HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAD

Greetings ya'll

Dad is 55. That's super cool because he is in better shape than any of his children and he is pretty much the most studly man I've ever met. Right up there with Ray Lewis as far as the beast factor goes. All jokes aside though, happy birthday Pa. I sent a letter a couple days ago so if it's not already there it will get there in time so don't worry. I still know when your b-day is. I didn't send any cool gifts though because there is nothing cool here to send you. Except green chili. That stuff is good but I don't really know how to send it to ya'll. You can order it online though. Anyway, I love you dad and I appreciate your example in my life. My life would be waaaaaaaaay less amazing without you. Thanks for being the man. It blows my mind.

So yesterday was MLK Jr day so we get to email today instead of yesterday. I think it's kinda cool that the super bowl will be 49ers vs. Ravens. The Harbaugh bowl. That could be pretty cool. Also, I appreciate the other updates from Jake in the sporting world. You, Cam, and Dad are the only way that I have even the slightest idea of what's going on. Thanks for filling me in. There should be a letter on the way for Jake too before his birthday. I haven't forgot about the letter so don't worry. Also, thanks Kait for the package! I already ate all of the 100 grand and the goldfish because it's so good and addicting. That package was a welcome sight. Love you lots sis, I'll write you a letter soon!

This week was super productive and awesome. We found new investigators, we taught a ton of people, and the Lord was able to work through us to help people to make progress! We have our mission standards of excellence for our mission which are teaching 20 lessons a week, having members with us at 80% of our lessons, finding 4 new investigators, and inviting people to be baptized on the first lessons. This week was the first time I've been at 20 lessons and that totally pumped me up. We found 2 new investigators which was cool also. We should be able to find some more this week as well. I know it's not all about numbers and percentages or anything but it just goes to show that the Lord has been blessing us this week. Also, numbers and goals "reflect the righteous desires of our hearts" so I hope ya'll don't think I'm number hungry. I'm just glad things are coming together and our teaching pool is increasing! More people to invite to come unto Christ=happy missionaries. But in a nutshell, this week has been one of the best weeks of my life.

One day, we had about 10 minutes before our dinner and we didn't know really what to do so we went by the missionary saying of, "when in doubt, tract!" Tracting isn't usually the most fun thing and especially that day because it was insanely cold and windy. Anyhow, we knocked on an apartment complex near ours and nobody was interested and it was about time to head back to our place to be picked up by a member for dinner. The spirit told us to knock just one more door so we did. It was way cool. The family that opened up the door were a part member family that had been living there since September and nobody in the ward knew about them. They were super awesome and friendly and invited us in. They told us we were crazy for being outside and said we could come back another time so that was way cool. The spirit really does guide us and the Lord leads this work. We will start teaching them this week and it's going to be awesome. A part member family will become an eternal family. I was super excited when we found them though. We knew the Lord would bless us for toughing it out in the cold weather.

We also had interviews with President Miller this week. He asked us how we feel about our work and if we feel we are "successful missionaries." I told him that I get disappointed a lot with the people that we work with. He told me that disappointment is natural but that I can't let myself get discouraged or else my faith and my testimony will weaken. That kinda scared me but he's totally right. I think one thing I've learned a lot about in my mission so far is how to deal with disappointment. We've got to always be positive thinkers and trust that the Lord will lead us in this work. In our interviews, we also taught Sister Miller the word of wisdom in 3 minutes or less. That was a humbling experience. She told me everything that I could've done better because I really didn't a super good job. It was good though. I've also learned a lot about accepting criticism and trying to become better at everything I do. I have definitely been taught a lot.

Now I have to tell you about the coolest/most spiritual experience that I have had with any of our investigators/less-actives so far on my mission. It was with Tina who we found out is 17 and she has a 1 year old son. That's not relevant right now though. We met with her twice this week and she made so much progress it was crazy! Since she hadn't come to church yet, the first time we met with her we talked a lot about church attendance and why coming to church and partaking of the sacrament is so important. We read 3 Nephi 18 with her because that's where the Savior brings the Sacrament to the Nephites. It was mega cool and then we invited her to come on a church tour later in the week. Church tours are awesome. If we had keys to our chapel and a car we would do them all the time but we don't so thats kind of a bummer. Anyway, we had already taught Tina about the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation so we decided to teach her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we went through the church tour. It was so great! The whole time she was just talking about "butterflies" that she was feeling inside and we kept telling her repeatedly that that was the Spirit that she was feeling and everytime we told her that she would just have a big grin across her face. Towards the end of the tour we opened up the baptismal font and talked about baptism and the importance of it. We asked her how she felt about baptism on Feb. 2nd and she said that she still wants to. We promised her that that is what the Lord wants her to do. At the end of the church tour, we did something that neither of us were planning on doing because we didn't think we had the time. We sat in the foyer and asked her how she feels about the BoM and if she has received an answer to her prayers whether it is true or nor. She told us she prayed but didn't get an answer yet but she also told us that she wants it to be true and that she believed she would eventually get the answer that it is true. We read Moroni 10: 3-5 with her and told her that she met all of the qualifications for being able to receive an answer. Then we asked her to kneel right then and to pray to know if these things are true. We promised that that she would receive an aswer. So, we all knelt down together and Tina prayed and asked God if the BoM is true and then she listened to the spirit and we all did too. We listened for about 30 seconds and then Tina closed her prayer in thanks to God and then just broke down. She received her answer right then and there that this is all true. The spirit was so strong. It was amazing. All of that was purely by the spirit and Elder Jones and I were just the Lord's chosen servants to voice all that we said to Tina. I have never felt the spirit working through me quite like that. After we dropped Tina off with the member who was with us (who just got back from his mission and is the bishop's son) he said, "elders, that's what I call a golden investigator." It was so great! To top it all off, we were able to get Tina to church as well and she loved it! Now all she needs to do is get her word of wisdom issues straightened up and then she will be able to baptized. I'm so pumped!

Nobody else really progressed that much this week but Shariy is slowly progressing too. She is ready to be married and is willing to do it for the Lord but Geno isn't sure quite yet. Shariy is meeting with the bishop tonight and said that Geno might come with her as well. Hopefully he does and bishop marries them right then and there. That would be super cool. Miracles happen when we are exactly obedient and Elder Jones and I are being as obedient and hard working as possible. Sometimes being obedient isn't always convenient but being obedient will always reward us! I saw that this week for sure.

President Miller challenged us to read through the BoM and higlight every reference to Christ, his words, his doctrine, his attributes, and glad scriptures. I have been doing that and it has been a great experience. The BoM testifies more plainly of Christ than any other book on the Earth. I started doing this activity where I was currently reading in the BoM and I finished the BoM this week. I took up Moroni's promise again. Good news, the BoM is still true. With all my heart I know that and it has seriously changed my life. It will change anybody's life who is humble and sincere enough to find out for themselves if it is true. The work rolls on!

Love all ya'll and thanks for everything!
Elder Black

P.S. these pics are from last Monday. It was snowing super hard and it was awesome. The snow was all gone about 24 hours later =(


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