Dear Mom and family,
Today will be the start of one more crazy week! We wont have P-day. But I'm pretty excited, we have Zone Conference this week. I love Zone conference because of the many incredible missionaries which I get to see and interact with. They are such great examples and inspirations to me. I love our mission. Pretty sure its the best in the whole world :)
So the plan is that Elder Augusto and his sister (Don't laugh too hard, her name is Wayne) will be coming to our house for thanksgiving week (23rd until who knows when). Elder Augusto will arrive from Brasil, and Wayne will be coming down from Canada where she will be doing some sort of exchange program. Should be a pretty fun week. They both speak some decent English, so they will have a blast. They are both crazy people as well, you'll love em.
Lucia and the others are doing great! Lucia even helped us out picking people up for church in her car (which was lowered-shes 50 and so funny). SHe has such a strong testimony. She is really happy. She said some people have tried to convince her it was the wrong choice, but she said that she knows it was the right thing to do, so she'll stay strong.
Jessica is a young women (24) who was baptized this week. She is a trooper. She said everything was going wrong, everything seemed to turn for the worse when she decided to get baptized. Everything. She lost her job, had some family issues, missed her hair appointment (oh no!) and a whole lot more. Many people tried to convince her as well that it wasn't the right choice. I will get the full story later today I think. even with all these struggles, she was another great example. She expressed that she knew what she felt and knew what she needed to do, and nothing would stop her. What a wonderful example. IT was great to see her get baptized.
Mateus who was baptized last week gave a wonderful testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday. He said "I feel like Joseph Smith". He has visited many churches, and had searched for the truth. And finally found it. He is an excellent member of the church already. He will get a calling this week and will ordained to the preisthood a well. Woohoo!
Joseph Smith said: "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel." My testimony about missionary work has really grown in this ward. When a ward gets excited about missionary work, things change and everything else falls in to place. When we arrived in the ward, we realized this ward was excited. And we all started running. As the ward has gotten truely involved with missionary work, the ward has taken great strides. Attendance has gone up - passed their trimester goal by almost 40! Less actives are coming back. New members are entering. Both active and less active members are strentghening their testimonies as they share the gospel with others. And they are loving it. There is such a great love and desire in the ward to help one another. I love it." . . . Member-missionary work is one of the great keys to the individual growth of our members. It is my conviction that member-missionary work will raise the spirituality in any ward where applied"- Ezra Taft Benson. The promise of that prophet is being fulfilled. For this, I am eternally grateful. These members are changing my life, as well as the lives of many others.
So basically, I love this ward. Its incredible. I love my live.
It sounds like the Lord is blessing our family a lot. I am so proud of you and all the things which you are able to get done, and get done well! My family is a great example. I am super blessed with so many many things in my life!
This week will be a great one! And I hope its great for you all as well!
Love, Elder Jake
