Press Forward With a Steadfastness in Christ

Howdy from Texas! This past week has been a really great week! My testimony of my Savior and his work has been growing immensely and I know that the gospel is true. I am so very thankful for this amazing opportunity to be able to learn, grow, and help others be able to feel of the joys of the gospel. I have seen so many blessings in my life this past week. I can't even express how many blessings I have been receiving as I have been on my mission. It is such a blessings to be able to preach and learn more about the gospel everyday. I have felt an increased love and relationship with my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. Through giving your whole heart and will to the Lord in doing his work, He will bless you in enumerable ways. I have been striving to become the missionary that He wants me to become. I am humbled and excited to see how I will change throughout these next two years.

My ponderize scripture for his week is 2 Nephi 31:20 : Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. I love this scripture and we use it a lot in our lessons in teaching the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we enter the path leading to eternal life through baptism, we must continue in the path by enduring to the end. As we continue to read and study the scriptures, follow the prophet, and keep our covenants, we will be able to receive eternal life and be able to live with our Heavenly Father and our eternal families again someday. I know and I testify that these things are true. I know that only through our savior can we experience eternal joy and peace in this life and in the world to come. I love the scriptures!

This past Wednesday, I had the opportunity to go on an exchange with Elder Nielsen in our district. We were able to go by Sylvia Crabtree who is a less active. We invited her to church the past few weeks and we were able to see her every week! As we went over, we gave her the temple invitation from pres. Monson and she said she wants to do the temple and family history work for her mother and father as well as others in her family! I am so very thankful to be able to see others coming back to the gospel and experiencing joy, peace, and lasting happiness.

We have been doing a lot of work with the less active members this past week and we have been having a lot of success! We have been biking a lot too! It's fun being able to bike around our area and to see more of south San Antonio. Many of the missionaries say that this area is the "promised land" because of all the potential that this area has. The other Elders in our district referred us to the Olivares family this past week and we were able to teach them some really good lessons. They are an awesome family! They are a less active family but the father, Martin, was a member his whole life and his wife and their 10 year old daughter have been baptized a year ago but have become less active. Whenever we ask questions or involve them in the lesson they always give amazing answers and insights for others in the family. There are 3 others; two that aren't baptized so we are hoping to teach them some more and to be able to have Martin baptize his three other kids. We have also been keeping in touch with Brian too. His desire to be baptized has grown tremendously this past week. I hope I will be able to stay here in this area for this next transfer so that I can see him be baptized. I am so very thankful to be in this area!

It seems like each and every week as I go to church and partake of the sacrament, I am spiritually fed and rejuvenated for the upcoming week. I am so very thankful for my Savior's atonement and eternal sacrifice. The more and more I partake of the sacrament, the more sacred and meaningful the atonement is for me. My love for the Savior is strengthened and I want to deepen my desire to always follow him and to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Being able to have his spirit to be with us is truly an amazing blessing.

Thank you all for the emails! I hope every has a great week. Love you all!

Mom, thanks for sending the pictures! Haha Looked like Rev and Kassi had a good Halloween. :) I'm sorry to hear that bro. Carlson died, I know he is in a better place. I haven't gotten the package yet because I haven't been by the mission office this past week but I'll try and go by sometime soon. We're doing good with cooking. :) we have been cooking chicken and some of the easy and quick stuff like pasta and cereal. We get fed really well by the members. :) I hope dad is doing well, I think about him a lot and want him to know I love him so much! I continue to pray that he will be able to find a job closer to home. You all mean so much to me. Have an awesome week! All is well in the Lone Star State. :)