Ahalan Elder Williams,
How is life in the nether regions of California? Just kidding. I don't know how remote your area is. Probably quite similar to where you grew up.
How are your people? I hope they are making progress towards baptism. How is your companion? Are you still working well together. Indubitably, you are an indomitable force.
In Sunday School the lesson was "The only true and living church". The title made me think, wow...now that is an audacious statement. It certainly isn't politically correct either. I thought about identity and how this statement alone can strengthen a person's convictions and beliefs by combating fear with faith. There are so many competing world views about what life is about, or whether life has meaning at all, yet with this identity, it gives LDS people a deep and sure footing. I love to learn about the wisdom teachings from other religion's and have a searching foot which likes to explore; however, my other foot is firmly planted in the center of Jesus Christ and with this sure footing I can canvass the world in search of gems and beautiful pearls of truth.
We went to the temple on Saturday and I thought about you. I also thought about how the girls may be going through within a relatively quick time whether it be for a mission call or marriage. It will be a good day when we are all there together for some occasion.
Hurrah for Israel! God bless you, son.
With love,
Mom
Dear Mom,
Actually, it is pretty remote. I love it. The freeway is full of curves and narrows down to two lanes in some places. They call it "The Redwood Curtain". It is its own little world, and I love it.
Our message is BOLD. It is true. It does give us the firm ground to follow the 13th Article of Faith." If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Actually, it is pretty remote. I love it. The freeway is full of curves and narrows down to two lanes in some places. They call it "The Redwood Curtain". It is its own little world, and I love it.
Our message is BOLD. It is true. It does give us the firm ground to follow the 13th Article of Faith." If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
It will be a sweet experience to go with the girls to the temple.
We have five baptismal dates right now. Zack is the closest. His date is for the 16th. He is reading the Book of Mormon and has come to church a lot. He feels like he is ready!
Jack is a guy we are teaching in the Miranda Branch. He is awesome. He feels the Spirit so strongly every time we teach him. He told us some things out of the blue that will help us prepare him for baptism. His date is for the 23rd, but we might move that back a bit. He said in our lesson with him yesterday that we were the answer to his prayer to the Lord to help him change.
Cynthia is a lady who has been taught for 12+ years. She works for her church, so that has been getting in the way. She said a powerful prayer saying that she is willing to do what God wants her to do. The next day, she got 6 weeks notice at her job. It is tough, but the Lord makes a way. Hopefully she finds another job soon! She is still learning and growing. Her date is for the 23rd.
Heather is a lady that we have been teaching for a little while. We tracted into her husband, and we have been teaching them together. We had a super powerful lesson, and she knows how important it is to know if this is the true church. She understands what we are saying about salvation, and how it depends on proper baptism. She is set for the 23rd, too.
Our last date is for Dylan. He is 11 years old, and he lives with his great grandmother. She is a Buddhist and she has reservations about Dylan getting baptized so young. She understands that it is a huge commitment. We are hoping and praying that her heart is softened so that he can be baptized. He really wants to be baptized.
I had an experience yesterday that I will treasure up for the rest of my life. On the way down to the Miranda Branch yesterday we were listening to an Elder McConkie talk. Something he said sparked a conversation about how there is nothing better than knowing that we are the answering someone's prayers. There is nothing better than feeling the Lord's pleasure when we follow promptings. So, after church, I felt the impression to knock on the door of a house that was next door to the church. A girl in her twenties answered. She was closed at first, but then she told us about so many difficult and horrendous things that she has been through in her life. She said that maybe we were the answer to her prayers. She is moving to Sacramento next week, so we won't be able to teach her, but I dearly hope that she finds or is found by the missionaries in Sacramento.
More and more things are falling into place in my mind. The truthfulness of the gospel is constantly reaffirmed in my mind. Simply having faith and waiting on the Lord for answers brings the confirmations.
I know this Gospel is true. I know that the purpose of this life is to become like God. I know that he provided a way for me to practice, to have success and move on from failures. I know that it is through the Atonement that we can let go of who we were and let ourselves become who God wants.
I made the comparison of my pre-mission life to the premortal life in Sunday School yesterday. All of the things I learned at home are changing from the abstract to the concrete. The Gospel is growing in tangibility and sheer grittiness (in a good way) in my mind every day. I love it, and I'm so grateful for this time where I can be shaped and changed into the being that God wants me to be. My mission is a microcosm of my life. Now is the time to work, give everything to the Lord so that I can have more joy and continue to progress the way God wants in the post mission/post mortal life.
Love,
Elder Williams
We have five baptismal dates right now. Zack is the closest. His date is for the 16th. He is reading the Book of Mormon and has come to church a lot. He feels like he is ready!
Jack is a guy we are teaching in the Miranda Branch. He is awesome. He feels the Spirit so strongly every time we teach him. He told us some things out of the blue that will help us prepare him for baptism. His date is for the 23rd, but we might move that back a bit. He said in our lesson with him yesterday that we were the answer to his prayer to the Lord to help him change.
Cynthia is a lady who has been taught for 12+ years. She works for her church, so that has been getting in the way. She said a powerful prayer saying that she is willing to do what God wants her to do. The next day, she got 6 weeks notice at her job. It is tough, but the Lord makes a way. Hopefully she finds another job soon! She is still learning and growing. Her date is for the 23rd.
Heather is a lady that we have been teaching for a little while. We tracted into her husband, and we have been teaching them together. We had a super powerful lesson, and she knows how important it is to know if this is the true church. She understands what we are saying about salvation, and how it depends on proper baptism. She is set for the 23rd, too.
Our last date is for Dylan. He is 11 years old, and he lives with his great grandmother. She is a Buddhist and she has reservations about Dylan getting baptized so young. She understands that it is a huge commitment. We are hoping and praying that her heart is softened so that he can be baptized. He really wants to be baptized.
I had an experience yesterday that I will treasure up for the rest of my life. On the way down to the Miranda Branch yesterday we were listening to an Elder McConkie talk. Something he said sparked a conversation about how there is nothing better than knowing that we are the answering someone's prayers. There is nothing better than feeling the Lord's pleasure when we follow promptings. So, after church, I felt the impression to knock on the door of a house that was next door to the church. A girl in her twenties answered. She was closed at first, but then she told us about so many difficult and horrendous things that she has been through in her life. She said that maybe we were the answer to her prayers. She is moving to Sacramento next week, so we won't be able to teach her, but I dearly hope that she finds or is found by the missionaries in Sacramento.
More and more things are falling into place in my mind. The truthfulness of the gospel is constantly reaffirmed in my mind. Simply having faith and waiting on the Lord for answers brings the confirmations.
I know this Gospel is true. I know that the purpose of this life is to become like God. I know that he provided a way for me to practice, to have success and move on from failures. I know that it is through the Atonement that we can let go of who we were and let ourselves become who God wants.
I made the comparison of my pre-mission life to the premortal life in Sunday School yesterday. All of the things I learned at home are changing from the abstract to the concrete. The Gospel is growing in tangibility and sheer grittiness (in a good way) in my mind every day. I love it, and I'm so grateful for this time where I can be shaped and changed into the being that God wants me to be. My mission is a microcosm of my life. Now is the time to work, give everything to the Lord so that I can have more joy and continue to progress the way God wants in the post mission/post mortal life.
Love,
Elder Williams
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