Thursday, December 26, 2013

8/12/13

Dear Family,

THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY!
Jeremy! I didn't say anything about you! I forgot to wish you happy birthday! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DEAR JEREMY! 
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

I contacted a guy on his porch yesterday and I offered to say a prayer for him and I was constantly wanting to call him Jeremy in the prayer, even though his name was Jeff. So I was thinking about you, even if I was too selfish to even recognize you on your birthday last week. 

I really enjoyed the letters and the gifts, esspecially the CD! Wow, what a treat! thank you! Elder Basilius and I were listening to it and we both were laughing and even rolling our eyes at some of the jokes, but when James got on there and impersonated Jimmy, we both just started cracking up. It was pretty funny. 

I loved the pioneer stories! Wow, if that doesn't give someone strength listening to those stories, I don't know what will! I love our family! 

I'm confused about the David and Goliath pictures. I think mom said there are supposed to be 9 total? I recieved only 5 I think. Does that mean there's more on the way? One favor, can I get a scripture case for my new scriptures? I have been really careful with them so far, but I don't know how much longer my clumsy self can keep them in great condition without a scripture case. Thank you so much! I am probably the most doctrinally up-to-date missionary in the mission! I keep telling everyone: "I got the new version of the scriptures! It has an alternate ending!" Sometimes its funny how the missionaries get a little perplexed at that.

Elder Basilius is really jealous of the missionaries on the bikes. I have them on my desk now, right next to the geneological Moroni figure. They are pretty cool!

Thank you so much, family! 

President and Sister Eaton called me up out of the blue on the way to Zone Meeting and sang me happy birthday. That was the coolest! I felt like my grandparents were calling or something - don't tell them that! Elder Basilius then had the whole zone sing to me at zone meeting. Yikes! I turned really really red. 

Elder Basilius made breakfast for me. That was awesome. He cooked two slices of bacon into a full egg! It was delicious. But I dont think he did it on purpose. 

I sure love you all so much. I have some kind of depressing news and kind of happy at the same time: It seems to me that my release date got moved to be a little earlier. I will be coming home on January 7th. 

I am happy to hear that Rachel and Ryan found a house that is MUCH CLOSER TO HOME! YAY! That will be great. Unfortunately, and Fortunately, I will not be playing James Bond anymore when I return home, sorry Ryan, we'll just have to watch Doctrine and Covenants DVD's all day. I know you won't mind. Can someone please sell those games? I am so scared to get back into that stuff and I really don't want to. 

Oh! Mom, I just got your e-mail! I will print it off, it was beautfiful thank you. 

By the way, I don't know if I told anyone, but we have a hymn that has been adopted as the mission hymn. Can any of you gues what it is? HARK ALL YE NATIONS! My favorite! 

So, this week, Joseph still hasn't come to church. But he did read and he did pray and suddenly he got a job! Random job opportunity came his way! He told us we both remind him of his best friend who is also a mormon so he likes us a lot. I sure think a lot of him. I am very impressed with how he's dealing with life. Hopefully we see him tonight. His mom likes us because of the help and friendship we give him, but isn't too interested in investigating. Joseph told us, that the day we came by he had just been praying for someone to come into his life that can really help him.

We also got a text from the Zone Leaders in Game Farm area, yes its called the Game Farm ward: and it the text had a referral for a young man who wanted to come to church. Well, Church was in 2 hours! Anyway, he came. And he wants to be baptized ASAP! His name is Nicholas. Pray for him. He's great. 

President Eaton is great. Everytime we have a meeting, we always have a question and answer section and he always tries to steer it to be something doctrinal, rather than a question about mission rules. Elder Basilius asked a great question: "Why do we pray?" Which I am glad he asked because I've had that question many times. President Eaton said, "I still wonder this sometimes: God knows what we need, but he still wants us to ask him. And, he still wants us to pray for other people. I don't know all about why, but I do know there are many blessings that he is willing to give us that are contingent on us asking for them." He also said this "I love hearing sister Eaton pray. She says effective prayers. She kneels and she pleads with Father in Heaven. Did you know that the spirit can and should direct our prayers? I have often been praying for myself and been directed not to. For instance, one time I lost my scriptures. A brand new, nice set of scriptures. I looked, and I looked, and I looked some more for them and I could not find them. Finally I said a prayer and asked for Heavenly Father's help in finding my scriptures. Just then, the spirit whispered 'Wrong prayer.' So I felt I should pray for someone else. Later on that night, the very person I had been praying for felt inspired to stop by the church, and found my scriptures in a lone room that he had no reason for going into. He called me and let me know, and I was astonished." 

I loved that! I'll be listening much more for the times I can hear 'wrong prayer' and just for the spirit in general. 

I love you all so much!

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