August 28

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING LOVELL FAMILY!.... And guest. (ha)

If you were wondering why it took so long to get an email out today, its because Elder Lovell was attending the temple! Our zone's day to attend was today, and yesterday's P-day was switched to today because of that. Other than that, some announcements are: Thanks to mom, dad, and elizabeth for e-mails, as well as my trainer, Elder Sparks, Who sent a little note to remind me this is his last transfer. Thanks to mom and dad for the mail I recieved yesterday! Those were truely wonderful, and I loved hearing from all of you. I also recieved a card from the Wylie family! That was pretty cool! Loved hearing from them!

Well, I'm guessing next monday will be another weird P-day because its transfer day. I do not know if I am getting transfered, although I have petitioned the Lord and President Larkin several times to stay here for my whole mission. I have a gut feeling I will get transfered though. We will see what happens.

This week, we put a man named Rob on date for baptism. Unfortunately he hasn't answered the door since. But we have faith he will come along. About three doors down from him, A grandmother answered who's husband had been in the church before he died, and she was very against the church and didn't want anything to do with the Book of Mormon... but she did appreciate us inviting her grandson to young men's night and consented. So we brought the Young Men's president over two days ago and taught a lesson to him and he is probably coming to Young Men's tommorrow evening.

I also taught Gospel Essentials with some pretty short notice. Hopefully I did okay. There was some pretty good discussion. It was about the fall of Adam and Eve and a great discussion stirred to talk about the difference between transgression and sin. It helped me understand some things I have never thought of before.

Ok, Gospel matter for today: That self same grandmother mentioned earlier told me that Joseph Smith denied everything he had done a couple years before he died, but then picked everything back up again. For this I am grateful that my e-mails are posted and available online to the world. I would like to take some time and bear my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. As I sat in the temple today, I asked for an added witness of Joseph Smith's divine calling as prophet of the restoration. As mentioned before my companion and I have faced several criticisms this week about the Prophet Joseph Smith. Persecutions raise more here in Seattle than anywhere else I have been. After my prayer in the temple, I looked around for a book of mormon, however, there was only a Bible available. I simply let the book fall open on my lap, and my eyes jumped to the verse in Matthew "Blessed are they that are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I testify of my ever quiet witness today, my pondering awe, and admiration to such a faithful servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ. A Prophetic witness of the Lord has ever been identified by the claim to priesthood power, service to other, wonderful fruits of labor, and, possibly most noticeable, persecution. I testify that Joseph Smith served his Master, Jesus Christ. I testify that he translated the Book of Mormon. I love the words of Elder Holland "He was, and still is faithful." I love my Savior. I am in awe at how he qualifies his otherwise weak servants for mighty tasks. I hope to be as his servants, both ancient and moderen, whose focus was and is on their Savior, who "when [their] body begs for rest, they remember this rallying cry: 'Remember Him!'" (President Eyring) I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. I am with sure with the most assurety I can muster in my soul that this is his restored Gospel, and these things I write in His name, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

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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"