November 6, 2017

Family and Friends,

We started our week off with a move. We moved to Turlock! I am happy with it because we are now living in a super big apartment. The only bad part about it is we don't have a washer and dryer now to do our laundry...so we have to pay for it. But hey after seeing Boston and what he has to do in Vanuatu I don't feel so bad for myself.

Halloween was pretty dang...boring. We actually moved on Halloween and then had to be in at 6. So not to make anyone feel bad or anything....;) There is a running joke about how I have been a zone leader for about 6 months. And as zone leaders we pick up packages for the missionaries in our zone. Well, I still have not picked one up for myself (one of our district leaders picked up my sweaters). Elder Stewart got a Halloween package and he opened it and Sister Stewart hooked me up fat! Haha so I was able to get a Halloween package Mom. Don't worry about it;).

We have been working at the college a LOT lately. We have handed out so many Book of Mormons and gotten so many fake phone numbers it is ridiculous! We actually have a potential investigator from the college though. We will be meeting with her and a friend this week at the college. Hopefully there aren't any ulterior motives lol. It has been really rewarding to help these college students recognize that we are regular Christians who believe that there is MORE. I love bearing my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how that extra witness allows me to gain more and more faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ. The change of my heart from the beginning of my mission has definitely surprised me. I used to just "share" the Book of Mormon. But when you love the Book and you want someone to read it. You really want them to study it out and find the Savior in it. It makes the conversation very personal. It makes those that you are talking to feel the conviction in your heart and ultimately the spirit telling them that this Book is special. God definitely loves all of His children. I am enjoying my mission so much. No matter how hard it gets I can always feel the presence of the Savior.

We had a mission leadership council this week that I thought was one of the best meetings I have been to on my mission. We started off by counseling about our mission and what they need. And then we read 3 Nephi 19. Just like a family scripture study back home we went around and read 2 verses each. We stopped after 2 verses each time and talked about them though. I thought that this chapter showed 3 things: Our relationship with our Savior and Heavenly Father, The power of secret prayer, and it has a lot of symbolism about our day today. I have been studying that chapter a lot lately. I invite you all to read it and to think about how it applies to you today. One of my favorite things about this chapter is that in the chapter before Jesus Christ had commanded the Nephites to pray to the Father in His name. Well, that night..."immediately"... they started to gather the people for Christ's return. They started praying to the Father in Jesus Christ's name the very next day. And what were they praying for? The Holy Ghost. Now...Jesus Christ had made a promise that if they asked in faith that they would receive and if it were right, Heavenly Father would bless them with whatever they asked. After they prayed for the Holy Ghost and after a very significant visitation from the Savior once again. These people received what they desired most. I love this chapter. I love the things I am learning about my Savior. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and what it contains. I know that it is true and that if you read it everyday you can find peace from all of your trials.

We had a district meeting this week about stress. I have dealt with stress my whole mission believe it or not... But what I have found helps most and what was reaffirmed to me in that meeting is that prayer and scripture study along with studying hymns help me most. Before my mission I did not touch a hymnbook. And I wished I would've. These prayers are very influential and powerful. I love them.

I am thankful for all of you and for your prayers have a great week! I know I will!  

-- 

Love,

Elder Willden

October 30, 2017 

Family and Friends,

This past week has been a super good one for me! I did not take any notes to write this letter so I hope that it is not too jumbled.  We had a pretty good week. But there were a lot of downers that happened too. We ended up losing one of our investigators that was on date. Alexis has decided to part ways with us because she will be getting baptized Catholic to marry her boyfriend. It is sad, but I know that she has felt the spirit and knows that the Book of Mormon is true. We know that one day she will decide to join the church.

Another update on another investigator... Due to some things that have come up Tyler might have to wait a little bit to be baptized. We are working closely with President Palmer to get this one sorted out. Tyler has had a hard past so we will see what happens. Please continue to pray for Elder Stewart and I to find some new investigators. We have been working super hard and we know that the Lord will bless us for our efforts, but prayer would be appreciated!

Some good news is that transfer calls were this week and I got the news that Elder Stewart and I will be staying together. Same assignment, same area, but different apartment. So we have spent the day cleaning and packing. We are moving from Ceres to Turlock. I can't wait for this transfer. It is going to be fun. Due to this past transfer being 7 weeks we will have a 5 week transfer. So it will go by super quick. Time is something that I am very concerned about right now. I feel as if it keeps getting faster and faster and there is nothing that I can do about it...

Elder Stewart and I will be going to the Oakland Temple again this week! We will go on Thursday with the branch. Josh will be joining us for his first time and I will be able to take some names that I have found on family search the past several weeks! It's going to be a good week. 

I am sorry this letter is so short. I did not take notes and now my mind is blanking. I guess I can use this time to say I really enjoy hand written letters... Just a subtle hint. lol

Have a great week! I love you all!
-- 

Love,

Elder Willden