Hola!!!!! Como estais, familia?
It's great to see how well things are going! It sounds like things are just rolling along (knock on wood!)!! I love all the news! Haha and actually, I was thinking the same thing about conference, too! We were all watching from the same camera angle! Maybe we were even thinking about being connected through Conference at the same time, too!
Conference was an AMAZING experience! I finished off a journal that I got when I first came into the mission with notes from all of the speakers. But Elder Hales didn't speak this time. I wonder what happened? All 5 sessions just flew by. Looking back after the sessions, it seemed like it was over the course of a week or something. But during the conference..."Hey! Slow down! I can't write fast enough to get everything down that I want to write down!!!" I LOVE CONFERENCE!!! There's definitely a different feeling there. That's awesome that Jessica's friend was able to come over and watch Conference! When you get the chance, that's a situation I'd like to hear more about. The missionaries must have been super excited! Who are the Elders there now? When do they have transfers? Next time that they're there, you should get a picture of everyone (including Ryan and the Elders - everyone as in with the camera on a timer on the banister or something). Which talks did you like the most? Which things stood out? I loved hearing Elder Christofferson's talk on receiving correction. It cuts kind of deep, but that's where all the healing starts.
Things have been getting better. I think I've just been so focused on myself, that I haven't really reached out and wanted to expand what I've been doing. But, over the past few days, I've really had a desire to improve. I've been thinking over those experiences where I get frustrated or upset with rules that I have never seen before, but exist, and then making those changes to become a more obedient missionary. It's definitely no easy task, but a few of the talks over this AWESOME conference weekend really helped me to see the purifying power of our trials. We can take our trials and become bitter, upset, and push God away, or we can "allow our trials to pass through us in ways that sanctify and purify us." I really liked what was said about Elder Wirthlin: how he developed an attitude to evaluate what he needed to do better, and then making those changes, so as to always be progressing to become like Christ. I told Elder J that is something that I want to develop. I really feel that God is helping me to make those changes, and there are times where I feel offended/frustrated/irritated that God allows me to see that, as He told Joseph in Liberty Jail, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." It is those times that I am most humbled, and then receive the choice to take and apply what I have learned at conference, or go my own way. My own way hasn't done me too much good in the past. It's much better to have God guiding your life than to try to do it yourself. It's like trying to drive a car blindfolded: There's no doubt that you'd wreck sooner or later.
Things are going much better with Elder J. There are some changes that I need to make in my life, especially touching on exact obedience, and the Spirit has been prompting me to begin making those changes now, in becoming more Christlike, and in drawing closer to Him, so that I can be a greater strength in His hands to bringing souls to Him.
It sounds like Ryan has been doing very well. And it also seems to me that you've been a big help with what he needs right now. That ties in well with the talk that Elder Eyring gave on service. We help where we can, whether big or small. And this looks like a very big task!
The work here as been progressing. I'm not seeing the success that I'd like to see right now, but I do feel that I am doing my best. I've felt a need to improve, and I'm looking forward to improving. I don't know how exciting it's going to be, but it's really comforting to know that I'm doing what the Lord wants me to do, no matter the outcome. That outweighs all the other weights of the work. We have the Andrade family that is progressing, though they didn't come to church this past week. A real bummer. We did have someone at a Sunday session of conference, though he's not progressing very well. We'll just have to see what this next week brings! What growing and learning opportunities!
I'm sorry to hear about the interview not going as planned for Justin. It sounds like that is something he really wants to do. It's still a possibility, though, isn't it? And College Connections - Congrats again!! It'll be an awesome - if learning and growing - experience!
Well, I've got to go! Glad the party went well, Kaytlin! And Say Hi to Kristin for me! I love you all!!!
Con mucho amor,
El Devinator
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