September 14

Hello Everyone,

The meeting with Elder Dallin H. Oaks went really well. We met with him Sunday morning and we all got to shake his hand, twice!! It went so fast, it felt like an assembly line. But man when he shakes your hand he looks into your soul. He talked about how our missions are not ours but the Lord's and He is kind enough to let us play a part of it. Also that many missionaries just do missionary things but they never become a missionary. At points I feel like I am just doing missionary things and I freak out because I am not being who I need to be. Other missionaries tell me that it takes time and it doesn't happen very fast, but then Elder Oaks said that many missionaries never truly become missionaries. So now I am a little depressed and not happy with my behavior. I want to become a missionary and not just go through with the motions. It reminds me of a talk about knowing the dance moves but not hearing the music. Right now I don't feel like I am dancing to the music, I am just dancing because that is what I am supposed to do. 

On that note let me talk about something more uplifting. Another thing that Elder Oaks talked about was when we are teaching we should not assume too much, especially for the first point of the first discussion. It is ~ we have a loving Heavenly Father, and Elder Oaks told us to not just breeze through this one but to actually talk about the true nature of God. So many people believe in just a thing that they call God but we need to specifically testify to them that we have a Heavenly Father who has a body of flesh and bone. During the conference on Saturday he talked about how the ward council is not a decision making body but a discussion body. They should discuss issues that are in their ward and discuss how to handle them.  Member missionary work is so much more efficient than just missionary work. I never fully understood how significant members are in the Lord's work. One thing that I love that Elder Oaks said, and he quoted from president Harold B. Lee, "the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a retirement home for the righteous, but a hospital for sinners." I love that because this gospel is for imperfect people to become perfect. He also talked about what it truly means to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. It means to become like Him, to act like Him in everyway.  The gospel is to help us become perfect and everyone on earth who has been and who ever will be will not be perfect. the gospel is for everyone. it will help people in their lives. It will improve the quality and will make everyone who accepts it and lives it happier than they ever have been. I know this to be true because when I live the gospel I am happy and joyful and I have hope. this is why I am on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I want everyone else to have what I have and to know what I know. Why else would I be dedicating 18 months of my life if I didn't know the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be true?  Brittany Harrison, the recent convert shook hands with Elder Dallin H. Oaks too. She was so nervous but she did well.

I was able to have one investigator come to stake conference. He could only come Saturday. We were supposed to have three come but the boy who we called by accident when it wasn't his number was going to come but the day before he got food poisoning, but we have an appointment to see him Tuesday. He told us that he read a little of the book of Mormon because he had exams all week but we asked how it was and he said so far it seems true! We hope he is sincere about that. Pypre said she could come too but she never came... it is so discouraging when people don't come. 

We met with Brittany and she had a wonderful baptism. Everyone cried and she felt the spirit so strong! I wish I was there but I am glad that she made the decision to be baptized!  

P-day last week there was a huge tire and the Elders climbed inside and rolled down the hill. This p-day we are going to be doing marshmallow dodge ball. I am SUPER excited! We will be using the humungous marshmallows! I will let you know how it goes! 

Love you all and miss you tons!!!!!!!!!! Toodaloo!!!

MO