Family and Friends,

I hope I can write a good letter this week. I forgot to write down things from my journal again so this could be a little rough. Monday night last week was super funny. We were at the branch's FHE and it was game night. Like board games, card games...etc. Well we had two of our recent converts there and our autistic member, Tyler had created this super complex game called Questopia. It was OFF THE CHAIN. Juan, our recent convert, decided to play with him. It was the funniest thing to watch. I went over and asked Juan how it was going and he said it was super complex and detailed. He then went on to tell me that his "weapon of choice" was a spiked war-club. lol. Chase would enjoy this game because he is a rat. Well about 15 minutes went by and then all of the sudden while it was Juans turn Tyler yelled, "LIVE ACTION FIGHT!!!!!" And he went over to Juan and put an imaginary hat on him and gave him his spiked war club and started to fight him. Juan was a good sport and went along with it...but I almost fell on the ground laughing. Had to be there...

We had mission leadership council this week. It was super good. We counselled about a talk that was given by Elder Rasband in this last conference. It is called, "Divine Design." It reminded me of his talk he gave the conference before about recognizing the spirit. I thought that it was significant that he talked about feeling the spirit and then recognizing that there are no coincidences with God. I learned a lot about how I can help the people around me and also our stewardship. I am lucky to also have a companion that knows how to love everyone because that is something I struggle with. So I feel like I am making improvements.

We went on exchanges with the assistants this week! It was super fun...pics will be coming soon. I got my fushigi on! It was definitely a rat fest. But nah it was a super good day. I was with Elder Cook. We were able to teach a couple lessons and it was super good. We shared Light the World with a lot of people. Elder Stewart threw his back out the night of our exchange because he whipped to hard. Elder Stewart and I dance a lot and it is super sick. I would take videos...but that is something that you need to miss for a couple years. Then it will be legendary when I come back.

This week was pretty busy with appointments...some of them fell through, but we were able to pick up a new investigator. Her name is Joyce. She is golden! We taught her the Restoration and really focused on Priesthood authority and how important it is. We brought both of our recent converts to the lessons we had with her. It was so nice to have them there to relate their experiences to her. They told he about how the gospel has blessed their lives. We invited her to read the Book of Mormon and she said she would. It was super cool when we extended the invitation for her to be baptized. She told us that she really wanted to after she knows this is true. She expressed how she felt her baptism when she was a baby did not mean much to her. We were able to explain that any question that she has can be answered by the Book of Mormon. Including if infant baptisms are right. She was excited to start.

I have a really cool family history experience to relate. We have a non-member that is strictly coming the the family history center to do family research. Well Elder Stewart and I had both had the impression that we needed to pop the question this week and see if he wanted to learn more about the gospel. This is the first time we have ever found someone through family history so it was nerve racking. We invited Juan Lopez to come with us and he was so willing. I was helping Juan with his family history and Elder Stewart was helping Branden (the non-member). After about 45 minutes I could hear Elder Stewart starting to bring up the gospel and I was thinkin' it was about to go down. Branden told us he wanted to become a youth pastor. He is an interesting guy, but we extended an invitation for him to take the lessons. (This conversation went for awhile...we basically taught the whole Restoration without teaching it...). When we extended the invitation I turned around because I could feel the spirit and I saw Juan praying fervently. He had a tear running down his cheek. I turned back to Branden and I could see the spirit working on him. Branden then told us he wanted us to meet one of his friends and that he would take the lessons. He wanted to see if his friend wanted to take the lessons too, because his friend is very family oriented too. It was a MIRACLE. Family history is doin' work!

I am absolutely loving my mission! The time is flying and I feel very nervous, but I know the Lord will continue to be there for me. For my spiritual thought this week is a scripture from 3 Nephi I never realized was in there. When Jesus was with the Nephites he asked them if they had written down if the prophesies of Samuel the Lamanite had come to pass. They told him that the prophesies came to pass, but they did not write it down. Well....Jesus rebuked Nephi and told him to write it down. Here is the reference:

6 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.

7 And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.

8 And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:

9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?

12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.

13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded. (3 Nephi 23:6-13)

I know that the Lord would have us write the miracles that go on around us. Even the small ones. This was a good refresher for me and reminded me to keep on keeping a good journal. As the Nephites we need to keep good records for those who come after us. I love looking back on old things that I write too because I am able to learn from my mistakes and my success.

I love you all have a great week!

--

Love,

Elder Willden

Cover photo for my fushigi tutorial.