Learning what matters

Dear Family,

We are very close to having a baptism, and we are planning on extending a commitment this week to an 18 year old we are teaching. He says that everything we've shared with him makes perfect sense, and he is very good friends with a family in the ward who is fellowshipping him. We also have another investigator that just finished reading the Book of Mormon on her own, and we have an appointment with her next week, in which we are planning on committing her to baptism as well. Other than that, we have a handful of potential investigators that we have received through headquarters and, more importantly, from the members. Their desire to do missionary work has increased a lot, and they are putting together a calendar so that priesthood holders can go out with us to our appointments. They're also creating a dinner calendar, which should be very nice because frozen dinners get tiring after a while. Guess I was just spoiled eating prepared food most of the time back home.

So the weather for this week is supposed to be really nice, like what it's been for you all back in Utah. Then on Saturday, it's expected to drop into the 40's, and I seriously doubt it will get much higher than that for a while.

Oh, and could you please tell Cal and Ellie to quit growing so fast, sheesh!! I might just grow a beard watching them sprout like that!

Zone Conference last week was very good, and Pres. Robbins spent some time with Elder Bednar and none other than Elder Jensen! We didn't get to see them, though, but I was still excited to tell President that Elder Jensen was in our ward back home. Well, this week promises to be yet another good one. Then again, I don't think there is such a thing as a bad week in a mission, as long as you have the right attitude and bear your burdens with cheerfulness. President gave a good training about that at ZC, and I remembered that scripture you sent me in Alma 7:11-12. I wanted you to know that it has really helped me tremendously, and has kept me from feeling discouragement and doubt, and especially homesickness. Don't get me wrong, I think about you all everyday, and it has been a source of strength and motivation rather than a time for me to feel sorry for myself.

Hope that this week is filled with happy and memorable experiences for both of us, and I'm looking forward to announcing that I will have a baptism in next week's e-mail!!!!!