Monday June 27, 2011

Wow.  Sounds like you're having too much fun without me.  How is that possible? Things in Baltimore are going great.  The work is progressing at an accelerated rate this week.  We'll be losing trading 18 missionaries for 14.  I'm terrified that I'll end up training or in a leadership position.  The lessons have improved.  We've been doing everything we can to invite the spirit.  Its been tough at times, but well worth the effort.  We have meals almost every night with members.  When I have money I try to buy inexpensive things.  A bit more fruit than normal.  Yes.   I'm living off more that Ramen, Pop Tarts, and Yellow Death (Mac N' Cheese).  We cover from the Maryland/Pennsylvania Border to the middle of Hagerstown.  I found out that this is the largest City (My companion says town) in western Maryland.  We have two wards in the City of Hagerstown.  Hagerstown and Antietam.  We cover an area about the size of spanish fork, benjamin, and lakeshore.  Small area, but lots of people. Thats good.  I've learned that when giving talks you teach instead of preach.  I had to give one two weeks ago and caring for the poor and needs.  A pretty simple subject. The family sounds pretty busy.  Keep it up.  I had a feeling that Colton would be either engaged or married by the time I get home.  I found this cool thing I'm going to send out when I get towards the end of my mission.  Its a Return Missionary Dating Application. So this week we've had a lot of member support (hint hint) in teaching our investigators.  Its one of the keys to investigators being baptized.  We taught Sister Gammell about the Word of Wisdom this week.  We were so terrified when teaching it to her because she said she doesn't want to join a church that wont let her drink coffee.  Knowing that we had to teach it eventually Elder Garfield and I addressed it.  Brother Hurley (Member) shared his experience with the Word of Wisdom and bore powerful testimony of how through his faith he was able to give up coffee and smoking. I know that God's Plans are perfect.  That as we seek to understand them we'll find answers and the spirit will reassure to us when we're doing to right thing.  God loves each of us.  Through his grace and the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ we can do all things.  I bear this my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen. "Feed my sheep..." Elder Christofferson