My birthday is coming up. All of you are expected to write me. Can you do it?

June 3-2013   11:05 AM

How’s life in the “flat” city.  Is it so flat?  Or is it just less hill-y than your last place.

It's very flat. At times it's confusing because it has no hills to tell me where I am.  It's also a half area because we share a ward with another companionship, but our sector is still pretty big.

My birthday IS coming up, Ma.  Se espera que me escriban, ¡todos de ustedes  ¿Podrán hacerlo?  (ALL of you are expected to write me!  Write to me ... Can you do it?)   (June 23^rd)

When you meet someone who says they don’t like “organized” religion, share with them how thankful you are for belonging to a perfectly organized church…one set up by Jesus Christ himself. 

Asi, testifico.    (Testify about it.)

Mom - I'll listen to better music and games when I return home.  Probably in general--Especially after teaching things like that for 6 months.

Wow.  Think about that! I’ve been on my mission six months!  Wow.  Se pasa rapido.  (It happens so fast.)

Well, I haven't written much, but that's okay. I still love ya'll. 

I just want to share something that came flying into my head one day during church when they were teaching about the restoration.  I left the journal in the apartment, but this is the idea.

"Joseph Smith's first vision, even though it is extremely significant and important, isn't actually that unbelievable once you believe even the first two books The Bible - Genesis and Exodus.  Moses in his time was but a young boy when he spoke to God with the burning bush.  Moses himself said that he was weak in words, but we know that he was guided to become a strong vessel for doing the work of God. 

"God came among the people several times in Exodus in the form of a cloud, and even let a few of the prophets see Him personally, whether spiritually or in the flesh, the prophets testified after and wouldn't deny what they saw."

There is a lot more to this thought, but I just want to stop here and consider the fact that we know these things to be true, and often times, just like the learned Pharisees in Jesus' time, we believe the things of old, but when the source and answers happen to be right in front of us, we often don't recognize its absolute truth, or even pay attention to our feelings.  We are, as humans, by nature, unsure and unaware of so much. So very much that we forget that we can ask the same Being who has the answers, because by His Spirit, that same being, the words of the Prophets of old were written.

Without a doubt, the Gospel has been restored.   Don't doubt, just believe, and ask Him –“What if it is all true?”   If it is, read Matthew 12:21 and ask Him for yourself. 

This week went by very fast. It was great. I enjoyed the exchange with Elder S.   I was inspired, in fact, because he is taking some time in the field, new to the language, but does not prevent, and teaches very well. Work with a desire and fire that encouraged me.

I had a little time to be 'Trunky' for a few minutes when a member let me play his guitar when we were waiting for our research to the member's home.   I'm fine.

We had 3 come to church.  One that has a baptism date, one that wants to be baptized but lives away, and one that is a reference that wants to be baptized too.

I'm thinking about how I can help people feel more comfortable and see that the Gospel really applies to their lives.  Instead of just talking and make an appointment, I help them think, and at least consider what we are saying and that it is something that applies to their lives, even when we talk to them at the door or on the street. That's a goal that I have now.

I love you all.  I hope you have an awesome week.  Ciao.

- Élder Cattron