July 15, 2014

Querido familia y amigos,

Well first off, looks like Elder Blake is getting transferred tomorrow. I'm a little bummed, he has been an awesome companion and friend, but I know the Lord has plans for him somewhere else. I've learned a ton from his humility and diligence, and I'm looking forward to being a better companion and friend in the future. Plus I will be getting a Spanish speaking companion (hopefully...)! 

 

We have had another busy week! The best part was being able meet with Kevin. He is on fire and is planning for baptism on August 30th! It's a ways out, but we really felt it would help him prepare right and feel ready by then. He could honestly be baptized next week if he wanted, but he prayed about the 30th of August and felt it was the day he needed to choose to be baptized. We are so grateful for real people who are seeking real conversion through real commitment. It's refreshing after seeing other things fall through. Both Steve and Kevin are already looking forward to going to the temple. These two people were both introduced to us by different members in different circumstances. I can't stress enough how important of a role members play in this work! 

 

We don't do much at all other than help people along the path of spiritual conversion. Believe it or not, social conversion is just as important, especially for investigators and new members, and as missionaries we can't do that very well. So I'm grateful for the fruits that we have seen come from members living their testimonies. 

 

The second coolest thing was seeing a less active sister we have been working with for about 3 months at church for all three hours! Again, we were invited by a member to come teach her with him, and now she has been coming to church for 3 weeks straight and it is changing her life. She is so obviously more happy too! She told us she wants to start paying her tithing again, inviting her friends and preparing to bring family names to the temple. Nothing is cooler than seeing that change happen in someone's life!

 

M. is another investigator we are pretty hopeful about. He is stubborn, but equally as sincere about knowing the truth as was Kevin and Steve. He asked us for a priesthood blessing in our last lesson, and told us that since he has started taking the lessons with us he has received new job opportunities he had been searching for and praying for for a long time before! He still isn't accepting that as his answer yet, but he is running out of questions/excuses/concerns every lesson, and feeling the spirit more and more.

 

Another highlight was meeting President and Sister Griffin on Wednesday! They are awesome people and are adjusting really well to the mission. We are excited to get to know and work with them a bit more.

 

We were able to spend some more time on familysearch.org this week. It is so interesting to see where we come from! But there aren't many stories online so it's hard to know who they are. So please, if you have stories or pictures of people, log on and post them! These stories will bless the lives of future generations. If you don't want to, send them to me and I will! :) 

I love you all! I love this work! 

Until next week,

Elder Collin Christensen