Dear Elder T-T,

I hope you have been having a successful and inspired week. How are your people? I'm glad you were able to attend the temple. We'll make sure to finish up the work and do the sealing for the names you found. How exciting to do the work of your ancestors!

I've been sick this week, so it's been 'blah'. The sad thing is that we have had such nice, beautiful days, but I haven't been outside much to enjoy them. I think I'm on the mend though. Sore throats and coughs seem to hang on for a long time unfortunately. Brandt's been sick too. :(

A quote from Emerson: "Place yourself in the middle of the stream of power and wisdom which flows into you as life; place yourself in the full center of that flood, then you are without effort impelled to truth, to right, and a perfect contentment." 

Reading this made me think of missionary work and your immersion in the gospel. You are radiant with the light of Christ and are fulfilling this scripture: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Life only comes from life. You are alive in the work of salvation and are giving that spark of joy to others. I'm grateful that you are an ambassador of truth. 

I hope you are well. We are counting down the weeks now! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. We're getting that little bedroom with the bathroom ready for you. I've been putting together a quilt and cleaning stuff out. It's going to be great! Can't wait! But I can wait because I know how much you love your mission and love to serve. I'm still looking forward to getting you home though. :)

I love you and send you my prayers.

Love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

We had a great week. Sue, a new investigator, wants to get baptized next month. She called the Bishop and had an interview with him. She told him that she wanted to get baptized, so we got on that quick. We've been having intense lessons with a guy named Steve. He knows the Bible really well. The truth of everything we teach is in the Bible, even though the Bible is incomplete. We also are teaching an awesome couple named Scott and Andrea. They are super intellectual and home school their kids. I'm teaching people in Pennsylvania, England, Poland, Germany, and the Philippines. It is pretty cool.

I'm excited for you and Dad to take those people to the temple! I'm looking forward to taking the people that you've found through the endowment. 

I'm sorry to hear that you have been under the weather. That's no fun. 

I love that quote from Emerson. I've been studying some of Hugh Nibley's articles about the scriptures, and it has opened my mind to how entrenched the influence of the Gospel is in history. So many things have been lost from mainstream Christianity, but it has all truly been restored. Everything we do in the Church has been done in past dispensations. Specifically, I have been studying Enoch. Most people discredit him and his writings as fables, but it has confirmed my testimony of the Pearl of Great Price and Joseph Smith's call as a prophet. Here is the first article in the series. I've found them gripping. http://www.lds.org/ensign/1975/10/a-strange-thing-in-the-land-the-return-of-the-book-of-enoch-part-1?lang=eng

Thanks for getting everything ready for me. I'm looking forward to seeing you and the family. 

Love,

Elder Williams

February 17

Dear Elder T-T,

For Valentines Day, Dad took me to the temple. It was lovely. He's my eternal sweetheart. I'm one lucky girl because I have such a wonderful man by my side. I also have such kind, courageous, and valiant sons and beautiful, virtuous daughters. I feel so blessed. I love my family!!!!

I've been listening to some interesting pod-casts lately. One I found is called "On Being". It's about science, faith, and religion. I've listened to a rabbi who lives in Jerusalem and he talked about how important it is to understand your heritage and identity. He believes that God is the giver of all that is good and we need to look to him to find the goodness and light in others. It reminded me of Natan Sharansky and his message. (Did I ever tell you about Sharansky? Amazing man.) There was also an interview with Brian Greene, the quantum physicist who posits the idea of parallel universes and string theory. Do you remember him from Radio Lab? He suggests that there are muliti-verses and somewhere out there is an exact pattern of our earth with an exact pattern of people, etc.,because of the infinite patterns of numbers. He says that on the quantum level there is basically patterns of energy whether you're talking about the Higgs-Boson, neutrino's, lepton's, or the other sub-atomic particles. He also firmly believes that there is no free will. Interesting, huh? Then I listened to a man from Haiti who grew up with privilege and became an intellectual and teaches at university. Of course he was secular until he had a dream that his grandma came to him and told him to return to the origin. So he became a voodoo priest. He's still a professor, but also a priest. He does believe in free will and in a disembodied god which is basically energy. So many interesting lives and stories that are out there in the world. Anyways, the pattern I found that wove these stories together was that as human beings, we want joy. We find that joy in light. The light we seek comes from God. The God we seek is in different places, i.e., science, religion, but he reveals himself in all of these areas. 

I'm glad I've found my God and my faith. I'm grateful for the possibility he gives us to become like him. 

God bless you and your endeavors.

I love you.

Mom

Elder McKay and Elder Williams

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that you had a great Valentines Day. Dad is just as lucky to have you as you are to have him! I'm grateful that I have such wonderful folks.

Those podcasts sound like they are really interesting. I'm glad that you have found all of this stuff for me to look into when I get back. I'm excited to learn a lot. I like Brian Greene, but I am glad that I don't believe everything he does. I like what this scientist says. Tell me what you think.

http://www.lds.org/pages/we-lived-with-god?lang=eng

I had a special experience in the temple last Thursday. I took a name through the temple I found on FamilySearch. His name is Frank McInnis, and he is a great uncle. He was born in 1881 in Alabama. Taking him through the temple made me excited to take the names you and the family are preparing. I later found his wife, and now they can be sealed. Maybe you and dad could take them to be sealed. 

You should be able to find them pretty easily.

I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting yesterday, and I titled it "Sharing the Gospel through Family History". It went well, and it has been good working with the members and getting them started on their own family history. That is what the new ward mission plan is centered on, and we have been helping the Bishop by visiting the members. 

Love,

Elder Williams

Dear Elder Williams,

  How are you doing? My basketball team has won all 3 of our games. Rara is a hairy beast still.

 Tomorrow our basketball team is going to play Richfield, I cant wait.


  Love you,
                   Brandt


Dear Brandt,

I'm doing swell! Good job with all of the Wins! You're one gifted buy. I hope you beat Richfield. Let me know how it goes.

I got to go to the temple on Thursday. It was awesome. I took one of our relatives through. Have you done baptisms for the dead yet?

Love you,

Elder Williams

February 10, 2014

Dear Elder Williams,

Happy Valentines Day, or as Aubree would say, it's really S.A.D.---Single Awareness Day.  Well, I hope you have a lovely day on the day love is celebrated and embodied by a fat, mostly naked cherub armed with a dangerous weapon, a.k.a. Cupid. 

I've been trying to read the Old Testament and I'm finding it's rather boring. But instead of giving up, I'm reading a book called The Hidden Christ - Beneath the Surface of the Old Testament. It has opened my eyes and helped me see the beauty of the stories and how they all point to Christ. I want share an example that inspired me. 

On the first day, the "Light of the World" introduced light. Second day, "he that giveth breath unto the people" introduced air. Third day, the "living water" and "true vine" introduced water, soil, and vegetation. On the fourth, "the light which is in all things" caused the sun, moon and stars to shine. Fifth day, the "fisher of men" prepared the earth to bring forth fishes and fowls. On the sixth, the "Good Shepherd" prepared the earth for animals, all creeping things, and the "Son of man", formed man and woman "in the image of God." Just as the Savior transformed the earth, it is he who transforms man.

I just love the connections and symbolism that is in the creation story. I'm learning to appreciate the Bible much more now that I can see how it all points to Christ. I've known and loved the types and shadows in the Book of Mormon, but being able to see them in the Bible has opened up a whole new door for me to learn about the significance of these stories. 

You asked about some names to take to the temple, but they need to have baptism and confirmation done before any other ordinance if performed. As soon as the kids do baptisms for the dead, we'll be able to move forward on it. 

You asked about my classes also...well, the ones I'm teaching at LEA are going well. The enrollment was really low throughout the whole school, so I was bummed about that. I'm not making much money but hopefully the short spring semester will help. The classes I'm taking online are going ok. I HATE Micro and Macro Economics. It's so boring to me. But I need to slog through it. I loved the Western Civ and US History I took. But that's me...I love ideas but struggle with numbers-- especially when it pertains to business. 

Let me know how your people are progressing. We send them our love and prayers.

Love you,

Mom

Dear Mom,

Singles Awareness Day should be SINGLE Day. Safely Independent Nonproblematic Great Laughs Day. Something cheesy like that.

I'm about half way through Isiah now, and I really love it. I'm glad that you have been able to see the symbols the Lord uses in the Scriptures. I've got a lot to learn, that's for sure. The Bible is incomplete, and that is sad when people just don't get it. We had a lesson with a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses yesterday, and although they didn't accept the Gospel, it was an experience that testified to me of the truthfulness of our Church. I was prepared because of my studies, and we confounded them over and over. They weren't willing to accept the truth, but I am happy with the way that we were able to answer their often pointed questions. Hopefully we were able plant some questions in their hearts. 

I'm on fire for family history. We have been working closely with the Bishop, and we have great plans underway. We helped him complete the ward mission plan on Thursday, and I'm excited to see some of the fruits. We are going to visit every member and teach them the doctrine of family history and invite them to use the "My Family" booklet, which is something we are piloting as a mission, as a tool for themselves as well as a missionary tool. Yesterday we presented it to  a member of our Stake Presidency, President Mortensen and his family and we were able to get Sister Mortensen kick-started doing temple work for her ancestors. We were able to figure out and help her reserve temple ordinances for her family. The Spirit was so powerful, and I know that it will have great repercussions. I look forward to seeing the whole ward/world catch on fire for all aspects of the work of salvation.

We've been able to have much success using family history for our investigators. Over the last two weeks we have been helping our investigator Ruth do her family history. The first week we came to the FHC she was blown away at how fast and how far she could go back. We traced a line all the way back to our first parents. This last week we were able to dig and dig and find information about her father's side. She is truly being touched by the Spirit of Elijah, and she says she sees the pieces starting to fall into place. We have been able to talk about how she can be sealed to her husband, who passed away a little over a year ago.

Thank you for working on getting me some names to do endowments for. My temple trip is this Thursday, but I have one more temple trip, in April or May. I would love to take someone through the Endowment. 

I'm happy that things are going well in school for you. I hope you get more students this next semester. The economics classes you are taking don't sound nearly as entertaining and interesting as Freakanomics. I know you will do well, though. 

Love,

Elder Williams

B and T

Dear Elder Talon,

I haven't emailed you for a long time. How are you doing? Do you like
your area? I can't wait until you come home!! We are just starting all
star basketball. We scrimmage Richfield on Friday,we kicked their
butts. I think we will have a really good season. In school I have
straight A`s.
Love you and miss you
           Love BRANDT



Dear Mr. B!

I am doing well! I love my area. Cloverdale is a great place, and I am making a lot of friends with the people I serve. I have a lot of neat people that I am teaching. 

I can't wait to see you too! You might be taller than me! Ha ha.

It sounds like you are having a good time with Basketball. I'm glad that you are doing so well. I'm happy that you are doing so well in school too. You are gonna get tons of scholarships! Playing at BYU basketball! I'll come watch you.

I keep learning so much. I am so excited for you to go on your mission. Even things like basketball can help prepare you. I know you are a good sportsman and you treat everyone with respect. That is important. So is learning how to work with others even if they don't agree with you. Getting good grades is important too. There are going to be a lot of people with a lot of questions, and sometimes they are really hard to answer. I'm glad that I was able to learn so much in seminary and from Sunday school. 

Keep up the good work, Brandt. I'm really proud of you. I brag about how my brother is a baller.

Love you,

Elder Williams

P.S. Thank you for the card! I did brush my teeth. :) Gotta have fresh breath so I don't knock out the people I teach!

Feb 3

Dear Elder T-T,

The girls and I had an afternoon out and enjoyed the ballet "Swan Lake" performed by the BYU dance department. It was exceptional. I admire the passion, dedication, and talent that the dancers have. The music and the story were also very beautiful. In addition, we visited the Museum of Fine Arts at BYU where the great masters of the life of Christ were on display, i.e., Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann, and Franz Schwartz. It was really special to see those works of art in person. I could feel the spirit and emotion they were expressing. Some of the paintings literally glowed. Christ was radiant.

I'm reading such a fascinating book called The Hidden Face of God - How Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth.  I think it's one you would like. It's mind-blowing how God created the universe and the fabric of space and time within the realms of law and order. What I marvel at is the complexity that arises from simplicity. For example, the 4 bases of DNA, atgc, and out of that genomic alphabet we have billions of unique individual persons. We truly live in an elegant universe. 

What are you learning about? What has been the focus of your study lately? 

How are your investigators doing? Are any of them doing better? Thank you for telling me about your priesthood blessings that you were able to give and your experience with that. The priesthood is truly God's power on earth. 

We love you so much and send you our blessings. 

With love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that you had such a good time up at BYU. I am glad you taught me to love culture and the finer things in life. I've seen time and time again how something even as simple as showing a picture of the Savior to the people that I come in contact with. They talk about how the feel peace and safety. I'm so grateful that God touches us with the Spirit through so many mediums. 

That book sounds very interesting. I'll never forget, organization = infinite patterns and beauty, while chaos = a void. God is the Grand Organizer. I know it. We, and everything around us testify of it.

I finished Proverbs this week, and I really feel a connection with Solomon. Even though he fell, he was wise, which makes his fall all the more tragic. While he was righteous, though, he truly did deliver wise words. I kept noticing over and over the word understanding, which is something in my patriarchal blessing. Proverbs talks over and over about the value of understanding. I'm going to continue to expand my study on it. 

One thing I have been doing too is I have been reading a random verse from the Book of Mormon right before I go to bed. I write in the margin the date and whatever lesson I learn from it. Sometimes it is hard to wrest one out (without wresting the scriptures, ha ha), but it has been a good exercise. 

Jane is still struggling with her addictions, but she came to church again and really enjoyed it. We are teaching a guy named Steve. He is from Puerto Rico, and he has a sweet little family. We have had some really wonderful lessons.

We had a powerful experience with Family history. We are teaching a lady named Ruth, and she has been progressing, but not too quickly. We were finally able to get her to come to the FHC, and we set her up with a FamilySearch account. We plugged in her parents, and not much showed up on her dad's side, but when we put in her mom, tons of names showed up. We kept going farther and farther back, and the whole time she was mind blown. She did some work back in the 80's, so when she saw familiar names, it really touched her. She said that a lot more work had been done, and on one line we even got back to Adam. That really got her excited. Later, she opened up to us about her husband. He passed away almost exactly a year ago. Her heart is really softening. 

I love you Mom. Thank you for the package. I've been drinking the green stuff. Tell the Smiths thank you for me, too.

I hope that your classes are going well.

Love you,

Elder Williams