball. I love basketball.

How is your mission? I liked the pictures you sent home. I hope you like your mission.

Love,

BRANDT

 

BB,

I miss you too. I'm really glad that you watched General Conference. It is so wonderful to hear from our prophets.

 

Good luck with Basketball! Let me know how you do.
Love,

Elder Williams

 

October 1

Salutations from Monroe,
 

I received a new calling in the ward. I was released from the Relief Society presidency and now I'm an advisor to the Mia-Maids. I'm excited to be in with my girls, but I'll miss Relief Society.
 

In Sunday School we talked about Samuel's prophecy about the day/night/day where there would be no darkness and how even though people witnessed it, they still wouldn't believe. I can really see how that can be true. I made the comment that it's easy to see and not believe, because we can explain away a miracle by citing natural phenomena, i.e., "it was a comet/ eclipse", etc.

 

I think in our post-modern era, it takes a lot of courage to have faith. No one wants to be accused of being superstitious, and it really is illogical to be bound by irrational beliefs. It's easy to look back see the fallacies of the medieval/pre-modern world. Some of the things they held to be true were simply outrageous; especially doctors--- they killed far more than they cured. Anyways, there are simply too many things that cannot be held under a microscope and dissected. Take love, for example. How can a person quantify or use objective measures to describe love? Anyways, I've been reading a lot about the scientific revolution/enlightenment and have had this on my mind. I'm grateful for people like Neal A. Maxwell to help me remember that faith is courage. I need to be reminded about the principles I believe in and that they are true. And it's interesting....the more I learn about the world around me, the more it testifies that God is real, and eternal, and omniscient, and creative, and most importantly--that God is Love.
 

I really miss talking to you. I've had a lonely spot in my heart for the past couple of days. I'm so glad that you are serving the Lord and helping people to come to a knowledge of the truth. You are an ambassador for the church and a witness of Jesus Christ. Hurrah for Israel!
 

I love you.

Mom

 

P.S.

I just had to send this quote to you:

"In an age that enthrones education with its many blessings but also with unintended and unnecessary spinoffs of intellectualism and humanism's odd pride in its despair, wherin there has been so much emphasis on self rather than others, obedience and humility have fallen on hard times."

I think this pretty much sums up the modern era's zeitgeist. I love the point he makes about 'humanism's odd pride in its despair.'  Brilliant!

 

 

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the quote. Who is is by? Odd pride...

I've been pondering a lot about my testimony. I'm grateful to you. There was a scripture that you shared with me once. It was Moroni 10:6. I'll show you the way the house of my testimony has been built with Book of Mormon scriptures.

 

The first is Ether 12:4. It is my favorite scripture. I need the anchor that hope brings. That has been the thing that I have worked on the most this past couple of weeks. Hope strengthens me. It isn't wishy washy; it is the fuel that I use to act. The second is Moroni 7: 5, 11-19. Moroni 7 is my favorite chapter. What a promise in verses 15 and 16! Satan chipped away at my trust in my ability to know things, but God in His mercy allows me, a finite being, to know something perfectly.

 

This leads me to Moroni 10:6. I know the Book of Mormon is true because of what you shared. All good comes from God. The Book of Mormon is from God. The Book of Mormon is true. Now I can do what Ether 12:4 says, and always abound in good works.

I love you Mom. Thank you for allying yourself so closely to the Lord and sharing that with me.

Love,

Elder Williams

 

 

Hi Elder T-T,

I've been reading my scriptures. I'm in 1st Nephi. Nephi is courageous.
 

How are you? How is your companion? I hope you are having fun.
 

I was going to feed Ra-Ra and we were running and he rammed me and pushed me. I fell on the cement by the corner of the house. I got scraped up and bruised. He's a mean little fluff ball. He's still on my bad side so I'm not going to feed him ever again. Well, not really...I'll feed him just for you.
 

Have you seen an iguana in California? Just wondering. Is there anything cool about California?

 

 

You are awesome. I'm glad you are my brother.

Love you,

BRANDT

 

Hi B!

I'm proud that you are reading the Book of Mormon! Keep it up. I love Nephi too. 1 Nephi 3:7 is one of my favorites. Always remember that God will help you do good things, things he wants you to do.

I'm doing well. One thing you will find about a mission is that you will learn a lot. The people you meet are really cool. My companion is a good guy. He likes to have a lot of fun.

I hope that you get all healed up. Too bad you didn't land on Ra Ra. He is softer than cement. I'm glad that you will keep feeding him, ha ha.

I haven't seen an iguana, but I see deer, turkeys, squirrels, little lizards, and lots of black birds. I saw otters too! There is a lake near where we live, so in the morning when we walk and run we see them.

There is a lot of cool things about California. The Redwoods are sweet. I'll send some pictures home next week.

You are awesome! You are the best brother.

Love,

Elder Williams