Christmas

HO, HO, HO Elder Williams,

I hope you have had a merry, happy holiday season so far. We've made our traditional gingerbread houses, popcorn balls, and gone around looking at Christmas lights while eating a Frosty. What are you favorite traditions? Dad is secretly being a Santa to one of his clients and giving him a blanket I made along with some food and goodies. I hope it makes him feel happy.

How is the ward in your area? I hope they are good strong members who will help the missionaries out a lot. Are you invited to any Christmas dinners? 

This week was busy. Dad and I went to the temple on Tuesday. It was really nice to be there together. Brandt had his dance-festival and performed a really cute Christmas dance with the 6th grade on Wednesday. He was all smiles and the boy has some moves. Thursday Raina performed with the Madrigals in the Christmas concert. When she was up there, I kept grinning. It reminded me of you and how I could see your dimples. You were so much fun to watch. I love going to the programs at the schools. Saturday we went to Iron County and got to see Kylee get baptized. It was nice to see family. It's been a busy and fun week. 

I hope your package came to the right address and I hope you like what Santa got for you. 

I'm looking forward to talking with you on Christmas day. It will be fun to see your dimples. :)

Love you,

Mom

Feliz Navidad Mom,

It has been a merry season so far. It sounds like you all have been having fun with the holiday traditions. The ones you listed are my favorite. I also loved lighting the candles on the mobiles and reading Christmas stories. That's really good of you and dad to do secret Santa. You and dad are really wonderful examples of service.

The ward is small, but there are a few solid members. We are being taken care of well. We are going to be doing Skype at the bishop's house. We will be having lunch with a Fijian family and dinner at the bishop's.

Sounds like last week was a great week for you all. I'm glad that Brandt has some moves. I sure didn't when I did that, ha ha. I'm glad that you all got to see the family in Enoch. 

Thank you for the package! I'll open the wrapped things on Christmas day. Be a little like Christmas past. 

I'll be planning on Skyping at 2:15 or 2:30 your time. I look forward to visiting with all of you. 

The pictures are from our Christmas Conference. It was really nice, and the Spirit was powerful. I am so grateful for the Savior.The anticipation I feel at Christmas I feel is a small reflection of the joy of His coming. 

Love,

Elder Williams

P.S. I sent an ornament that my investigator Lori gave me today. It was a really precious gift. I hope it gets there tomorrow, but it may not. Either way, I hope you can enjoy it and keep it safe for me. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Elder Williams,

This has been a week of wondering and deep contemplation. A good man in the Richfield community died while playing basketball after he hit heads with another player. He was a bishop and left behind a wife and kids. One of his boys plays for the Richfield basketball team. At any rate, I questioned God and wondered why would such a good man be taken? Is life a series of chance events and accidents just happen? Is there meaning behind this tragedy? Is everyday filled with chaos which we mere mortals try to organize and make sense of? Is there order to the universe or is it a black expanse filled with atoms and the void? 

I just couldn't understand why that would be God's will. Is there an individual plan for each of us or is life random? Well, it took a lot of pondering and going into to the depths of my soul to find the answer. It comes down to accepting God's will. I feel so much sympathy for the wife who is left behind and it hurts my heart to think of the unbearable pain she must be suffering. But, if the gospel is true, then God will exchange beauty for these ashes. 

My sister, Michelle, was sealed in the temple on Saturday. I went down and was so happy that I could be there. I was reminded of the covenants, the protections, and the blessings of an eternal marriage. It brought me back to my questions and I realized that however tragic an event may be in our life, if we hold fast to our covenants and trust in the Lord, we will be sealed up unto salvation. The man who died was a good man and he was living a good life, so the Lord will help the ones who are left behind and heal their wounds. God can turn tragedy into glory if we allow him to. Life can be a difficult and painful journey, but if we endure the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, God will clothe us in robes of beauty. Hamlet asked the question, "in that sleep of death, what dreams may come". He never found the answer. We know through the restoration of the gospel, that there is salvation, and hope, and peace, and glory....if we trust, and repent, and endure. 

I'm grateful for the gospel, the GOOD NEWS.  I don't know if I could bear the whips and scorns of time without this knowledge. I'm grateful you are spreading the good news to our brothers and sisters. 

Let me know what your new area is like. Tell me about your companion. 

Thank you for being my friend, my example, and my son. You are a good man and I'm grateful for your example of service and selfless love.

God be with you 'til we meet again,

Mom

Dear Mom,

Thank you for sharing your experience over the last week. They way you were able to learn from that tragedy is a testimony to me of your spiritual strength. 

I've got a simple little experience to share with you. On Sunday a member family signed up to feed us that night. Their name is the Bumpuses. They are nice, and we were lucky that they signed up. We go over that night, and someone there says, "You look familiar." Turns out that he was someone I met in my first area. He sold things door to door, so we saw him around a lot. He is friends with this member family, and they happened to be hosting him. We were able to talk, and I was able to get his contact info. I hope I will be able to teach him online sometime. 

You know, it is a simple little experience, but there are so many variables that I can't imagine it happening unless God set it up. There are too many things that could have been different. 

The thing I think I will be most surprised about when I pass on and can see my life is how intimately God has been involved in my life. I know that I owe him a debt of gratitude that I can't comprehend right now. 

My new area is a nice little town. There are about 8,500 people. There is a lot of local art and it has a nice little downtown. The people live at a slower pace than the rest of the world. The ward seems really nice, and they are relatively few in numbers. I'm back on a bicycle. We are the new set of missionaries here. My companion and I both came in on Wednesday. There is now a Spanish speaking companionship. The ward seems pretty excited that there are so many missionaries. 

My companion's name is Elder McKay. He is a nice guy, and we get along well so far. He has had some struggles on his mission, but I think we will do well. 

We have a couple that is excited for baptism. We set a date for them for the beginning of the year. I think they can make it. Their names are Zack and Amanda, and they have a little boy named Zack. They have had a really hard time in their lives, but they are seeing how much God is blessing them for following the Gospel. 

Thank you for all that you do, Mom. I love you. 

Love,

Elder Williams

Noel

Noel Elder Williams,

I hope you received the package I sent. If you are getting transferred, please send your new address asap. I will need to update it on the ward list. 

I hope you had a good week and you were safe and happy. Time is flying by so fast I can't seem to stay caught up with it all. It will be lovely to visit with you on Christmas Day and I'm looking forward to it! We'll have to start figuring out when the best time will be. Dad and Raina work on Christmas day, so hopefully we can Skype earlier in the morning or later in the evening. We'll work around your schedule. 

For Young Men/Young Women's, we had a combined activity which was an etiquette dinner. The Deacons and Beehive's were in charge, so I was given the job of planning the program. I made a PowerPoint with quotes, questions, and queries. But the emphasis I wanted to make is that the youth are a royal generation and beloved children of God. With that, comes the responsibility to shine as examples in a world full of wretchedness and decaying moral principles. I hope it sunk into some of their hearts and minds of how important it is to use polite manners and act in accordance to their elect status of being members of the church. You are a gentleman and I've always been proud of how kind, compassionate, and considerate you are. You have a good heart and gentle nature. I love this quality about you. 

Raina and I performed for the ward party on Friday. She basically sang a beautiful solo while I quietly sang alto. It was a fun experience to sing with her. She has such a lovely voice and I love to hear her. I'm glad you were involved in Madrigals while you were in high school. I think it really added to the quality of your experiences; for example: honor choir, performing at the SL Tabernacle, etc. It was always so much fun to watch you in the programs. 

I've been busy making Christmas presents and quilts. We are planning on giving one away to someone in need. It makes me happy to do this and I hope it makes the recipient happy too. 

I love you and wish you many blessings. I hope you have a wonderful week. May God be with you 'til we meet again.

Love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

I did get the package! Thank you for all of the pictures and treats. :)

I am getting transferred. Here is my new address:

121 Vista View Drive 

Cloverdale, CA 95725-3373

I'm going to miss all of my people. I've loved this area, and I'm grateful for all of the experiences and growth I've had. I'm grateful for all of the blessings I've had on my mission.

We had the ward Christmas party on Saturday and we got a whole bunch of our investigators and less active members there. We had to set up 5 extra tables. It was amazing. Darla brought some of her family, and Lori brought her mom. I think their hearts are being softened.

We were able to give talks in sacrament meeting, so it was almost like a little farewell for me. Lots of the members said nice things and that they would miss me.

I'm glad you raised me to be polite. It has helped me a lot on my mission. I'm sure you were able to help all of the youth out. You are a great teacher. 

Sounds like Raina had a great time. I'm glad that she has been sharing her talents. It will be fun to watch all of the kids do their thing.

You are awesome Mom. You are a great example of charity, always making things and giving them to those in need. 

I'll keep in mind the skype times. 

Love,

Elder Williams

Winter Greetings Elder Williams,

How was your Thanksgiving? Did you have yummy food? I sure hope so. How is the work progressing? We pray for your people every night.

We had a Thanksgiving celebration on Saturday with my sisters and mom & dad. It was so nice to get together. JoAnn brought Aaron,Justin and his girlfriend, Robyn. Michelle was with her husband Morgan and his son Braden. Chrissy and Hoss came with the boys, Jett and Kyler and Jessica. It was really fun to visit and catch up. 

We are getting the house decorated for Christmas. It's looking festive! I love the season, the music, and the celebration of the baby Jesus. It's a lovely time of year. My Christmas wish this year is to have the kids allow me to read a story to them nightly....just like the old days when you guys were young. I miss having little ones who love to be read to. So, I just want to have fun and read the old stories that we loved so much. It's kind of silly, but I'm nostalgic. :) 

We listened to a conference talk yesterday by Elder Christofferson. He spoke about repentance. It is such a gift which leads us to freedom, peace, and joy. I was inspired by it. 

I had book club last week and we talked about the book The Rent Collector. One person mentioned how she thought it was implausible that someone who didn't have their fundamental needs met would want to learn how to read. But in my mind, I totally disagree with that. I believe that human beings can transcend because we are not mere animals but have a divine spark that makes us seek for higher things. I was reminded of Viktor Frankl in the concentration camps.He said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." I believe that we are more that a bunch of Pavlovian drives, or Maslovian needs. We are son's and daughters of God with divinity written into our DNA. Herein lies my hope and belief in the redeeming power of Christ. 

We pray for your safety and well-being. Thank you for being a wonderful example for your sisters and brother to follow. You are showing that the gospel is worth sacrificing for. I appreciate you and your service. 

I love you and wish you blessings and happiness.

Love,
Mom

Hey Mom,

I had a great Thanksgiving. The members took good care of us. We got to eat with a couple of my favorite families, the Eagars and the Gibsons. The Eagars have a son that come out with us all the time. His name is Jake. The Gibsons are cool too. Brother Gibson is the Stake President.

Thank you for praying for my people. It helps so much. Lori has come such a long way. It is a miracle that she is overcoming her addictions so fast. The Spirit is filling her up. She is experiencing a lot of opposition from her family, but she said that she feels even more convicted. Tyler is doing well too. We are eating dinner with him tonight. He came to church with us yesterday.

It sounds like it was a great Thanksgiving. I'm glad that most of the family was able to come. 

I can't believe it is almost Christmas. You'll have to send me some pictures of the house. I bet it looks pretty. Thank you for all the time you spent reading to us. That is a treasured memory for me.

In my studies I have been learning about what a wonderful gift it is to have our bodies. Our bodies give us such a rich depth of experience that we couldn't have otherwise. The philosophies of men would have us believe that our bodies are prisons, or that our identity is separate from our bodies, but I'm grateful to have learned that is false. Our bodies are so important, because the body and spirit make the soul. We may live in a fallen state, but that doesn't mean that we can't have joy. We are supposed to love our lives on earth, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. I love what you said about Viktor Frankl. We do have that choice.

Thank you for all of your prayers. I can feel them, and I know they help shape my life and the lives of others. 

Love,

Elder Williams

Hi Talon,

Well no one else got sick last week thank goodness. It a nasty stomach virus that's been hitting the whole valley including my employees. 

Hope you had a good thanksgiving. We went and cut a tree on Thursday and then Mom fixed a mini thanksgiving dinner for us. On Saturday we had a big gathering with the Wright clan. All of your aunt's made it except Melia. Some of your cousins came as well. We had a great meal and a fun time. The weather was nice so the young ones could play outside.

Grandma Shirley continues to say she's OK but I know it's been hard for her the past several months so keep her in your prayers. 

From your pictures you are looking very fit. Good job!!! I need to do better. Raina wants to run a half marathon with me this spring and I said I would so I need to get going. It's about time I get the treadmill fixed. 

The garage is finally done except for sheet rock. I had a guy install the garage doors and new openers. It's nice to get a breather from that project for a while. I will get to the sheet rock over time doing it myself and if you are around long enough you can help me with the ceiling. 

Sounds like you have the chance to move soon. Do you have a preference where you go? I think I would like to be in a more rural area but that's just me. When is transfer day? 

Your gift is on the way to the mission office and will arrive this week. I hope you like what we got for you.

It's strange to see guys from your graduating class home from their missions. I've ran into Phillip several times. He's working at Fresh Market. Rumor is he's close to proposing to his pre-mission girl friend. 

For now be well.

Love dad

Hey Pops,

I'm glad that everyone is healthy. I've been dodging the illness going around here so far. 

Thanksgiving was pretty awesome. It was a memorable time. We had a good time with the members. It was a lot different from last year. 

I'll keep Grandma in my prayers. I'll send her a letter today too. 

I am dropping weight. Basically I don't eat except when members feed us. It has been working. I'm getting better at running too. I don't know if I would be at 1/2 marathon status, but hopefully I can do a decent 5k by the time I get back. 

Yeah, I'll make a point to help you with the sheet rock. That sounds like a fun project. 

I would like to serve around Woodland or Vacaville. They are piloting some sweet things over there with our iPads. I will probably be leavingnext Wednesday 

Thanks for sending me a gift. I appreciate it. I'm sure I'll love it. 

Ha ha, I hope Philip and his gal get married. That'd be pretty sweet. I can't believe people my age are getting married. It is pretty weird.

I'm going to miss my people, but I know the next phase of my mission will be great. I feel like I am the most skilled that I have ever been. It will be good seeing what the Lord has in store.

Thanks for everything. I appreciate everything you do.

Love,

Elder Williams

November 25

Thanksgiving Greetings Elder Williams,

I've just finished reading a really good book that I think you would like which is titled How to Read Literature Like a Professor. It shows a reader how to understand symbolism and metaphor that is woven throughout the great books. I really enjoyed it. I've also been listening to a podcast called The Heritage Podcast and it is attempting to go through the great ideas of Western thought and have the listener gain a liberal arts education along the way. I'm so excited because this is exactly what I'm interested in. He starts with the meaning of Liberal Arts which is defined as the knowledge of freedom and morality. Do you remember the Latin root word, liber, where we get the words liberty and library? Well it's the same idea. I love the liberal arts and delving into the ideas about the heart and mind. To bad the word liberal has been high-jacked and become a political term. 

Speaking of liberal arts, have you thought at all about Southern Virginia University? It's a liberal arts school in an LDS environment. Just wondering if you had considered it. 

I want to go through the great books and be more literate with the trivium and quadrivium. I love how it's all interconnected. I see the connections between music and math, literature and logic, philosophy and science. It's exciting to have the opportunity to learn and grow.

I also love the gospel and believe that it is the philosophy of God --- philosophy being the love and pursuit of wisdom. And I also know as Hamlet said: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." God has an infinite perspective that our limited minds can't comprehend and as we learn in 1 Corinthians: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." This reminds me of what Lorenzo Snow said, "As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”

Hope you are well. Hope your people are feeling the spirit of truth. I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday. I am grateful to you for your service and love of the gospel. Thank you for sharing the good news. You are a precious blessing to me. You are a good son and a great example to your brother and sisters. 

With love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

That book sounds so awesome. I've got a great love for the liberal arts, like you. A lot of the things that I learned before my mission has helped me connect with many of the people that I meet. I love surprising people in conversation. They don't expect me to know the stuff that I do.

I have thought a bit about SVU. It is an awesome school, from what I gather. I would consider going there, but I want to be close to all of you while I go to school. I want to be there for the kids and all of their stuff and be able to visit often. 

Now, the reason I wouldn't do ROTC and all of that would be because I couldn't study the liberal arts as much as I would like. I remember what Oliver Demille said about the program at BYU, (I forgot what it was called) that it was the best besides GWU. I have thought a bit about going to BYU and doing that. 

I love what you said about the gospel. It truly is the philosophy of God. You know, I'm so blessed to have you as my mom. I'm grateful that you raised me to love learning seek a broad knowledge. 

Things are going well for me. I'm constantly in flux, changing and refining. I love it. I'm forever grateful for my mission, and I'm grateful that I still have time to change and learn.

I love you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Love,

Elder Williams

November 18

Dear Elder Williams,

I wanted to share a quote I really like: "So very much of pure prayer seems to be the process of first discovering, rather than requesting, the will of our Father in Heaven and then aligning ourselves therewith."

I need to make this concept part of my devotions. I'm sure as a missionary you are learning all about the will of the Father. Do you have any experiences where you have discovered His will and seen his hand directing and guiding you? 

How are your people? I think about them and hope they can feel our love. 

In Sunday School, we talked about what makes our church different than others. Some things mentioned were priesthood, prophets, revelation, Holy Ghost, and truth. I agree with this, but in my thoughts I was going over many other good and noble people who are guided by the Spirit and act upon the truth they have. They enlarge their understanding by doing Christian acts of kindness. I learned about a man in India who serves 450 mentally ill and old people, who live on the streets, 3 meals a day. He was of the Brahman class but renounced it to fulfill his calling in life. I was so impressed by his dedication and love. I believe he is living the by the spirit and by truth. My point is, we as members of the church need to be wary of hubris because we certainly don't have a monopoly on truth. I know the Lord loves and guides all of his people. Some members seem to think we have the truth all locked up in a box, but that is so untrue. Truth is available to all seekers. I hope the seekers will find the fullness that is available in the gospel of Christ and our church. 

I love you and pray for you. 

God be with you 'till we meet again.

Mom

Dear Mom,

That's a great quote. It reminds me of the Bible Dictionary entry on prayer.

Yes, ultimately, that is the greatest lesson I've learned on my mission. God's will, not mine is not only the right thing, it is the best thing. Even though it seems to exact a high price, the blessings are so worth it. I've learned that, and I try to share that with those I teach.

Lori again thanked us for finding her. She is reading the Book of Mormon and knows that it is true. She said she has found her new family and home here in the church. She has so many different challenges, friends and family, but she is pulling through. She will be baptised here shortly. 

I had several powerful experiences with the priesthood over the last few weeks. Yesterday we gave blessings to a less active member and his girlfriend. They were filled with the Spirit. We picked her up as a new investigator. Her name is Karen.

I look forward to the day when all things will come forth into the light, and I can see how intimately God's hand has been involved in my life. I know that I can only see a small bit of His majesty and goodness. 

You are right about hubris. We too often are guilty of it. Hubris is a counterfeit of a good thing, though. That good thing is boldness. We can unapologetically declare that it is only through Christ that we attain salvation, and this is His church. We do have to remember that God will give everyone a chance to accept His plan, though. 

Love,

Elder Williams 

Hi Talon,

How are you. I'm just liv'in the dream here in good ole Monroe. I decided to take the day off work to get the yard more ready for winter and to get all my junk on the patio organized better. I was finally able to finish all the electrical on the garage. I had trouble getting the 4 way switch wired correctly but after a while I watched a youtube video and was able to get it all to work. So now we have an abundance of light. 

We had a very busy week. Brandt had 3 games. The first on was in Richfield. He exploded for 32 pts in the first half alone including 4/4 on 3 pt shots. I have never seen a kid dominate a game at any level so completely. They had such a lead at halftime that Brandt only took 1 shot in the second half so he ended with 34 pts. He had 42 pts in Monroe Thursday and over 30 on Saturday. With the team I coach I really need to work at getting more kids involved so Brandt doesn't have to do it all.

Raina had a solo in the play. She did very well and to me was the best vocalist on stage.  I worry about things when she turns 16 I'll have to sit out front with a shotgun to keep boys away. She did so well singing and dancing, worked hard and had fun but is relieved it's all over. 

Aubree seems to be having a hard time right now. I think she sees her siblings getting accolades and feels left out some. Also some friend problems. If you could drop her a note of encouragement that would be nice I think. She was awarded a renewable $3000 annual scholarship to SUU. That's very nice for her. I am encouraging to her look at going to Snow where I think she might get a full scholarship. She really wants to move out so she's attracted to SUU. I think she could have some fun in Ephraim though but her opinion of Snow is much like yours was.

I put $140 in your account last week.

Be well,

Love Dad

November 11

Hello Elder Williams,

I hope the package arrived. 

How are your people doing? Are they feeling the spirit? I hope they will feel the love of God in their lives. President Joesph Fielding Smith said that the impressions on the soul that come from the Holy Ghost "are far more significant than a vision."  He also said, "When Spirit speaks to spirit, the imprint upon the soul is far more difficult to erase. Every member of the Church should have impressions that Jesus is the Son of God indelibly pictured on his soul through the witness of the Holy Ghost."

I read a quote by George MacDonald and it reminded me of missionary work: "a candle is not lighted for itself; neither is a man." You are bringing light into a darkened world and illuminating the path to salvation. I'm grateful for your service as a called and ordained preacher of the good news of the gospel. God bless you, Elder Williams.

With love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

Thank you so much for the packages! I've received them both now. Darla loved the book you sent her. Thank you for being so thoughtful.

We had a really great week. We had an investigator come to church for the first time. Her name is Lori. She had a powerful experience in sacrament meeting. She thanked us for knocking on her door. It was an awesome moment. Darla even drove her to church, and they are developing a special connection.

It has been good for Darla to have the opportunity to serve. Our first real lesson with her daughter, Sadie, is tonight. 

Tyler has been doing well too. We challenged him on Saturday to read the Book of Mormon every day, and the Spirit prompted us to promise him that he can have his witness at the end of this week if he diligently reads. We'd really appreciate prayers on his behalf. 

I love that quote by President Smith. Indelible is my favorite word. That is what I am constantly striving for; an indelible impression on my self and those I teach.

Love,

Elder Williams

Hey Talon,

Good to hear the ward likes you and that you have some potential baptisms coming up. You have been so blessed on your mission. The members really are the key vs tracting. I hear some missions no longer allow tracting anymore. 

We are all doing well. I still continue working to get the electrical on the garage done. I put a flood light out front to light up the driveway and have most of the outlets done. I will have 9 lights in the garage itself so we can see good. Mom has found some good deals at the DI the past few weeks. She bought an old fashion stereo cabinet and some book shelves. We took out the old stereo components and mom refinished all of it and we now have a sweet looking entertainment center in the family room. I just emailed you a picture of it. We still need to put the bookshelves in and of course one day I want to get a larger TV. Mom is genius with stuff like this.

Raina starts her musical this week. She has a solo and seems excited to perform. I am looking forward to seeing it.  Aubree has been working a lot with her photography. Mom should be sending you a family photo sometime that Aubree did. 

Brandt had his first game last week. You would have thought it was Christmas with how excited he was the night before. We won our game 53-25. Brandt scored 33 pts and was 3/3 on 3 point shooting. He has 3 games this week. 2 in Monroe and 1 in his Richfield City league. He was very happy with how he did.

We went to Summit yesterday and got our garage doors. Grandma is looking better. She's lost most of her hair and is wearing a wig. She says she still feels very tired. I hope she can improve.

Well have a happy Veteran's Day

Love you

Dad

Hey Pops,

I'm pretty excited about everything going on in the area.  I'm feeling the clock ticking, though. I'll probably be leaving in a month, so I want to give it all I have while I'm here. 

Part of me wishes that we weren't allowed to tract, but I've seen miracles tracting, so I don't mind doing it.

The entertainment center looks really sweet. Mom did an awesome job. 

I'm glad that Brandt did so awesome. I'm stoked for him. He is tearing it up!

It will be good getting a photo. I'm sure ya'll look a bit different now. 

I'm happy that Grandma is looking better. I'm hoping she is doing a lot better when I see her.

Thanks for your service, Dad. Happy Veteran's Day.

So, I got a flu shot, then I was sick. So I went to the doc and they got me stuff and I feel a lot better. But, I had to spend more money than I would like. Could you put some more money in my account? 

Love,

Elder Williams

November 4, 2013

Elder T-T,

How is Darla and your folks doing? I've been thinking about them and hope that they are happy. We pray for your people every night. 

I read an interesting and entertaining book called Maphead. It's all about maps and geography. I'm a geography nerd and love to learn about new places, cultures, and people. My wish is to explore the world and tramp about for a few years before I die. Perhaps dad and I will get the chance if we are able to go on missions someday. 

We had our Young Women's "Evening in Excellence" night yesterday. Jimmy LaRue just returned from a mission and he spoke to the girls. He has conviction and a testimony of the gospel. It's a neat thing to see the excitement, love, and passion that newly returned missionaries posses. 

How do you answer questions about evolution, biology, carbon-dating, and things that don't fit into the story of the Bible? What about Australopithecus-man and other hominid types? Are you asked these types of questions? Obviously there were creatures on earth that predate the Adam story, for example, the carved ivory knife bone and cave painting that are validated as thousands upon thousands of years old. What do you say to those questions? I love science and I love the gospel. How do you fit the two together? I know we have to walk by faith, but I also believe that God gave us our logical reasoning capability to use it. I believe in empirical evidence, yet I also believe in the metaphysical world around us that can't be quantified. I have a testimony, but I really empathize with people outside of the gospel and wonder how they are able to take that step into becoming a member. Is it a suspension of disbelief? Or is it true knowledge? I just put myself into those shoes and wonder if I would be able to accept Jesus as the Christ and Redeemer if that wasn't my previous worldview. Would I be able to trust in the vision of Joesph Smith and the Golden Plates? I think it's a true miracle when anyone accepts the gospel and changes their life. I wonder if I would do the same. 

I hope you can maintain your convictions of truth and belief in the principles of the gospel for your entire life. I hope you will sustain your passion and love for the Savior and our fellow brethren. I hope you will continue your journey of faith and walk with the Lord through mortality and into eternity. I hope I can make that journey with you. 

I love you my dear boy,

Love,

Your Momma

Dear Mom,

Darla is going through a lot of hard family trouble now. We've been praying for her a lot. Thank you for keeping her in your prayers. I'll let you know how she is doing.

Tyler is doing so great! He came to stake conference with us yesterday, and he seems to be more and more comfortable with the church. The young couples in the ward are doing such a great job fellowshipping him. 

We've been teaching some new people. I hope that they keep on progressing.

It is good to hear about Jimmy. It is good to hear about how he is still making a positive impact. I want to do that too. 

Most of the time we don't get questions like that, because the types of people who ask them aren't very open. They use those kinds of questions as weapons. Still, I've had to answer those questions for myself. Honestly, it is only because of the spiritual experiences that I've had throughout my life that I believe in the Gospel. It is only because God has answered my prayers. Without them, I'd be totally adrift. I would feel lost in a dark ocean. I wouldn't see purpose beyond immediate pleasure, and even that wouldn't be worth living for eventually. All things will be reconciled one day. That day is not now, and I will not compromise my values and doubt my faith even if the "facts" seem totally opposed to the Gospel. 

I've asked myself the same question. Would I accept the Gospel if I hadn't been raised in it? I doubt myself sometimes. I doubt the goodness in me. Sometimes I don't think that there would be any way that I would accept the gospel because I would be too hard hearted.

I know now that those thoughts are wrong. I know better than ever that the Gospel has a power. I believe that the Gospel is so powerful that even I could accept it if I was born out of the Church. I'd just simply have to take the same steps that I invite the people I meet every day to do. I would simply have to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, humbly and sincerely. I'd have to make those choices. I have this confidence not because I think that I'm special or good, but because God is good. I know that He gave me a fair chance in the premortal life. I chose to come here. I know no matter what situation He put me in, it would be fair. I'd have the chance to accept or reject the Gospel. I'd be accountable.

I love you Mom. I hope what I said can convey some of the conviction I feel.

Love,

Elder Williams

Hey Talon,

Sounds like you will be staying there a bit longer. How do you feel about it? How's it going training? So your car got egged. Hopefully it was only a 1 time thing and not an ongoing problem.

Grandma has decided to stop her chemo treatments. We are all praying the cancer was all removed during surgery. She says she'd rather have a higher quality of life for a shorter time. What a hard choice to make though. She has a lot of faith and feels good about it.

Last month I signed up for the runner's series to gain entry into the St. George marathon so the past 2 weekends I've run 2 5Ks. I am in bad shape but I finished both of them without any walk breaks.

All in all not much changes here at home. 

Be well and happy,

Love Dad

Hey Dad,

I'll be here until the beginning of December. I'll be out after that. 

I'm pretty glad that I get to be here another transfer. The ward really likes us. We are communicating well with them. I wish we could get the bishop to raise his expectations. I want to tear it up more, and tracting and contacting are just not the most effective way to do it. 

Hopefully we have a couple of more baptisms this transfer. We are working with a few solid people

Training is going well. Elder Snow is stepping up and lessons are getting better. He is pretty willing and learns quickly. He is going to do well when he takes over the area. It has been a good experience. I have been learning a lot about myself lately.

I hope Grandma recovers from her treatments quickly. When are they going to check and see if the cancer is gone? I'm praying for her. I've been feeling peace and comfort when I think about her.

Runner's series again, eh? It is sweet that you are going to do another marathon. I've been running in the mornings and I'm getting faster and faster. I feel good. So far my knees aren't giving me trouble. Something I could use, (maybe for Christmas?) is a new pair of running shoes. I have had mine since high school. They are beat.I'm trying to take time in the evening to work out too after planning. 

I'm glad to hear that all is going well at home. I pray for ya'll. 

Love,

Elder Williams

Hi Talon,

Well it's a very windy day today. I hope our shingling job hold up. Rain and snow forecasted tonight and tomorrow. We've had a beautiful fall though. 

The kids finished their first quarter of school. I think they all got straight As, but there might be a B+ or A- for one of them but I am blessed to have kids that take school seriously. All of you are much better students than I was in high school. Fortunately you were all bless with you mom's intellect.

I've been waiting all morning for the building inspector to show up and check out the roughed in electrical. I would have gone to work but I need to ask him a few questions about the remainder of the project.

My calling is going OK. The missionaries have been teaching Ian Louder the discussions and he was baptized over the weekend. Bo is being ordained a Deacon. They are a good family and seem to be trying.

Brandt starts b-ball practice this week for both teams he is on. His games start in 2 weeks. I am coaching his Jr. Jazz team. I hope we have some fun with it. 

Grandma Shirley is struggling with the chemo treatments and is considering stopping. She's afraid she getting to week and may permanently lose what mobility she has left. I think the decision is very hard to make so keep your grandparents in your prayers.

I hope all is well with you. We think about you all of the time and pray for your continued success. I am proud you are meeting your challenges with the Lord's help. You have a tremendous capacity to do good in your life.

Love Dad

Hey Pops,

It has been nice here. The leafs are falling and the fog hangs around longer and longer. 

I'm glad that the kids are doing so well in school. They've got their heads on straight. That is thanks to you and mom both.

I hope everything goes well for you. It will be nice to have that garage done, I'm sure. 

It is good that things are going okay with your calling. I like this video. Tell me what you think. http://bcove.me/xowyxybh 

I messaged Bo on Facebook to see if I could help him a bit, but I haven't heard from him yet. 

I have been praying for them every day. I get to go to the temple this transfer, so I'll put her on the role when I go. 

One exciting thing that happened is that our car got egged, ha ha.

Thank you for everything, Dad. I appreciate all you do. 

Love,

Elder Williams

P.S. I'm going to be in Rohnert Park for another 6 weeks. Got transfer info last week.

Hi Elder T-T,

The wind is blowing and taken the leaves with them, so I would say we're in the downside of autumn. It's been so pretty with mild, warm weather. I've enjoyed it. I hope you have too.

How is Darla doing? Do you get to stay in contact with her? I hope she can feel the love of the ward members and that they take good care of her. Do you have any one getting close to baptism? you teaching any others?

 What have you been focusing on in your studies? Book of Mormon? Doctrine and Covenants? Have any insights or personal revelations? I've been reading a little bit of the New Testament which was directly translated from Greek. There are so many awesome free books I can download on my Kindle. :) I've also been reading in the Book of Mormon. The scriptures are the foundation of truth. 

To be honest, I get confused and have "wonderings" sometimes. But I remember the experiences I've had with the Holy Ghost and it reminds me of my core beliefs. Don't think I'm a heretic--I'm just a believer who is very fallen and full of imperfections. I want you to remember this when you get off of your mission and aren't immersed in the gospel. You might have doubts creep up or "wonderings", but always go back and look into your heart of hearts. You will be filled with the thoughts and feelings of truth and be reminded of the witness of the Spirit. Conversion is a life long process and we need to be continually turning our hearts to God so he can sanctify us. 

I love you and am proud of the work you are doing. 

Tell me how things are going with you.

Love ya,

Mom

Dear Mom,

Darla is doing well. She got up in church yesterday and bore her testimony. Stake Conference is next Sunday, so we had fast and testimony meeting yesterday. She expressed her thanks to everyone in the ward. She said that she was grateful for the love she feels from the missionaries and the members. She testified that the church was true. It was wonderful. Right now we are in a period of transition for her. We are going to be working with the ward teaching her the new member lessons. In PMG it is lesson 5, and then we go through lesson 1-4. She has a home teacher now, so we will be working with him. We want to baptize her daughters too. I think that will happen here shortly.

We have been working with a guy named Tyler. His wife is a member who recently came back to the church, and they have a 1 year old named Trey. We had an awesome lesson with him yesterday at a member's home. They had us all over for dinner, plus our ward mission leader and his wife and baby. We talked about the Savior, and the members bore their testimonies about how they know that the Gospel is true. He is going to be baptized this month. He has come to church with us for the last two weeks, and this Sunday he had a spiritual experience. We talked to an elderly less active lady on Saturday night, and on Sunday she came to church for the first time in years and she bore her testimony. That touched Tyler, because she reminded him of his great-grandma. The Spirit has been working on him a lot. It has also been so awesome watching his wife's facial expressions as we teach.We will teach something, he will like it and it will light her up. It has been a sweet experience.

We have been finding some new investigators too. Hopefully they make it. Would you pray for Lori, Michael, James and Jennifer, Kevin, and Dale?

This last week I've been finding out how God feels about the Book of Mormon. Here are a few quotes from the talks I've been reading. 

"From the Book of Mormon we learn how disciples of Christ live in times of war. From the Book of Mormon we see the evils of secret combinations portrayed in graphic and chilling reality. In the Book of Mormon we find lessons for dealing with persecution and apostasy. We learn much about how to do missionary work. And more than anywhere else, we see in the Book of Mormon the dangers of materialism and setting our hearts on the things of the world. Can anyone doubt that this book was meant for us and that in it we find great power, great comfort, and great protection?" The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion Ezra Taft Benson

"Ponder the truths you learn, and it will not be long before you know that Lehi and Jacob excel Paul in teaching the Atonement; that Alma’s sermons on faith and on being born again surpass anything in the Bible; that Nephi makes a better exposition of the scattering and gathering of Israel than do Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel combined; that Mormon’s words about faith, hope, and charity have a clarity, a breadth, and a power of expression that even Paul did not attain; and so on and so on." What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon? Bruce R. McConkie

"The plain fact is that salvation itself is at stake in this matter. If the Book of Mormon is true—if it is a volume of holy scripture, if it contains the mind and will and voice of the Lord to all men, if it is a divine witness of the prophetic call of Joseph Smith—then to accept it and believe its doctrines is to be saved, and to reject it and walk contrary to its teachings is to be damned." What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon? Bruce R. McConkie

I have been feeling lately like reading the Book of Mormon is like peering into the mind of God. I feel like I'm learning what God would do if He were in any given situation. I'm learning more what He wants for me. It is like the Book of Mormon applies the eternal and perfect concepts to our lives in a way we can understand. 

I didn't know you had a kindle! That is so cool that you are reading the Bible as translated from the Greek. I bet that gives you some wonderful insights. Someday I want a complete copy of the JST of the Bible. I think some of the churches that apostatized from ours has one. 

I have wonderings, but I don't think they are bad. Elder Holland talked about that last General Conference. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng

So long as we deal with our wonderings with faith God gives us answers. I've had a few experiences like that. The Lord has answered me in some surprising ways. 

I'm glad that you look back on the strong spiritual experiences you've had. I do that too. I'm so grateful for my journal. I've found that I can have a spiritual experience reading my spiritual experiences. God has confirmed things for me that way. 

Thank you for all you do. I love you, Mom.

Elder Williams

October 22

Dear Elder Williams,

I hope you had your baptism yesterday. Was Darla ready? We have been praying for her.

Brandt was set apart to be the deacons president yesterday, so now we have two President Williams' in our home. I'm sure dad would gladly give up his title though. :)

I've been working on a lot of projects lately which keeps me busy. I guess it's that time of year to get organized and spruced up with fresh paint, plastic containers labeled with stuff, and everything put in its place.  I love to have things clean and tidy---too bad they don't stay that way. 

I read another book about Afghanistan this week. The author was Khaled Hosseni and it was titled And the Mountains Echoed. It is interesting how our lives are woven together into a tapestry that we won't fully see or understand until we're all together on the other side. I'm grateful for the knowledge that God will make things right in the end. I've also listened to some pod-casts and one in particular was really fascinating and horrifying titled "The Prophets of Doom." It was about the Anabaptist's after Luther and the Reformation. If a person went against church or state, he could literally write his death warrant. The phrase, "Medieval Torture", is a sterile understatement of what happened. I cannot even imagine living during that time period. There is absolutely no romantic view in my mind of knights, castles, and princesses. It was a bloody business to speak your conscience and live by your convictions if they differed from the conventional thinking of the day. At any rate, I'm grateful for freedom, our constitution, the Bill of Rights, and our country. 

I've also been listening to the latest conference talks. They are very uplifting. 

We love you tons!

Love,

Mom 

Dear Mom,

Darla did get baptized, and she was ready. Thank you so much for her prayers. She told us about a crazy experience she had before she was baptized. Right before she was heading to the church for her baptism, a man pulls up in a car. He gets out of the car, all dressed in a suit. He walks by, and then he starts talking to Darla. Turns out that he is a minister from another faith. She said she was going to be baptized that day, and he asked in what church. When she said that she was going to become a member of our church, he began to teach her false doctrine. The Spirit was with her though, and she was able to recognize that it wasn't true. He even offered to baptize her himself! When the conversation ended, he got right back in his car and drove away.

When she told me that story it confirmed to me that the work we are engaged in is true, and that there are truly forces that work against us. She had a wonderful experience at her baptism. She came up out of the water smiling, and it made her sister cry. She had a lot of her family and friends there, so I hope that they follow Darla's example. Hopefully we start teaching them soon. 

Her confirmation was powerful as well. The Bishop confirmed her, and I could tell that the Spirit struck him. The stake president was in the circle as well. I'm blessed to be able to work with leaders in the church. I'm able to learn a lot from them, and I can see the impact that we as missionaries have on them. When they trust us the work hastens.

The zone put on a free car wash at the church, and we were able to give people church tours. Everyone that I guided felt the Spirit powerfully. One man said that he could see it shining in my face. That was a powerful moment for me. I'm grateful that I have been able to let the Light of Christ burn more brightly through me. My mission has been sanctification process. I want to keep the changes I've made and progression I've had with me forever.

It is wonderful to hear that Brandt is Deacons Quorum president. He will do such a great job. I'm glad that I have two presidents in the family, ha ha.

It is interesting to hear about the things you have been reading and listening to. There is so much to know. The more I know, the more I'm grateful that God has placed me where He has. 

Love,

Elder Williams

  

October 14

Hello Elder Williams,

I hope the baptism went through for Darla. I've been thinking about your people and hope they will accept the gospel into their lives. 

I've been listening to the recent downloads of conference. I'm grateful for our leaders. They are men called of God. It's interesting to hear the words of dissent coming from within our church. I don't know if you've heard about the women who want to be ordained with the priesthood. It's a growing group. There is also a lot of talk about gay marriage even from prominent people like Steve Young. I am reminded of the parable of the Ten Virgins and how they are all members of the church but half of them were unprepared. I hope that I will keep my lamp full of oil. It's not a hard thing to do, but it's difficult. Mostly because I'm forgetful. 

How is your companion? Are things going well with him? Do you think you will be staying in Rohnert Park for awhile? Or are you getting close to transfer time?

Brandt finished up football season. They took 3rd place overall. Raina has Cross Country Region this week. Aubree is busy working a lot and has plenty of homework with the college classes she's taking. It's a busy but good time. I love the classes I'm teaching at LEA. The kids are adorable and I really love them. I'm so grateful. 

We love you and think of you. You and your families are in our prayers. Keep up the good work and "Hurrah for Israel!"

With love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

Darla's baptism got postponed a week. She had her interview, and the elder that interviewed her decided that she needed some more time. She really wanted to get baptized last Saturday, so it was disappointing for her. It is a good thing though. She will be happier in the end. She has been progressing well. We plan on having one of her ancestor's names prepared for her to take to the temple to do a baptism in a couple of weeks. We had a great lesson at the stake president's house yesterday about work for the dead. She has been going strong. It has been over a week since she smoked. Will you keep praying for her as a family and individually by name?

Elder Snow is doing well. He is eager and likes to work hard. It has been great watching him become more bold and skilled as a missionary. He is doing great. He just found out that his grandpa passed away, and it is hard for him. He is pushing through well, though.

I could be here for two more weeks or two more months. I will find out transfer info in a couple of weeks. It is going to go by quick. My mission seems to be speeding up, faster and faster. 

You are right, the parable of the Ten Virgins is being fulfilled. I've heard a little bit about those apostate groups, but I wasn't aware of the growth. If they would only open their hearts to the Spirit they would know the truth. I feel like I'm working on the front lines of this battle. Actually, we all are.

I'm glad to hear that the kids are doing well. I'm glad that you enjoy your teaching too. 

Love,

Elder Williams

P.S. The only other emails I had today was the one you forwarded from Grandma and Aubree's. Sorry if I miss anyone.