August 20

Dear Family,

To start off, I would like to say that this week was pretty crazy so I will try to remember who sent me mail this week and I'll also mention the emails that were sent! Mom, I did get the three packages over the last few weeks. Thank you. They have been exterhemeleay helpful. Dad, thank you also for the medicine and the note inside as well as one from Mom. Thank you Dad, Mom, and Erik, for shooting me some emails today. And thank you to Jonathan DeGraff and the Winwards for sending some post this past week. If I missed someone, let me know.

Oh boy. This week was so destroyed. We had all of our investigators, except two, fall off date. But we didn't get discouraged. We just knew summer was in and they left for vacation. We then redoubled our efforts to find, and ran into the most anti people throughout the week. Then Elder Fukuyasu got sick, then to be funny, he coughed on me, which I didn't think was funny because then I got sick, but I got better faster because I took some allergy medication the moment I could feel the symptoms coming on. He is still kind of sick. Ha. We still got more and more obedient and more obedient, and more obedient, and.... nothing happened. In fact, we found out why one of our investigators didn't want to learn anymore! Its because a less active from our ward was giving him dirty things, and encouraging him to look at pornographic magazines! We were so... Frustrated at that less active because we had just been in his house not even a week before, and he expressed desires to meet with the bishop. But this wasn't all for nothing... We had a bad week... But then! Our testimonies skyrocketed this morning. We had a great companionship study. My goodness it was wonderful. We had answers to our questions from our prayers and felt the Holy Ghost.

I have grown to love my ward so much. Wow. They are the best. Our bishop, I dont know if I told all of you this or not, served in Porto Alegre, Sul. Yes, the same exact mission that I was called to! I bronght him a can of Guanana and he loved it. It was the exact kind they have in Brazil. Bishop Dickson is so missionary minded. He is brand new, but he is learning, and he is excellent. He has a goal with the youth to get them outside more, holding more outdoor activities, and getting them involved with us in missionary work. Here in this climate, the sky is cloudy a lot. So often times, very few people are out on the streets. But the bishop sees that there are many things to do besides being inside and playing video games all the time. In fact, in Seattle, (as well as everywhere in the world, but in Seattle in particular) there are so many kids with addictions to video games. Ogh. How I have learned, and even been rebuked by the spirit in the amount of video games I played when I was at home. gross. As a missionary who hopes to speak to anyone, but members in particular today who may have an addiction to video, or computer games, television watching, or any other form of addictive media, let me talk about how this affects you in a spiritual way that is often not touched on.

The Sacrament, is indeed the reason we attend church. It is in essence an ordinance that is "laced throughout our lives" to help us come closer to the Savior and find something to change within the week. The Sacrament is probably one of, if not the most, significant ways we can endure to the end. You have heard it said by prophets both modern and ancient, that enduring to the end is not simply waiting around until the day you lose your testimony, but a way to "step strive, and never yeild." The repentance process, the perfecting process, is never complete in three hours on one day. Instead, it is very much a weekly process. How is it, that someone addicted to flashing lights of virtual muzzles and flying cuttlas can ever be as focused as they need to be to repent fully of their sins during the week.

How I wish that I had listened to my parents on this matter. I pray today that all people, young and old, male and female, who have become addicted to to what seems to be "harmless" media, will heed the counsel of a loving parent and not see it as prideful animadversion. But come to see these distractions as the viperous vainglory they really are. Realize how much time you waste on them. ESSPECIALLY, if you are preparing for a mission. I bear you my witness that the spirit will be more full in your life. You will have more answers to your prayers and direction that will help you. You will come to realize that "the best things in life are not things." And ultimately, the absence of video games, replaced with a fultime preparation for a fultime mission, will bring you closer to your Savior.

I leave that with all of you who read this, and hope it will reach someone that needs to understand this. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder William Lloyd Lovell
Washington, Seattle Mission
10675 NE 20th Street
Bellevue, Washington 98004

D&C 6:36 - "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not"