WET WET WET!!! 9/12/10

Another week has come and gone, and I am starting to wonder how can time continue to speed up, there has to be a limit, but I guess not! Things are going very well for the most part we took a big hit as a zone compared to last month so this morning we had a meeting with our district leaders to try and combat the trend of super months then decent months and do our best to focus on steady progression which is exactly what the Lord has required us to do! Dad asked about John Richardson his is doing well we had a great lesson with him this week focusing on the Book of Mormon. We played the talk by Elder Holland then bore our witness as well of the truthfulness of that remarkable book!! The spirit was strong, and will work on him just as it worked on Fred and countless others!

This Saturday I went on Trade-offs with Elder McKinley (his parents came to visit you in Vegas) It was so good to be with him again him and I improved our teaching together like no other companions either of us have ever been with so it was a great blessing. Bad part was we were on bike and the rain was non stop all day. After a while you just laugh at how wet you are, and just keep on keepin on! It is funny how little time I actually spend one on one with my actual companion. Between trade-offs and meetings we are rarely together. We had been very blessed with reguards to teaching and finding as usual, although we were taken out of our are God still provided over the standard in all most all areas of the work. From teaching to fining and everything in between.

We (comp and I) still have 3 set for the remainder of the month, but we want to get at least one more, and the miracle to precede that desire may have happened yesterday!!! I was talking to some member in church when a young lady caught my eye IN A MISSIONARY WAY and I asked the people I was talking to if that was so and so's niece and they said yes so I B lined over to talk to her and sure enough it was her. Her name is Whitley, and she has friends that are active members in our ward. She lives out of our area, but we found out yesterday she is moving over!!! We taught her in Gospel Principles class then went over later that day to teach her at the members home! She loved it and when we asked how she felt as we taught she said and I quote "Gobsmacked." I am not exactly sure what that means, but after further questions she said that she felt that she knew what we were teaching was true! It is the greatest of feelings to know that people can feel the truthfulness of what you teach by the power of the Holy Ghost!!! So for this weekend Lauren a twelve year old will be baptized, she is rather solid since her father is an active member. Her only hold back was that she didn't like church because she never understood what was being taught, but now that she has 2 personal teaches she is all goods! Then the following weekend we have 2 cousins Loleta and Georgina! They are 12 and 9, and Georgina's mom came to church yesterday for the first time in a very long time so we we so happy because she will now have a better support system!!! All three of these girls are incredible smart and remember very well the things taught in prior lessons.

On other progressing news FRED BODY RECEIVED THE PRIESTHOOD!!! It was great one week after becoming a member he was ordained to to the office of a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. The ward is very strong with support, so he will receive a calling and has already begun his new member lessons. Definitely a great blessing as a missionary to know that you can trust others with the people we have grown to love!!! He also has started to tell us about some family members of his that he wants us to teach, so it has been just a massive chain reaction!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about Alma chapter 29. In this chapter Alma starts off by stating the desire of his heart which is to teach with Angelic Zeal in other word to teach with power and authority. That is one of the greatest desires of all missionaries!!! He then goes onto say why he wants it and contrary to the intentions of today's society he says that he wants it to help his brethren, and to be an "instrument in the hands of God!" I feel as though I have gone through different stages of desire as I have been out on my mission. Of coarse at the beginning it was very selfish in my desire wanting to baptize a heap so I look good, but as I recognize my purpose more I have come to know in a very real way that I am here for God and his Children and no one else!! As much as I love my family they are not the reason in which I serve. I like Alma have had a mighty change of heart, have felt the pains of a damned soul, and felt the rejoicing love that comes only from the Prince of Peace, My Savior Jesus Christ!!! I have, like Alma, been praying very hard to gain a more pure desire to rescue his children and do it for him and so that the suffering of Christ will not go in vain. He goes onto remember the mercy that our loving Heavenly father showed to his people of that time. She recognized that all good comes from God and show gratitude accordingly! I am forever grateful for the mercy that come only through the Atonement of Christ! I, like Alma, also joy not in my success alone, but in the success of my brethren. Alma Closes this chapter in the way and manner that we too must seek things from God, that manner is thy will be done!! We must trust in God and know that He will grant us things as He sees fit and as He knows we need them!! I give my witness to the world that whatever we may be going through we are not alone! Like Elder Holland I wish for my witness to stand up to men on earth and to be recorded in Heaven as one who stood for truth. I know beyond the comprehension of the Human mind that God does live and that he does love us. I know that this is His church and His work. My promise to Him is that I will wear my life of for him and I will do it for Him and his children and not for myself.

I love you all and extend the invitation to you all to begin NOW making steps and preparation to be right with God. No one is exempt from his love, and no one was over looked when Christ suffered for us!! Make the change so that you can have all the blessings that God desires to give you!!! Again I express my love and gratitude to you and it would not be true love if I did not love you for who you can become, more than I love you for who you are. God expects us to progress and sin is what halters progression so rid yourself and press forward. Keep smiling life is a one time thing so make the most of today!!!


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Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.