Monday, November 27, 2017

Family and Friends,

I had a great week this week...I was a little bit sick this week, but it ended up being a really good one! On Tuesday we hosted interviews with President Palmer. Afterwards he asked what are plans were that night and Elder Stewart and I had overbooked ourselves so President decided to come out with me to one of our appointments and Elder Stewart went out with our Branch President. I was a little nervous teaching without a companion and having our mission president with me, but it went super well. We had a lesson with our recent convert Josh Nardini. We taught him about obedience and serving in the church. It was actually super good that President was there because he helped Josh feel really good about what he was doing. I was also able to get information about my recent convert Andi...President said that he saw her a week before that and said she was doing super well! I can't wait until next May when she is eligible to go through the temple!

We have really been trying to implement family history into our proselyting efforts. It has been slow, but it always surprises people when we bring it up. A lot of people aren't interested in it, but even if they have little interest it is always good because the Spirit of Elijah works like that. They will get hooked lol. I have been taking my pedigree chart out and showing it to people and they think it is really cool. We have a lot of family history appointments this upcoming week. So we are going to keep going with it and see what happens. I have noticed that with a lot of the perspective elders we are working with, family history seems to catch their eye. And in due time they will want to go to the temple and get these deceased family members' work done. It is awesome how the Lord works. Family is so important to His eternal plan.

Light The World came out this week! It is a great opportunity to do missionary work. And it Utah I would definitely recommend to do social media missionary work. Go to mormon.org and share the video! Imagine if every member of the church shared the video! How many people do you think would see it? Do not make an excuse like..."oh someone else will share it..." I am inviting all of you within the circle that this letter hits to go online and share the light the world video on any social media account that you have. It is a wonderful way to share the Christmas spirit and to show people that Jesus Christ is so important. We can be His light to the world!

We picked up a new investigator just yesterday named Joyce! We have another appointment with her tonight so pray that it goes well! Juan Lopez, our recent convert came with us to the appointment last night and he did so good! In our last lesson with Juan he expressed that he wants to go on a mission. Halfway through the lesson we did a question and answer on what a mission is like. He said that the biggest reason he would want to serve is to be a good example to his children we he is older. Before he shared that I had talked about how my Dad was such a good example to me by serving a mission and ever since I was little I wanted to serve because of that. I was so happy to hear about Juan's desire. Elder Stewart also shared a powerful testimony about why he served and it just brought the spirit there. Juan will be such a good missionary if he goes next October!

I showed up to church yesterday and they assigned me to speak I didn't have any time to prepare, but I gave a talk on the plan of salvation. I told a story from my childhood that went like this:

 When I was little my father bought a boat so that we could make more family memories and become closer. I was so happy when we got this boat, but when we finally started taking it out none of my siblings including me wanted to do anything... For me it was a little bit more extreme; I would not even get into the water. I thought that there were sharks in the fresh water lakes...I recall a time that we were out on the lake and I was feeling very brave. I had convinced myself that I could get in the water and then get right out. Well I started my descent into the water and fear overcame my body. I was hanging off of the edge of the boat only holding on the the dock handles of the boat. I was eight years old and did not have the strength to pull myself back into the boat. I was embarrassed, scared, and felt like I was going to fall into the water. In my eight year old mind I could picture the sharks underneath me that were just waiting for me to fall. To make things worse I could hear my Dad telling everyone that we were going to start the boat and head off. As I was hanging there I could remember that I did not want to call out for help because I was going to be embarrassed...but I was also very scared and almost in a shocked stupor. When finally I heard what I wanted to hear. My Dad asked, "Where is Kolton?" I timidly spoke out and said I was hanging off the boat. Although, I think that my Dad knew I was there. After my Dad had heard me call out he saved me from my biggest fear and in my eight year old mind a very real struggle and trial. My Dad grabbed me and lifted me up back into the boat with my family. I felt safe and comforted despite the mocking I got from my family. I was so thankful my Dad had the strength to help me get back into the boat.

I told this story to represent the effects that we have from the fall of Adam. Obviously there were no sharks in the water, but for effect I have kept them in the story. Due to bad decisions we make in life we can find ourselves hanging on the side of the "boat" helplessly because we do not have the strength to get back in. We can also be hesitant to call out for help because of the embarrassment that we feel from putting ourselves in these situations. We need to remember that we can all find ourselves in these situations, dangling helplessly looking down at the worldly sharks that can destroy our souls. But we need to remember that like my Dad in the story we have a Savior. Jesus Christ can help us as we struggle through personal trials. He will not come to our aid without us seeking for His help. He has the strength because of the Atonement to help us back into the "boat." "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

-- 
Love,
Elder Willden




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