July 11, 2011

Hey Mom!

Go to your Mormon.org profile and see if there are any messages? I know that it requires a photo. Just make sure you have filled everything in. Mine only took a week.
You should at least call the Pehrson's or something. I love that man. He's like a 3rd father to me.

Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling is an amazing book. It's amazing to see how Joseph grows from this young, and quite frankly, stupid farm boy to the amazing Prophet that we hold in such high standards. I think it's even better to see that side of him because it shows how illiterate he really was at his age and there's no way he could have written the Book of Mormon. I'm already half-way through chapter 4 "A New Bible" and it's really a great chapter. The first one was kind of long to get through when it was talking about Joseph Sr's parents and Lucy's, but it has been getting better and better. I feel like I can relate to Joseph a lot. I love the story of Martin Harris when he loses the pages, he sits down and hits himself in the temples saying "Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul!" I don't know why but it just wrenches my heart -- but then D&C 3 comes and the Lord comforts them telling them that He is merciful.

Richard Bushman, I'm not sure. I might have given the D70 to Shane haha. I'll let Elder Walkenhorst know.

That's awesome to hear about Adam's jeep! haha. What a coincidence.

Well it's my first actual week out here and it went pretty well. We had two whole lessons in spanish. One with a peruvian man named Enrique and the other with a less-active family from Ecuador. Enrique seemed a little rough around the edges but is surprisingly kind and invited us to come back! I'm pretty excited to teach him -- I think this will be perfect if the less-active family comes back as well as he will have someone to relate to.

The less-active family is the Majors family. Nadia, the mother, married a white guy a few years after she got here and it apparently ended terribly -- he was a jerk I guess. She works for $12 70 hours/week. That is crazy. I made more money than that. I don't understand how I was running through all my money whereas Nadia can raise her 2 children on her income, pay for a car, pay for a home, pay for food... it really gives me perspective on the whole thing.

Had a great day at church yesterday, we taught elders quorum about eternal families. It was a really great discussion to have and to get to know each of the elders a little bit more. I also met the Bishop, Bishop Nally who is a wonderful man. He's very soft-spoken and he has a good sense of humor. Phew! haha.

We are teaching a girl named Kaylyn Parker! She was being taught by the missionaries in the town next to us (can't remember the name) but she lives in our area, so they passed her on and she is great. She loves the church and wants to be baptized. We're not sure, though, what might be holding her up. So with our next appointment we'll see how we can help her make this decision. I really hope she decides to do it... it will bless her life more than she can imagine.

The change to Boston is ok. It is definitely different, but I'll live. I've been reflecting on the past two years and I'm just trying to stay motivated and stay excited. I want to end well and know that I've done if not THE best, the best that I can right now, from now on. I am not a perfect missionary, nor a perfect person. But I hope that what I have done is at least acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.

I love you very much. I hope all is well. Keep praying for me! I need it!
Elder Conner Allred