Musings, Admonitions, and Updates

17 May 2010

Dear Dad,

Time is going quickly. The 17th of May. Tomorrow I will hit my 15 month mark. That goes too fast, I remember being with Elder Burton and thinking that I still had 23 months left to go. That seemed like a really long time. But now I look back on it and it has all gone so quick. Elder Burton has been home for 3 months now and I only have 9 months left. It is kind of sad.

That is awesome that you are able to get some of that work done. Rebecca wrote me last week and she said something like, "Money doesn't bring happiness, but it can bring peace of mind." What is this book that you have been writing? Is it one about business stuff?

It makes me so happy that you are writing your life history. That is a big undertaking and takes a lot of diligence. I wish I had been better at writing in my journal my entire mission. I have written in spurts. I hope to do better with it. I have written for two weeks now everyday. I want to continue that for the rest of my mission. I also have a little journal I call my "baptism journal" where I write about each investigator that I got to help teach that was baptized. I am way behind on that. I need to get caught up in that one.

This Thursday Elder Lacey and I are going down to Pocatello. He is having an eye appointment, then his surgery on Friday. We will stay overnight, probably with the Assistants. I am going to take my journal down there and try to get caught up in that as much as I can during all of that stuff.

That is so cool that you have had a few baptisms in the ward recently and more to come. As you very well know, missionary work is so important. Of course right now some of my favorite scriptures are missionary scriptures. Two of which are Moroni 7:13 and D&C 35:12.

Moroni: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."

There are two parts: 1) Invite. We need to invite people to act. To experience and learn for themselves. As they do so there faith will increase. That is invite people to do something that will increase there faith. Inviting to cub scouts will not, in all likelihood, increase their faith. 2) Entice. We need to make the gospel something everybody else wants. That would be the "just be a good example" part that people are SO set on.

We need both parts giving 100% of each. Then we get a perfect balance. If we just invite, that is when friendships will be ruined. If we just entice then at the last day, they will ask why we never told them about the gospel. The guilt that I will feel will be too much for me to bear.

D&C: "And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation."

Too often we meet members who stand on their doorstep or sit in their chairs, while pointing to there neighbors, and tell us, "They're active. They're active too, she's in the Primary presidency. They're less-active, but they'll come to ward activities. They're active. They're not members, really good people though..." And they don't want to talk to those people about the gospel. I hate to say it, but those "really good people" aren't going to make it to heaven on good works alone. They need faith in the fullness of the gospel. And as the Lord tells us in this verse those that do good are ready for the fullness of the gospel. Ready now. Not later, not never, not once before when you sent the missionaries there a year and a half ago. They are ready for the fullness.

So that is my little soap-box cry.

I am doing pretty good on everything. Really the only thing is that my shirts are way baggy and that just gets annoying. They are still good to wear. My suit you sent is slightly baggy, but there are plenty of sisters here that are willing to help take our pants in and stuff. I have pretty much stayed about the same weight since December, so the suit is good. Thank you for offering, but don't do anything that you can't afford. I will be just fine, the Lord provides.

We had dinner with a family last night and the wife knows the Bundersons [one of Shannon's sisters, who is living in Utah]. She is from Ferron, Utah. I should have asked her maiden name, but her name now is Michelle Elison. She said she really knows Landon and Nathan, went to High School with them. She said they were a lot of fun and really good boys. So that was pretty good.

We had a baptism on Saturday of Al Vaalemoen (Vall-min). That was way cool. It was the first baptism we have had since I have been here in IF South. It was neat to see, it has been a long time coming and he finally committed. I will probably write more about that in the letter home.

I will continue to pray for you.

Love,
Elder Call