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.

October 7

Hi Elder Williams,

I don't know if this email will get to you today...the email's I've sent have been sent back saying "undelivered". I don't know what the deal is. So, at any rate, I guess I'll write anyways and see what happens.

General Conference was very timely. I appreciated all of the words and messages of hope that were spoken. It's encouraging and inspiring. What did you come away with? Were there any talks or themes in particular that resonated with you? 

I just finished a book called The Poet of Baghdad. It was very moving. I am astonished at the regime of Saddam Hussein. What a despot and despicable man he was. I am so sad that the world is a place full of pain and evil with tyrants who reign with blood and horror. I can see how vital good government is to the happiness and peace of people. Freedom is such a precious gift. I know that the Lord wants all of his children to have liberty. As members of the church, I hope we can somehow make that come about. I know that the millennium will abound in breathtaking beauty, peace, and joy. I'm grateful for the hope and vision we have of the future.

Did Darla get baptized? I hope she was ready. Are you making more contacts? 

How are you doing? I hope you are well. Let me know.

With love,

Mom

Hey Mom,

My email account has been acting pretty funny. I got them, but it was like they were delayed. I appreciate you writing me.

I LOVED General Conference. I'm so grateful to have prophets and apostles today. Their love and their words were timely, like you said. I know that they are God's servants and speak with His voice. God knows exactly what we need. We've just got to listen.

I felt like this Conference clarified God's love for women. Men and women are equal in every way. We just have different roles. Both roles are indispensable in God's plan. I'm so grateful for you mom. Thank you for all you have done for me.

Things are coming that will be hard. That is what I felt. I also feel confident in the Lord though. Everything will be okay. God uses challenges and trials for our good. We have a choice, though. We can choose to let our trials hinder our progress or accelerate it. It is up to us.

We moved Darla's baptism to the 12th. She asked me to baptize her. She is done with smoking, and she is very excited to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. She came to 3 sessions of General Conference with us, and she watched the last one with her mom at her house. She even introduced us to some of her friends and family. She is already being a great missionary.

We met a lady named Rohndie. We taught her briefly, and she lit up. The truth borne by the Spirit is powerful. She wants to come to church with us. She has been searching for a long time.

I'm doing well. Sometimes it is hard when I have worked so hard to help the members do their duty and share the gospel, but it falls flat. But, just gotta push through it.

Thank you for all you do.

Love,

Elder Williams

September 23

Hola Elder Williams,

 

I've been listening to your MP3 player with all of the conference talks on them and it has been really inspirational. I hope you don't mind---I'll take good care of your player. You spent a lot of time downloading all of those talks, but it will be well worth it when you can listen to them again.

 

I've also found a great podcast called, "Philosophize This". The host is going through the history of Western thought beginning with the pre-Socratics and it's been really interesting and entertaining. I can draw so many parallels between the ancients and moderns of today. Particularly the Sophists---He compared them to a hybrid of ITT Tech and a  taco-truck.The Sophists were a traveling school to teach citizens rhetoric. They were not interested in the love of wisdom but only in the ability to win an argument. Basically, they taught the Greeks how to win in court, regardless of the circumstances. Doesn't that sound so familiar? Attorney's are paid for their ability to argue their clients out of penalties or to sue someone. Sad. It's gone full circle---again and again. The pride cycle, right? Anyways, it's been great to listen to stuff while I fold laundry or pull weeds. :)

 

Speaking of school, dad and I have been discussing this a bit and I wanted to share our thoughts with you. If you went to BYU right off of your mission, you would lose a lot of your credits because they wouldn't accept them all. It would set you back considerably. If you finished up at Snow with a completed Associates Degree, BYU would honor all of your work and you would be a full-fledged Junior in school--- I know that BYU and Snow have an agreement to honor all of Snow's degree's. I've also been informed that returned missionaries have preference, so you might have a leg up on a scholarship after you finished at Snow. It would only take you a semester to finish an associate's, wouldn't it? That's what we were thinking.....It's totally up to you and I'm not telling you what to do, but I just wanted to let you know what we were thinking.

 

How's the baptismal date looking? We're praying for Darla to quit smoking. How's your new companion? I hope things are going well.

 

With love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that my mp3 player is getting some good use. I don't mind. I can read all of the talks now on my iPad. It is pretty sweet. My studies have become much more fast paced and expansive. I'm really grateful for this new tool.

I talk to Sophists every day! Ha ha, I'm so grateful that I have the gospel. ITT Tech and taco truck is right. The thing is, the holes in their souls aren't filled. They can't be filled without the gospel.

You know, you bring up a great point. I don't want all of that work to go to waste. President has given me permission to figure it out on preparation day, and I just found out that I only need 4 classes to get my associates degree. I could do a quick semester at Snow and buzz up to BYU if I want. That would be a smart idea, especially since they have that agreement. I've got a lot to consider. Mostly, I just don't want to hit a rut when I get back. I want to get to work quick.

Darla is doing so well. She has come to church with us 5 weeks in a row, and she loves it! We asked the ward to fast with us on Tuesday, and as a result she has gone from a pack of cigarettes a day to a couple of puffs. This is such a miracle, because she has been smoking since she was 14. She doesn't even buy cigarettes any more. We reset her baptismal goal for October 5th because we want her to be 100 percent ready. We gave her a powerful priesthood blessing. So many things are there to help her, and it is working. I think we'll end up baptizing her in between conference sessions.

Elder Snow is my new companion. He is related to President Snow. He is really willing and wants to work hard. It has been really great working with him.

Love,

Elder Williams