September 17

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for the e-mails from Mom (plus last weeks that I didnt get until today!), Dad, Elizabeth and James, and Erik! Dad mentioned letters. I have not seen them and I am sorry to anyone else if you sent me a letter and I do not mention that I recieved it! ELIZABETH! YOU'RE HAVING THE FAMILY'S FIRST NEPHEW/GRANDSON!!!! YAY! Moroni is my vote for a name, or Alma. Or... William. Those ones are best. But then again whatever you choose is best. Esspecially if its one of those three. :) I also recieved a letter from Dallin Neilsen and Elder Alan Cox. Dallin is now in college in Texas A&M. Elder Cox was junior companion last transfer, but is now suddenly Senior/District Leader/Trainer. He mentioned that the Lord has a lot for him to Learn. (I'll include part of that in my spiritual thought today.)

We got a new counselor in the mission presidency this week. His name is President Akers. Apparently he has worked with many mission presidents and worked closely with the Quorum of the 12 apostles. That is pretty exciting for us. This last week, our mission put 100 people on date for baptism as challenged by president Larkin. Although Elder Fukuyasu did not add to that number, we were pretty excited because we worked really hard. Our ward mission aspect is getting better. The bishop is VERY supportive. I said to him yesterday in a meeting with him. "Our goal is to connect the dots the right way. We want Members to set up appointments for us, and to be excited and involved, rather than the dots being the opposite way where we are the ones calling, or even the ward mission leader." The bishop said "I know, that sounds like every missionary's dream! Have members doing missionary work." He always stands firmly behind us. He bends over backwards for us and it is wonderful. We have a fantastic ward.

I am going to speak at a baptism this weekend! Elder Fukuyasu and I are just as excited for this baptism as if it were a convert baptism. We've been visiting this inactive family for the last two transfers! The father had gradually become inactive, and therefore his wife and kids had too. The oldest child is quickly approaching the age of baptism. We worked with the father, taught lessons and built his faith. Finally, without any pressure from us, he went into the bishops office and asked for a recommend for the temple and permission to baptize his son! Bishop was so impressed that this man the ward had been working with so much, finally was committed to being active again. He has been to church dilligently since. And the son asked Elder Fukuyasu and I to speak at his baptism! I get to speak on baptism and Elder Fukuyasu gets to speak on the Holy Ghost. You can bet we'll have as many investigators there as possible! Hazzah!

Thats probably the most exciting thing that comes to mind this week. But I will keep picking my brain for anything else as I write.

Spiritual thought of the week:

As I was pondering a few days ago, I almost laughed to myself at some of the memories I had. Coming into the Seattle mission ready to really work. REALLY work, for what seemed to be the first time on my mission. Then we were hit with a bad infestation of bed bugs and were confined to the house. How frustrated I was. It was a very discouraging day in particular when I recieved a letter from Elder Cox in Brazil. I read his letter and quickly wrote back the frustration of everything that was going on (and many other good things). It was just last week that I recieved a response to that letter. He said "I know how you feel (or hopefully felt), my companion had kidney stones for the last three weeks of our last transfer which made it so that, unless we had two members (one to watch him and the other to go out with me), working was impossible." The next sentence kind of jumped out of the page at me: "It was a time of Reflection and Learning." There was nothing else mentioned but good things from that point on.

That phrase was still burned in my mind the next day during personal study, but rather forgotten as we left the appartment to go contact former investigators and tract. Door after door was slammed in my face, and it all culminated with one man, who at first seemed interested in hearing us out, but I quickly learned his desire was to simply argue. He told us there was no reason to call us "Elders," because we were not without reproof. He then asked me why I was there. "Are you here to redeem my soul from hell?" "No." I said, "We are here to share a message that will allow you to act and bring an added measure of happiness in your life." He looked taken back. "Really?" He asked. "Do you know what the difference between joy and happiness is?" He continued. "Joy is forever, Happiness is fleeting. What you have said sounds very fleeting. I don't feel like you are concerned with my soul at all. You only want me to be happy for a moment." I stood silent for a moment wondering "Who says that?" I got a little annoyed as he continued talking "You two should not be Elders. By the way, Im probably voting for Romney, you have a great day." I said to him as he stood up to walk away "You know. Next time missionaries knock on your door, there is really no need to argue. You can simply say 'I am not interested.' We prefer honesty." He then responded simply "I am not arguing." My companion jumped in before more could go wrong and said "Sir, you are right. We are bringing joy. We intend to make people's lives happier for much longer than just a moment. Thank you for sharing that with us, we will improve on our initial approach to people." The man simply responded to that with more criticisms about us, our positions, and the Book of Mormon. My companion and I left and sat in the car. I was so annoyed. "He's right," said my companion, "we will work on that." I was so impressed. Elder Fukuyasu sincerely learned to take something he learned from trials, even from someone who wanted nothing more than to argue. The phrase "It was a time of Reflection and Learning" rang in my mind again.

While I thought about that during lunch, I realized, first hand, why the Lord sends missionaries where they are. Its not just to simply and easily "flock them to the font" as Jeffrey Holland says, but also for us to grow spiritually. Sometimes we really diserve ourselves. We notice disapointments and harmful actions that come from others and savor the day when "all our loses will be made up if we are faithful." (Joseph Smith Movie) And we don't realize that the Lord intends to teach us in this state of probation. Trials happen for a reason. "And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken." - D&C 43:16. Sometimes our most important times of teaching from our Heavenly Father are those trying times. Times where we are required to stretch and grow. Instead of leaning to the habit of recieving compensation or restitution, we can look at the blessing of gratitude and instruction. Rejoicing in our trials probably helps the Lord know that we are ready to be "taught from on high."

I'm sure some people wondered what good came from Joseph Smith being in prison during the D&C 121-122 chapters. But it is important to note the blessings Joseph realized. Not only did we recieve two D&C chapters that, in my opinion, are two of the best chapters for dealing positively with trials, but here is what Joseph Smith said about that horrific experience. "Our suffering had not been in vain. Our hearts were made more tender." Wow. I love that. Learning is like fath. In fact probably an act of faith. Like faith, learning is a choice. We can choose to wait for the day that we will have no problems, or we can work through our problems and recieve the strength that everything can truly be made up. I am grateful for that blessing, and I leave that with you all 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"